Refreshing, relatable and taboo-busting, Rachael Newton (hedge fund lawyer turned entrepreneur) is part of a new wave of founders, thinkers, and advocates throwing open the bathroom door and reshaping the policies, products, and possibilities of period care.
In our conversation, Rachael tells how she designed Nixit after she realised that her tampon waste took so long to break down it would likely survive the apocalypse alongside the cockroach.
She assessed the eco friendly alternatives on the market and found them wanting. (Hell, there are more options for poaching an egg than sorting our periods). Then she had a lightbulb moment - we’ll let her tell you about it - and set about designing a new type of reusable menstrual disc that could be worn comfortably (94% of users say they don’t feel it) for 12 hours.
In doing so, Rachael has not only changed how people coped with their periods but also how they (and she) relate to their own bodies.
When I started Nixit and [was using the prototype], the way that I thought about my period completely changed. I felt, and continue to feel, so in touch with my body because I understand my flow. I know when my heavy days are. I know when my light days are. I know if something's different. … it sounds so corny, but I'd had two kids… I didn't know anything about my period… I was just learning about it in my late thirties and I had this newfound respect for what my body had done and was capable of and the fact that having this period meant that I could do all of those things.
In reimagining what period care can be, Rachael challenges us to reconsider what’s available to us, and to expect more.
Hedge fund to Healthcare
For those of us in the wobbly middle, we can also draw courage from Rachael. Throwing down her law books in order to fix this problem for herself was a seismic shift. Even as a young person, she'd chosen a career in law for its clear path and financial stability.
My husband is entrepreneurial and I think if he hadn't said, “why don't you just go and figure it out?” I probably would still be talking about it today...
But she also highlights the skills her legal career had armed her with…
As lawyers, we have so many great qualities: incredibly organised, detail oriented, we're pretty adaptable actually. .
If you’re curious about starting something new, Rachael’s story is a smart, grounded reminder that you don’t have to go with the flow. She’s thoughtful and practical in response to my eternal question “how do you get started?”, joyful about the pinch-me moments when sales ping in, and candid about the loneliness of being the one at the helm.
"In America we have a new iPhone every year, but in the past two centuries there have only been three innovations in menstrual care. It's baffling,"
Kiran Ghandi
How to Build a Brand That Lives Its Values
As someone in the foothills of building a brand, listening to Rachael discuss how she developed Nixit’s award winning brand felt like a one-to-one masterclass - you’ll also hear about her missteps which are as helpful as her the winning strokes. This is what I learnt:
Start with a clear mission - and make sure it touches everything.
Nixit’s mission is clear: better, straightforward period care. That intention shows up everywhere. The brand’s tone of voice (what Rachael and her team call the “confidential confidant”), is warm, direct, and judgment-free. Think the friend you’d trust with questions about your body.
It is also very clear on the problem it wants to solve: period care that doesn’t feel shameful, medicalised or outdated. It’s not just on the website. It’s in the unboxing experience, the Instagram posts, even the product names.
This clarity helps every decision from packaging to partnerships. In marketing speak, I think that’s called “laddering up to a single, powerful idea”.
Design is more than aesthetics - it’s emotional.
Nixit’s design language is modern, unapologetic, joyful. Rachael describes early conversations using the word “edgy” on repeat until her husband begged her to stop.
Rachael says:
“I wanted people to feel like they were doing something good for themselves when they bought period care.”
She wants buying period care to feel as nice as buying skincare. The bright colours, clean typography, and unboxing experience all create a sense of care and delight. As you can tell, I’m sold.
Build trust through education.
One of the most meaningful parts of Nixit’s brand is its commitment to knowledge. The team want to help users understand their bodies better. From the Bleed and Tell blog which speaks of real women’s experiences to tips on tracking flow position Nixit positions itself as a trusted source, not just a seller.
I don't think that Nixit is the period solution for every single body. The fact is it's not. Part of our role is to provide that kind of educational piece for people so that they can make informed decisions about their period care, whatever it might be.
Rachael Newton
That’s it from us for today. Please listen and leave your thoughts and stories. And if you're quietly nursing an idea of your own, we hope Rachael gives you the nudge you need.
ABOUT THE HOSTS:
Patsy Day is a lawyer on a break. As an intellectual property specialist, she has worked on everything from anti-counterfeiting to publishing and from London to Ho Chi Minh City and back again. Patsy lives in Oxford and is currently immersed in podcasts producing SafeHouse Amsterdam (out 2025) and co-hosting, The Wobbly Middle, a podcast about women reinventing their careers in midlife.
Susannah de Jager has just relocated to Abu Dhabi, where she’s podcasting, consulting with start-ups, and occasionally advising on scale-up capital. After leaving her role as CEO of a boutique asset manager, she asked the all-important question: what next? Five years later, she’s following her curiosity —The Wobbly Middle is for her and every woman doing the same.
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