Founder and bestselling author Nadya Okamoto joins Anita Sharma for a conversation about building purpose-driven businesses, using social media intentionally, and destigmatizing periods for 6 million followers. In Part 1, Nadya shares how she went from teenage activist to entrepreneur, founding both a nonprofit and a thriving period care brand.

Nadya opens up about discovering period poverty at 16 when she learned people in her community were using toilet paper, socks, and cardboard to manage their periods. She discusses founding PERIOD.org in high school, leading it for six years while building 800 chapters across 50 states and 40 countries, and her time at Harvard (including graduating remotely during COVID).

In this episode, Nadya talks about the frustration that led her to start August, wanting to create sustainable period products while changing culture through a brand, not just activism. She shares her early social media strategy using Facebook to organize volunteers, learning that social posts had "currency" through sponsorship deals, and going all-in on TikTok during the pandemic. We explore how she keeps herself separate from the August brand (the anti-Paris Hilton approach), going viral for wearing a pad at Electric Forest, and why hate comments motivate her rather than discourage her.

This episode is about turning teenage passion into sustainable impact, using your platform with purpose, and staying authentic while building a brand.

Part 2 coming next week!

Follow Nadya: @nadyaokamoto

Disclaimer: I'm a lawyer, but this podcast isn't legal advice. It's for general information only. Listening doesn't make us attorney and client.

Credits:

Produced by: Anita Sharma & Phoebe Dunn

Creative Producer: Khairi Williams

Script Editor: Mac Montandon

Technical Production Support Provided By: Seth Richardson

Edited by: Carmine Mattia

Social Media Strategy: Maureen Lloren Sedlak

Signed Theme Music By: Carmine Mattia