On a Mission to Improve Access to Sexual Wellness Products

Please note that this story mentions sexual assault and its aftermath.

Focus Areas:  Product design, leadership, and social justice

Taylor Stoddart knew early on that she wanted to start her own business. Through the Inter-College Program major, she combined three areas of study that would help her get closer to that goal: product design, leadership, and social justice.

Finding Strength to Provide a Much-Needed Resource

During this past year Taylor took a class called Entrepreneurship in Action, an elective in the product design program and a capstone for the entrepreneurship program. There, she met two classmates, Rachel Holliday and Howie Peterson, and the trio started a company together called Prosperum.

The company made it to the semifinal round of the MN Cup this year, the competition for start-ups hosted by the University of Minnesota.

Prosperum’s goal is to provide sexual health products in a safe, discreet way via vending machines. This enables people to access items that they need without having to interact with a person, travel alone at night, or spend a lot of time and money. (Watch the recent Fox9 story about the company.)

The idea originated from the trauma Taylor suffered from being sexually assaulted during the fall of 2021. After the incident, she sought emergency contraception and realized how difficult and extremely awkward it was.

“I found that on and around campus, students really have trouble accessing it, whether that be through affordability or just distance,” she says.

Many of those products, and sexual health related products in general, are often locked on a shelf that a store employee has to open, making the process longer and more uncomfortable, “especially for victims of sexual assault during a very vulnerable time. This can be something that's a really big deterrent for them.”

Applying Her Skills to Help Others

Prosperum’s mission is to “increase sexual wellness and safety around student campuses,” and its services continue to expand. Their machines also include common over-the-counter medications and feminine hygiene supplies.

“We're doing student-based programming to help with prevention and education for sexual assault, as well as domestic violence,” Taylor says. “And we're working towards becoming a white labeling drug company for sexual healthcare products, so you wouldn't have to pay these exorbitant prices for products through our machines.” (A white labeling company buys its products from other companies and rebrands them as their own.)

“I really wanted to take what had happened to me and build something that could make a difference in my community, and now I am lucky to pursue that as a career,” she continues. “We're really excited to continue growing and innovating and trying new things.“

Taylor has drawn from each of her three focus areas to help her establish Prosperum: design principles from her product design classes, community organizing from the social justice program, and leadership skills from the leadership minor.

“(It) really has given me the ability to create something of my own through the entrepreneurship program at Carlson, with the background of knowing how to lead a team and how to do it in a way that benefits the community.”

Taylor is ready to tackle her next career opportunity, wherever that may be, as long as it is in a place where she can grow. “What I'm really looking for is to learn from people and from doing actual work,” she says. “I get inspired by the actions of others. So I’m looking for an inspiring workplace that's supportive and supportive of my personal endeavors.”

The Big Takeaways

• “I think the biggest thing I learned in college was being aware of who I am and the mistakes I make and holding myself accountable. I'm really hard on myself, so that was a struggle. But it’s probably one of the greatest skills that I have moving forward, not only in my professional life but in my personal life, too.”
• “I think it's the soft skills, the teamwork, the group dynamics that really helped me grow. The Leadership minor taught me a lot about so many different things. I think one of my favorite things they taught me is the phrase 'Get on the balcony.' It's where you can be on the dance floor, in the problem, but then, if you get yourself on the balcony, you can look at it more objectively. That's something I use every single day.”

Pro Tip for Future Students

“Find your people and lean on them. Ask for help from your teachers, friends, family, advisors, whoever it is. Don't try to do everything on your own. In a really big school like this that can be so hard, because it's not somebody asking if you need help. You have to go out of your way, but when you do it, people really do want to help.”

Faculty and Staff Shout-outs

Dennis Donovan, Independent Study, Leadership Minor
“When I came back, there were times where I wasn't turning in assignments, and I wasn't showing up to school because I still wasn't believing in myself. He was someone who called me on the phone, like, hey, are you okay? I'm worried about you. And when I was trying to give up, he was like, I believe in you. Let's figure something out. So he has been a huge help.”

Nate Whittaker, Social Justice Minor
“He is probably one of my favorite professors I have ever had. He was so supportive and really encouraged me to challenge my own thinking, push myself outside the box, and consider other people's perspectives, which has been integral in being a leader. He really guided my leadership style by showing compassion and teaching me what it means to be collaborative.”

John Stavig and Morgan Kerfeld (TA), Entrepreneurship in Action 
“They're still my mentors today; I meet with them regularly. They gave me so much confidence and guided me and my partners through what it means to start a business, getting us through all those rough patches. They have been life changing people. They really gave me the confidence to share my story.”

Taylor would also like to recognize Chris Schlichting, the advisor who recommended her to ICP; her ICP advisor, Megan Seltz; the University of Minnesota’s Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship; and the Toaster Innovation Hub.