Why Rejection Is Your Greatest Gift with Afton Vechery, Founder of Modern Fertility

Afton Vechery is the Co-Founder and CEO of Modern Fertility, a women's health company focused on making fertility information more accessible for women everywhere. 

In 2016, Afton embarked on a journey to understand her own fertility, and her realizations from this time laid the foundation for the company. She saw that women were not able to get the information that they needed to plan ahead at a reasonable price, and she understood that her mission had to be to change that. The company has not only built a powerful community but also has raised over $22 million from top-tier investors, and recently sold to Ro for more than $225 million. 

In this episode, Afton shares how a high school science project ignited an entrepreneurial flame in her and led her to pursue a career at the intersection of business and science. We hear about the extensive research she and her co-founder did before founding the company, and how this has benefited them over time. 

Afton also shares her refreshing view on rejection and how she views being turned down. Our conversation also touches on some of the biggest misconceptions around fertility, the empowerment that comes with knowing about your health, and Modern Fertility’s acquisition by Ro. 

In this episode, we’ll talk to Afton about: 

* The high school science project that exposed Afton to entrepreneurship early on. [2:43]

* Expectations that Afton’s parents had for her after she graduated from high school. [06:28]

* Afton’s first job after college and what she learned in this position. [9:44]

* What Afton discovered about the world of fertility when she was working at 23andMe. [1:19]

* Afton’s ‘aha moment’ when she realized the need for Modern Fertility. [12:51]

* The impact that accelerators have in the beginning stages of your business. [14:42]

* The reasoning behind the extensive surveying and validation that was done before launching the company. [18:03]

* How Modern Fertility built community very early on, and the incredible momentum they garnered. [21:17]

* Why Afton and her co-founder, Carly, decided to go with VC money and what they learned from this decision. [23:47]

* There is no right way to start a company; you have to do what makes sense. [25:26]

* Afton's view of rejection and why she sees it in a positive light. [25:45]

* All aspects of business have their own ups and downs. [28:00]

* Afton’s self-care rituals and her passion for road biking. [30:19]

* Debunking some of the biggest fertility myths. [33:12]

* The power of having open conversations around women’s fertility to normalize the topic. [36:16]

* Insights into Modern Fertility’s recent acquisition by Ro and the reason behind this decision. [38:03]

* What wealth means to Afton at this stage in her life. [41:15]

Follow Afton: 

* Website: https://modernfertility.com/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modernfertility/ 

* Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aftonvechery

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* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/

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