NADYA OKAMOTO OF AUGUST
“When starting the company, I knew I wanted to be as loud and proud about periods as possible. I didn’t want to romanticize or tiptoe around the reality of periods.” Nadya Okamoto
Nadya Okamoto is the co-Founder of August, a lifestyle period brand working to reimagine periods to be powerful. She is also the author of the book PERIOD POWER: a Manifesto for the Menstrual Movement, and Founder and former Executive Director of the nonprofit organization, PERIOD. Outside of her work in the menstrual health space, Okamoto is a social media creator with over 4M followers on TikTok, producer and host of the podcast, Tigress, a mental health advocate, and a Gen Z marketing expert. She recently graduated from Harvard College, class of 2021.
What inspired you to go into the period care industry?
When I was 16, I remember talking with homeless menstruators in my community who told me that they would use toilet paper, cardboard, socks, literally anything they could find in lieu of a pad or tampon. Though I had my own financial struggles growing up, I was never really in a place where I had to think of pad alternatives for my period. Period care felt like such a basic necessity and it was unfathomable to think that some didn’t have access. When you’re in high school, most people tell you to get involved with a local club or organization for issues that you’re passionate about. At the time, there were no groups specifically focused on period poverty, so that’s how PERIOD started. Through PERIOD, I started to learn about the ways in which period products could be better— for the consumer, the environment, the producers, everyone. I felt really discouraged in pushing existing companies to do better, so I decided to create my own company, August!
You got an early start to your career founding Period at only 16. How has your age been both an advantage and a disadvantage?
I talk about my fear of aging quite a bit on my podcast—Tigress. I think being a Gen-Z founder has given me a really unique perspective on the importance of being value-driven, whether it be within the company internally or externally through campaigns. On the flip side, there definitely is a sense of toxic pride with being young. I feel like the media paints your achievements as so much more impressive when you’re the ‘youngest’ or the ‘first’ to do something. You don’t want that edge to go away, but obviously, you’re going to get older. That mentality has been really harmful for me a) because it has integrated an inherently ableist fear of aging and b) it makes me want to work beyond the point of burning out so that I can maintain this idea of being an impressive individual.
How has working in a stigmatized industry impacted how you market your brand? Have you faced difficulties developing your brand considering these biases?
When starting the company, I knew I wanted to be as loud and proud about periods as possible. I didn’t want to romanticize or tiptoe around the reality of periods. For example, I refused to use blue liquid for period blood in any of our advertisements. That in mind, I knew not everyone would be on the same boat. I think finding people to work with, people who believed in what you were doing and why, was challenging at first—especially because periods are so stigmatized in so many different ways. I knew I didn’t want to waver on being proud about periods, so the real roadblock to overcome was finding people who were aligned in backing that belief.
What do you see as the biggest challenge still faced by the period care industry?
There’s definitely lots of pain points that can be identified, but a few things that August is always working on is being climate and socially conscious. While making period products as accessible as possible, we want to ensure that we aren’t jeopardizing the climate, our workers, or anyone else for that matter.
What are your goals for the upcoming year?
It’s so crazy to think that the year is already coming to a close. I think, going into this year, one thing I want to continually prioritize is rest. Quite honestly, I’ve grown into the habit of working at the expense of my health and I’m really paying for it now (I go to physical therapy twice a week to address pain from literally being on TikTok and my laptop too much). So, I think resting, truly resting is something I want to prioritize.
What advice can you give young, aspiring entrepreneurs hoping to start their own business?
Take care of yourself. You’re allowed to send that email tomorrow. You can take a break before working on that deck. Nothing is so urgent that you need to jeopardize yourself, your wellbeing, or your body. I promise there is enough time, connections, and resources to make your dreams come true. It’s never a sprint, it’s a marathon—so be sure to nurture yourself too.
QUICK TAKES
Favorite self-care ritual during your period?
Pilates and yoga. I know not everyone likes to exercise on their period, but I love to keep my body moving and staying on regular routines.
We love your podcast, Tigress. What’s a podcast you have on repeat?
Honestly, The Daily by the New York Times. I like to use podcasts to stay in-the-know with the news. I’m also a big audiobook girlie these days.
What’s a female-led social media account you admire?
Oh wow, there are so many. I really love keeping up with any of my female-founder friends on social. It keeps me inspired.