Menstruation Underwear Entrepreneurship Blog 3/3

Hello again all dear classmates,

Hope you all doing well in summer! I feel very happy to update my progress in this entrepreneurship project. This would be my last post for my field study, I hope to see you all in the upcoming new semester!

Here are things that I have done and some new thoughts during the summer vacation. I finished the these thing down below and regarding what I have found in the pre stage research.

1). Product Planning & Strategy Deck done. Since this is a preliminary deck and the research direction is a little bit changed due to considering overall situation.

2). After the competitor research, changing the market to start in Shanghai and Xi'an two cities in China should be a correct decision as a start due to starting within a familiar culture and policy environment is easier for control the entire situation. In the beginning I thought to develop this business idea in European countries, but the more research I do, I feel in general more business opportunities in China other than in European countries with some corporate giants in a monopoly situation and some giant supermarkets find their small opportunities with cheap OEM menstruation products. In a nutshell, living space is tiny for a start-up.

3). Tech-packs are done which is the easiest part for this project so far. Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang has the geographic advantage to develop business idea due to qualified factory, fair trade potential, transparent supply chain and the consistency for local production policy. After this field study, it would be better to analyse the market preference in Yangtze River Delta to push the idea to come true.

Thank you.

Lujia

Menstruation Underwear Entrepreneurship Blog 2/3

Hello again all dear classmates, 

I'm glad to update my progress in this entrepreneurship project.

Here are things that I have done and some thoughts during May:

1. I researched to get more information about how women in different cultures and background to handle their menstruation, and to how big possibility they would like to switch their previous habits.

2. Competitor research to get status in quo how these menstruation products selling working in currently European market.

3. Made tech pack for 2 basic products I plan to make, should consider how big the challenge is to make the sourcing with local production policy and material and service sustainable. To be honest, local production policy could be a very much hard thing to achieve to start-ups due to low quantity order. and no solution so far unless abandon it in act.

Besides something I realized during this month are: From this early-stage research and preparations, I understand that entrepreneurship with a specific concept or leading a lifestyle is a huge thing. Self-discipline is strongly needed and it should be driven by the inner motivation. I deeply agree the word that is women are a situation, and a lot of need  remains unseen. To help people in need and give women with more options in comfort, security, hygiene and environment sustainability is way more important than provide the market only beautifying products. Secondly, planning is good, but to do, to act is more important somehow. Get shitty work done first and allow mistakes to happen then learning from mistakes is way more important than only have ideas stay in mind. 

Thank you.

Lujia

Menstruation Underwear Entrepreneurship Blog 1/3

Hello all dear classmates, 

This is Lujia Yang. I'm glad to update my progress in this entrepreneurship project.

Here are things that I have done during the April:

1. Got help from mentor in Drivhuset and conducted qualitative research that interviewed some females and drew several common pain points during their menstruation (thank you all lovely interviewees for sharing your experience and opinions) and based on the conclusion I finished designing the questionnaire to ask more specific questions on the products' functions that user may expect.

2. Participated the 4 days entrepreneurship boot camp Level-Up held by drivhuset, I get to know some like-minded people and in the lectures and workshops it give me basic ideas of 1) What should be included in a business plan 2) Useful template such as TAM SAM SOM, 3) How company registered in Sweden and some basic concept for tax and import. 4) Pitched this business idea and got useful suggestions and feedbacks to improve.

3. Finished positioning the brand as a women-centred brand that starts with functional menstrual underwear, and will scale up to menstrual products, lingerie and sportswear in the future. The brand name is confirmed as Mokna, which stands for the sense of awakening and the awareness of born to be as mighty as a mountain. The brand logo, slogan,  colour matching are also confirmed. 

Here are things that I will proceed in the upcoming month:

1. Collecting the data for the questionnaire and confirm underwear's tech pack.

2. Writing the business plan with more detailed costing sheet from suppliers.

3. Designing the dummy website with toning brand colour in shopify.

4. Research more on material for disposable fabric or non-woven fabrics, maybe will get help with Spacerpad founder.

Thank you.

Lujia