Episode 646 is an interview with three young entrepreneurs. Thom met the founders of Hempress Hygienics when he was the Master of Ceremonies for the 2021 San Diego Angel Conference. While this company did not win the cash prize in the angel funding competition, they are huge winners in the world of launching a start up. These women are onto something and everyone should hear their story. Marilyn Austin, Halli Briscoe, and McKenna Avery are smart, determined, and doing work they love.
This interview is the first time Thom has talked about feminine hygiene products (including tampons, pads, and liners) on this podcast. This company makes their products from Hemp, so they are 100% biodegradable. This company is “making waves” and changing an entire industry.
About Hempress Hygienics
Hempress Hygienics is an innovative feminine hygiene brand with the mission to provide products that are good for women’s bodies AND the environment, and we do this through utilizing the power of hemp fiber. Our 100% hemp tampons, pads, and liners, are 100% biodegradable, chemical free, and plastic free. Hemp is also naturally antimicrobial which reduces the risk of infection and has 1/4th the carbon footprint of its main competitor cotton. We plan to launch in Q4 of 2021, and a portion of our profits go to women friendly charities focused on providing women access to healthcare, education, and products worldwide. https://hempresshygienics.com
About the Hempress Hygienics Founders
Marilyn Austin is the CEO and is focused on the finances and marketing for Hempress. Marilyn is from San Diego, California and attended Oregon State University, where she and her co-founder Halli started Hempress. She graduated in 2019 with a double major in Economics and Business and went on to work in finance at TD Ameritrade and now Bank of America. Marilyn has her series 7 and 66 licenses and is pending CFP certification. She is passionate about social entrepreneurship and is an outspoken advocate for sustainability and women’s rights and advancement worldwide.
Halli Briscoe is President and her roles are focused on operations and legal. Halli is from Dallas, Texas and attended Oregon State University where she competed as a D1 All-American gymnast. Halli graduated in 2019 with her Honors degree in Business Administration and Entrepreneurship, and went on to earn her MBA in Organizational Leadership from OSU and graduated in 2020. She has served at Meritize under the strategy and growth department where she was in charge of writing industry theses and presenting competitor case studies to the CEO of the company as an advisor. Halli also worked at a nonprofit care center in Ghana, Africa for previously trafficked children which further developed her passion for philanthropy and social entrepreneurship. Halli now works as a middle school science teacher and plans to go full-time with Hempress once her teaching contract ends.
McKenna Avery is Vice President and is responsible for Hempress’s product development and sustainability. McKenna is from Redlands, California and attended San Diego State University where she graduated with a degree in Sustainability. McKenna was a former chair of her campus’s Sustainability Commission, a member of the University’s Senate Sustainability, and is a contracted sustainability consultant in Southern California working with a variety of businesses and cities. She also worked internationally to develop sustainable waste management systems in Cambodia. McKenna is extremely passionate about sustainability, women’s health, and philanthropy overall.
About Thom Singer
Thom Singer works for Stanton Chase, a leading executive search firm that specializes in helping companies and associations place key hires. He is also a keynote speaker and professional master of ceremonies / EmCee
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After a successful career in sales and marketing, Thom Singer became a growth leadership speaker in 2009. A decade later he has brought his high energy presentations and action-oriented content to over 900 audiences. Thom knows that as the speaker or master of ceremonies he has a responsibility to set the tone for a strong conference attendee experience. Known as “The Conference Catalyst” he creates an atmosphere of fun and interaction that lasts beyond his presentation.
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Thom earned his Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) in 2014 and is committed to the business of meetings. He is the author of 12 books and is the host of the popular “Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do” podcast. On his show he has interviewed over 400 entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, business leaders and others with a focus on discovering how the most successful people get farther across the gap between potential and results.
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After a successful career in sales and marketing, Thom Singer became a growth leadership speaker in 2009. A decade later he has brought his high energy presentations and action-oriented content to over 900 audiences. Thom knows that as the speaker or master of ceremonies he has a responsibility to set the tone for a strong conference attendee experience. Known as “The Conference Catalyst” he creates an atmosphere of fun and interaction that lasts beyond his presentation.
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Thom earned his Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) in 2014 and is committed to the business of meetings. He is the author of 12 books and is the host of the popular “Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do” podcast. On his show he has interviewed over 400 entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, business leaders and others with a focus on discovering how the most successful people get farther across the gap between potential and results.
In 2021 Thom co-founded the soft skills training company “Sculpt Development” with three friends. This company allows smaller organizations to provide state of the are business education to their teams.
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At 50 years old Thom decided to reinvent his life and make age 50 to 75 the best years of his life. This meant saying yes to things that scared him, and trying new things. Since that time Thom has jumped off buildings, took up running (and lost 30 lbs) and began performing stand up comedy.
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At 50 years old Thom decided to reinvent his life and make age 50 to 75 the best years of his life. This meant saying yes to things that scared him, and trying new things. Since that time Thom has jumped off buildings, took up running (and lost 30 lbs) and began performing stand up comedy.