Feast on life.
Jess Graham is the GM of Phenology, a company focused on naturally powerful menopause science and the CMO of Hologram Sciences. She talks to 35 Thousand about leaving her “cushy” corporate job, how her sense of self has shifted and her experience of living a nomad lifestyle for a year.
Pragmatic. Perceptive. Playful.
Launching a new menopause brand called Phenology that will meet women where they are and then lift them up through science, effective relief, and culture shifts.
Spare room (and also, on walks, in the car, on the subway, in the laundry room putting a load in, over the stove getting dinner started, on the couch. Boundaries? What boundaries?)
Building – team, culture, brands, stories, consumer value.
The spreadsheet-y parts.
Leaving a “cushy” corporate job for my first start-up on the cusp of turning 42.
Don’t out work the work, out think it. A former boss prominently displayed this phrase in her office and then modeled it. (Eternally grateful, Cathy!)
I live with my wife Kelly and a goofy Great Dane named Philo. I am committed to the pursuit of joy and new experiences.
Pre-pandemic I led a charmed, urban life. Work was in relative proportion to meeting friends, traveling, exercise, lectures, shows, etc. Occasionally there were Saturdays spent in pajamas.
The pajamas are far from occasional.
It’s had profound effects on everything – including my sense of self and my identity – which I’ll be unpacking for the next decade or two. In the meantime, it’s created a clear focus on showing up for myself and for others with empathy, curiosity, and flexibility first.
Menopause sure did (true story). For months I was the person routinely sending out the emails at 4 am and exhausted at 4 pm. I finally realized it was a symptom of perimenopause then the adventure began to find a solution which ended in building my own.
A lot of sound baths and bath baths (with and without gin).
My family lived as nomads for about a year between 2020-2021. We packed up our apartment, put our stuff in storage and crisscrossed the country three times in our car with our ginormous dog and a lot of stuff tied to the roof. We spent time in my mom’s “pod” and in Utah, Colorado, West Virginia, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Virginia… It stimulated and challenged us intellectually, visually, culturally, physically, politically, organizationally, and sometimes digitally (protip: ask the Airbnb host to send you a screenshot of a wifi speed test before you book). It was an adventure. We were very lucky.
I’m still (mostly) an optimist.
Anytime, anywhere, with anyone…essentially
Five different shades of red lipstick that I may or may not be wearing under my mask.
My standing desk, Waterloo by the case, and a Kobo candle burning.
*makes note to find stylist.
Cashmere everything (especially my Nadaam cashmere joggers), bathing suit (there is nothing better than being in the water), any Veronica Beard jacket, straight leg jeans (soft, high waisted, dark wash), and bracelets, always bracelets.
Changing how we address women’s wellness in a meaningful way, starting with improving the lives of women during menopause with Phenology. From the way women feel, how (and whether) they talk about issues that affect them, and by really pushing the science, the solutions, and the culture forward.
Feast on life.
Take a look at Jess’s website here.
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