Changing the Conversation Around Menopause Isla Telfer reflects on co-founding GLORIAH with Jessica Watson, a brand born out of frustration with the lack of support for younger women experiencing menopause, and the lessons learned along the way.

When Isla Telfer and Jessica Watson co-founded GLORIAH, the Edinburgh-based disruptors of menopause care, they weren't just launching a product - they were addressing a gap in menopause care that had long been overlooked. Their empowering approach to menopausal products earned them the Rising Star Award at the Scotland Startup Awards 2023.

In this conversation with Entrepreneur UK, Isla talks about the personal motivations behind the brand, the challenges they've faced in building it, and why creating a space for real, open conversations around menopause matters more than ever.

What inspired you to start your business?
GLORIAH was born out of pure frustration. A close friend of ours went through surgical menopause at just 25, and it was shocking to see how little support, education, or innovation existed in menopause care – especially for younger women. It felt like such a huge gap, and it was clear women were being massively underserved. With my background as an NHS female health nurse, combined with my Jessica's experience in the corporate business world, we knew we could do something about it. We wanted to build a brand that broke taboos, opened up real conversations, and delivered premium, science-backed wellness solutions that actually fit into real life – we never wanted to create something that would just sit on a shelf.

Related: Menopause at Work

What was your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?
Without a doubt, funding. As a bootstrapped, female-founded business, getting access to capital was a constant uphill battle – less than 2% of VC funding goes to female founders. We've had to get creative. We secured grants and awards, including Scottish EDGE, to help get us off the ground and prove our concept before we even thought about raising investment. On top of that, we focused heavily on organic community growth. By building a strong, engaged brand and a loyal customer base, we managed to sell out multiple times – all with minimal marketing spend. We've then reinvested that back into the business.

How do you handle failure or setbacks?
Running a startup is basically solving problems all day, every day – setbacks are inevitable. We've dealt with everything from trademark disputes to investing in a product that ended up being totally unusable. It's tough, but you can't let it stop you. We try to see every failure as a redirection instead of a dead end. Each one has taught us something valuable and made us smarter, faster, and more resilient. If you're not failing at some point, you're probably not pushing hard enough.

What advice would you give to someone starting their own business?
Don't wait for perfection – just launch and learn as you go. There's no such thing as the perfect product or perfect time. Build your network early – the right mentors, advisors, and peers will get you further than trying to figure it all out alone. Be clear on your 'why' from the start. That sense of purpose will be the thing that keeps you going when everything feels hard (because it will). And before you invest too heavily, test the demand. Make sure there's a real appetite for what you're offering before you go all in.

How do you stay motivated during tough times?
For us, it always comes back to our community and our mission. Hearing directly from women whose lives have genuinely changed because of our products is the biggest motivation we could ask for. We also try to remind ourselves why we started in the first place – to make a real difference in a space that desperately needed shaking up. And we celebrate the small wins, because in a startup, those little victories are what eventually add up to the big ones. We have the added advantage that we were friends first – meaning we really do feel we can genuinely get through anything together.

What are your tips for achieving success?
First, make something people actually need. You can have the slickest branding and the best marketing in the world, but if your product isn't solving a real problem, it won't stick. Second, don't be afraid of bold storytelling. Our brand was built by talking openly about things people were too embarrassed to discuss – that honesty and emotion is what makes people connect with us. Sustainability isn't optional anymore. Consumers expect more, and the brands that genuinely prioritise ethics and impact will be the ones that last. Finally, community is everything. We've worked hard to build a brand that people believe in, and that sense of connection and trust is what gives us real staying power.

Related: The Shake-Up