Longevity: The entrepreneur who's defying age When Leslie Kenny embarked on her entrepreneurial journey, she wasn't simply chasing a business opportunity. She was driven by something much deeper: a frustration that ignited her passion.

By Patricia Cullen

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Oxford Healthspan
Leslie Kenny, founder, Oxford Healthspan

Having seen promising research about spermidine - a compound known to activate autophagy, the body's natural renewal process - Kenny wanted to help her mother access the benefits of the supplement. "I was frustrated by the fact that there was a growing body of research, including here at the University of Oxford, showing that spermidine activated a cellular renewal process called autophagy and had great impact slowing many of the hallmarks of aging – but I couldn't find it in the US to give to my mother," Kenny says. "So I decided to manufacture a food-derived spermidine myself." That frustration sparked the idea that would evolve into Oxford Healthspan, a longevity supplement brand that's gone on to experience explosive growth. What started as a personal mission to help her family soon became a platform for reshaping the way we think about aging and health.

Taking risks when the world shuts down
When Kenny set out to launch her business, the plan was well-laid. She had established relationships with suppliers and contract manufacturers. But just as she was preparing to move forward, the world changed. "I had done all my due diligence and teed up relationships with suppliers and contract manufacturers before Covid, but just as I wanted to press play, lockdown hit," she recalls. Retailers she had hoped to work with were shuttered, and traditional distribution channels were suddenly unavailable. Kenny could have hesitated, but instead, she found inspiration in her conversations with Oxford professor Katja Simon, who encouraged her to press ahead. "I remember saying to Prof Katja Simon here at Oxford that I wasn't sure this was a good time to try to launch a product, but she encouraged me to get it out there any way I could because of its benefits to the immune system," Kenny says. With the world in disarray, she pivoted to a direct-to-consumer (D2C) model, launching the brand on Shopify. It was a decision that paid off. "In the end, we launched D2C on Shopify, and it is still our biggest distribution channel." What could have been a setback turned into a defining moment for her business.

A leap of faith
Every entrepreneur knows the challenges of securing funding. For Kenny, the key to unlocking the potential for growth lay within her connections at Oxford. "I was very fortunate to have been an adviser to one of Oxford's oldest endowments, that of University College, which is over 800 years old," she shares. Through her relationship with the finance bursar, a former asset manager, Kenny was able to secure the financial backing that would fuel the launch of Oxford Healthspan.

"The finance bursar there had come from an asset management background, and he was willing to take a risk on my idea, my small team, and the Oxford science behind it," she explains. This early investment allowed her to move forward with manufacturing and distribution, setting the stage for the company's success. In the fast-paced world of entrepreneurship, mistakes are inevitable. But for Kenny, every setback is an opportunity to learn and grow. "Everything is a learning opportunity," she reflects. "I also know that because we are running so fast, mistakes are bound to happen, so long as they don't happen twice, I aim for progress, not perfection."

This mindset of resilience has been key to her ability to adapt and innovate as her business has scaled. She understands that mistakes are part of the journey, but they need to be viewed as stepping stones, not obstacles.

Advice for the dreamers
Kenny's path to success wasn't smooth, and she's the first to admit that she faced skepticism along the way. But her experience shows that the most daring ideas can often lead to the biggest rewards. "Quite a few great entrepreneurs have had their ideas described as 'crazy'. If this is you, don't be disheartened," she says. She offers insight from her own entrepreneurial journey, where others dismissed her vision. "I've started two businesses, one in matchmaking before it was a thing and now one commercialising a compound called spermidine. In both cases, people told me I was crazy - that no one would possibly want to meet people over the internet or take a supplement with a name like that."

Kenny's advice? Don't back down when your idea seems unconventional. "I had to do my homework and also understand demographic trends to convince myself that my ideas had merit," she notes. Now, with a multi-award-winning brand and profiles in major publications like The Financial Times, Kenny has proven that unconventional ideas can thrive. "So if someone questions your idea, don't be embarrassed or angry, but do have the evidence to back up your convictions and a solid business plan to show how you'll take advantage of what others don't see."

Keeping the momentum alive is crucial, and for Kenny, the secret lies in remembering why she started. Her mission has always been clear: "You have to keep your eyes on the Big Picture," she says. "In my case, it's how can we help the ever-growing numbers of those over 50 hold back the hallmarks of aging, so they can lead independent, engaged and healthy lives for longer."

Kenny knows that success doesn't happen overnight, and every small victory matters. "Not everyone is going to adopt a product that supports this right away, so every customer is a small victory. Every week, my team and I measure and celebrate these victories to keep up the momentum."

She also emphasises the importance of patience and adaptability in business. "Not all businesses are overnight successes like ChatGPT. Most require constant adaptation to customer preferences, market forces, regulatory changes (like Presidential tariffs), among others, until you have your first 1,000 true fans and proof of concept," she explains.

Leslie Kenny's journey is far from over. With Oxford Healthspan, she continues to push boundaries in longevity science, ensuring that as people age, they can enjoy longer, healthier, and more independent lives. Her advice is timeless: "Keep an open and curious mindset, see setbacks as learnings, and always, eyes on the prize!" By staying focused on her mission, she's not just rewriting the book on aging - she's giving it a whole new chapter.

Patricia Cullen

Features Writer

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