If nasal spray leaked like women’s hormone meds do, pharma would’ve fixed it by Tuesday.But in the world of fertility, miscarriage, and women’s health, founders like Dr. Lara Zibners are still waiting for the system to catch up.
In this unfiltered, hilarious, and deeply personal episode of RedefineHER, host Brenda Armstrong sits down with Lara, physician, entrepreneur, and co-host of Unstable Vitals, to unpack the wild journey of starting a healthtech company in midlife…while raising kids, earning an MBA, and managing hormone injections.
From stashing syringes in her bra to calling out gender bias in venture capital, Lara shares how her fertility struggles sparked the founding of Calla Lily Clinical Care, a startup transforming hormonal and miscarriage care.
Whether you're a founder, a femtech fan, or someone who's ever questioned the absurdity of women’s healthcare, this episode will make you laugh, rage, and rethink everything.
Why This Episode Matters
✨ Women’s health remains underfunded, under-engineered, and wildly overdue for disruption. Lara reminds us that innovation often starts with lived experience and a lot of resilience.
We dive into:
✔️ The shocking gaps in hormone drug delivery
✔️ How Lara’s fertility journey became the blueprint for Calla Lily Clinical Care
✔️Building a women’s health startup in midlife
✔️ Pitching to VCs who don’t understand miscarriage
✔️ How comedy became a lifeline through the Unstable Vitals podcast
✔️ What Lara believes must change in women’s health and how she’s doing it anyway
Timeline:
00:00 The Birth of CaliLily Clinical Care
05:36 Personal Journey Through Infertility
11:17 The Adoption Experience
16:59 Challenges in Fertility Care Systems
22:38 Innovating Women's Health Products
23:06 Empowering Women's Health Conversations
28:34 Redefining Identity and Age
36:52 Mentorship and Collective Action
43:42 Navigating Leadership and Integrity
49:27 Ethical Decision-Making in Business
52:20 Hiring for Culture and Fit
53:28 Embracing Non-Traditional Talent
56:34 The Intersection of Comedy and Medicine
01:02:48 Addressing Miscarriage and Women's Health
01:09:45 Advice for Future Innovators in Women's Health
📌 Mentioned in the Episode:
- HelpUsAdopt: https://HelpUsAdopt.org- 100 Women at UNC (Mentorship program)- ATLS UK (Advanced Trauma Life Support)- SWRETAC Yoga for First Responders: https://swretac.com/
Connect with Lara Zibners:
RedefineHER Podcast Credits
🎙 Host: Brenda Armstrong – https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendaarmstrong1/
🎧 Producer: Tarryn Long – https://www.linkedin.com/in/tarrynlong/
💼 Sponsor: ITEOM Talent Partners | Connecting purpose-driven organizations with top-tier talent to build thriving, diverse teams.
More at redefineherpodcast.com
📜 Disclaimer:⚠️ This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. ©2025 RedefineHER Podcast. Please share with credit and direct link.
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