In this episode, Cherie Hoeger (CEO & co-founder of Saalt) breaks down the “reusable revolution” in period care—menstrual cups, discs, and patented leak-proof underwear—and shows how a B-Corp can combine product innovation with a global mission to end period poverty. You’ll hear practical how-tos, pelvic-floor tips, and a candid look at building a fast-growing fem-tech brand while raising six kids.

Timestamps

00:00 – 01:00 | Why disposable pads can’t solve period poverty
01:00 – 04:00 | Meet Cherie & Saalt’s reusable mission
04:00 – 08:30 | From “diaper-feel” to patented thin-dry underwear
08:30 – 17:30 | Live demo: folding, inserting & removing cups vs. discs
17:30 – 21:00 | Pelvic-floor support, prolapse & bladder leaks
21:00 – 25:30 | 1 % give-back, 130 k donations in 50 countries
25:30 – 33:00 | Founder life: in-office preschool & work-life integration
33:00 – 38:00 | Hanky Panky collab, retail rollout (Target, Whole Foods, REI)
38:00 – 44:00 | Packaging that makes periods “cart-worthy”
44:00 – end | Vision: bring Saalt to every girl & end period poverty

Key Points

• Reusable > Disposable – Cups & discs hold 3-6× a tampon, last 10 + years, and slash monthly costs and waste.
• Patented Period Underwear – Saalt spent 3½ years engineering the thinnest, driest tech on the market—now powering Hanky Panky’s Confidence Panty line.
• Pelvic-Floor Friendly – Discs sit in the posterior fornix (no suction), making them ideal for prolapse, IUDs, heavy lifters, and “sneeze leaks.”
• Life-Changing Donations – 130 k products placed in 50 countries; cups keep girls in school and women at work for 10 years on a single purchase.
• Customer “Saalt Coaches” – Real humans (not chat-bots) guide users through fit, folds, leaks, PCOS, endo, and more.
• Family-First Startup – Cherie & her husband built an on-site preschool and a strict 90-minute “power morning” to juggle six kids and a scaling brand.
• Retail Proof – Instagram-worthy packaging helped Saalt hit Target shelves in year 2; now also in Whole Foods, REI, Walmart Teens, and Walgreens.

Deep Dives

1. The Cup & Disc Advantage
   • 12-hour wear, medical-grade silicone, hypoallergenic.
   • Discs allow mess-free period sex and added pelvic support.
   • “It’s not bigger than a baby’s head—yes, it fits!”
2. Underwear Tech & Hanky Panky
   • Ultra-thin absorbent gusset keeps the surface bone-dry.
   • Holds 3–6 pads’ worth yet feels like everyday lace lingerie.
   • Launched on International Women’s Day; sold out first run.
3. Ending Period Poverty—Reusable or Bust
   • Disposable donations create endless cost and waste cycles.
   • Cups + education end absenteeism for a decade on ~$30.
   • Saalt targets eight high-need regions; 95 % adoption rate.
4. Pelvic-Floor & Athletic Use
   • Disc + period underwear combo recommended for marathoners.
   • Cups can even outperform pessaries for some bladder-support users.
5. Work-Life Integration Blueprint
   • Replace “balance” with optimization.
   • Morning ritual: reading, strength training, two mission-critical tasks before email.
   • In-office preschool boosts retention & gender equity.
6. Future Vision
   • Global accessibility—“Saalt in every country.”
   • Scale 1 % give-back to eradicate period poverty.
   • Keep innovating where stigma once stalled progress (packaging, education, tech).

Notable Quotes

• “Period poverty will never be solved by disposable products.” – Cherie Hoger
• “We’re not selling pads or cups—we’re selling confidence.”
• “A cup in your purse means no more emergency tampon runs.”

Find Saalt: saalt.com | Amazon | Target | Whole Foods | REI | Walmart (Teen line)

In this episode, host Sheree sits down with Amanda DeLuca, co‑founder of Riley—a science‑backed, AI‑powered parenting and mental health app designed to give families data‑driven guidance at every stage. Amanda shares the deeply personal experience that inspired Riley, how the app uses live data and AI to surface insights (from sleep schedules to developmental milestones to postpartum mental‑health support), and what it’s like building a HIPAA‑compliant tool by parents for parents.

Get 20% Riley with 20% off with the code: FEMTECH20 - https://www.rileyapp.com/

Guest Bio

Amanda DeLuca

• Co‑founder & Chief Product Officer, Riley
• 15+ years in tech product management, especially health‑tech
• Personal journey from first‑time mom overwhelmed by postpartum anxiety to building Riley
• Connect with Amanda on LinkedIn:
  https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandacdeluca/

Key Topics & Timestamps

00:00 – 02:00 | Why Riley Exists

• Amanda and her husband “product‑managed” pregnancy—and watched it all vanish in the first sleepless nights.
• The frustration of 3 AM questions with no expert help at your fingertips.

02:00 – 08:00 | From Personal Pain Point to Product Idea

• Real‑world data is everywhere—but parents need a trustworthy filter.
• Amanda’s background building user‑centered tech and her year of research in family‑tech before Riley.

08:00 – 14:00 | Core Riley Features

• Tracking & Insight Engine: Turn feeding, diaper, sleep logs into actionable trends.
• Golden Window™ Sleep Scheduler: AI‑driven nap and bedtime calculator that adapts live.
• Contextual Guidance: From solids introduction to toddler tantrums, Riley surfaces “what the data really says.”

14:00 – 20:00 | Supporting Parental Mental Health

• Under‑reported reality of postpartum depression/anxiety—even high‑functioning parents feel shame.
• How Riley’s clinical advisory board and embedded questionnaires help flag “yellow‑flag” moments.
• Medication, rest, and community as pillars of postpartum recovery.

20:00 – 26:00 | Building with Privacy & Safety in Mind

• HIPAA‑compliance explained: why it matters and how Riley keeps your family’s data secure.
• No user data is used for AI model training; personal logs stay private.

26:00 – 32:00 | The Magic Moments & Future Roadmap

• Hyper‑personal touches (e.g. suggesting Japanese vocabulary when traveling in Japan).
• VIP community beta: high‑touch feedback loops with founders and early users.
• Upcoming features: peer “high‑fives” at 3 AM, deeper provider integrations, expanded mental‑health screening.

Top Quotes

Resources & Links

• Amanda’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandacdeluca/
• Riley App: https://rileyapp.com
• Founder pricing: $10 /mo (annual); $12 /mo (quarterly); $15 /mo (monthly)
• Learn more about HIPAA compliance in consumer health apps:
  • U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services – HIPAA Overview: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/index.html

In this episode, I welcome pelvic health pioneer Ingrid Harm-Ernandes, PT, DPT, author and international speaker, to discuss her four-decade journey in physical therapy and nearly 30 years specializing in pelvic health. Ingrid shares how the field has evolved—from obscurity in the U.S. to structured residency programs—while underscoring the critical need for early education, interdisciplinary teamwork, and advocacy. She reveals the inspiration behind her book A Musculoskeletal Mystery: How to Solve Your Pelvic Floor Symptoms, outlines practical strategies for mentorship and collaboration across healthcare disciplines, and calls listeners to champion pelvic health as a public health priority throughout women’s lifespan.

Guest Bio
Ingrid Harm-Ernandes, PT, DPT

Background:

• 40 years as a physical therapist; 28+ years in pelvic health
• Co-Director & Mentor, Women’s Health PT Residency Program, Duke University
• Course Development Director, International Women’s Health Courses
• Author of A Musculoskeletal Mystery: How to Solve Your Pelvic Floor Symptoms
• International speaker, educator, and illustrator
• Areas of Expertise: Pelvic floor rehabilitation, orthopedic integration, interdisciplinary care, women’s health through life stages

Key Topics & Timestamps

05:00 – 12:00 | Building Residency & Education
How Duke launched one of the first pelvic PT residencies, the slow but steady growth of programs, and the power of “book clubs” and clinical mentoring to integrate pelvic health into standard curricula.

12:00 – 20:00 | Mentorship Beyond the Discipline
Strategies for new grads: start generalist, shadow diverse providers (OB-GYN, urogynecology, cardiopulmonary PT, even acupuncturists and sex therapists) to build confidence and referrals.

20:00 – 30:00 | Writing A Musculoskeletal Mystery
The pandemic-sparked book project: filling the education gap for patients and practitioners, demystifying pelvic floor anatomy, evaluations, treatments, and including a self-help toolkit.

30:00 – 40:00 | The Continuum of Life & Menopause Care
Reframing women’s health as a lifelong continuum—pregnancy, perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause—and the alarming statistics: 50% of life spent in menopause transition, rising cardiovascular risks, and the need for strength training over cardio.

40:00 – 50:00 | Interdisciplinary Teamwork & Advocacy
“Teamwork, teamwork, teamwork”: integrating PTs with physicians, nurses, nutritionists, mental health professionals, and corporate stakeholders. How education fuels advocacy—from clinic in-services to writing senators for research funding.

Major Takeaways

• Education Is Foundation: Early exposure in PT, medical, and nursing curricula prevents decades of untreated symptoms.
• Mentorship Matters: Seek out and sustain relationships with both pelvic PT and cross-specialty mentors to refine skills and referrals.
• Interdisciplinary Care: Pelvic health thrives when PTs collaborate with OB-GYNs, urogynecologists, acupuncturists, PAs, and beyond—breaking silos boosts patient outcomes.
• Lifelong Lens: Women spend a large portion of life in menopause transition—with implications for bone, cardiovascular, and pelvic health; prevention through strength training and pelvic floor awareness is key.
• Advocacy Amplifies Impact: Armed with education, practitioners and patients can lobby for research funding, insurance coverage, and workplace policies that support pelvic health.

Resources & Guest Links

• Ingrid Harm-Ernandes on LinkedIn:
  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ingrid-harm-ernandes-5057773b/
• Book: A Musculoskeletal Mystery: How to Solve Your Pelvic Floor Symptoms
• Duke University Women’s Health PT Residency Program (search DukePT.edu for details)