There is nothing better than action to change the state of things.
Gaby Alves is the Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Tampon Tribe, an online membership subscription service for toxin-free, plastic-free, 100% organic cotton tampons, pads, and pantyliners. Gaby has 20+ years of experience as owner and manager of businesses across three continents.
Where did the idea for your company come from?
Myself and my co-founder and business partner Jennifer started working together in Beijing, China, ten years ago. We built a great dynamic, so when we landed in sunny Santa Monica, we decided to create a brilliant, fun and enigmatic company that had real impact at its core. We were searching for organic tampons and liners and found very little in existence – so we got to thinking about the millions of women who don’t have access to organic products and are forced to use potentially toxic and chemical-laden tampons and pads. We are also super passionate about the environment and are keen travelers – the amount of plastics in our oceans and landfills that we have seen firsthand across the globe is abominable – so we set about creating organic and plastic-free tampons, pads and pantyliners that could reach women everywhere!
What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?
Immensely short in hours! Ha. I always try to start with a good beach workout in the morning to get the stamina and dopamine running through my veins for long working hours ahead! I then take a break and head to Cross Campus in Santa Monica to take the bull by the horns and get straight into growth mode!
How do you bring ideas to life?
By waking up early every morning and setting aside time for meditation and setting my day’s plans and resolutions. I try not to worry about tomorrow’s problems (which may or may not happen!) – instead, I focus on what we can build today and set about building!
What’s one trend that excites you?
Living a plastic-free life.
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
Just do it before thinking twice! Trust your instincts.
What advice would you give your younger self?
To be resilient, and that there is nothing better than action to change the state of things.
Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.
Climate change! – How fast our natural world is deteriorating around us and how the little things, such as avoiding single-use plastics, saying no to plastic straws, etc. make a significant difference.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
Never stop building your mailing list! Never stop building your dreams, keep knocking on doors, keep trying, reiterating, and never give up – one day you will get it right, and it will all come together.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?
Stay true to your beliefs, and keep fighting for them, the best way possible. I believe in the three P’s: Passion, Perseverance, and Persistence. And wholeheartedly believe in yourself and what you can achieve.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
While I have had successful businesses, there have also been times when an idea or a business hasn’t gone the way that I thought it would – but you can’t take it personally, or give up – I diversified and then simply built another one!
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
I think that someone should invent a system for the shower that covers you in lotion after it dries you! – Has that been done already?!
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
Picking up the Happy Hour tab at a fabulous local restaurant where I laughed and shared with friends – a great evening and money very well spent.
What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
I am pretty simple if the software that I use – we collaborate on Google Drive and it saves so much times as we all work from different locations, so it boosts productivity and facilitates what we do!
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
Mike Dooley’s Manifesting Change or Leveraging the Universe.
What is your favorite quote?
“It’s never too late to find euphoric happiness or to become wildly fulfilled.”
Key learnings:
Just do it before thinking twice! Trust your instincts.
To be resilient, and that there is nothing better than action to change the state of things.
Never stop building your dreams, keep knocking on doors, keep trying, reiterating, and never give up – one day you will get it right, and it will all come together.
Connect:
Mario Schulzke is the Founder of ideamensch, which he started a decade ago to learn from entrepreneurs and give them a platform for their ideas.