WoW Woman in Women's Health I Aubrey Hubbell, co-founder and Chief Design Officer at Hazel
Aubrey Hubbell is the co-founder and Chief Design Officer at Hazel. Hazel is a luxe, innovative femme care brand for the ever-evolving woman. Aubrey is passionate about building brands and products that solve pain points for women in unique life stages – from marriage to motherhood to menopause and beyond. As a woman that will one day experience menopause herself, she didn’t understand why that stage of life had to be dreaded. She co-founded Hazel to create innovative products that meet real needs, to support the women she admires and loves, and that she herself will likely one day need.
Aubrey, how did you get into this industry? Has it been an easy industry to get into or have you had many challenges?
Being a founder of a startup feels oddly natural to me because I’ve been in this space since the beginning of my career. I don't think many industries are necessarily easy to get into, and the design world can be really competitive. My first opportunity was a mix of luck, willingness to reach out to a stranger, and in the end, all about building relationships.
When I moved to New York, I cold emailed a designer I followed online. I took her out for coffee, and she referred me to her network. That began my career in the startup space building brands and products for women. Cricket’s Circle was a personalized baby registry and editorial resource focused on pregnancy and new moms. There I did the digital design, occasionally illustrations, and even custom HTML/CSS on their blog. Up next was Rockets of Awesome, a DTC kids fashion and tech company where I was a Brand & UX Designer and part of the founding team that launched it. I did everything you could see, touch, or feel.
After that, I was hired as the first Product Designer at a wedding planning and registry platform called Zola. I designed digital experiences supporting couples from engagement through newlywed life. I primarily focused on designing experiences for wedding vendors (aged 50+) and gift-givers (think aunts, grandparents, and godmothers). That was my first time building for a 50+ audience and I LOVED it.
Around that time, I connected with my co-founder. He’d been helping build a clubhouse for people over 50. After researching partnerships and finding all of them outdated, he wanted to dig in deeper on how to build a brand that would serve this audience better. I immediately tapped my network of women 50+. That quickly became user research. I learned about their experiences, pain points, brands they hated, and brands they loved. Hazel started from those early conversations.
And that’s how I’ve always built brands and products – by talking to the end consumer, getting to know them, and figuring out what would make their life better.
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?
It feels like my whole life has been leading up to the experience of building Hazel. The biggest challenge in our industry is making the product better. The supply chain and manufacturing process are all built around the baby diaper category. When you walk down the aisle at your local drugstore, you’ll find two legacy brands, both look like adult diapers (in the worst way). So it was no surprise when we interviewed women and they told us that this category could be so much better. They defined “better” as looking and feeling like real underwear – the bar was really low. And when we went to manufacturers and shared the wish list, they turned us away! It was too expensive to change the tooling which is what was needed. So we quickly learned we couldn’t white label (use an existing product) and just create a better brand. We connected with Paul Davies, a material scientist and Fashion Designers (Stateless) to combine both technical expertise and style to create a product that turned the supply chain and manufacturing process completely around.
We’ve spent the last two years developing the High & Dry Brief, a disposable brief for leaks that’s super absorbent, but also looks (and dare we say) sexy! We like to say that we invented "no leak chic".
What are your biggest achievements to date?
We recently launched our website, hellohazel.com. That was a huge milestone. We’ve spent the last two years building a brand that resonates with our audience and finally makes her feel seen and heard.
But the product, that’s the biggest achievement. The legacy brands have neglected her for so long. It’s exciting to swoop in and offer her a disposable brief for leaks that actually looks and feels like real underwear! It’s a complete confidence booster and change in the conversation.
What are the projects you are currently working on?
As a woman in my 30s, I’ve been so inspired by the conversations we’re having about periods, sex, pregnancy, infertility, and postpartum. But when I began talking with women in their 50s, 60s, and 70s, I found they weren’t talking about their experiences – menopause, brain fog, thinning hair, leaks, night sweats, hot flashes… and also the positive experiences – like dating in your 50s, traveling, starting new companies. I wasn’t hearing enough about the amazing things they were doing, while also experiencing new symptoms that come with this stage of life.
I know that conversations have power. When we share our experiences, we feel less and less alone. And we also learn to look forward to different stages, even with all the challenges that come with it.
So my latest project is getting women to talk… to talk about their experiences, accomplishments, symptoms, challenges. To tell their peers and younger women what it even means to be a woman in your 50s, 60s, and 70s. Women aren’t always willing to share, but their stories are powerful. I want to shed light on them!
Is the #WomenInTech movement important to you and if yes, why?
Having spent my career building tech products for women, seeing them represented behind the scenes and the products is key. I mentor for BBG Wave to show young girls what’s possible. You don’t only have to code (although I highly encourage it!). You can do marketing, graphic design, finance, merchandising. There are SO many skill sets and roles in the tech world. And for so many types of companies. As a younger woman, I had no idea about the opportunities in tech. So I try to share as much as I can!
What will be the key trends in your industry in the next five years and where do you see them heading?
We’re excited by the conversations happening around women’s health, especially as we age. While the trends were centered around younger women’s health – periods, pregnancy, postpartum, infertility, it’s been really exciting to see women talking about perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause (beyond hot flashes and brain fog). It’s not only a time where she’s experiencing symptoms around menopause but a huge moment in her life – dating, empty nest, founding a company. I’m excited to continue seeing women in their 50s, 60s, and 70s spotlighted more.
All of these conversations are highlighting a larger moment. A time when women’s experiences are not ignored and products actually serve her needs, the way she wants them to.
What is the most important piece of advice you could give to anyone who wants to start a career in this industry?
As a designer in a taboo space, my biggest piece of advice is to be empathetic. Listen more than you speak, and learn from those around you. Even if it’s a problem you’re solving for yourself, don’t assume you know all the answers. Ask questions and listen.
Who are three inspirational women in your respective industry you admire?
From a founder perspective, I’m really inspired by Spanx founder Sara Blakely. She didn’t go with the status quote. She built a product that made women feel more confident and secure. She broke a once-taboo subject and made it normal. That’s what we’re doing with Hazel.
From a leadership perspective, Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama are my guiding lights. They’re strong and inspiring and are paving the way for so many women. They were both “firsts” in their roles and raised the bar of what a TV personality and First Lady could and should be. They inspire me to not just do a good job, but raise the bar higher for the next generation.
Find out more about Hazel on their website.
Follow Hazel on Instagram and Facebook.
Connect with Aubrey on LinkedIn.
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.