Today, we’d like to introduce you to Melesia Adderley.
Hi Melesia, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
In 2017, I embarked on a remarkable journey that I could never have imagined would lead me to become the founder of Women’s Haven, an organic feminine care product company.
I had always known that I wanted to own a business due to my innate leadership attributes and skills and further encouragement and drive when I married my husband, Hareem Adderley (who has taught me a lot), but little did I know that it would be in the realm of feminine care.
The catalyst for this journey was my own personal experience. I used to feel consistently irritated during my period, and I couldn’t understand why. This prompted me to delve into research, seeking answers to why I felt uncomfortable each month. What I discovered was a revelation: the world of feminine care was not as transparent and safe as I had assumed.
I stumbled upon organic products, specifically organic pads, and was left wondering why such a distinction was necessary. Weren’t all pads supposed to be organic, after all? The more I researched, the more I grew convinced that there was something inherently wrong with the current state of feminine care products. It seemed inconceivable that anyone would manufacture or produce products that could be toxic or harmful to our bodies, especially considering the sensitivity of our vaginal areas and the high absorbency of the materials involved.
Determined to make a change, I decided to give organic products a try, and it completely transformed my life. I no longer felt irritated during my period, and I was determined to share this newfound solution with other women. But talking about periods remains a taboo topic, and it’s challenging to broach this subject with others. However, I believed we needed to open up the conversation and address this pervasive issue affecting countless women worldwide. So, I started to resell the brand and began to educate other women.
My journey evolved in 2018 when I partnered with Meredith Johnson from The Bahamas, my now business partner. I first met Meredith through my husband, whom I met 18 years ago. Meredith shared my vision and passion for organic feminine care products and saw the positive impact these products could have on women’s lives through her own experiences. Meredith wanted to bring these types of products to The Bahamas, and together, we embarked on our journey to start our own company.
Meredith has been my right hand ever since, building a strong bond from a solid foundation.
The journey continued as we started to introduce these organic products to the market. We were reselling existing brands and promoting organic pads, and our efforts gained momentum as we began to connect with like-minded women across the Caribbean. However, it soon became apparent that the majority of organic brands on the market offered products with very few pads per pack. In the Caribbean, this just didn’t sit well with customers who expected more value for their money.
I reached out to the brand we were reselling, hoping to collaborate and make our products more suitable for the Caribbean market. However, their response was far from accommodating. They presented us with unreasonable terms and conditions, essentially telling us that our endeavor would be futile and did not take us seriously, nor believed in us.
Undeterred, I embarked on a mission to find a solution. Extensive research led me to a manufacturing company in China, but they, too, initially declined to do business with me, citing our new and unproven status. It felt like an insurmountable obstacle.
Nonetheless, I refused to give up. I continued to reach out to them, persistently conveying my dedication and vision. Eventually, they gave me a chance, and we then began to manufacture our own branded products, which was a turning point in the Women’s Haven story.
Our vision started attracting more and more women who aspired to be entrepreneurs and were passionate about improving the well-being of Caribbean girls and women. Through social media, we began to connect with the female entrepreneurs who wanted to make a difference. They saw the potential of Women’s Haven, they decided to join and our team started to grow.
As our team expanded, we continued our mission to empower women and improve the lives of Caribbean girls and women. With the support of these inspiring women, we took the next big step. We formed Women’s Haven as an official brand, and we aligned our efforts with the manufacturing company officially to produce our own line of certified organic feminine care products.
Now, Women’s Haven stands as a brand available in major supermarkets and pharmacies across the Caribbean, reaching women across 10 Caribbean countries, as well as online in the United States of America & Canada, and is a registered brand on Amazon. Today, I lead a team of nine remarkable women across the Caribbean, each owning their own business and sharing the vision of improving the lives of women in our region.
Our goal is to bring technological advancements and high-quality products to the Caribbean, ensuring that women have access to the best solutions for their well-being. The journey continues, and we are committed to making a meaningful impact in the feminine care industry and beyond.
Women’s Haven has achieved a globally registered trademark in the Cayman Islands, Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana and Great Britain & Northern Ireland, Filing submitted in The Bahamas and Jamaica, with plans for more countries in the future.
This journey from idea to execution has been filled with challenges, but it’s also a testament to the power of persistence, dedication, and the desire to make a positive change in the world of feminine care. We are committed to providing women with safe, organic, and comfortable options for their menstrual health.
Our journey is far from over. As we look ahead, we are excited about the possibilities and eager to continue making a meaningful impact in the feminine care industry and to show that it is possible, even being from the Caribbean.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
One notable challenge we encountered was establishing our brand in a competitive market and navigating the complexities of inter-Caribbean trade. Initially, we focused on reselling existing brands, but this approach presented significant hurdles. High costs and limited pads per pack made it difficult to offer competitive pricing and value to our customers. These economic constraints hindered our ability to gain a foothold in the market.
Moreover, our efforts were further complicated by unsuccessful long-term collaborations with existing third-party brands. Many of these partnerships ended due to misaligned goals and an inability to understand the Caribbean market and its customers. For instance, while we aimed to prioritize affordability and quality for our customers, our partners often had different priorities, leading to friction and, ultimately, the dissolution of these collaborations. These setbacks were disheartening but prompted us to seek alternative solutions.
Our persistence and determination led us to a pivotal decision: to manufacture our own products. This marked a significant turning point in the Women’s Haven story. By creating our own line of products, we gained the ability to control costs more effectively, ensuring that our offerings were both high-quality and affordable. This strategic move allowed us to address the specific needs of our community, which had been underserved by existing brands.
The vision of producing our own products resonated with many like-minded women, leading to the expansion of our team across the Caribbean. This growth was facilitated by our network of Executive Distributors, who played a crucial role in extending our reach. Through their efforts, we were able to provide more women with access to our organic products, promoting better health and well-being across the region. This collective effort not only strengthened our brand but also fostered a sense of community and empowerment among women throughout the Caribbean.
We’ve been impressed with Women’s Haven, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart?
Women’s Haven is the first Caribbean female-owned organic feminine care brand and product line of its kind. Our products are sold in over 70 stores, including major supermarkets and pharmacies across 10 Caribbean countries. Our products are also sold online on our website for shipping to US and Canadian addresses as well as online on Amazon to US shipping addresses. We also have trademarks in 6 countries with more to be added soon.
Women Haven carries over 20 products, including our major products, which are our sanitary liners, sanitary pads, Yoni oil, Yoni wash, menstrual cups, bamboo wipes, tampons, and so much more!
Women’s Haven® is dedicated to educating women and girls about menstrual health and the significant advantages of using organic feminine care products. We are a team of women who have established our own brand to offer high-quality, technologically advanced products to support women’s well-being throughout their menstrual cycle.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Being from the Caribbean, I am not in a position to comment on living in the USA. However, I can say that living in the Caribbean presents significant challenges due to a lack of resources, opportunities, and exposure.
We often have to work 100 times harder than our counterparts in the USA to gain recognition or relocate to the USA to achieve our goals. Few other viable options are available to us. Consequently, access to the USA market is often undervalued or overlooked by those who have the opportunity. Gratitude is essential.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://womenshaven.com
- Instagram: @thewomenshaven
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/thewomenshaven
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thewomenshaven/
- Twitter: https://x.com/thewomenshaven
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@WomensHaven
- Other: linktr.ee/WomensHaven
Image Credits
Women’s Haven®
