An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
Rejection and setbacks are part of life, not just professional but our personal lives. I cope by letting myself feel the pain, but then putting a boundary around that (say 24–48hrs). I then act quickly and move forward with a new way or plan; I don’t see the point in dwelling on the failures of the past. That new approach is what keeps me moving forward.
As a part of our series about women who are shaking things up in their industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Kristy Chong.
An Australian mom of four on a mission, fash-tech entrepreneur and social advocate for health issues and human rights, Kristy Chong, CEO and founder, came up with the Modibodi concept while training for a marathon in 2011. Puzzled by the fact the disposable hygiene and apparel sector hadn’t evolved with advancing technology, Kristy began her quest to create an entirely new and better solution. In 2013, Kristy officially launched Modibodi online and empowered people to change the world…by changing their underwear.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?
I was a full-time mom of a two-year-old and five-month-old living in the US, I was training for a marathon, my periods had not long returned and I had started to experience occasional light bladder leaks. The available solutions were ugly, inconvenient, uncomfortable and a hazard to our environment-disposable hygiene. I just felt we deserved something better. So, I took matters into my own hands; designing, testing and patenting Australia’s first and best-selling period and leak-proof undies, Modibodi®.
Once I realized how problematic the issue was, I couldn’t understand why with all the advancements in technology, underwear and disposable hygiene had not evolved. I knew instantly that I was going to have to create an entirely new product for women. I am proud that I took that idea and turned it into a product (and now products) that can more conveniently, comfortably and reliably manage menstrual flow, incontinence, sweat and even breast milk leaks, and reduce the amount of single-use products ending up in a landfill and damaging our environment.
Can you tell our readers what it is about the work you’re doing that’s disruptive?
Modibodi’s purpose is to create limitless positive impact for people and our planet. Beyond selling leak-proof underwear and sustainable health apparel that empowers people’s lives, we are committed to being sustainable in all we do, helping to end period poverty and supporting health education programs that normalize or open conversations around our bodies and leaks.
What sets Modibodi apart is our commitment to creating the most comfortable and effective (scientifically-certified) products to manage bodily leaks in the most sustainable way. To create our patented absorbent technology, we conducted nearly 1000 tests and consulted extensively with chemical textile engineers and scientists.
Most recently, in a milestone step for sustainable apparel and femtech innovation, unseen in the industry to date, Modibodi has launched their Biodegradable Undie. It’s the world’s first biodegradable period and pee proof underwear, scientifically proven to have 97% of its components break down into nontoxic substances at the end of their usable life, with most of the underpants materials decomposing within 6 months when buried in active soil. At Modibodi, we believe in responsible innovation, and we will continue to invest in sustainable solutions to support and protect every person, through all life’s leaks.
We all need a little help along the journey. Who have been some of your mentors? Can you share a story about how they made an impact?
While not my personal mentors, these women have been inspirations and to name just one person is very hard. From a business point of view, the persistence and innovation of American entrepreneur and Spanx founder Sara Blakely inspired me to give the Modibodi idea a go. My passion for contributing to a more sustainable world is inspired by young climate change activist Greta Thunberg, as well as @1millionwomen founder Natalie Isaacs; and last, but definitely not least, I’m inspired by my mom. A fantastic parental role model, she taught me to always seek new opportunities, to get out of my comfort zone and try new things (even when I really didn’t want to) and to persevere…even when all you want to do is give up.
In today’s parlance, being disruptive is usually a positive adjective. But is disrupting always good? When do we say the converse, that a system or structure has ‘withstood the test of time’? Can you articulate to our readers when disrupting an industry is positive, and when disrupting an industry is ‘not so positive’? Can you share some examples of what you mean?
Since day one, Modibodi has existed to reduce the impact on the environment by providing an alternative to disposable products. This continues to be a central motivator to all decisions made by the brand.
Our vision is to have “limitless positive impact” on humanity and our planet. We do this by creating the best products daring to design the most comfortable and effective products to manage bodily leaks in the most sustainable way. Driving equality and self-acceptance by using our voice and brand to celebrate diversity and inclusivity, promote self-acceptance and open conversations around our bodies and bodily leaks and at times challenge unjust cultural norms in the name of equality. As well as helping those in need by donating our products to menstruating people in need to help period poverty.
Can you share 3 of the best words of advice you’ve gotten along your journey? Please give a story or example for each.
The biggest learning I’ve taken with me throughout my journey is to listen to my gut and back myself. Once I’d developed Modibodi®, I sought some opinions as to how I should market this range of life-changing undies. I was repeatedly told we’d need super glamorous models to make supposed unmentionable topics (menstruation and incontinence) tolerable to Australian consumers and the media.
Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. When you embark on your own business, it will push you out of your comfort zone daily.
Rejection and setbacks are part of life, not just professional but our personal lives. I cope by letting myself feel the pain, but then putting a boundary around that (say 24–48hrs). I then act quickly and move forward with a new way or plan; I don’t see the point in dwelling on the failures of the past. That new approach is what keeps me moving forward.
We are sure you aren’t done. How are you going to shake things up next?
Modibodi is going from strength-to-strength, with products now available via Amazon in AU, USA and UK, as well as on our e-commerce website. Exporting worldwide to countries including the UK, Iceland, South Africa, South Korea, USA, NZ, Singapore, Japan to name a few, we have sold millions of Australian-designed garments and replaced the need for billions of single-use disposable products.
For Modibodi, we’ll continue to expand our offering across our ranges, with new leak-proof solutions for all bodies. We also have plans to further our social impact and grow our Give a Pair initiative, offering more support and dignity to people in need
We want to continue to be a customer led business, taking all feedback on board and ensuring the ongoing innovation of the Modibodi product offering continues. We have a global collective of agencies and creative partners that we work with on special projects when we require them as well as a passionate internal team and we’re looking for even more of a global reach in 2022 and beyond.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
We are committed to using our voice and brand to celebrate diversity and inclusivity, promote self-acceptance and open conversations around our bodies and bodily leaks. It’s important for us to break the stigma that periods are ‘gross’ or shameful. Over half the population has had them at some stage of their life, and it is high time we banish the shame that is associated with something that happens regularly and is natural. It is time to call for a change of attitude so that the next generation of women will feel empowered by their period, not ashamed.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
How can our readers follow you online?
Facebook: Modibodi
Instagram: @modibodi
TikTok: @modibodi
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!
Female Disruptors: Kristy Chong of Modibodi On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.