Introducing Lisa Walker: The Founder of Eir Women
Lisa Walker is the co-founder of Eir Women. An uncomplicated range of supplements for women over 40. Lisa is one of those rare unicorns, someone that sees a problem, has an idea to solve it and actually goes ahead and launches a new brand. So bold, so inspiring.
At Sensoriam we love to uncover extraordinary people... building inspirited brands – an ethos of purity, integrity and craftsmanship.
We sit down to have a chat to Lisa about all things Eir Women and this journey called life.
What inspired you to launch Eir Women?
Eir came about from a place of not being able to find what we want – just like so many businesses created by women. Kate and I were doing our loooong lockdown walks, talking about anything and everything, and the one thing we kept returning to was how we just didn’t feel like ourselves any longer - and neither did our friends. We were both mid-40’s, busy women balancing work, family and our own health, and feeling anxious, not sleeping well and gaining weight, despite increasing our exercise.
We both had an interest in health, so we started researching ingredients and supplements and what was available to women like us. It was disappointing. There was absolutely nothing that spoke to women over 40 in a way that was empowering, engaging and giving positive information.
The choice was:
1. Big brands who wanted you to spend a fortune buying 10 (or more) different products
2. Products that were anchored in fear
3. Products focussed on the symptoms of menopause (more fear)
4. Products that you would be embarrassed to leave out for others to see (I won’t name names…you know who you are)
We knew that we could do it better, and ensure that the conversation around hormonal changes was positive and educational. After all – hormones rule your life, you need to be able to work with them.
Our number one criteria was that our products needed to work, be beautiful and something we’d be proud to leave out so that we don’t forget to take. Eir products can be left at work, on a kitchen bench or in your bathroom. They speak positively and anchor themselves in outcomes – Show Up, Reboot & Zipped.
How have your life experiences lead to you becoming an entrepreneur, launching your own business?
I feel like every role and experience has led me personally to be able to launch Eir. I have worked full circle through PR, advertising, media, pharmaceuticals, content and skincare/beauty. Plus I have been a fitness and yoga instructor for over 20 years.
Just to be able to understand the TGA process itself was such a huge step up, as the supplements category in Australia is one of the most highly regulated in the world. As a small business you need to be able to put many hats on, and I’m lucky in that I have already worn most of them in other roles.
What is Eir Women all about?
Simply, we’re about helping women feel more like themselves again.
Through ingestible health, knowledge and community.
What makes your products unique?
We have the only simple range of products that are crafted specifically for women over 40, as they start their journey towards the hormonal changes that lead to perimenopause and menopause.
Our focus is holistic health, with an emphasis on the adrenal system which is most often impacted in this busy decade of life as we are so stressed juggling the mental load.
Our products have a maximum of 10 ingredients, and clinical doses of each ingredient. They are thoughtfully crafted and every ingredient has to play a role. We don’t put a smidge of an ingredient in to make a claim – each must create positive change.
What change do you want to see in the world?
My personal mission is for want women to understand their midlife better, both physically and mentally. It is such a time of metamorphosis, not only as their bodies change but also as their life and their priorities change. In the latter part of midlife, children are leaving the nest, and women need to work out ‘what’s next?’. I want to encourage women to look after their health so that they live the best 2nd half of their life, and then also make it count by doing something they love – finding their purpose.
What inspires you?
This feels like such a loaded question! I’m inspired by so many things - others following their dreams or creating change, by the feedback we get from women on Eir, my boys being proud of me and even the littlest things like being in nature.
Every morning watching the sunrise has been a big part of my life this year. My husband passed away in 2022 at age 47, so I appreciate that every day we see is a great one. Every day I’m inspired to make it count. He was an entrepreneur too, and his drive for our business (now sold) is a constant reminder of what is possible.
What has been the most challenging moment in business so far?
We launched in February 2023, and we’ve surpassed our own expectations. Most challenging is some of the ‘no’s’ that you get along the way, but we won’t let that stop us. I see it as a ‘no for now’ but at least we’re on people’s radar, and we’ll stay there.
Do you have a story or a moment / memory in business that you cherish deeply?
It was the very first review from a customer saying that after a couple of days her life had changed. That was a bit spine-tingling.
What do you love about perfume?
The ability to be able to transform a mood. I’m the type of person who likes to have a signature scent, and I rarely change it up when I find something I love. When I spray my perfume as a last step, I feel like I can take on the world. A perfume to me needs to feel personal and an extension of who I am.
What is your favourite natural perfume?
I am obsessed by Vanessa Megan’s MONARCH. I tried a number of the perfumes recommended as part of my perfume consult, and this one stood out straight away. In fact I couldn’t even wear the others.
It was only after I ordered it and read more about it that I understood the link to mood and grief. It blew me away. Interestingly if I had read about it first, I never would have thought to try it.
Intuitively I chose Monarch. A scent that is known to profoundly help reduce stress and tension, aiding in grounding heightened emotions. This in turn helps elevate your mood, balancing your emotions. It is known to calm grief, sadness and anxiety, helping to relieve stress and fear. A great meditation aid. It also helps regulate the hormonal system making it a go-to in natural remedies for pre-menstral tension and menopause. Perfect alignment.
What do you know about synthetic perfumes and their connection to hormone disruption?
This is something I have been learning more about. I grew up with a Naturopath mum, and so have always been drawn to natural ingredients.
In your 40’s you are already undergoing so many hormonal changes and your body needs to not be bombarded with ingredients that can interfere with optimal operation of your endocrine system. We hear a lot about adrenal fatigue and links to stress, but many women don’t know that hormone disrupters can be a part of this.
What’s your dream for the future?
My dream is for women of all ages to stop apologising for their hormones. To be comfortable with who they are, share their stories and realise that they are normal.
