Ep 00 – Femtech’s Wake Up Call

Transcript:

Gabrielle (00:00)
There’s a shift happening in women’s health and marketers are right in the middle of it.

Karen (00:04)
So we created a space for honest, strategic conversations about how to show up and lead.

…

Gabrielle (00:29)
Hey there and welcome to Two Uteruses Walk into a Bar, I’m Gabrielle Svenning.

Karen (00:34)
And I’m Karen Flynn. We’re very excited you’re here.

Gabrielle (00:37)
This is our first episode. It’s just going to be a short one, just to tell you what this podcast is all about, who it’s for, and why we think the timing of it is so important.

Karen (00:46)
So if you’re someone working in, or adjacent to, women’s health marketing — maybe you’re a FemTech founder or a brand manager at a med device company, a strategist, a creative, an investor — this podcast is for you.

Gabrielle (00:59)
We’re here to talk about what it really takes to position, promote, and grow brands that are building products for women’s health, now and at a time when misinformation is rampant, social media is really dominating the health conversation, and women are asking and demanding more from the brands that they buy from.

Karen (01:18)
Yeah, so that leads us to why this podcast and why now. This series — this podcast is a series — sparked from writing the article, “It’s Time for FemTech to Step Up.” I have part of it behind me. We’re going to make it available for download in our podcast descriptions because we strongly feel that it’s really important reading for anyone in this space, right now. And in the piece, we talk about how rampant misinformation has become on social media, especially around women’s health.

Gabrielle (01:45)
And how this moment, like right now, presents a wake-up call. And one could even say it’s more than a wake-up call.

Karen (01:52)
Yeah, there’s actually a call to action from the field for healthcare professionals and, importantly, for health brand marketers to step in and to help combat misinformation.

Gabrielle (02:02)
Because brands in the FemTech space aren’t just selling products. They’re shaping conversations, they’re influencing care decisions, and they have the power to counter the misinformation and claim leadership.

Karen (02:13)
Right, but only if they show up with intention and with clarity and with brand strategies that actually work in today’s landscape.

Gabrielle (02:21)
So we started asking each other, “What’s holding health brands back from owning this space? What do marketers and founders and brand leaders really need to know to meet the moment?”

Karen (02:31)
And those questions led to some great conversations between us and those conversations led to this podcast.

Gabrielle (02:36)
Which — Two Uteruses Walk a Bar — let’s be honest, is not your typical podcast title.

Karen (02:42)
It might raise an eyebrow. We get that.

Gabrielle (02:44)
But here’s the thing. We work in health care and medical device marketing and, for the purposes of this podcast, we’re talking about women’s health care. So if you can’t say “uterus” comfortably in this context, we’re going to have a hard time getting to the good stuff.

Karen (02:58)
And it’s memorable, which any brand strategist will tell you is like rule number one for naming anything.

Gabrielle (03:03)
Plus we do have uteruses, so we figured we’re allowed.

Karen (03:06)
That said, of course, this podcast, of course, is not just for people with uteruses. It’s for anyone building better brands and products for women’s health. So if you’re in the game, you’re welcome here.

Gabrielle (03:10)
And the name also sets that tone that we were looking for, which is strategic, but also relaxed, conversational, and fun. Kind of like the smart, you know, bar talk you get at happy hour with your colleagues, you know, people who get it.

Karen (03:30)
Yeah, which leads us to a very important feature of every episode, our Mocktail of the Day.

Gabrielle (03:35)
What is today’s mocktail Karen?

Karen (03:37)
Today’s mocktail — I’ve only got about half of it left — is…

Gabrielle (03:38)
…I know, me too…

Karen (03:38)
…How are you doing on yours?… is the Rosemary Paloma Spritz. So it’s grapefruit, lime, rosemary syrup, a splash of soda. It’s refreshing. It’s a little unexpected.

Gabrielle (03:39)
Just like this show!

Karen (03:40)
Just like this show!

Gabrielle (03:41)
Yeah, so for each episode, we’re going to feature a different mocktail and put a link to the recipe in the show description. It’s just for fun.

Karen (03:44)
Yeah, it’s just a way to tie into our bar theme. We’re likely to be recording this during work hours and we want to keep this as inclusive as possible. So…

Gabrielle (04:07)
…mocktails.

Karen (04:07)
Mocktails.

Gabrielle (04:08)
Feel free spice it up if the spirit moves you.

Karen (04:12)
Right, so — actually I’m going to take a little, quick little — my throat was dry. We’re going to do some quick intros. I’m Karen Flynn.

I’m a content partner at GrayMatter Agency, which is based in the greater Boston area. I’m author of the original FemTech article that kicked this podcast series off. I’ve been writing, researching, leading teams, and building strategic content for over 25 years. I get excited about words and using words to frame or to reframe how we can think about things, especially around women’s health and the power of brands.

At GrayMatter Agency we specialize in branding and positioning for medical device and life science companies. We help health-focused brands define their identity, find their secret sauce, and go to market with purpose and with clarity.

Gabrielle (04:57)
I’m Gabrielle Svenning. I’m the VP Account Director here at GrayMatter and I’ve spent many years in my career helping medical device and life science brands find their voice, tell their story, and stand out in competitive markets. I also came up with the term Perimenopositive™ because I believe that women deserve a better narrative around this stage of life — frankly, around all of it.

At GrayMatter I’m part of the core team behind brand transformations, so I help guide strategy, collaborate with creative, and help our clients bring their messages to life and make it matter. Marketing and successful women’s health messaging share an approach, and that’s to be intentional, be bold, and build trust. So this podcast is another way we’re hoping to move that conversation forward.

Karen (05:34)
Yep.So let’s talk about what you can expect from the series. We’re keeping things very tight. We have a nine episode series planned, nine episodes all together, and each episode will focus on a specific challenge or opportunity in women’s health marketing, pulled straight from the field and grounded in what brands are navigating right now.

Gabrielle (06:02)
We know our audiences are juggling a lot, so we’ve built this podcast like a strategic roadmap, and we’re keeping things very tight and organized. The series is put into three parts, with each part covering a key aspect of building and positioning a successful FemTech or women’s health brand. So, whether you’re building from scratch or you’re evolving a legacy brand, there’s going to be something in every episode that you can use.

Karen (06:25)
Yep, so part one — which will be episodes 1, 2 and 3 — are all about the changing landscape. What’s shifting in women’s health, who the audience really is and why building trust is more than just a buzzword.

Gabrielle (06:37)
Part two — episodes 4, 5, and 6 — is going to be all about strategy and execution. We’re going to talk about brand voice and social media and building communities and navigating influencers in a space where accuracy and authenticity really matter.

Karen (06:53)
Yep, and then we’ll wrap it up in part three, which will be episodes 7, 8 and 9. They’re going to focus on growth and future proofing. So, how to get your pitch right, how to enable your sales team and how to stay ahead of what’s coming next.

Gabrielle (07:05)
So, part one is going to give you clarity, part two will give you tools, and part three is going to help you scale. And we’re going to be joined by founders, marketers, clinicians, investors, you name it. Every episode is designed to be both inspiring and immediately useful.

Karen (07:21)
Yeah, because we know our audience isn’t just listening for fun. You’re trying to move something forward. So, if you’re a marketer, an entrepreneur or a strategist trying to build a better health brand for women, you’re in the right place.

Gabrielle (07:33)
Pull up a stool and grab a mocktail. We’re just getting started.

Karen (07:37)
Hope to see you.

Gabrielle (07:38)
Follow us and find our episodes wherever you find your podcasts.

Karen (07:40)
and YouTube.

Gabrielle (07:38)
Yeah, don’t forget YouTube.

Karen (07:41)
Bye.

Gabrielle (07:42)
Thank you, bye.