WoW Woman in Women's Health I Sara Seward, founder of ENUF Period
Sara Seward is the founder of ENUF Period, a CBD infused intimate care brand supporting you through your hormonal journey. She has been in the beauty industry for the past 12-plus years, working as a celebrity hairstylist with some of the top names in Hollywood. Being behind the scenes on this side of beauty for so long has landed her with a range of knowledge on products that span across the industry. One would think a hairstylist launching their own brand would stay in the field they work in but her pivot to intimate care is a very personal one, due to her own personal experience with menstrual discomfort for years. The brand started with one hero product, a high-potency body balm that would cover a range of ailments, from cramps to sore boobs, migraine as well as lower back pain. The brand has built a community of women who also feel the need for natural periods and menstrual care is of the utmost importance.
ENUF’s mission is to be the hub for natural menstrual and menopausal products that truly work, focusing on pain and discomfort, hormonal insomnia as well as pleasure. The brand feels it’s only right to give back to both industries that they hold space in, they donate 3% of annual sales to The Last Prisoner project, an organization that supports those that have been and are currently incarcerated from cannabis, as well as being part of monthly donations to The Period Project, supplying those in need with period care. Supporting women through their intimate moments and always reminding them that they are ENUF.
Tell us a bit about your background and your projects so far.
My background is in beauty, specifically as a hair and makeup artist for the entertainment industry, but health and wellness have always been top of mind. Currently, at ENUF, we have three products we're really proud of that focus on a range of menstrual and menopausal needs, Our Cycle Support Balm and Day and Night Suppositories. Each is meant to tackle menstrual and menopausal pain and discomfort as well as hormonal insomnia and enhancing pleasure. We're working on expanding our product range and broadening our plant-based hero ingredients.
How did you get into this industry? Has it been an easy industry to get into or have you had many challenges?
I’m someone who has personally struggled with period pain for years and was always on the hunt for a natural product that worked, but everything I tried seemed to fall short. I knew cannabis was a powerful ingredient to heal menstrual pain and symptoms, so I dove right in, constantly tinkering with our formula to get the best results. It wasn't the easiest of industries to get into considering cannabis comes with a lot of red tape attached, especially since our product includes the legal amount of THC, (.3%). But as the industry keeps evolving and changing we're confident some of these hurdles will level out and we can offer our product to even more people in need of alleviating their pain without the use of over-the-counter meds. Whether it be PCOS, endometriosis, or menopausal symptoms, women are more than deserving of natural dependable options.
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?
The vision for the brand was born in 2018, and launched during COVID. It was a pretty wacky time to launch a brand, but being DTC and solely e-commerce actually benefited us. The biggest hurdles to jump through were ensuring our product was of the highest quality possible, and making sure our lab tests displayed our commitment to potency and transparency. Only 42% of CBD brands share their third-party lab results with consumers, and 28% of brands don’t carry out any testing for pesticides in their products. We want to challenge our industry and educate our consumers so they know they're buying top products made by people who care. Marketing and advertising a brand that is very limited when it comes to social ads has been a challenge, but it has helped us pivot to connect with our community in ways that a brand would years before social was top of mind.
What are your biggest achievements to date?
Launching the brand was a huge achievement in and of itself! And continuing to launch new products, such as our suppositories, and receiving such a positive response from our community has been rewarding and so encouraging. It's been hard to keep everything on the shelves and for that, we're forever grateful. It shows us that were on the right track with what products we feel deserve to be out there. Being a celebrity hairstylist for years has also allowed me to tap into my range of clientele, many are huge supporters.
What are the projects you are currently working on?
Currently, we're working on testing balms and different products specifically for your vulva that you can use during your period or outside of your period. As well as a digestible product range.
Is the #WomenInTech movement important to you and if yes, why?
It’s incredibly important to me because it’s rooted in diversity, inclusivity, and equity for all women, which are three pillars we’re constantly working towards here at ENUF. As a female-founded company, we’re always looking for ways to empower women and make them feel like they are worthy of advocating for themselves. Tech has long been known as a male-dominated industry, and if we all work towards breaking those barriers as a collective, we’ll all benefit.
What will be the key trends in your industry in the next five years and where do you see them heading?
In five years, I see my industry expanding into even more plant-powered ingredient categories, such as mushrooms. Research has already shown its health benefits for our immune system and the antioxidants they possess, but I want to dive into how this plant can be used to benefit women’s health in particular. How can it help each of our menstrual cycles? What about menopause? And also, pleasure. My goal is to continue to find natural sources to help alleviate the pain and discomfort women feel on a daily basis.
What is the most important piece of advice you could give to anyone who wants to start a career in this industry?
Ask questions! You shouldn't have to do this alone, and there are so many entrepreneurs who are navigating the same obstacles as you are. Make friends on social media and outside of social media, and tap into your own inner circle, the more you start talking about what it is you are passionate about doing or building the more you’ll realize how many people will be there in your corner to support. Build your community and never be afraid to ask for help.
Who are three inspirational women in your respective industry you admire?
Carina Chaz from Dedcool. She built her brand from the ground up in a pretty saturated space and succeeded with her smart marketing and messaging.
Lesley Thornton from Klur. I LOVE her products and commitment to a holistic approach to beauty and skincare.
Anja Charbonneau of Broccoli Mag. She brings our industry together to have discussions and ask hard questions. And she does it with storytelling and aspirational imagery in mind. Always inspired when I open up a copy of Broccoli Mag.
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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.