The Founder Files with Briella Brown from Biolae: Setting a New Standard in Women’s Health
Welcome to The Founder Files, an inside look at the women building the next generation of category-defining companies. These conversations capture founders in moments of becoming. No polished retrospective or glossy highlights reel. This is where we catch ambitious women in motion: when the decisions are still hard, the outcomes still uncertain, and the lessons are still fresh enough to actually be useful.
Briella Brown didn’t just see a gap in women’s health. She saw an opportunity to correct a failure that had left midlife women behind.
Enter Biolae. The modern perimenopause company is building clinically validated solutions for women navigating one of the most significant (and sadly taboo) transitions of their lives. Think evidence-led formulations, dosed precisely and defended scientifically.
The demand is there. The scepticism is, too — and Briella welcomes it. Women in this space have been burned by noise before, and trust, as she'll tell you, isn't built overnight.
In this conversation, Briella shares why perimenopause is the most misunderstood transition in women's health, why founders need to think about distribution before almost anything else, and why earning the trust of midlife women starts with never giving them a reason to doubt you.
Q. Tell us about Biolae in your own words. What are you building, and why does it need to exist?
“Biolae is a modern perimenopause company on a mission to raise the standard for women in midlife. We're launching clinically validated solutions and pairing them with a brand that actually supports women in a meaningful way. The perimenopause space is one I'm incredibly passionate about.
“For too long, women have been navigating one of the most significant transitions of their lives with no support, no language for what they're experiencing, and products that didn’t have the same clinical rigour that was applied to every other stage of women’s health.” Briella Brown
Q. What does building this business actually look like right now? What's consuming most of your energy this week?
“We’re a startup, so there’s a lot going on at all times! Last week, we announced Pip Edwards as a shareholder and strategic advisor, which was a huge moment for Biolae. There was a lot involved in bringing that to life, both physically and digitally, across press and social.
Team Biolae, featuring co-founders Briella Brown and Maryalice Rosa and Pip Edwards (shareholder and strategic advisor).
This week, I've shifted focus to how we communicate and introduce our next product, which is a first-to-market medical device for vaginal dryness. It's been a long time coming (over 2.5 years), and I think the impact is going to be really significant for both women and clinicians.
Alongside that, we're beginning our path to retail, so I’m thinking a lot about how Biolae shows up physically on shelf. It’s a big project, but I’m very excited!”
Q. What do you know about perimenopause and menopause that most people, and most of the industry, are still sleeping on?
“There’s still a major misconception around when perimenopause actually begins. It’s completely normal in your late thirties or early forties, yet most women think it starts much later. That misunderstanding can be harmful because it delays recognition, diagnosis, and ultimately treatment.
The same applies to symptoms. There are over 52 recognised symptoms of menopause, but the conversation is still dominated by hot flushes. Many women don’t realise what they’re experiencing is hormonal, so they don’t seek support early. The result is that women are often blindsided, which reflects a real gap in education. When women understand both the timing and the full spectrum of symptoms, they can recognise it sooner and access support earlier.”
Q. What's the hardest call you've had to make so far, and would you make the same decision again?
“No single decision stands out, but resource allocation is consistently one of the hardest! In a startup, you’re trying to move quickly with limited time and capital. Deciding where to place bets and, just as importantly, what not to do, is the real challenge. I tend to prioritise speed in those moments and back our ability to pivot if things don’t go quite as expected (which happens often!).”
Q. What's the one thing you wish someone had handed you at the start (a framework, a rule, a piece of advice) that you've had to figure out the hard way?
“I think the one thing that matters most early is distribution. A great product is what makes a company enduring, but in those early years, growth is almost entirely driven by how effectively you get it in front of people.
“Your role as a founder isn’t just to build the thing; it’s to build the machine that gets it seen, understood, and ultimately purchased.” Briella Brown
What I’ve learned the hard way is how difficult that actually is! Breaking through algorithms, capturing attention, and creating real demand is increasingly competitive.”
Q. Midlife women are one of the most overlooked and underserved demographics in both healthcare and consumer products. What made you willing to bet on them, and what have they taught you about building a brand that actually earns trust?
“I saw how much has been built around periods, pregnancy, and postpartum, and recognised perimenopause as the next phase that was going to demand better in terms of both solutions and how brands show up.
The limited options on the market were lacking in clinical validity, and the brands that existed were doing so little to genuinely educate, support and connect with women experiencing perimenopause. We felt like there was real impact to be made here and have been incredibly intentional about how we build, how we formulate, and how we communicate. Trust is at the centre of every decision we make.”
Q. Biolae holds its products to clinical trial standards, the same rigour usually reserved for prescription care. Where does that conviction come from, and how do you communicate that standard to women who've been let down by the wellness industry before?
“Women are sceptical, and rightfully so. There has been too much noise and not enough substance in the health space, from underdosed formulations to weak evidence, confusing and at times manipulative marketing, and very little real innovation. That is where our conviction comes from. We have deep empathy for that scepticism, and our clinical rigour is our response to it. It is our standard and ultimately our superpower.
“From day one, we have taken a long-term view. Trust is not built overnight; it is earned through consistency and transparency.” Briella Brown
Want to follow Biolae’s journey?
Whether you're navigating perimenopause yourself or simply believe women deserve better than the standard the industry has set, their clinically validated solutions are a good place to start. Explore the full range at the Biolae website.
For the behind-the-scenes of building a women's health brand that refuses to cut corners, follow Biolae on Instagram.
And if you want to stay across Briella's journey as a founder,she's one to watch on LinkedIn and TikTok.