Having suffered from PMS and period pain all her adult life, Tracy Wogman, the founder and CEO of Create better days CBD has never been happy with what had been on the market. Having had a sore neck she experienced the benefits of CBD, famed for its anti-inflammatory properties, and specifically set out to create a caffeine-free, natural ingredient alternative to the usual harsh chemicals (with their known side effects) found in over-the-counter pain killers that would help with PMS and help soothe the anxiety that some feel at this time of the month and also relieve the inflammation of period pain
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Here we sit down with Tracy, to know a bit more about her journey as an entrepreneur.
Q. What inspired Tracy to become an entrepreneur?
Tracy: “Women have approximately 450 periods in their lifetime and whilst some are never bothered by their periods, others have periods characterised by anything from unpleasant to very severe symptoms. It is these women who are most affected by the discomfort, that experience those same issues every month, just as I did, who I want to help” says Tracy Wogman, creator of Monthly Calm – the plant-based soft gel capsules for PMS and Period Pain relief.
Having always had an interest in women’s health and wellness and having suffered from the problems associated with menstrual discomfort all her adult life, Tracy is truly an expert who has experienced these problems first-hand. She realised the need and the demand for a botanical, healthy alternative to the harsh chemicals in prescription or over-the-counter painkillers and the potential side effects that currently exist on the market as the only option for women.
Four years ago on a trip to visit her sister in America, Tracy read an article in a magazine about the emerging CBD market and its numerous wellness benefits, this piqued her interest and from that day on Monthly Calm began its journey.
Most women experience some discomfort during menstruation, especially on the first day. and I genuinely wanted to help those that suffer, so that PMS and period pain do not interfere with their usual daily activities.
We want to empower them to be the best version of themselves. We understand how menstrual discomfort can prevent so many of us from showing up and being our best selves and we want to change that!
Q. How did Tracy get started?
Tracy: Little did I realise about 3 years ago, that a trip to visit my sister in America and two hastily picked magazines grabbed at London Heathrow airport would lead me to found Createbetterdayscbd.co.uk.
My sister lives in California and as I live in London we decided that we would meet up halfway in New York for a girly week together.
I got on the plane, settled into my seat, (not so comfortably it transpired), and started to read the magazines. Both. it transpired, had articles about what was then the emerging CBD market and its numerous wellness benefits. By the time I had landed at JFK my interest had been piqued about cannabidiol oil, which I learned is naturally present in hemp leaves and has been recognised as possessing calming, anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties due to its interaction with receptors in the brain but without the intoxicating element associated with cannabis.
I met up with my sister at the hotel and I complained to her about my sore neck due to the way that I had been sitting on the journey. She suggested that I tried some of her CBD oil that she had found beneficial having suffered a minor gym injury. I couldn’t believe the coincidence that I had just been reading about CBD and its benefits on the flight over and here was the opportunity to try some for myself! The benefit that I received from those not too pleasant tasting drops spurred me on to investigate CBD further and the founding of Create Better Days Ltd and the Monthly Calm PMS & period pain relief capsules.
Q. What was your biggest startup challenge? What steps did you take to overcome it? What did you learn?
Tracy: There have been challenges, and much more than I had anticipated when embarking on my journey.
On a personal level, having to get to grips with internet marking, social media and conducting business online has been a steep learning curve for me.
On a business level, I honestly didn’t realise how challenging the CBD industry would be! I just want to help other women that suffer from menstrual discomfort as I had.
CBD marketing and its use is tightly regulated. The most challenging aspect of selling CBD in the UK currently is that we cannot make any references to medical claims or suggestions, We have to reiterate that our CBD products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Q. What is one book you recommend, and why?
Tracy: Of all the books that I have read (and I am a voracious reader) The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin is one that still resonates with me and I would definitely recommend reading. The author spent a period of twelve months focusing on the “things that really matter” and doing activities that made her feel happier. She shared her wonderful experience with great insight and made me realise that even the very smallest of changes you make to your life can make the biggest difference.
Q. In one sentence, what’s the best advice you’d give to someone just starting out on their entrepreneurial journey?
Tracy: The CBD market is still a growing business and there is still plenty of room for you and your brand. Make sure that you use a reputable supplier that can provide you with a Certificate of Analysis (to provide transparency and details of the cannabinoid profiles within your product) understand the regulatory framework,work hard and be honest and authentic.
To keep up to date with Tracy and her journey, connect with her on LinkedIn and Instagram.