The Business of Better Periods

Katie Diasti launched Viv at just 21 years old—and in doing so, sparked a much-needed disruption in an industry long defined by silence, stigma, and single-use plastic. What began as a class project quickly became a movement: a modern period care brand that puts performance, sustainability, and honest education at its core. In this conversation, Katie shares how Viv evolved from bamboo pads to a nationwide retail presence, what it means to truly listen to a community, and why redefining innovation sometimes starts with rethinking what’s “normal.” Her approach is part product, part purpose—and fully rewriting the rules.

1. At just 21, you founded Viv and challenged legacy players in the period care industry. Could you share your entrepreneurial journey and what compelled you to reimagine this product category?

Viv began during my senior year of university in an entrepreneur marketing class where we were tasked with finding a problem and developing a solution. I was deeply passionate about women’s health and hygiene—especially the fact that traditional brands often thrived off our insecurities. I wanted to create the brand I never saw on shelves: one that felt trustworthy, sustainable, and actually worked. Our products are high-performing, clean, and safe—those shouldn’t be trade-offs.

From there, we built an online presence as the “cool big sister” for a new generation navigating periods for the first time—or, for many, still figuring things out well into adulthood. One of our biggest viral moments was a TikTok that taught over 5 million people how to insert a tampon—many of them saying no one had ever taught them before. That kind of educational content really shaped our brand voice and community.

2. How do you define innovation in the context of personal care products, and how does Viv embody this?

Innovation for us is about creating a direct loop between our customers and product development. Nearly every product we’ve launched came directly from feedback via TikTok comments, DMs, and emails. When we saw our menstrual cup going viral, we quickly realized many people were trying one for the first time and were nervous. So, we built a Viv Cup Starter Kit with a video guide, a washable pouch, and an easy-to-understand booklet—everything someone might need to feel comfortable.

We also saw a huge rise in our educational content on YouTube, which is now one of our fastest-growing platforms. Innovation happens when you stop and really listen—people with periods have so many unmet needs, and no one’s really asked them what they are until now.

3. Your team re-engineered period products with sustainable materials while improving performance. What processes helped generate and evaluate these ideas?

In the early days, I was testing dozens of prototypes myself—and since periods only happen once a month, I’d sometimes alter my birth control to sync product testing with delivery timelines. I also built a tight-knit tester group of friends with different cycle patterns, ages, and life experiences—from new menstruators to people post-childbirth.

We also got scrappy. We'd pour liquids on pads in our kitchen to test absorbency and comfort. If I wasn’t confident using it myself, I wasn’t going to put it into production. That grassroots product testing is still part of our DNA.

4. Creative disruption often requires fresh thinking. How do you and your team reset to approach product development from a new angle?

We make space to zoom out. That might mean doing service work or just taking a step back from the daily grind. I’ve always believed that doing something kind for others resets your perspective—and we’ve woven that into our culture. Even something like going to a party and ending up in a deep chat about someone’s period gives me raw, candid insights that we bring back to the table.

We also embrace intuition and energy. Every week we do “Manifestation Mondays” where we set a personal or professional intention. That energy helps us align as a team and reminds us of the bigger picture. Some companies shy away from that kind of thing—astrology, manifesting—but for us, it’s a superpower.

5. How are you leveraging AI in your innovation process? Any unexpected benefits or challenges?

AI has been a bit of a double-edged sword. For example, Amazon flagged our Viv Cup Starter Kit as an “embarrassing product” and suppressed the listing, even though it’s one of our top SKUs. It took seven reps and a lot of escalation to get that fixed. These AI tools at large retailers often unintentionally hurt women’s health brands, so there’s a lot of work to do there.

But on the flip side, AI can help us automate community support. We get a lot of personal questions—from “which cup size is right for me?” to “how do I talk to my mom about shaving my legs?” If we can use AI to direct people to trusted, empathetic educational content, Viv can become a true digital big sister.

6. When developing products in a category with long-standing behaviors, what’s been your biggest innovation challenge?

One of the hardest things is overcoming fear and stigma. With the menstrual cup, people were terrified it would get stuck. So we redesigned ours with a ring for easier removal and used a darker, more discreet color. Listening to that feedback—especially the small, nervous questions—is what helps us break through.

7. Has inspiration from outside your industry ever sparked a breakthrough?

Absolutely. I draw a lot of inspiration from food and beverage, as well as skincare. In skincare, people mix and match brands to build a routine. I’d love to see that happen in the period care aisle. You might use a Viv cup, another brand’s liner, and someone else’s pads—and that’s okay. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. We’re not just competing—we’re co-creating better experiences.

8. How have you cultivated an innovation culture that punches above its weight?

It starts with hiring people who care deeply about the community we serve. Startup life is hard, and you need to truly love your audience to stay motivated. Everyone on our team feels that way.

And we keep things holistic. Alongside Manifestation Mondays, we’ve leaned into team rituals that energize us. We bring our full selves to work. That authenticity allows us to move fast, make bold decisions, and stay resilient—even when things feel chaotic.

9. Looking ahead, how will Viv continue to lead sustainable innovation and expand beyond early adopters?

We’re just getting started. The women’s health space is still vastly underexplored. When I first pitched Viv, people told me it was too niche. Now they say it’s oversaturated. The truth is—we’ve barely scratched the surface.

Our goal is to spark more conversation, open doors, and prove that period care can be high-performing, sustainable, and actually helpful. Whether that’s launching new SKUs that never existed in retail before or inspiring the next wave of young founders to step in and innovate—I want Viv to be a catalyst for lasting change in women’s health.