Kate Bache and Gervase Fay founded Health & Her in 2019. Health & Her offers a range of supplements and digital tools to support women through perimenopause and menopause.

Originally starting as an ecommerce platform, the business quickly scaled, and its products are now sold in over 5,000 stores globally. Health & Her’s innovative menopause symptom tool offers tailored solutions to manage symptoms and supports over 30,000 women across the world.

Specialist healthcare support

Getting your foot in the door can be a challenge for up and coming businesses. Barclays Eagle Labs provided Kate with industry specific support, and helped facilitate trade connections with leading retailers.

Kate explained: “There was an opportunity with Boots, they were doing a shout out for new innovation which we applied for, and got good links into Boots through that.

“Barclays also helped us connect with Walgreens in the US, so that gave us some trade links in the US.”

These connections provided specialised support for the healthcare business, while helping Health & Her expand their trade links and help the business scale internationally.

Finding support

Finding a support network and community can be a lifeline for businesses as they’re starting up.

Kate and Gervase were looking at participating in an incubator programme, but found hurdles before deciding on Barclays Eagle Labs. Kate explained: “I felt that that the other bank made me feel that there was this exclusive startup club that they just didn't want us to be part of.

“Someone suggested we speak to Barclays Eagle Labs and as soon as we went in, it was so welcoming. I think it was meant to be.

“I felt that the Barclays Eagle Labs’ point of view was so inclusive, Barclays have been much more supportive and open.”

Eagle Labs place high importance on diversity and supporting diverse businesses, and were especially supportive in terms of the help and services it provided, as well as the guidance available on the healthcare sector.

Managing cash flow

Cash flow management is key for any small business. When starting out, cash flow management was an issue for Kate. She explained: “Often retailers have very long payment terms, but you want the cash when you're paying for the stock up front. Our previous invoice factoring company struggled to deal with that.”

Barclays facilitated an introduction for Kate with her current invoice factoring company. “So we were introduced by Barclays [to our new invoice factoring company] and they have been such an ideal partner for us as they're really sector specific.

“That's probably been, if not the most, important introduction that we've had.”

Growth and expansion

With the help and guidance of Barclays, Health & Her expanded internationally. From trade links facilitated by Barclays, as well as organic growth, Health & Her has grown their presence in multiple countries, including the US, Ireland, and Germany. Barclays helped set up foreign exchange accounts for the business and provided administrative support to ensure successful expansion across the globe.

Networking and community connections have been crucial to Health & Her’s growth, particularly through partnerships with local initiatives like Barclays Eagle Labs. Through Eagle Labs, Kate gained access to mentorship and resources that played a key role in scaling the business. The support provided valuable insights for business development but also facilitated training and important introductions to potential partners.

Barclays Eagle Labs, with locations across the UK, provides entrepreneurs with collaborative workspaces, mentorship, and tailored programmes designed to help businesses innovate and thrive.

If you’re ready to grow your business, discover how Barclays can provide the support and resources you need to thrive while you focus on making a positive impact.

This article originally appeared in the November/December 2024 issue of Startups Magazine. Click here to subscribe