Q&A With Rubi Jones From The Period Store

For our  Women + Business series, our first interview is with Rubi Jones, co-founder of The Period Store.

While most squirm when it comes to talking menstruation, Rubi Jones, Ashley Seil Smith and Nate Smith jump right in.

So much so that earlier this year, the three launched The Period Store, a subscription box service that delivers a period survival kit with your favorite menstruation products, herbal remedies, art work and even chocolate, right when you need it each month.

Yes, they actually make it exciting to get your period!

Rubi Jones shared how the trio came up with the concept and how they tackle the highs and lows of running a business.



How did the idea for The Period Store come about? We have to start by stating that Ashley and I are the youngest in families of all girls while Nate grew up with three feisty Southern sisters, so no topic is off limits in our households! But the idea for The Period Store started around the time that Ashley was completing her degree in anthropology. It included the study of the social stigma attached to childlessness in a rural Indian village. It was in India that she and Nate, her husband, started thinking more about the social issues surrounding periods.

A few years later, we all eventually met and became good friends in New York City, where we one day found ourselves having a random conversation about all of the products available for period management, like menstrual cups, sea sponges and herbal remedies. We wished a place existed where women could discover these products alongside the more well-known ones. At the same time, we wanted a space where women could talk about menstruation in a shame-free way, where we could learn about the history of periods and share stories and remedies from around the world. Then we realized that maybe we could make this place. And The Period Store was born.

What were some of your reservations toward launching the business? How did you reconcile those? One of our biggest worries about launching The Period Store was that people would see it as just another subscription box. There are literally subscription boxes for everything right now! But deliveries made sense from the very beginning so our customers could get products right when they need them. And more importantly, we wanted to create a community of women. That’s one of the great things about a subscription service. We’re able to interact with customers at least once a month. And having a community of women talking about menstruation - trading tips, stories and product suggestions - has been really amazing so far.

What has been the most difficult part of launching The Period Store? The most difficult part so far has probably been patience. We have so many ideas and plans, but we’re also trying to manage our growth. We’re self-funded so it’s been tricky! Developing our website was also difficult at times, but the site has also been one of the most rewarding parts of this endeavor. It is the core of our business and seeing it evolve and people using it is something we get excited about every day.

Also, because we like talking about the hard stuff, just the huge amount of time that it takes to run a business - from the little details that aren’t so fun to the big, fun stuff - it’s a lot of hard work!

Is there anything you would have done differently with developing and launching The Period Store? The beauty of launching a business, especially an online business, is that it’s ever changing. You don’t just start a business and leave it at that. It must constantly evolve in order to be successful. If we think of things we would do differently, we just do them! We’ve also made it a point to keep an attitude that there are no mistakes, only learning opportunities. Additionally, we aim high but set the bar low. If you accept the chance of human error and anticipate things going wrong, you won’t be disappointed when they do, and you’re even more excited when they go the right way! We learn from our “mistakes” and move on.

What would you say to someone thinking about starting a business? Don’t be scared. Surround yourself with like-minded people. They will motivate you and help you grow. Stay positive and if you’re passionate about something, go for it. Don’t look back or waste time over thinking it.  There’s no “right” way to do anything. We’re all just making this up as we go and finding the best solutions we can, so listen to yourself!

And ladies, work around your cycle! As women, there are times when we’re more social and creative, and then there are times when we just want to stay at home, keep to ourselves and be more introspective. Do your research, get to know your cycle, listen to your body and work with it. Use the power of your cycle to your advantage. And for goodness' sake, take breaks every once in a while!

Thank you so much, Rubi! 

(Photos: The Period Store)