Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Caputo.
Hi Rebecca, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was a scientist before becoming an entrepreneur. My co-founder, Val Emanuel, sent me her Kickstarter video for Rif Care while I was on my lunch break, and I was immediately inspired. We had this ridiculous goal of raising $50,000. We were ambitious from the start and from there, we just kept going. We were able to launch our product within six months of completing the campaign and quickly became the #1 selling pads at Erewhon and other natural retail stores. We’re currently in over 120 stores across the West Coast and are also available on Amazon and Target.com!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I think that it’s fun that there are so many ups and downs when starting a business. The hardest things that we struggled with were the things that we had no experience with prior to launching. So we faced challenges having to figure out distribution and international shipping logistics and learning all of the abbreviations that retailers use.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Rif Care makes period products with hemp fiber, creating a solution for women that’s better for our bodies and the planet. Our mission is to help women balance their cycle, and we accomplish this by making products that are non-hormone disrupting. Our innovative pad design is made with organic cotton and hemp fiber, which makes it super soft and high-performing. I’m super excited for our launch of period underwear and our 100% organic cotton tampons. We are a fully transparent company, meaning everything from our supply chain to our ingredients are shared with our community. I think this is what sets us apart from other companies. We are an affordable luxury when it comes to personal care products and want women to know that we’re here to support them during their entire cycle, not just during that time of the month.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
I wouldn’t be where I am today without the help of our amazing mentors and advisors. We asked everyone for help and advice when we were first starting out. I reached out to my alumni network at UCSD, the small business development center in our city, and found amazing networks like Naturally Los Angeles that helped me get connected to resources that could help my business grow. We were lucky enough to be part of the Techstars community after completing the Impact program and have gotten a lot of support from their massive network too.
Pricing:
- Pads start at $8
- Tampons are $7
- Period Underwear $29
Contact Info:
- Website: Rifcare.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rifcare/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@rifcare
Image Credits
Emmanuel Akinnitire Katy Pritchett
