Rebekah Lloyd: “Women’s Health is Still Very Stigmatised. I’m Working to Change That.” 

Rebekah LloydThe founder of This Independent Life talks about the value of a sense of humour, how her own health journey led to her starting her business, and why just getting started is the best bet. 

This Independent Life is a women’s health consultancy reimagining the future of women’s health through interest, investment and innovation. 

Founders need resilience. That sounds kind of cheesy and maybe really obvious, but I think that’s definitely something that you need to have to go the full path. 

A sense of humour is really important. There are so many trials and tribulations that come with being a women founder. If you can’t laugh it off sometimes then I think you’re just probably in the wrong field. 

You need accountability, particularly if you’re a solo founder. It can be really hard being your own boss if you’re not able to hold yourself accountable. It’s also why communities are so important, because you need to be able to have that community accountability as well.

Starting my business was very much driven by my personal experience with my own health journey. 

I was diagnosed with endometriosis and when I had to have surgery, I really took a moment to pause and reflect on, frankly, what I wanted for my life. 

I had to go through that whole process on my own without knowing what the future held.

Women’s health is still very stigmatised. There’s a lot of taboos around it. 

I wanted to do something for all the women who were experiencing what I had experienced, and for all the people still out there looking for support and didn’t have anything to help them.

It went from something I was passionate about to releasing there was a real unmet need to actually creating something to provide a solution for the problem that I could see in front of me.

I saw an opportunity to combine my career in healthcare with my own health experience to create positive change for the community and to help advance and grow women’s health brands that were truly innovating.

I wanted to be a founder because I like the idea of freedom, the autonomy over my time. The ability to have an idea and bring it to life without having to jump through all of the hoops that I had done in a previous life. The ability to be creative, the ability to work with the most incredible people, the most incredible women. 

I get to wake up and know I’m doing something I’m deeply passionate about and that I know is going to make a positive change, even if it might not be on that day. Over time, I know that there’s a cumulative effect, and I know I’m on the right path.

Just to go for it. Done is better than perfect. 

For me and a lot of founders, we’re perfectionists. It’s our baby. We don’t want anything to go out into the world until it’s complete with all the bells and whistles. But actually, if you just go for it, I promise you that you will not regret it. 

Support female founders by walking the talk. There’s a lot of talk around how we can support female founders, but that’s not good enough.

Instead of just saying that you’re there to support someone. Do something, go out of your way. Be genuinely supportive in a way that is action focused.

Make a start and just put one foot in front of the other. Put yourself out there and just go for it. Then the rest is history.