1 00:00:02,480 --> 00:00:05,120 Speaker 1: Today on the bright Side, meet one woman who turned 2 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:09,120 Speaker 1: her personal struggle with infertility into a company that's changing 3 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:12,320 Speaker 1: the way people build families. Lauren Makler is here with 4 00:00:12,400 --> 00:00:16,079 Speaker 1: us today to talk about Cofertility, a game changing new 5 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:18,960 Speaker 1: way to approach egg donation and take the stigma out 6 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:19,720 Speaker 1: of egg freezing. 7 00:00:20,239 --> 00:00:24,200 Speaker 2: I cannot deny that, like the only reason Cofertility exists 8 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:27,960 Speaker 2: is in part my own journey to motherhood. 9 00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:30,800 Speaker 1: I'm Simone Boyce and this is the bright Side from 10 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 1: Hello Sunshine, Welcome back to the bright Side. Today's episode 11 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:39,199 Speaker 1: is all about reframing infertility. 12 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:40,479 Speaker 3: I don't know about you. 13 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:43,880 Speaker 1: Even when I just say the word fertility out loud, 14 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:47,800 Speaker 1: I tense up a little because fertility is complicated. It's 15 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:50,279 Speaker 1: such a loaded term, and it can feel like this 16 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:54,480 Speaker 1: weird exclusive club. If you're in the club, if you're fertile, 17 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:58,600 Speaker 1: it somehow defines your womanhood in the eyes of society. 18 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:01,560 Speaker 1: And if you're not in the club, it also defines 19 00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:04,679 Speaker 1: your womanhood in the eyes of society. When I think 20 00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 1: about my own fertility, especially in a season of my 21 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:09,679 Speaker 1: life where I'm wondering if I want to grow my 22 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:13,720 Speaker 1: family from two kids to three, what frustrates me about 23 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:17,600 Speaker 1: fertility is how out of our control it feels. What 24 00:01:17,680 --> 00:01:21,280 Speaker 1: if there was a way to change that, to take 25 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 1: some of that control back and feel a real sense 26 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:27,080 Speaker 1: of agency at the same time. And that's something our 27 00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:30,679 Speaker 1: guest today, Lauren Mikler, knows all too well, because when 28 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:32,480 Speaker 1: it looked like she might not be able to have 29 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:36,480 Speaker 1: more kids, she decided to build something that gave women 30 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:40,480 Speaker 1: back their agency and control over their own fertility. So 31 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:45,759 Speaker 1: she founded Cofertility. It's a company that's really reimagining the 32 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:51,800 Speaker 1: whole fertility family planning experience. Women can freeze half their 33 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:55,120 Speaker 1: eggs for free for free for up to ten years, 34 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 1: if they donate the other half to a family that's 35 00:01:58,400 --> 00:01:59,560 Speaker 1: struggling to conceive. 36 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:02,240 Speaker 3: I just think that is so cool. 37 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 1: I never even imagined that something like this could be 38 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:08,680 Speaker 1: possible until I heard about Lauren's company. If you've ever 39 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:11,320 Speaker 1: looked into egg freezing, you already know it can be 40 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:14,160 Speaker 1: so expensive. So what Lauren is doing here makes it 41 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 1: more accessible while also helping another family's dream come true. Today, 42 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:22,000 Speaker 1: Lauren is opening up about what it took to bring 43 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:24,960 Speaker 1: this vision to life, how she continues to lead it 44 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:27,760 Speaker 1: with empathy, and what it means to give women more 45 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 1: control and more choices than ever before. Let's get into it. 46 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:36,799 Speaker 3: Welcome to the right side, Lauren. 47 00:02:36,919 --> 00:02:37,880 Speaker 2: Thanks for having me. 48 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 3: I'm so happy to have you. 49 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:44,480 Speaker 1: I'm so fascinated by your business model because it truly 50 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:48,880 Speaker 1: feels revolutionary. How are you shaking up egg freezing at Cofertility? 51 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:52,840 Speaker 2: At Cofertility, we give women the opportunity to freeze their 52 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:55,560 Speaker 2: eggs for free when they donate half of the eggs 53 00:02:55,639 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 2: retrieved to intended parents who otherwise can't conceive, So we 54 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:03,679 Speaker 2: are both making egg freezing more accessible and making egg 55 00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:06,320 Speaker 2: donation less transactional at the same time. 56 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:09,120 Speaker 1: There are so many questions running through my mind and 57 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:11,480 Speaker 1: I can't wait to tell you all of them. But 58 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:13,880 Speaker 1: my first question, I think, is what was the reaction 59 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 1: like when you started actually pitching this idea Because this 60 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:18,200 Speaker 1: hadn't been done before. 61 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:22,480 Speaker 2: So it's interesting. Egg sharing as a concept is not new, okay, 62 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 2: It's something that's done in small pockets all over the world, 63 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 2: actually on a clinic level, and so it's done at 64 00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:31,960 Speaker 2: fertility clinics in a pretty small way where maybe they 65 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:34,120 Speaker 2: have someone who's interested in doing it and they can 66 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:37,200 Speaker 2: find an intended parent to match them with My co 67 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:41,080 Speaker 2: founder and I both were like, that's how egg donation 68 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 2: should be done, right, Like, this idea of cash compensation 69 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:47,880 Speaker 2: is actually pretty off putting to a lot of women. 70 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 2: This idea that they're getting paid anywhere from ten thousand 71 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 2: to one hundred thousand dollars to donate their eggs can 72 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:57,080 Speaker 2: feel icky. Right. It might be some right for a 73 00:03:57,080 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 2: lot of people, but for others it might feel off putting. 74 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:03,320 Speaker 2: And what if instead we take cash compensation out of 75 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:06,320 Speaker 2: it and offer women something that they really want, which 76 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:08,920 Speaker 2: is this opportunity to freeze their own eggs without the 77 00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:11,560 Speaker 2: burden of the cost. And before we dove in and 78 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 2: said let's bet our careers on this, we wanted to 79 00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:17,720 Speaker 2: make sure that this was something people would actually do. 80 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 2: And we love data and needed to make a data 81 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:25,680 Speaker 2: driven decision, and so we created a survey to understand, like, 82 00:04:25,839 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 2: is this something people will do? And we had a 83 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:32,560 Speaker 2: handful of influencers posted on their Instagram stories and within 84 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:37,599 Speaker 2: twenty four hours we had a thousand responses. Sixty six 85 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:40,520 Speaker 2: percent of women within the age group that they need 86 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:43,640 Speaker 2: to be to qualify for this program based on clinical 87 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:49,120 Speaker 2: standards said they were interested sixty six percent. I kept 88 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 2: refreshing because I thought type form was broken. It's like, 89 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:55,919 Speaker 2: there's no way. Was that more than you were expecting? Yes? Absolutely, 90 00:04:55,960 --> 00:04:58,360 Speaker 2: because I just and I don't know what it is. 91 00:04:58,440 --> 00:05:00,840 Speaker 2: I wasn't sure. I was like, Wow, this fascinating, This 92 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 2: could work and this could be the way egg donation 93 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:07,320 Speaker 2: is done going forward if we're doing this right, because 94 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:09,159 Speaker 2: I think the time is now. I think the world 95 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:13,479 Speaker 2: is ready for a model like this, but I wasn't sure, 96 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:17,640 Speaker 2: and I thought maybe if we see forty percent ish, 97 00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:21,080 Speaker 2: like I would go all in on this, And sixty 98 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:24,359 Speaker 2: six percent blew my mind. And I wasn't looking for 99 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:26,279 Speaker 2: it to be one hundred percent because it doesn't need 100 00:05:26,320 --> 00:05:28,520 Speaker 2: to be one hundred percent and it shouldn't be. Egg 101 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:32,080 Speaker 2: donation is not for everyone, and that's okay, but for 102 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 2: so many women, and we find that gen Z in 103 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:39,479 Speaker 2: particular is really compelled by this idea of helping grow 104 00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:43,960 Speaker 2: another family, whether that's an LGBTQ family or someone who 105 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:48,760 Speaker 2: struggled with infertility. They're really into this idea of service 106 00:05:48,839 --> 00:05:53,040 Speaker 2: and helping someone grow their family and doing something empowering 107 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:54,719 Speaker 2: for their own fertility future. 108 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:57,360 Speaker 1: At the same time, I want to talk about your fertility, 109 00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:01,000 Speaker 1: because that's a huge part of the story behind hind cofertility. 110 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:03,240 Speaker 1: And when you talk about the fact that ag donation 111 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:07,080 Speaker 1: has actually been happening behind the scenes for years and 112 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:08,440 Speaker 1: around the world. 113 00:06:08,440 --> 00:06:09,479 Speaker 3: That's such a great point. 114 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:12,400 Speaker 1: You actually have a very personal story of egg donation 115 00:06:12,520 --> 00:06:13,440 Speaker 1: in your own family. 116 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:17,799 Speaker 2: Yes, yes, So years ago, I was building a business 117 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 2: at Uber called uber Health and was very focused on 118 00:06:21,279 --> 00:06:23,320 Speaker 2: the patient experience and how we could help people get 119 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:26,279 Speaker 2: to the care they need. When I became a patient myself, 120 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:29,479 Speaker 2: I was diagnosed with an incredibly rare abdominal disease and 121 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:31,479 Speaker 2: one of one hundred and fifty four people on the 122 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:34,719 Speaker 2: planet to ever get it, crazy rare, and was told 123 00:06:34,760 --> 00:06:36,400 Speaker 2: that I'd have to have a number of surgeries to 124 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:38,840 Speaker 2: remove the disease and that I would very likely lose 125 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:41,400 Speaker 2: my ovaries in the process. And this was before you 126 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:44,640 Speaker 2: had kids, Yes, this was before I had kids. I 127 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:47,960 Speaker 2: actually had just started dating my now husband, and it 128 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:50,080 Speaker 2: certainly accelerated a lot of conversation. 129 00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:52,719 Speaker 3: You're like, so, there's this information I have to share 130 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 3: with you. 131 00:06:53,560 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, And I wasn't ready to be a mom yet, 132 00:06:57,360 --> 00:06:59,800 Speaker 2: but I knew that I always wanted to be, and 133 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:03,159 Speaker 2: I started having conversations with my doctor. I said, Hey, 134 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:06,040 Speaker 2: if I lose my ovaries, what are my options? Right, 135 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:09,200 Speaker 2: And just given how rare my disease was and the 136 00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 2: timeline for having surgeries, I didn't have the option at 137 00:07:11,720 --> 00:07:13,960 Speaker 2: the time to freeze my eggs. And they said egg 138 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:17,040 Speaker 2: donation might be your best bet. And I knew nothing 139 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 2: about it. But I'm a planner, and so I had 140 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:21,600 Speaker 2: to learn everything I could possibly know about it. And 141 00:07:21,640 --> 00:07:24,040 Speaker 2: I was really shocked by what I saw. I could 142 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 2: not believe how transactional it was. This idea that you 143 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:31,320 Speaker 2: pay someone a lot of money to donate their eggs, 144 00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:33,920 Speaker 2: and that the more specific you are with what you're 145 00:07:33,920 --> 00:07:35,760 Speaker 2: looking for in a donor, maybe you want someone whose 146 00:07:35,760 --> 00:07:39,400 Speaker 2: heritage reflects your own or someone whose education reflects your own, 147 00:07:39,760 --> 00:07:42,480 Speaker 2: the harder it is to find. The higher the cash compensation. 148 00:07:42,960 --> 00:07:45,840 Speaker 2: And to me, having spent several years working at uber, 149 00:07:46,320 --> 00:07:48,400 Speaker 2: it felt like surge pricing for egg donors. It was 150 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:50,640 Speaker 2: like what, like, how did we get here? That this 151 00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:53,920 Speaker 2: is how we do it? When you think about organ donation, 152 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:57,760 Speaker 2: and organ donation is looked at as this amazing gift. 153 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:00,560 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, it is like the highest calling the most 154 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:03,200 Speaker 2: beautiful thing you can do, and yet we look at 155 00:08:03,240 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 2: egg donation like it's this like shameful secret thing didn't 156 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:10,080 Speaker 2: sit well with me. Also, this idea that egg donation 157 00:08:10,240 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 2: was anonymous, right, Like, I'm looking at these donors, They're 158 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:15,520 Speaker 2: like anonymous donor x y Z. I'm like, no donation 159 00:08:15,640 --> 00:08:19,880 Speaker 2: can truly be anonymous when at home DNA testing exists. 160 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:22,880 Speaker 2: And this was twenty seventeen. Imagine twenty years from now 161 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:25,640 Speaker 2: when a child grows up, right, And so at the time, 162 00:08:25,840 --> 00:08:29,120 Speaker 2: my amazing big sister decided that she would freeze her 163 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:31,160 Speaker 2: eggs and donate them to me in case I needed 164 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:34,880 Speaker 2: them someday. And I ended up going through three very 165 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:38,679 Speaker 2: major surgeries, ultimately did not lose my ovaries, which is 166 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:41,760 Speaker 2: still a shock. But I did get to live my 167 00:08:41,840 --> 00:08:44,160 Speaker 2: life with the gift of frozen eggs, right. I got 168 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:48,160 Speaker 2: to make decisions about my career without the same pressure 169 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:50,680 Speaker 2: around my biological clock, and I got to make decisions 170 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:54,280 Speaker 2: about my relationship without that pressure of my biological clock, 171 00:08:54,800 --> 00:08:57,400 Speaker 2: And ultimately went on to have my oldest who is 172 00:08:57,440 --> 00:09:01,200 Speaker 2: now four without using my sister's age by some miracle. 173 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:03,240 Speaker 2: But the minute I held her in my arms, I 174 00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:06,600 Speaker 2: was like, gosh, there's nothing I want to do with 175 00:09:06,679 --> 00:09:10,000 Speaker 2: my life other than help more people have this feeling 176 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:13,600 Speaker 2: and help people have babies. And ultimately what I realized 177 00:09:13,640 --> 00:09:17,080 Speaker 2: is that egg freezing is this incredible science. I heard 178 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:20,400 Speaker 2: your episode with doctor Natalie, who's amazing, and she called 179 00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:23,240 Speaker 2: egg freezing game changing, and it is. It is not 180 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:27,000 Speaker 2: a guarantee, it is not an insurance policy, but people 181 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:29,880 Speaker 2: who freeze their eggs have more optionality later in life 182 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:32,760 Speaker 2: to pursue what they want on their own timelines. And 183 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:36,240 Speaker 2: so I just feel that this science exists, and yet 184 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:38,600 Speaker 2: it's too far out of reach for most women. Right, 185 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:43,439 Speaker 2: It's notable barrier is cost, and so I really wanted 186 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:46,160 Speaker 2: to do something about it. And my entire team just 187 00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:50,640 Speaker 2: feels really strongly that should not be a barrier. And 188 00:09:50,679 --> 00:09:55,840 Speaker 2: so this model enables us to remove the cost entirely, right, 189 00:09:56,040 --> 00:09:59,120 Speaker 2: zero dollars, not just the egg retrieval, of the medication, 190 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:02,200 Speaker 2: the whole process, but also ten years of storage for 191 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:05,440 Speaker 2: free when you help someone else grow their family at 192 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:09,520 Speaker 2: the same time. And so for intended parents, it's making 193 00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:13,280 Speaker 2: this experience where they can come to cofertility, they can 194 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:16,600 Speaker 2: find a donor that reflects their heritage, their background that 195 00:10:16,640 --> 00:10:19,880 Speaker 2: they can actually have a disclosed relationship with. They can 196 00:10:19,960 --> 00:10:21,960 Speaker 2: get to know the person as part of the process 197 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:25,680 Speaker 2: and not pay a single dollar more because of someone's background. 198 00:10:26,080 --> 00:10:29,880 Speaker 2: And we try to do this in a really thoughtful way, 199 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:32,839 Speaker 2: knowing that some people really need this and other people 200 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:34,720 Speaker 2: maybe it's not a fit for it, and that's okay. 201 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:38,719 Speaker 1: I love the way that you described your mission as 202 00:10:38,760 --> 00:10:40,880 Speaker 1: a gift. You want to be able to give this 203 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:45,480 Speaker 1: gift to other families, the idea that you can go 204 00:10:45,559 --> 00:10:48,160 Speaker 1: through your life and make certain choices without having to 205 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:53,079 Speaker 1: worry about freezing your eggs. How would you describe what 206 00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:57,000 Speaker 1: that gift felt like for you? It really feels like 207 00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:01,600 Speaker 1: less pressure. And we talked to our members about this 208 00:11:01,679 --> 00:11:03,760 Speaker 1: all the time. I thinking of this story where one 209 00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:04,160 Speaker 1: of our. 210 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:08,120 Speaker 2: Members told us about her first date after freezing her eggs. 211 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:09,840 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, I want to hear about that, And. 212 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:13,240 Speaker 2: She just said she felt like a new person. She 213 00:11:13,520 --> 00:11:15,840 Speaker 2: felt like the person who showed up on that date 214 00:11:16,400 --> 00:11:20,040 Speaker 2: was entirely different than every single first date she ever 215 00:11:20,080 --> 00:11:23,680 Speaker 2: went on before that. And that's what it's about. Like 216 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:26,320 Speaker 2: I think about I think egg freezing used to be 217 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:29,880 Speaker 2: this thing that women in their late thirties or early 218 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:33,079 Speaker 2: forties used to do like secret, Oh you don't want 219 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:35,440 Speaker 2: to be a spin struggle freeze your eggs. That ain't 220 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:40,280 Speaker 2: it anymore. That is not why people are doing it. 221 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:43,680 Speaker 2: It is an empowering choice. Yeah, and to be able 222 00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:46,559 Speaker 2: to say this is an option for my future. I 223 00:11:46,559 --> 00:11:50,280 Speaker 2: am taking control over my reproductive health and my Like 224 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:54,040 Speaker 2: we talk about longevity, how about your fertility longevity? Right, 225 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:56,640 Speaker 2: have options later in life, And that's what it's all about. 226 00:11:56,960 --> 00:12:00,360 Speaker 1: So I'm really curious what this whole process is. Like 227 00:12:00,520 --> 00:12:03,400 Speaker 1: I mentioned to you that I am thinking about having 228 00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:05,400 Speaker 1: a third It's a decision that needs to be made 229 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:10,440 Speaker 1: in a timely window that is rapidly closing. And let's 230 00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:12,360 Speaker 1: say there's someone like me out there who's dealing with 231 00:12:12,400 --> 00:12:17,080 Speaker 1: secondary infertility and they hear about your company Cofertility and 232 00:12:17,200 --> 00:12:20,240 Speaker 1: their curiosity is peaked. Yes, what is the process like 233 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:22,280 Speaker 1: of joining this database? 234 00:12:22,440 --> 00:12:25,360 Speaker 2: Well, first of all, I'm so glad you are saying 235 00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:29,280 Speaker 2: the term secondary infertility out loud, because I want to 236 00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:33,520 Speaker 2: shout from the rooftops about it. I experience secondary infertility too. 237 00:12:34,120 --> 00:12:36,880 Speaker 2: It is just by definition, so people understand it's when 238 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:40,400 Speaker 2: you have child one or even child too, and then 239 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:43,440 Speaker 2: it's harder for subsequent children from there. 240 00:12:43,520 --> 00:12:45,200 Speaker 3: So time goes on with age. 241 00:12:45,400 --> 00:12:47,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, so it's either harder to get pregnant or harder 242 00:12:47,679 --> 00:12:50,720 Speaker 2: to stay pregnant. And I think people have this like 243 00:12:50,760 --> 00:12:55,000 Speaker 2: false sense of security after going through a successful birth 244 00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:56,840 Speaker 2: where they're like, Oh, I'm someone who doesn't have any 245 00:12:56,840 --> 00:12:59,760 Speaker 2: problems with this, I don't have any fertility issues, and 246 00:12:59,800 --> 00:13:02,040 Speaker 2: then they're shocked when they're like, oh, why is it 247 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:04,160 Speaker 2: so hard to have more kids? Age is the number 248 00:13:04,160 --> 00:13:07,640 Speaker 2: one reason. So if someone's interested, they start by just 249 00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:11,320 Speaker 2: going to cofertility dot com to see if you are 250 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:14,080 Speaker 2: eligible for what we call our split program. And there 251 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:16,320 Speaker 2: are a number of clinical criteria that we have to 252 00:13:16,360 --> 00:13:19,360 Speaker 2: follow that are set forth by ASR and the American 253 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:22,120 Speaker 2: Society of Reproductive Medicine and the FDA to make sure 254 00:13:22,200 --> 00:13:26,360 Speaker 2: someone qualifies clinically to donate their eggs. If you qualify, 255 00:13:26,480 --> 00:13:29,400 Speaker 2: you're asked to fill out an application and then you 256 00:13:29,480 --> 00:13:32,360 Speaker 2: meet with a member of our team to learn about 257 00:13:32,360 --> 00:13:36,319 Speaker 2: the process, to ask questions and really feel really informed 258 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:38,800 Speaker 2: about what it is that you are signing up to do, 259 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:41,720 Speaker 2: because this is not something anyone should ever take lightly. 260 00:13:42,400 --> 00:13:48,400 Speaker 2: And if you are approved, then your application turns into 261 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:51,280 Speaker 2: a profile for an intended parent to come and see 262 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:55,520 Speaker 2: if you match. And some women match the day they're listed, 263 00:13:55,640 --> 00:13:59,600 Speaker 2: others takes weeks or months, it just depends. And then 264 00:13:59,640 --> 00:14:02,680 Speaker 2: we were to facilitate the egg retrieval cycle happening either 265 00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:06,520 Speaker 2: local to you or potentially local to the intended parent, 266 00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:08,880 Speaker 2: and it just depends on the match. But then you're 267 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:12,480 Speaker 2: assigned a member advocate from my team, who are the 268 00:14:12,520 --> 00:14:16,520 Speaker 2: most incredible group of people ever who are like this 269 00:14:16,960 --> 00:14:19,720 Speaker 2: amazing sort of beacon for you throughout the whole process. 270 00:14:19,760 --> 00:14:22,400 Speaker 2: And we call it a member advocate. But we often 271 00:14:22,480 --> 00:14:24,800 Speaker 2: talk about when we're talking about this on the car 272 00:14:24,880 --> 00:14:27,480 Speaker 2: ride here, we call it the big Sister effect. And 273 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:29,880 Speaker 2: I often think a lot about my own big sister 274 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:33,360 Speaker 2: that I talked about before, where she's who I go 275 00:14:33,520 --> 00:14:37,280 Speaker 2: to when I have questions about anything because she has 276 00:14:37,320 --> 00:14:41,040 Speaker 2: been through this journey right before me. And at Cofertility, 277 00:14:41,080 --> 00:14:43,680 Speaker 2: we want our members to feel that big Sister effect, 278 00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:47,080 Speaker 2: where we are the approachable first step in your fertility journey. 279 00:14:47,120 --> 00:14:48,920 Speaker 2: You don't need to start at a clinic that is 280 00:14:48,960 --> 00:14:52,560 Speaker 2: designed around infertility, right it's really daunting to show up 281 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:55,320 Speaker 2: in a clinic, be like, Hi, tell me about my options. 282 00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:57,240 Speaker 2: And so that's why we play that role. 283 00:14:59,160 --> 00:15:05,920 Speaker 1: More from Lauren May after this quick break and we're 284 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:09,480 Speaker 1: back with Lauren Makler. Can I speak totally candidly with you? 285 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:14,880 Speaker 1: So I love that your company makes egg freezing more accessible. 286 00:15:14,880 --> 00:15:17,480 Speaker 1: I think this is a game changer. I think for me, 287 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:20,840 Speaker 1: if I were entering into this process, I would have 288 00:15:21,040 --> 00:15:25,760 Speaker 1: to think very deeply about the ramifications of Yes, like, 289 00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:28,520 Speaker 1: it's not something that I would just take lightly. Really, 290 00:15:28,680 --> 00:15:32,640 Speaker 1: the idea of donating my eggs in exchange for this 291 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:37,320 Speaker 1: these financial resources. What are the questions yeah, that people 292 00:15:37,360 --> 00:15:41,080 Speaker 1: should ask themselves before they get involved with cofertility. 293 00:15:41,160 --> 00:15:46,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, I would say, we absolutely want every single person 294 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:48,240 Speaker 2: who signs up for this to think long and hard 295 00:15:48,240 --> 00:15:50,920 Speaker 2: about it, because it really is not for everyone. And 296 00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:53,200 Speaker 2: that's okay. And we do, by the way, have another 297 00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:56,640 Speaker 2: program we call keep where you freeze your eggs and 298 00:15:56,720 --> 00:15:58,440 Speaker 2: keep one hundred percent of those eggs for yourself, and 299 00:15:58,520 --> 00:16:01,880 Speaker 2: you're able to benefit from different partnerships and discounts that 300 00:16:01,880 --> 00:16:04,240 Speaker 2: we've negotiated on behalf of our members along the way. 301 00:16:04,360 --> 00:16:07,120 Speaker 2: So that exists, and so that might be better for 302 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:11,360 Speaker 2: some people, but if you're someone who thinks, wow, that's 303 00:16:11,400 --> 00:16:13,440 Speaker 2: like a really like a win win where I get 304 00:16:13,480 --> 00:16:15,560 Speaker 2: to do something for myself and someone else at the 305 00:16:15,560 --> 00:16:18,840 Speaker 2: same time. Then, first of all, we have so much 306 00:16:18,880 --> 00:16:21,600 Speaker 2: content on our website about this. One of our medical 307 00:16:21,600 --> 00:16:27,120 Speaker 2: advisors is a wonderful fertility psychologist who helps to have 308 00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:30,840 Speaker 2: these conversations and educate people about what the ramifications like 309 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:34,520 Speaker 2: you said, are. But I think like understanding what hesitations 310 00:16:34,560 --> 00:16:37,520 Speaker 2: you have and some of it might not be based 311 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:41,680 Speaker 2: in reality. So the number one stigma or reason women 312 00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:45,800 Speaker 2: feel hesitant about freezing their eggs beyond the cash compensation piece, 313 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:48,520 Speaker 2: which I think can feel off putting to some, is 314 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:50,840 Speaker 2: this idea that you're going to donate your eggs and 315 00:16:52,120 --> 00:16:55,960 Speaker 2: not know anything about that future offspring. You're walking down 316 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:57,520 Speaker 2: the street one day and you see someone who looks 317 00:16:57,560 --> 00:16:59,760 Speaker 2: like you and you're like, ooh, is that the offspring? 318 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:02,440 Speaker 3: I get a call one day and it's like yeah. 319 00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:05,800 Speaker 2: And so what's different about copertility is that we facilitate 320 00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:09,040 Speaker 2: what we call mutual matches first and foremost, which means 321 00:17:09,080 --> 00:17:13,640 Speaker 2: that the person who's donating gets to say, yes, that's 322 00:17:13,640 --> 00:17:15,399 Speaker 2: who I want my ex to go to. Like you 323 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:17,399 Speaker 2: can say no, that match doesn't feel right for me, 324 00:17:17,480 --> 00:17:21,040 Speaker 2: which is really important. But we also facilitate match meetings 325 00:17:21,080 --> 00:17:23,000 Speaker 2: where you get to get on a zoom with the 326 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:26,679 Speaker 2: intended parents and meet them and say, yes, this feels 327 00:17:26,760 --> 00:17:30,800 Speaker 2: right for me. Also, because we believe in disclosed donation, 328 00:17:30,840 --> 00:17:34,720 Speaker 2: which is actually what the donor conceived community advocates for 329 00:17:34,760 --> 00:17:37,800 Speaker 2: the rights of future donor conceived people, many of our 330 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:41,879 Speaker 2: donors and intended parents stay in touch, and so we 331 00:17:42,040 --> 00:17:46,520 Speaker 2: get photos from intended parents or recipient parents with the 332 00:17:46,560 --> 00:17:49,920 Speaker 2: baby and the donor is in the photo right, and 333 00:17:50,440 --> 00:17:53,600 Speaker 2: they say, Okay, we're gonna FaceTime once a year, or 334 00:17:53,680 --> 00:17:56,080 Speaker 2: we're gonna send emails from time to time, and they 335 00:17:56,119 --> 00:17:58,600 Speaker 2: set up what the rules of engagement look like for 336 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:04,560 Speaker 2: their particular match, and that fear of like, where's what's 337 00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:07,919 Speaker 2: happening to this child is a non issue at that point. 338 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:11,040 Speaker 2: And so I think that if you're somebody who is 339 00:18:11,800 --> 00:18:14,960 Speaker 2: interested in the opportunity to meet the person who you're 340 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:18,320 Speaker 2: helping grow their family, this could be something that feels 341 00:18:18,359 --> 00:18:20,520 Speaker 2: right for you. And then we talk about what does 342 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:23,680 Speaker 2: it mean to share with your partner that you chose 343 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:25,960 Speaker 2: to donate your eggs, or what does it mean to 344 00:18:25,960 --> 00:18:28,199 Speaker 2: share with your future children that you chose to donate 345 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:30,679 Speaker 2: your eggs. And what we found is that a lot 346 00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:35,040 Speaker 2: of our members see this as something they're really proud 347 00:18:35,119 --> 00:18:39,119 Speaker 2: they were able to do, and I love that. And again, 348 00:18:39,680 --> 00:18:43,320 Speaker 2: it's not for everyone. There are some people. Actually we 349 00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:45,879 Speaker 2: were just talking about a member who had her intro 350 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:49,280 Speaker 2: call with her member experienced person from our team, and 351 00:18:49,320 --> 00:18:51,840 Speaker 2: by the end of the call, she said, I don't 352 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:55,240 Speaker 2: know how I could not do this, And that's just 353 00:18:55,280 --> 00:18:58,359 Speaker 2: how she feels, which is amazing. But someone else may 354 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:01,760 Speaker 2: feel differently. 355 00:19:00,240 --> 00:19:04,080 Speaker 1: Curious about you as a founder, how has your empathy 356 00:19:04,359 --> 00:19:06,199 Speaker 1: served you well in business? 357 00:19:06,440 --> 00:19:12,720 Speaker 2: I think that understanding the member experience is one. We're 358 00:19:12,720 --> 00:19:16,280 Speaker 2: serving two very different groups of people, right, Someone who 359 00:19:16,640 --> 00:19:19,600 Speaker 2: could be the same sex male couple who are so 360 00:19:19,760 --> 00:19:22,960 Speaker 2: excited to grow their family but daunted by what's ahead 361 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:25,800 Speaker 2: of them because they don't they've never had to think 362 00:19:25,800 --> 00:19:29,920 Speaker 2: about female biology before, or like I mentioned, someone who's 363 00:19:29,920 --> 00:19:33,200 Speaker 2: had a really rough go or this moment. On the 364 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:38,000 Speaker 2: other side, who is outliving her life and has goals 365 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:42,480 Speaker 2: and pursuing her career and is just in a completely 366 00:19:42,520 --> 00:19:45,800 Speaker 2: different mental space, right, and so being able to put 367 00:19:45,840 --> 00:19:50,560 Speaker 2: yourself in your members shoes at any given moment. To understand, 368 00:19:51,040 --> 00:19:53,280 Speaker 2: to solve a problem, or to figure out how to 369 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:57,280 Speaker 2: do any part of what we do is a challenge. 370 00:19:57,400 --> 00:20:00,119 Speaker 2: I think we need a team entirely of empaths to 371 00:20:00,119 --> 00:20:01,000 Speaker 2: be able to do that. 372 00:20:01,720 --> 00:20:06,080 Speaker 1: Empathy is one of those leadership traits that studies have 373 00:20:06,119 --> 00:20:11,439 Speaker 1: shown separates women from men in the workplace. It's something 374 00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:14,320 Speaker 1: that I think needs to be celebrated more often than 375 00:20:14,359 --> 00:20:14,600 Speaker 1: it is. 376 00:20:14,680 --> 00:20:16,480 Speaker 3: Feelin niced totally. 377 00:20:16,920 --> 00:20:21,280 Speaker 2: I think that's very true. It's interesting, I think to 378 00:20:21,359 --> 00:20:25,960 Speaker 2: be able to fundraise and speak to the business and 379 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:29,560 Speaker 2: the metrics and that kind of thing, that's not where 380 00:20:29,560 --> 00:20:32,439 Speaker 2: my empathy comes through. That's where I'm like, I know 381 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:36,679 Speaker 2: my stuff, yes, and I am a business person, and 382 00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:38,720 Speaker 2: I'll have days where I'm like, I'm meeting, I have 383 00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:42,480 Speaker 2: a board meeting, and then immediately jump into a tough 384 00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:45,800 Speaker 2: conversation with an intended parent who's having a really hard time. Yes, 385 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:49,080 Speaker 2: and so the ability to like shift gears and put 386 00:20:49,080 --> 00:20:51,640 Speaker 2: one hat on to the next is really hard. 387 00:20:51,920 --> 00:20:52,840 Speaker 3: But duality. 388 00:20:53,200 --> 00:20:57,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, Okay, So I want to talk about the real 389 00:20:57,080 --> 00:20:59,280 Speaker 1: life that was happening behind the scenes as you were 390 00:20:59,320 --> 00:20:59,920 Speaker 1: building this star. 391 00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:03,480 Speaker 3: Okay, because you were married yes at the time. 392 00:21:03,560 --> 00:21:08,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, okay, And were you trying to have a family 393 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:11,800 Speaker 1: as you were building this business. Yeah, yeah, so you 394 00:21:11,840 --> 00:21:14,160 Speaker 1: were dealing with your own infertility in real time. 395 00:21:14,240 --> 00:21:16,960 Speaker 2: Yes. I'll never forget the day that I pitched our 396 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:19,840 Speaker 2: two lead investors from our seed round. My oldest was six, 397 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:23,760 Speaker 2: It was for six month birthday, and then we launched 398 00:21:23,760 --> 00:21:28,240 Speaker 2: Cofertility almost exactly a year later. Eleven months later, and 399 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:30,359 Speaker 2: around the time she was one and a half, we 400 00:21:30,560 --> 00:21:35,600 Speaker 2: started our journey to baby number two. And I actually 401 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:38,960 Speaker 2: I did at one point and this isn't necessarily something 402 00:21:38,960 --> 00:21:41,679 Speaker 2: I've spoken about before, but I had a very early 403 00:21:41,760 --> 00:21:45,440 Speaker 2: miscarriage while I was on a Zoom call with intended parents, 404 00:21:46,200 --> 00:21:51,120 Speaker 2: and I remember thinking, at least I can help them 405 00:21:51,160 --> 00:21:55,800 Speaker 2: move their journey for Wow, like the duality of trying 406 00:21:55,840 --> 00:21:58,119 Speaker 2: to do it for myself and other people at the 407 00:21:58,160 --> 00:22:01,920 Speaker 2: same time. Also, so the exposure to the worst case 408 00:22:01,920 --> 00:22:04,480 Speaker 2: scenario is something that I had to cope with. Yeah, 409 00:22:04,680 --> 00:22:06,439 Speaker 2: but I was really open with my team about it 410 00:22:06,520 --> 00:22:08,920 Speaker 2: and wanted them to know what I had been experiencing 411 00:22:08,960 --> 00:22:12,040 Speaker 2: and what I was going through because that's what our 412 00:22:12,040 --> 00:22:16,080 Speaker 2: members are facing all the time. But then ultimately did 413 00:22:16,119 --> 00:22:21,440 Speaker 2: have my second baby while building cofertility. And another experience 414 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:24,399 Speaker 2: I'll never forget is I had gestational diabetes both times 415 00:22:24,960 --> 00:22:28,840 Speaker 2: and the day I needed to be induced. The day 416 00:22:28,880 --> 00:22:30,840 Speaker 2: that I was induced, I think I had to be 417 00:22:30,840 --> 00:22:34,080 Speaker 2: at the hospital at ten am. Two hours before that, 418 00:22:34,720 --> 00:22:39,320 Speaker 2: I had an interview with Vogue and it was to 419 00:22:39,440 --> 00:22:44,120 Speaker 2: talk about our dream investor Maria Sharapova decided to invest 420 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:47,960 Speaker 2: in Cofertility, and I just I remember my husband being like, 421 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:51,080 Speaker 2: really today, like today, of all days, I was like, 422 00:22:51,359 --> 00:22:55,920 Speaker 2: it's perfect, Like it is the most Like the universe 423 00:22:56,400 --> 00:22:58,880 Speaker 2: is what made this happen today. 424 00:22:59,119 --> 00:23:01,480 Speaker 3: So you didn't inter while you were being induced. 425 00:23:01,720 --> 00:23:04,680 Speaker 2: It was like two hours before my induction. Yeah, how 426 00:23:04,800 --> 00:23:08,800 Speaker 2: that was packed like ready, like husband waiting at the 427 00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:11,840 Speaker 2: door like we gotta go, like totally freaking out. And 428 00:23:11,840 --> 00:23:15,680 Speaker 2: then they wrote about it in Vogue, like Mackler, who's 429 00:23:15,720 --> 00:23:19,399 Speaker 2: scheduled to give birth later today or something. I cannot 430 00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:23,639 Speaker 2: deny that like the only reason copertility exists is in 431 00:23:23,720 --> 00:23:27,800 Speaker 2: part like my own journey to motherhood, your own pain. 432 00:23:28,080 --> 00:23:32,920 Speaker 2: Yeah yeah, and the like to have this like dream 433 00:23:33,200 --> 00:23:35,960 Speaker 2: interview happened on the day that this like very long 434 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:38,800 Speaker 2: awaited baby was coming into the world was like the 435 00:23:38,800 --> 00:23:39,680 Speaker 2: coolest thing ever. 436 00:23:39,840 --> 00:23:42,679 Speaker 3: I think it shows you that you're in alignment, Lauren. 437 00:23:42,800 --> 00:23:45,840 Speaker 1: I think you're so impressive on a number of levels, 438 00:23:45,880 --> 00:23:51,400 Speaker 1: just truly. But to me, what is wonderful to see is, yes, 439 00:23:51,520 --> 00:23:55,359 Speaker 1: you've raised capital, but you also your life reflects this 440 00:23:55,520 --> 00:24:00,320 Speaker 1: beautiful human capital that you're growing. And yeah, the way 441 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:03,600 Speaker 1: that you're able to have a family, have a marriage 442 00:24:03,760 --> 00:24:07,320 Speaker 1: while you're building this incredibly successful company that is worth 443 00:24:07,359 --> 00:24:11,879 Speaker 1: celebrating too. We're going to take a quick break, but 444 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:18,160 Speaker 1: we'll be right back with Lauren Makler. And we're back 445 00:24:18,200 --> 00:24:22,040 Speaker 1: with Lauren Makler. What is one thing that let me say, 446 00:24:22,080 --> 00:24:24,760 Speaker 1: if someone is thinking about starting their own business, if 447 00:24:24,760 --> 00:24:26,439 Speaker 1: they feel like they have that seed of an idea 448 00:24:26,480 --> 00:24:30,400 Speaker 1: in them, what's one thing that they should know about 449 00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:33,880 Speaker 1: the impact on everyone around them before they get invested 450 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:35,720 Speaker 1: in this idea. 451 00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:38,399 Speaker 2: Say, first and foremost, make sure you are in love 452 00:24:38,640 --> 00:24:44,000 Speaker 2: with the problem, not the solution. So be obsessed with 453 00:24:44,080 --> 00:24:49,280 Speaker 2: the problem you're solving, because you never know, like maybe 454 00:24:49,280 --> 00:24:51,639 Speaker 2: the solution you're thinking of doesn't do it. But if 455 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:55,000 Speaker 2: you're obsessed with the problem you're solving, who cares what 456 00:24:55,080 --> 00:24:58,200 Speaker 2: the solution is? You'll come up with one because you're 457 00:24:58,240 --> 00:25:00,800 Speaker 2: so focused on the problem. For the first time in 458 00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:05,320 Speaker 2: US history, more women are having children in their forties 459 00:25:05,480 --> 00:25:10,400 Speaker 2: than in their teens. And that stat was something that 460 00:25:10,880 --> 00:25:13,240 Speaker 2: when I saw it, I was like, well, yeah, no, duh, right, 461 00:25:13,359 --> 00:25:16,600 Speaker 2: no kidding, But so many people are shocked to hear that, 462 00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:22,640 Speaker 2: And in reality, it comes down to assisted reproductive technology. 463 00:25:23,119 --> 00:25:25,880 Speaker 2: More people are freezing their eggs and now are able 464 00:25:25,920 --> 00:25:30,120 Speaker 2: to go use those eggs, but also egg donation and 465 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:34,680 Speaker 2: egg donation. Really, I say it's fertility's last taboo, right 466 00:25:34,800 --> 00:25:37,760 Speaker 2: if you think about it. Third party reproduction, when you 467 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:39,800 Speaker 2: need the help of a third party to have a baby, 468 00:25:40,480 --> 00:25:43,560 Speaker 2: is something that is becoming way more common. We see 469 00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:47,480 Speaker 2: some of our favorite celebrities growing their families through surrogacy, right, 470 00:25:47,560 --> 00:25:48,960 Speaker 2: and they talk about it and they admit it, and 471 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:52,480 Speaker 2: it's a beautiful gift from someone else to do to 472 00:25:52,520 --> 00:25:55,160 Speaker 2: help them grow their family. The difference is that many 473 00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:57,520 Speaker 2: of them are using an egg donor two, but you 474 00:25:57,520 --> 00:25:59,840 Speaker 2: don't have to talk about it. It's not something that's 475 00:25:59,840 --> 00:26:02,280 Speaker 2: so obvious to the outside eye in the same way 476 00:26:02,520 --> 00:26:06,199 Speaker 2: using a surrogate is. And so as a result, so 477 00:26:06,359 --> 00:26:10,720 Speaker 2: many women just see celebrities having children in their fifties 478 00:26:10,840 --> 00:26:13,480 Speaker 2: or in their mid and late forties and just assume, oh, 479 00:26:13,520 --> 00:26:17,480 Speaker 2: why can't I do that? And in reality it's probably 480 00:26:17,520 --> 00:26:21,440 Speaker 2: the use of IVF and donor eggs, and I just 481 00:26:21,480 --> 00:26:22,920 Speaker 2: wish more people knew about it and that it was 482 00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:23,880 Speaker 2: less stigmatized. 483 00:26:24,240 --> 00:26:27,119 Speaker 1: Do you think there is still a stigma around egg donation. 484 00:26:27,359 --> 00:26:33,359 Speaker 2: Oh? Absolutely absolutely. It is something where people don't necessarily 485 00:26:33,359 --> 00:26:36,520 Speaker 2: even feel comfortable telling their parents they used in egg 486 00:26:36,560 --> 00:26:41,080 Speaker 2: donor or admitting it to peers because they feel shame 487 00:26:41,280 --> 00:26:44,320 Speaker 2: in how they grew their family. And that's because society 488 00:26:44,320 --> 00:26:47,200 Speaker 2: expects you to do it a different way. It's rooted. 489 00:26:47,240 --> 00:26:50,679 Speaker 2: I think the stigma is rooted in cash compensation. I 490 00:26:50,760 --> 00:26:55,320 Speaker 2: think that this idea that a woman got paid to 491 00:26:55,400 --> 00:26:58,879 Speaker 2: donate her eggs, or intended parents paid a woman for 492 00:26:59,000 --> 00:27:03,480 Speaker 2: her eggs really exorbitant amount is ultimately what makes people 493 00:27:03,480 --> 00:27:07,240 Speaker 2: feel shame about it, and it's unfortunate, and I don't 494 00:27:07,280 --> 00:27:09,000 Speaker 2: think it needs to be that way. No path to 495 00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:10,000 Speaker 2: paranout is shameful. 496 00:27:11,160 --> 00:27:14,920 Speaker 1: There's often this mystique around entrepreneurship, and we only get 497 00:27:14,920 --> 00:27:16,720 Speaker 1: to see certain parts of it. We only get to 498 00:27:16,720 --> 00:27:20,520 Speaker 1: see what makes it out into the spotlight. What are 499 00:27:20,520 --> 00:27:24,040 Speaker 1: the personal boundaries or routines that you've maintained behind the 500 00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:26,280 Speaker 1: scenes that have been non negotiable for you. 501 00:27:26,560 --> 00:27:30,080 Speaker 2: I'll be honest, this changes a lot, right, Like I 502 00:27:30,119 --> 00:27:34,520 Speaker 2: am someone who we realized raising our series A, our 503 00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:37,880 Speaker 2: next round of funding, the best timing in terms of 504 00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:41,000 Speaker 2: the calendar year and how it fell was like shortly 505 00:27:41,040 --> 00:27:44,000 Speaker 2: after I had my second child, right, and so I 506 00:27:44,160 --> 00:27:49,240 Speaker 2: was on Zoom pitching investors looking at the baby monitor, 507 00:27:49,960 --> 00:27:54,439 Speaker 2: I had to go breastfeed absolutely crazy and would I 508 00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:56,879 Speaker 2: do it again? Yeah, because it was what I needed 509 00:27:56,880 --> 00:27:58,800 Speaker 2: to do and I felt like I could still show 510 00:27:58,880 --> 00:28:01,320 Speaker 2: up for my baby and for my toddler at the time, 511 00:28:01,840 --> 00:28:05,479 Speaker 2: and it was hard, right. Did I have set fixed 512 00:28:05,520 --> 00:28:09,720 Speaker 2: boundaries during that moment? Not as much as I would 513 00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:13,280 Speaker 2: have liked to, But that was like a moment and 514 00:28:13,359 --> 00:28:17,439 Speaker 2: a chapter that we closed around. We brought on amazing investors, 515 00:28:17,520 --> 00:28:19,280 Speaker 2: and then I got to be like, okay, guys, like 516 00:28:19,800 --> 00:28:22,440 Speaker 2: I need a minute, And in that I could take 517 00:28:22,440 --> 00:28:25,199 Speaker 2: a pause for a couple of weeks, gather myself and 518 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:29,639 Speaker 2: be like, all right, let's go, and now things look different, right, 519 00:28:29,680 --> 00:28:33,520 Speaker 2: So I often am reminding myself that like life moves 520 00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:36,280 Speaker 2: in chapters, and not every chapter will look the same, 521 00:28:36,720 --> 00:28:40,080 Speaker 2: and sometimes the only way out is through. Sometimes it's 522 00:28:40,160 --> 00:28:43,280 Speaker 2: just like you gotta put your head down and do it. 523 00:28:43,640 --> 00:28:46,360 Speaker 2: But that's to live your life with intentionality and have 524 00:28:46,440 --> 00:28:49,880 Speaker 2: the next chapter look more closely to what you had 525 00:28:49,920 --> 00:28:52,520 Speaker 2: hoped it would. And so for me, one thing I've 526 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:56,280 Speaker 2: always done from a boundary standpoint is when my kids, wait, 527 00:28:56,320 --> 00:28:58,480 Speaker 2: I sometimes I wake up really early to work before 528 00:28:58,520 --> 00:29:01,840 Speaker 2: they wake up. Yeah, I am with them from seven 529 00:29:02,160 --> 00:29:04,800 Speaker 2: to nine, and then I get online, and then I'm 530 00:29:04,800 --> 00:29:07,440 Speaker 2: with them from five to seven and then I get 531 00:29:07,480 --> 00:29:11,760 Speaker 2: back online. So those times are like sacred family time 532 00:29:11,800 --> 00:29:15,520 Speaker 2: to me, and being there for that is just like 533 00:29:16,200 --> 00:29:19,840 Speaker 2: a non negotiable in a moment when we were fundraising 534 00:29:19,920 --> 00:29:22,560 Speaker 2: or in a moment where something's if there's like an emergency, 535 00:29:22,760 --> 00:29:25,760 Speaker 2: Am I flexible? Yeah, because you have to be just again, 536 00:29:25,920 --> 00:29:28,440 Speaker 2: do your best every day and the people around you 537 00:29:28,480 --> 00:29:31,040 Speaker 2: will see it, they'll feel it, and they'll reflect that back. 538 00:29:31,280 --> 00:29:35,840 Speaker 1: I really it's so clear that cofertility is a game 539 00:29:35,920 --> 00:29:39,720 Speaker 1: changer and going to revolutionize how people grow their families 540 00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:43,200 Speaker 1: and just is going to destigmatize egg donation. So when 541 00:29:43,240 --> 00:29:48,520 Speaker 1: you think about the future of fertility, and family planning. 542 00:29:49,120 --> 00:29:52,040 Speaker 1: How do you hope cofertility changes that landscape. 543 00:29:53,400 --> 00:29:59,040 Speaker 2: I want to flip the script on how we think 544 00:29:59,080 --> 00:30:06,120 Speaker 2: about third party reproduction and optionality. Right. I believe every 545 00:30:06,160 --> 00:30:11,840 Speaker 2: woman has the right to proactive fertility, and she should 546 00:30:11,880 --> 00:30:16,400 Speaker 2: be able to take her time and make choices that 547 00:30:16,440 --> 00:30:19,720 Speaker 2: feel right about her life, for herself and for her 548 00:30:19,720 --> 00:30:24,080 Speaker 2: future family. And I believe that intended parents should be 549 00:30:24,120 --> 00:30:29,040 Speaker 2: able to grow their family without shame, without stigma, in 550 00:30:29,080 --> 00:30:34,200 Speaker 2: a way that feels right for them. It feels ethically aligned, 551 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:37,880 Speaker 2: and feels like something they're proud of and proud to 552 00:30:37,920 --> 00:30:39,080 Speaker 2: tell their future child. 553 00:30:39,560 --> 00:30:42,719 Speaker 1: It's a beautiful vision, Lauren. Before I let you go, 554 00:30:43,120 --> 00:30:45,360 Speaker 1: there's a little thing that we like to call moment 555 00:30:45,440 --> 00:30:47,960 Speaker 1: to shine on the bright side. So I want to 556 00:30:47,960 --> 00:30:51,240 Speaker 1: ask you what are you celebrating in your life right now? 557 00:30:51,400 --> 00:31:00,960 Speaker 2: I am celebrating giving people choice. Women want autonomy and 558 00:31:01,080 --> 00:31:06,520 Speaker 2: want to live life in a way that feels right 559 00:31:06,560 --> 00:31:09,880 Speaker 2: to them. Right. They want to prioritize their career. Look 560 00:31:09,920 --> 00:31:14,240 Speaker 2: at Taylor Swift right like the most incredible career any 561 00:31:14,280 --> 00:31:18,280 Speaker 2: of us have ever witnessed, Engaged at what thirty five 562 00:31:18,560 --> 00:31:22,719 Speaker 2: and so happy she's doing it on her own terms 563 00:31:22,720 --> 00:31:26,240 Speaker 2: on her own timeline and prioritize what she wanted to 564 00:31:26,920 --> 00:31:32,320 Speaker 2: And I want everyone to feel that optionality and to 565 00:31:32,520 --> 00:31:37,000 Speaker 2: feel like they can just not have to worry about it. 566 00:31:37,360 --> 00:31:38,600 Speaker 3: Lauren, thank you so much. 567 00:31:39,240 --> 00:31:41,440 Speaker 2: This has been so fun. Thanks for having me. 568 00:31:44,120 --> 00:31:47,560 Speaker 1: Lauren Makler is the CEO and co founder of co Fertility, 569 00:31:47,720 --> 00:31:51,880 Speaker 1: a company that's flipping the script on fertility. Hey y'o, 570 00:31:51,960 --> 00:31:53,680 Speaker 1: before we go, I want to tell you about a 571 00:31:53,760 --> 00:31:57,280 Speaker 1: super cool new event from Hello Sunshine. Sonny is Hello 572 00:31:57,360 --> 00:32:00,360 Speaker 1: Sunshine's media and lifestyle brand for young women who are 573 00:32:00,360 --> 00:32:01,520 Speaker 1: rewriting the rules. 574 00:32:01,840 --> 00:32:02,880 Speaker 3: Sonny is offering a. 575 00:32:02,800 --> 00:32:07,120 Speaker 1: Space for gen Z girls to explore niche interests, express themselves, 576 00:32:07,160 --> 00:32:09,600 Speaker 1: and step into their power without needing to have it 577 00:32:09,600 --> 00:32:11,680 Speaker 1: all figured out yet. 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The bright Side is 587 00:32:45,520 --> 00:32:48,600 Speaker 1: a production of Hello Sunshine and iHeart Podcasts and is 588 00:32:48,680 --> 00:32:53,000 Speaker 1: executive produced by Rhys Witherspoon and me Simone Boyce. Production 589 00:32:53,280 --> 00:32:57,000 Speaker 1: is by ACAST Creative Studios. Our producers are Taylor Williamson, 590 00:32:57,280 --> 00:33:00,480 Speaker 1: Abby Delk, and Adrian Bain. Our production is Insistant is 591 00:33:00,560 --> 00:33:05,800 Speaker 1: Joya Putnoy. Acasts executive producers are Jenny Kaplan and Emily Rudder. 592 00:33:06,200 --> 00:33:11,040 Speaker 1: Maureen Polo, Andrhyese Witherspoon are the executive producers for Hello Sunshine. 593 00:33:11,120 --> 00:33:14,600 Speaker 1: Ali Perry and Lauren Hansen are the executive producers for 594 00:33:14,680 --> 00:33:18,600 Speaker 1: iHeart Podcasts. Our theme song is by Anna Stump and 595 00:33:18,680 --> 00:33:19,760 Speaker 1: Hamilton Lighthouser.