Imagine walking into a professional event, feeling the sudden, unmistakable onset of your period, and realizing you’re unprepared. You rush to the restroom, only to find a rusted, coin-operated metal box demanding a quarter. In 2026, who even carries a quarter?
For Claire Coder, this wasn’t just a moment of personal frustration—it was an epiphany that led to a massive business opportunity. “Toilet paper is offered for free,” Coder says. “Why aren’t period products?”
That question led Coder to drop out of college at 18 to launch Aunt Flow. Today, the company has supplied more than 34 million products to thousands of institutions, from Google’s headquarters to the home of the NBA’s Phoenix Suns, and is a portfolio company of my venture capital firm, Chloe Capital. But this isn’t just about pads and tampons; it’s a master class in how to turn a neglected pain point into a dominant B2B infrastructure play.
The pivot from solopreneur startup to B2B powerhouse
In the early days, Coder was the ultimate solopreneur, hand-delivering products and packing orders herself. At the same time, she kept her eye on the bigger picture.
“I’ve never viewed this as a small mission,” she explains. “Eighty-six percent of women have started their period unexpectedly in public without supplies. We weren’t just filling a gap; we were helping define a new standard for bathrooms everywhere.”
The inflection point came when Coder realized that to win, she didn’t just need a better tampon—she needed to own the delivery system.
The competitive moat: hardware as a service
While competitors focused on direct-to-consumer subscriptions, Coder turned Aunt Flow into a hardware company. They designed proprietary, ADA-compliant, “free-vend” dispensers. By installing these into the physical infrastructure of a building, Aunt Flow created a formidable competitive moat.
“Once an organization installs Aunt Flow dispensers, we become embedded in their physical infrastructure,” Coder says. “It naturally supports ongoing replenishment and compliance. We provide the hardware, the product supply, and the implementation support.”
This sticky business model allows Aunt Flow to transition from a one-time vendor to a long-term facilities partner. When a company, school, or stadium installs a custom-built Aunt Flow unit, they aren’t just buying a product—they’re investing in a permanent amenity that supports productivity, attendance, and convenience.
Navigating the enterprise sales cycle: from Google to the NFL
Selling to enterprise clients and massive stadiums isn’t for the faint of heart. The sales cycles are long and bureaucratic, and require navigating multiple layers of facilities management. Coder’s strategy? Persistence, presence, and proof.
- Persistence: Coder describes showing up at stadium conferences where they initially had no footprint. Today, they are in over 30 stadiums across the MLB, NFL, NBA, and more. That didn’t happen from one conversation. It came from showing up repeatedly and staying top of mind as the category evolved.
- Presence: A lot of an entrepreneur’s work is about showing up consistently over time. Aunt Flow invests heavily in relationships and industry touchpoints, whether that’s following up for months (or years), or making sure to be physically present at trade shows and facilities conferences where decision-makers are actually evaluating solutions.
- Real-world proof: One of Aunt Flow’s secret weapons is the “in the wild” effect. When fans or employees see the sleek dispensers, they share them on social media. That ground-up demand often filters back to the executives, shortening the distance to securing a contract.
Riding the legislative wave
The market has shifted drastically since 2016. Today, 27 states and Washington, D.C., require schools to provide free period products. Instead of just reacting to these laws, Coder has been proactive, advocating for the Menstrual Equity for All Act on Capitol Hill.
“We’re not just responding to momentum; we’re helping drive it,” she says. By acting as an adviser on ADA compliance and legislative requirements, Aunt Flow has positioned itself as the top choice for organizations looking to stay ahead of evolving regulations.
Scaling culture and mission
As startups mature, social missions often get relegated to a slide deck. Coder prevents this through a robust Impact Program, which has donated over seven million products to date.
The company also hosts “Period Parties”—team-based volunteer experiences where employees assemble kits for local nonprofits. This keeps the team connected to the “why” even as the “how” becomes increasingly complex.
Despite the rapid growth, Coder is candid about the toll of being the public face of a movement. Her secret for sustainable success is about the ability to delegate and step away when there is a need to recharge.
“Entrepreneurs understand that taking seven days off is a lot,” she admits. “I’m thankful to be able to walk away for a week knowing the business will keep flowing. I don’t have to carry everything alone.”
What’s next: the 10 million-restroom opportunity
Coder’s North Star is simple: ubiquity. With an estimated 10 million women’s restrooms in the U.S. and Aunt Flow currently in 70,000, the runway for growth is massive.
“Our goal is to make pads and tampons as ubiquitous as toilet paper and paper towels,” Coder concludes. “When that becomes the norm, it’s a win for productivity, dignity, and the bottom line.”
Aunt Flow represents the new frontier of period care in public places: an essential amenity that is accessible to all in their moment of need.
—Elisa Miller-Out
This article originally appeared on Fast Company’s sister website, Inc.com.
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