October 31, 2022
On Friday October 21st, Ohio University students from across campus gathered in the CoLab to celebrate Women Entrepreneurship Week by hearing from founder and CEO of
AuntFlow , Claire Coder . Coder’s energy filled the room as she inspired students to think about starting their own businesses. Her own business endeavor began when her need for access to period products fell short. “If toilet paper is offered for free, why should tampons and pads be?” Coder questioned. From age 18, the age of many traditional-aged college students and their peers, Coder made it her mission to provide free period products for all menstruating people. She explored her own adventure as she went through successes and challenges when Aunt Flow was founded in 2016, to the challenges they still face in 2022.
Students were then encouraged to think of their own problems. “It can be anything; it could’ve happened to you while you were walking here this morning,” Coder probed. She explained that if students were having a recurring problem, other students most likely were, too. That is where the business idea is born. Coder pushed students to converse with one another and
see which problem seemed to be most prevalent on campus and begin brainstorming solutions to those problems. Conversations about entrepreneurship flourished in the room as students exchanged ideas with one another.
Coder enticed the room to participate not only amongst their peers, but also to take these ideas with them as they left. The workshop provided business advice from a real life Forbes 30 under 30 CEO . Claire Coder stunned the room not only with her passion for entrepreneurship, but with her passion to help others achieve success through entrepreneurship. The Center for Entrepreneurship is dedicated to providing students, from any major, with resources to help them succeed. The upcoming Global Entrepreneurship Week is another excellent opportunity to promote and celebrate entrepreneurship across campus and the community.