# The unexpected entrepreneur Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-03-11 Category: BUSINESS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/business Meta Title: From Fertility Battle to Supplement Success: The MyOva Story Meta Description: Find relief from PCOS symptoms with MyOva, a supplement founded by Leila Martyn after her own fertility battle. Over 80k bottles sold! Transform your health URL: https://financedigest.com/the-unexpected-entrepreneurhtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/istock-977730672-1736815974121-compressed.jpg) _By_ **_Leila Martyn_** _, the founder of MyOva_ ![](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/untitled1-1736815974106-compressed.jpg) Leila Martyn, the founder of MyOva If five years ago you told me that today I’d be running a successful supplement business that had sold over 80 thousand bottles to date, I would have laughed in your face. Actually – more likely – I would have burst into tears. For, five years ago I was in the midst of a fertility [battle I didn’t think I was ever going to win](https://www.financedigest.com/lindt-wins-chocolate-bunny-battle-in-swiss-court.html "Lindt wins chocolate bunny battle in Swiss court"). I was beaten down and [ready to give up on my dreams of becoming](https://www.financedigest.com/becoming-data-ready-for-mtd-for-corporation-tax-aligning-vat-and-ct.html "Becoming data-ready for MTD for Corporation Tax: aligning VAT and CT") a mother. # **Rock bottom upwards** I was in the 1% of women who had experienced more than 4 miscarriages in a row, and I was also in the 10% of women have been diagnosed with PCOS. In 2015, I [suffered my 6th pregnancy loss](https://www.financedigest.com/global-economy-suffers-53bn-natural-disaster-loss-during-1h-2017-according-to-aon-catastrophe-report.html "Global economy suffers bn natural disaster loss during 1H 2017, according to Aon catastrophe report") and was convinced that nothing good would ever happen to me. Looking back, I can see how things spiraled. One little knock after another can have that effect on your [mental health](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-maintain-physical-and-mental-health-while-working-from-home.html "How to maintain physical and mental health while working from home"), until it turns into a waterfall of disappointment that floods every area of your life. The only [thing that kept me going was an incessant need](https://www.financedigest.com/three-things-every-payments-professional-needs-know-psd2.html "Three things every payments professional needs to know about PSD2") to find out why this was happening to me. Dr. Google was my best friend, much to the disapproval of my [friends and family](https://www.financedigest.com/generation-y-relying-on-friends-and-family-to-pay-their-energy-bills.html "Generation Y relying on friends and family to pay their energy bills"). I was that person, who before my actual, qualified doctor’s appointment would have read every Mumsnet post, study and review outlining the reason for my miscarriage. And I’m certain that is the reason why I am where I am today. You see, I find it very difficult to take no for an answer: I firmly believe there’s always a way, even if it means hitting rock bottom to find it. And, at that [point in time](https://www.financedigest.com/finger-pointing-helps-no-one-it-is-time-for-retailers-energy-providers-and-government-to-band-together.html "Finger-pointing helps no one: it is time for retailers, energy providers and government to band together"), that was definitely where I found myself. As they [say when you’ve hit rock](https://www.financedigest.com/seabed-rock-may-have-caused-holes-in-estonia-ferry-that-sank-officials-say.html "Seabed rock may have caused holes in Estonia ferry that sank, officials say") bottom, the only way is up. Then in Spring 2016, two things happened that would [change my life forever](https://www.financedigest.com/how-ai-will-change-forex-trading-forever.html "How AI will change Forex Trading forever"). I discovered a [natural vitamin-like supplement](https://www.financedigest.com/the-natural-health-supplements-market-to-walk-through-digital-transformation-stampede.html "The Natural Health Supplements Market To Walk Through Digital Transformation Stampede") called Myo-inositol that would become the bedrock of my business, MyOva, and I found a specialist miscarriage doctor who would give me my two very-longed-for children. # **A product for good** To most people deciding to launch a supplement brand in the midst of despair, probably [didn’t seem like the obvious thing](https://www.financedigest.com/3-things-you-didnt-know-about-trading.html "3 Things you didn’t know about trading") to do, however, it gave me something to focus my attention on, rather than think about my current situation. I also knew that if I found this supplement helpful, then so might other people with PCOS. Using my experience as a licensing agent (where I liaised with manufacturers to develop product ranges), I applied this skill to [launching my own product-based business](https://www.financedigest.com/new-business-launches-to-support-it-professionalsfacing-mission-critcial-sector-challenges.html "NEW BUSINESS LAUNCHES TO SUPPORT IT PROFESSIONALSFACING MISSION CRITCIAL SECTOR CHALLENGES"). I designed a Shopify website. I [opened an account](https://www.financedigest.com/how-accountants-can-improve-financial-planning-and-results-through-open-banking-to-help-smes.html "How accountants can improve financial planning and results through Open Banking to help SMEs") with Amazon. In October 2016, we launched MyOva. We had customers from the get go, which took us by total surprise, but it also made me realise there were so many people out there looking for a natural solution to their PCOS. PCOS is such an emotive subject and wasn’t [something I spoke about myself until I launched](https://www.financedigest.com/the-spritz-gets-a-shake-up-something-nothing-launches-new-ready-to-drink-spritz-in-time-for-summer.html "The Spritz gets a shake up! Something & Nothing launches new ready-to-drink Spritz in time for summer") MyOva. [Every woman dealing with PCOS has their own experience](https://www.financedigest.com/rabobank-to-monitor-the-real-time-experience-of-every-customer-and-user-for-all-services.html "Rabobank to monitor the real-time experience of every customer and user for all services") of the condition. Everyone is affected in different ways. It could be physically, or it could be emotionally; PCOS symptoms are either hidden, or there for the [world to see](https://www.financedigest.com/in-u-turn-iea-sees-world-weathering-lost-russian-oil-supply.html "In U-turn, IEA sees world weathering lost Russian oil supply"). Whichever way it manifests, it can be hugely disruptive and devastating to the everyday lives of those living with it. In terms of [research and funding](https://www.financedigest.com/vr-ar-startup-raises-seed-funding-from-mercia-to-revolutionise-market-research-industry.html "VR/AR startup raises seed funding from Mercia to revolutionise market research industry") PCOS is incredibly underprioritised. Many [people don’t](https://www.financedigest.com/people-dont-like-to-be-told-no-when-it-comes-to-finance.html "People don’t like to be told no when it comes to finance") get the medical attention they require, or frequently have their symptoms misdiagnosed, resulting in not only a deterioration of their physical health, but also their mental health and wellbeing. And it is specifically these people who MyOva is here for. To those who can’t seem to find the answer or to whom no one is listening. # **Hustle and juggle** It hasn’t been easy. Entrepreneurship is hard. Harder than I ever expected, especially with two [young children](https://www.financedigest.com/why-teaching-your-children-financial-literacy-from-a-young-age-will-set-them-up-for-success.html "Why teaching your children financial literacy from a young age will set them up for success"). Having my children twenty months apart, whilst trying to [launch a business](https://www.financedigest.com/tokyo-based-business-launches-in-london.html "Tokyo-based business launches in London") has definitely not been for the fainthearted. I also had this fantasy that owning my own business (and my own time) would mean more free time for me and my family and being able to work from [anywhere in the world](https://www.financedigest.com/be-the-digital-eyes-and-ears-of-your-business-from-anywhere-in-the-world.html "Be the digital eyes and ears of your business – from anywhere in the world!"). But the reality of juggling young children and a business, coupled with a worldwide pandemic, hasn’t made that a possibility. When you run a [small business](https://www.financedigest.com/10-dirty-tricks-for-small-businesses-to-watch-out-for-when-negotiating.html "10 dirty tricks for Small Businesses to watch out for when negotiating") you have to be on top of everything, from operations and branding to sales and marketing. It’s impossible to be good at everything: I’ve tried my best to [learn as much as I can by reading up on various business](https://www.financedigest.com/what-b2b-businesses-can-learn-from-b2c-e-commerce.html "What B2B businesses can learn from B2C e-commerce") subjects, so that at least I can have a general understanding when hiring others to do the job. I’ve also accepted that there are ebbs and flows within business and that you can never be complacent, so I try to forward [plan as much as possible](https://www.financedigest.com/uniper-rescue-plan-takes-shape-with-price-rises-possible.html "Uniper rescue plan takes shape, with price rises possible"). # **Where next?** My plans for MyOva [moving forward](https://www.financedigest.com/life-is-moving-forward-china-declares-new-covid-phase.html "‘Life is moving forward’: China declares new COVID phase") are to continue growing and embracing our community. Our Facebook group, ‘The PCOS Collective’ is a [place for people living](https://www.financedigest.com/terraced-streets-most-neighbourly-places-to-live.html "Terraced streets most neighbourly places to live") with PCOS to connect and share their experiences. We are here to support women in every area of their life, because PCOS is multifaceted,and it can’t affect one area of your life without affecting another. ![](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/popoutblack-2-1736815974381-compressed.jpg) We hope that with the [launch this year](https://www.financedigest.com/musk-says-tesla-will-launch-prototype-of-humanoid-robot-next-year.html "Musk says Tesla will launch prototype of humanoid robot next year") of three new Myo-inositol based supplements; Metabolism, Hair, Skin & Nails and Balance, in addition to our existing Preconception and bestselling Myoplus formula, we will offer a solution for every aspect of PCOS. They [say that whilst you are going through a difficult time](https://www.financedigest.com/over-half-of-financial-smbs-say-they-dont-have-time-to-understand-cybersecurity.html "Over half of Financial SMBs say they don’t have time to understand cybersecurity"), you’ll look back and be thankful for what has been. I feel like this [business found me at just the right time](https://www.financedigest.com/isnt-it-time-open-banking-delivered-for-businesses.html "Isn’t It Time Open Banking Delivered for Businesses?"). It’s helped me grow, so that I can help others. I read recently that as soon as you are pregnant, fetal cells migrate all over a mother’s body, becoming part of the heart, the brain, and blood. So, whilst I’ll never meet the babies I lost, I know each one of them helped push me closer to ultimate purpose. [popoutblack](https://www.financedigest.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/popoutblack.pdf) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---