WoW Woman in FemTech I Colette Courtion, founder and CEO of Joylux
Named one of Inc. Magazines Top 100 Female Founders of 2020, Colette Courtion is a distinguished and award-winning consumer marketer, inventor (21 issued patents), and femtech leader who is revolutionizing the $600 billion dollar menopause market with Joylux—the leader in at-home medical devices, personal care products, and digital tools for menopausal women experiencing vaginal and sexual health issues. With over 20 years of cross-functional expertise leading consumer product, retail, and medical device companies, she is known as a category creator in the emerging health and wellness space. Prior to founding Joylux and her other two skincare-related start-ups, she was a marketing executive with Starbucks responsible for launching and growing the Starbucks Card and Customer loyalty program into a multi-billion-dollar business. Courtion and her companies have earned numerous accolades including the AARP Innovation Lab’s Women’s Health Award (2021), Angel Capital Association’s Most Innovative Company (2019), Best Product of the Year (2003) for Starbucks Duetto Card from Business Week, Top 15 Women of Influence (2009) in Seattle and Top 40 Under 40 leaders (2006) in Seattle from Puget Sound Business Journal.
Joylux is a leading menopausal platform company offering high-tech home-use medical and wellness devices, digital tools, and products that address menopause-related intimate health concerns such as incontinence, vaginal dryness, sexual function, hot flashes, and other common symptoms. Their hero product is the vFit/ vSculpt device – the first home-use device clinically validated to improve the genitourinary syndrome of menopause using photobiomodulation technology. Joylux products are sold in over 10 countries around the world under the brands Joylux, vFit, vSculpt, Cooling Care, and HER Intimate Care. Our mission is to help women find delight in their lives, through all phases of menopause.
Tell us a bit about your background and your projects so far.
My background is in medical aesthetics. I’ve been a part of multiple consumer health and beauty start-ups which used red light to address healing and anti-aging. I am also a mom, and when I gave birth to my son, I experienced first-hand the intimate health issues that so many women go through. Then, when menopause came, it hit me hard.
I realized the ground-breaking technologies we use to tighten, tone, and restore facial tissue could rejuvenate our intimate areas too. This was my “aha” moment that lead to the creation of Joylux over eight years ago. Today, Joylux is the leading tech-driven, science-backed women’s health platform. Our anchor product, vFit Gold, is the only at-home red light therapy device that addresses the full range of menopausal health concerns.
How long did it take you to be where you are now? What was the biggest obstacle? What are the challenges of being in the industry you are in?
As the CEO of a women’s health brand, one of my highest priorities is eradicating the taboo that surrounds intimate health issues. Social media platforms often reject or limit content related to women’s sexual health. Using accurate terms like “vagina” or “sexual health” is important for clearly communicating health information, but these terms can get our ads and content removed from the platform.
The issue isn’t limited to our digital lives. One in five menopausal women would rather talk to their partners or families about funeral plans than their intimate health concerns. Women are suffering in silence, but they don’t need to be. There are solutions to these problems and communities of women who are ready to walk alongside you if you’re struggling. Joylux is proud to be leading these conversations and developing products that change lives.
What are your biggest achievements to date?
We’ve had plenty of victories at Joylux, like winning the prestigious Most Innovative company (2019) award from the Angel Capital Association. I was also overjoyed to be named one of the Top 100 Female Founders (2020) by Inc. Magazine. However, none are as motivating as the stories we hear from our customers. What keeps me and the team motivated every day is the knowledge that our vFit Gold device changes lives. So many women who have gone through menopause and experience intimate health issues feel embarrassed and lost. Joylux and our products give women their freedom back. I get emails, phone calls, and even hand-written thank you cards from women who tell me how I have saved their marriage or given them hope. Knowing that I’m helping women live life to the fullest is better than anything else.
What are the projects you are currently working on?
Our red-light therapy device, vFit Gold, has changed lives all over the world. Our next area of focus is on postpartum women. The postpartum space is similar to the menopause space in that it isn’t discussed enough, offers few solutions, and has seen little innovation. We wanted to create something for new moms to help them heal immediately after giving birth. We’re preparing to launch a new device in 2023, and couldn’t be more excited to help new moms feel their best after delivery.
October is World Menopause Awareness Month, and we are excited to celebrate for the entire month. Joylux has lots of great content coming out on our Instagram and other social channels.
We’re also taking Joylux to new countries so that even more women can experience the benefits of red-light therapy at an affordable price from the comfort of home.
Is the #WomenInTech movement important to you and if yes, why?
Absolutely. Women have an important place in every movement. Women are half of the population and the foundation of our families and communities. We have unique needs, experiences, and desires that need to be included in the conversation. Supporting women in tech will make things better for future generations and fill the gaps across so many products.
What will be the key trends in your industry in the next five years and where do you see them heading?
We’ve seen FemTech explode in recent years, and there’s no sign of that slowing down. We imagine a world where women can take their health into their own hands in the comfort of their own homes through further innovations.
Women’s health goes beyond healthcare; it extends into everyday wellness. We imagine a world where women are empowered to have honest conversations with their daughters, partners, doctors, and friends about their health. Women are half of the world’s population, our wellbeing affects the wellbeing of our families and communities.
Home-use devices will grow, as convenience and wellbeing are prioritized.
What is the most important piece of advice you could give to anyone who wants to start a career in this industry?
Be persistent. When you strike a barrier, find a way to climb over it, maneuver around it, or break it down. If you can envision a better world, then you can create it.
Colette will be one of the speakers for our upcoming FemTech Untapped event “Better menopause - Are we there yet?” on October 19. Register for your FREE ticket via the button below.
This interview was conducted by Marija Butkovic, Digital Marketing and PR strategist, founder, and CEO of Women of Wearables. She regularly writes and speaks on topics of wearable tech, fashion tech, IoT, entrepreneurship, and diversity. Follow Marija on Twitter @MarijaButkovic and read her stories for Forbes here.