Alison Wood is the founder of Lilypads, a social venture which aims to ensure menstruation is not a barrier to education through the sale of affordable reusable sanitary pads and provision of menstrual health education. 

She created Lilypads after learning that schoolgirls in Kenya were exchanging sex for sanitary pads, to remain in education. Through an innovative business model Lilypads subsidises their work internationally through the sale of a pad in the UK, this enables them to support girls most in need. 

We discussed:

Why investment isn’t always the best route
How to take advice mindfully
Taking risks in order to build a purpose led business
How to block out the noise
The value of having a vision you can believe in