As more women seek integrative approaches to hormonal health—combining medical expertise with holistic tools for sleep, stress, skin, and sexual well-being—one Minnesota entrepreneur has helped lead the shift toward openness and empowerment. Sally Mueller, co-founder of Womaness, brings both personal experience and corporate brilliance to a topic long pushed to the margins.
Photo by Caroline Yang
We met at her farm on the eastern edge of the Twin Cities, where her office overlooks a sweeping pond, mature evergreens, and the occasional livestock. “Are the cows out today? They like to hang out in the pond—sometimes they get loose,” Mueller asks, amused. “We’ve also had some swans. And they’re married for life—did you know that? They could teach us humans some tricks, right?”
Inside her office, stacks of menopause research, trays of products, and inspiration boards create a kind of command center for reimagining midlife. In this space, warm and lived-in yet purpose-driven, Mueller shares the journey that brought her here—and why she believes today’s women are rewriting the story of aging, wellness, and what it means to thrive through menopause.
This interview was printed in Minnesota Monthly‘s Jan/Feb women’s health issue, coinciding with “Integrating the Alternative” feature.
Photo by Caroline Yang
When did Womaness launch?
We’re five years old, but we’re still emerging. It’s not a bad thing to be in startup mode because it’s a mindset—scrappy and agile. We don’t have a huge team; we all wear many hats. I think it’s good to be a startup. Even when I worked at Target for so long, we always said: Let’s keep the startup mentality, even with 250 employees.
What made you decide to step away from Target?
It took me a year to decide because I had a great job. My last position was in marketing—head of design partnerships for the whole company. I focused on bringing big ideas to life across categories. For example, Liberty of London—we negotiated with them, aligned creative teams in London and at Target, and applied those prints across everything from kids’ clothing to lampshades to bikes.
Looking back, leaving could have been menopause-related because I was 45. A lot of women start perimenopause then. Women don’t always connect the dots because no one talked about menopause—my mom never did. When your hormones change, you reassess your life. I asked myself: ‘Do I want to keep doing this? Have I done everything I’m going to do?’ I felt I had. I’m an entrepreneur, so I thought, why not start my own business? It was hard because I loved the company. We still work with Target today.
When was the seed planted for Womaness?
Womaness came from two places: my own menopause journey and an ‘aha’ moment after meeting with a Mayo Clinic doctor who specialized in menopause. I wasn’t sleeping, had anxiety, painful sex—she said so many women go through this. Then she handed me a brochure with product suggestions from Amazon. I looked at them and said out loud to my husband, ‘I am never buying any of these products.’ They weren’t speaking to me. I decided I was going to disrupt the category.
A few months later in New York, I told my friend [now co-founder] Michelle over a glass of wine. She immediately said she wanted to be part of it. We started working on it right away.
What were the main products you knew you needed to launch with?
We did a lot of research with women—before COVID—in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and New York. Women told us not to focus on just one symptom but address the major ones. We knew we wanted skin and body care because skin changes dramatically overnight and becomes dry. We also wanted beauty from the inside out—supplements. And then sexual wellness products, addressing things like vaginal dryness and night sweats. All of our products come from both research sessions and personal experience.
Photo by Caroline Yang
What’s your philosophy on ingredients?
From the beginning, we wanted clean formulations: natural where possible, plus lab-made clinical ingredients backed by studies. We hired experts—a gynecologist for vaginal products, a nutritionist/Ph.D. for supplements, and a skin expert. Each team researched the latest ingredients and effective levels. We also wanted a simple regimen: most women use about three products, not 20. Our line is streamlined so menopause doesn’t feel even more overwhelming.
What does a modern, empowered menopause look like to you?
It’s everything we stand for. When we launched five years ago, we were loud and proud—we helped change the entire conversation. Morning shows once said they wouldn’t talk about ‘vaginas at 9 a.m.,’ but now they are. Modern menopause means open conversation and cross-generational support. Younger women want to learn and prepare; older women should help support them.
It also means finding the right doctor. If you’re dismissed, move on. You need the right support, whether from a doctor or a nurse practitioner. It’s about being fearless.
Many women in their 30s and 40s are just now learning about perimenopause. What’s your take?
Perimenopause can blend with fertility because women have children later. Some go from postpartum straight into perimenopause. It can last four to seven years, sometimes with worse symptoms than menopause. Your periods become erratic, your mood changes, you’re tired, you’re not sleeping. For me, it was more dramatic than menopause.
Women need to educate themselves beforehand—line up a support team, understand products they might need, and learn from friends’ experiences. Every woman’s journey is unique; your mom’s experience may be nothing like yours.
Photo by Caroline Yang
As a Minnesota native building this brand here, what does that mean to you?
It’s grounding. Our customers are everywhere—small towns, cities—but I always carry Minnesota culture with me. It keeps us from falling into a coastal bubble. We value accessibility, education, and affordability. We’ve worked closely with the Mayo Clinic on education, and we want products available wherever women shop.
Minnesota is a hub for both health care and retail, and Womaness sits at that intersection: part health, part consumer product, always with retail in mind.
Tell me about your community support groups.
We have a private Facebook group called ‘The After Party’ with almost 10,000 women. It’s grown one woman at a time. It’s all about supporting each other, asking questions, and providing real community—part of the modern menopause experience.
What impact do you hope to have on the next generation of midlife women?
I want them to feel prepared, not ashamed or afraid—or in denial. Women in their 40s, 50s, and 60s are confident, powerful, and open to new ideas. We’re valuable to companies, society, and our families. We’re changing the conversation about menopause and aging. I hope that’s the ripple effect we leave.
What surprising feedback have you received from customers or partners?
I’m shocked by how little women—including myself—know about our own bodies and this transition. I went into it blind. The medical community has taught us a lot. One shocking stat: There is one trained menopause provider per 30,000 women in the U.S.
There’s been a huge care gap because many doctors aren’t trained in menopause in medical school or residency. Recently, more doctors hitting midlife themselves are making menopause care their calling. But research and training still lag.
Your branding is bright and joyful—unlike most women’s health marketing. Why does that matter?
It’s everything we set out to do. We believe in ‘menopositivity,’ which doesn’t mean every day is perfect—there are tough moments, too. But women often emerge stronger and more empowered. We wanted to flip the menopause narrative from something sad or scary to something natural and celebrated. Our packaging was designed to look beautiful on a vanity—not hidden away.
Who have been some of your biggest male supporters?
So many. We’ve had amazing male investors. Reporters often ask what it’s like pitching men, but it’s no harder than pitching women—men have been just as supportive, sometimes more. A lot of men thank us because their wives are happier. Many men buy our products as gifts.
Photo by Caroline Yang
What is your bestseller, and what’s your personal favorite?
Our bestseller is Let’s Neck, a neck and décolleté serum with a cooling rollerball. People hate their necks—it’s where aging shows quickly. Younger women want to preserve; older women want to reverse.
My personal favorite is Fountain of Glow, our vitamin C serum. I use it every day—hydrating but not greasy, especially now that my skin is dry.
Anything else you want to share?
Women sometimes think our customer service rep is a bot because we’re so trained to expect bots. She’s not—she’s a real woman, 55, who’s gone through what they’re going through. She helps women who are really struggling; some have even set up Zooms with us. One woman told me she hadn’t left her sofa all summer. Often, we’re put on antidepressants when we really need hormone therapy. We’re big proponents of hormone therapy, even though our products are hormone-free—they work together, and some women truly need hormone therapy.
