Navigating Hormone Health with Danielle Stanton & Matthew Stern

In this week's episode, Jeanne Collins sits down with Danielle Stanton from Fuel4Ever and Matthew Stern from Nuvella.com, to unpack the truth about hormone replacement therapy, women’s health, and the critical need for better access, education, and advocacy. 

Danielle shares her deeply personal journey through misdiagnosis and how HRT transformed her life, while Matt reveals his mission to revolutionize care through scalable, affordable telehealth solutions. 

Together, they break down the stigma, misinformation, and systemic gaps that have left millions of women underserved—while offering practical insight into how women can take control of their health, rebuild energy, and reclaim their vitality through informed, proactive choices.

More about Matt and Nuvella: https://directmeds.com/dmo/nuvella

Matt Stern is a builder. 

Fresh off the acquisition of MyStart Health by DirectMeds, Matt has now achieved his second consecutive startup exit, reinforcing what his track record already makes clear: he knows how to turn vision into reality. From zero to scale, he has built companies that have collectively generated over $300 million in revenue.

In 2024, Matt founded MyStart Health with a clear thesis—healthcare access in America is broken, and technology can fix it. The company rapidly scaled to thousands of active subscribers, validating both the demand and the model. That momentum led to its acquisition by DirectMeds, where Matt now serves as President of Women’s Health, leading the charge in building a category-defining healthcare platform designed to expand access for millions of Americans.

More about Danielle and Fuel4Ever: https://www.fuel4ever.com

Danielle Stanton is the CEO and cofounder of Fuel 4 Ever, a purpose-driven snack company creating clean protein products in partnership with students and local schools.

What began as her personal health journey evolved into a larger mission: helping the next generation learn entrepreneurship, nutrition, and confidence through real product creation.

Through Fuel 4 Ever’s One Bite One Day™ initiative, students participate in building consumer packaged goods while a portion of every product supports their future.

Danielle is a holistic nutritionist with a master’s degree in counseling education and has spent her career educating families about the connection between nutrition and mental health. Today, she leads Fuel 4 Ever as both a business and community impact platform — proving snacks can do more than fuel bodies. They can fuel futures.

Fuel 4 Ever has recently been featured in Forbes, ABC News, Authority Magazine, and Trend Hunter.

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Transcript

Introducing Danielle Stanton & Matthew Stern

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Welcome to the show, everybody. I'm your host, Gene Collins. And today we have an extra special episode. We have two returning guests on the show today. We have Matt Stern and Daniel Stanton on the show. And we are going to be talking about women's health and HRT. But before we do, we recorded this episode about six weeks ago. And in that short period of time, so much has changed in Matt's world that I asked Matt to come back on so that we can record a little bit of an intro to update you on what's going on with his company, with HRT, and with his launch. And then we will move into the episode. And I promise everything we talk about still applies. But the updates of what Matt has accomplished in the last six weeks are incredible and fantastic news for women's health. So, Matt, update us on you and what is going on.

Major Update on HRT Launch and DirectMeds Merger

SPEAKER_00 0:47

Yeah, thanks, Gene. It's great to be back with you always. I uh love to see you and love to have these conversations. It's been, yeah, I'd say the wildest six weeks of my life as an entrepreneur. We had gone out to the market uh looking to raise capital and really support the launch of HRT in a big way and this women's health initiative that we've had and we've been working on uh fine-tuning over the last year. And in those discussions, um, we got into a deeper discussion with a bigger company in the space that found what we were doing and what we were developing super interesting. And I think, you know, the pride that we've had in my start over the last couple of years has been really leading, I'd say, the charge in terms of caring for patients and building protocols that really meet the patient where they are with a high level of empathy. And that was recognized by a much larger group in the space that, you know, kind of approached me about the idea of us joining forces and doing it together. And uh, so yeah, we uh officially about a week and a half ago signed an agreement to merge the companies together and essentially sell the MyStart business to a group called DirectMeds. So it's directmeds.com. And Direct Meds also, I'd say, out of any of the groups that I've met in this space, leads with care and leads with patient first. And that really like hit me in the heart more than anything. And they really believe that this is an underserved market, the way that I believe that, you know, women have not had the same access as men to innovative healthcare solutions over the last 20 years. But now's the time to make that change. And they see it in their own patient base. They have over a hundred thousand patients that they've served over the last year and a half. They've built an incredible platform. They have an amazing nurse care team that's really at the heart of what they do. So they lead with these nurses that are holding your hand through the entire process. And we're gonna be hiring specific nurses to just focus on women's health specifically and this HRT program that we're bringing to market. And yeah, we've we're bringing it to life. It's uh it's coming this week.

SPEAKER_02 2:48

I love it. It's so exciting. And not that I had any doubt that you and my start were gonna get your HRT initiative off the ground, because I really think you would have. I think that's fantastic. But I do love that you have found someone larger with bigger pockets and more access and more resources and some of the infrastructure that's already created that you were trying to build. And that means that everything will happen faster. So I think that's super exciting. And so, just for clarity, if people are wondering, because we do have a whole episode where you came out and talked about GLP1s. So the new company has a GLP one business. So, what happens to your existing GLP one business under MyStart?

SPEAKER_00 3:29

Correct. Yeah, MyStart will continue to run as it does now, serving the patients that we have. You know, we have about 5,000 patients at MyStart that will continue receiving their GLP ones. Nothing will change there. Eventually, we will probably wind up moving all those GLP one customers over to DirectMeds. They have a massively robust operation around GLP ones, a lot of patient support around GLP ones. So I'd be excited for our patients to roll to that platform too. I think they'll get a great continuity of care there. And then my objective becomes how do we launch Novella, which is N-U-V-E-L-L-A. Novella is our women's-led women's first brand that we're bringing to the market. And we'll start with HRT. GLP ones will also be a part of that program because we, I think, talk about in our episode how there is this like mutually beneficial relationship between HRT and GLP ones that women can really see an amplifying benefit. A lot more studies coming out there around how HRT in combination with GLP ones can produce better health outcomes. So we'll still offer that as part of the Novella program as well. And then we'll also be launching into other areas of women's health that are really important. I'd say over the next 12, 18 months, you'll see us move into fertility and dermatology and longevity as like a general category, um, completely focused around uh women-centered care.

SPEAKER_02 4:48

I love that. Okay, that would you, I think you mentioned three things. That means you're going to be a guest on the show at least three more times to come back and talk about each one of those initiatives as they launch. Because as you and I were talking about very briefly before we jumped on to record this intro, there is so much going on in women's health. And I would say probably 80% of the last set of guests that I've had on the show, women's health has actually been the subject. And it just feels like there is such demand for information and resources and knowledge and technology is changing and the science, there's so much being invested in women's health. So I would think for someone like you who's definitely an entrepreneurial geek, this is really exciting for you to be able to not just be about HRT, but to be able to be about something much bigger.

SPEAKER_00 5:34

Yeah, it's so exciting. And there is more innovation happening all the time. I'm really excited to hear that other people are asking you about it and bringing the topic to you. I think the timing is right. It's the it's an emerging market for sure, and that's been under served for far too long. And it's, you know, more than 50% of our population that that needs this help. So it's a massive market. And I think it's just all it's so exciting. Fertility has popped up on my radar like a lot the last like month. Um, more and more people bringing me different companies that are trying to innovate in that space. And so that probably does become the next frontier that I become really interested in. Also has a very deep connection to my wife and my journey together and how we've, you know, created our family. So yeah, it's definitely a problem that so many people face. And we'll just keep, you know, attacking those problems as we go.

SPEAKER_02 6:22

Yeah. All right. So before we go, I just want to say one comment, which I think is so, so important. One of the things that you did with my start in GLP once was really about making it available to the masses. And I know that was one of your initiatives with HRT was really trying to make knowledge and product and access to doctors and care available to a wider audience. And so when you say things like longevity and fertility, I love the concept of thinking that you'll be involved in that because those two subjects right now are not even close to available to the masses. Those are exclusively for the very, very wealthy. None of it's supported by insurance. It is really all concierge service. And so it makes me so happy to hear you mention those two things as it relates to women's health because I know that you won't want to get into them if you can't achieve the goal of trying to make it more broadly available to everyone. So I thank you in advance for that. That is cool.

SPEAKER_00 7:16

Thank you. You just gave me chills saying that. Yeah, it access and affordability is at the heart of everything that we do and we focus on. And that's another area that the founders of Direct Meds and the executive leadership there and I have really aligned on is that access and affordability and care. Those are like, I'd say care number one, but access and affordability right behind that, if it can't reach people in all 50 states, if we can't get a price point that's accessible to the broader population of the United States, then we're not interested in it. So that's what's had to be developed. You know, over the last year, we've had to build relationships and doc with doctors and with a care team that is spread across all 50 states and that is willing to do the work at a price that is accessible and bring that level of care and empathy to the table. So that when they're dealing with our patients, there is that like personal eye touch and personal, you know, personalization of the product and of the care um that we're providing. So that's the that's really exciting. Yeah, I think you know, the HRT program, I'll get it out to you hopefully soon. We'll you know, have you go through it, Gene, and give us your feedback as we roll out to friends and family over the next month. But yeah, the price point's gonna be sub$200 a month, and you're gonna get all of the care, blood work, everything rolled into that. It's gonna be totally comprehensive and uh totally personalized, which is super exciting.

SPEAKER_02 8:30

Amazing. I am happy to become a patient. So, you know, I'm a huge fan of HRT and I take all the things. So I would absolutely welcome being a part of the launch of that and sharing that. So thank you so much. So everybody, Novella.com, it's gonna be in the show notes, directmeds.com, Matt Stern, congratulations to you. You are now the president of Novella, this division, the president of women's health. And on behalf of all women out there, we couldn't ask for a greater advocate out there really doing the hard work for women and for our health. So I thank you so much. Congratulations, and I hope everyone loves the episode that is coming next with you and Danielle. It's amazing. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 9:10

Thank you, Gene. So fun. Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 9:20

A destination for you to reimagine what is possible in your life and then create it. Hi, everybody, welcome to the show. I'm your host, Gene Collins, and today we have a really special show for you guys. First of all, this is the first time we're recording with two guests, so I'm really excited about that. Both guests have been on the show before individually, also very cool. And we are going to talk about hormone replacement therapy, folks. So, this is a subject near and dear to my heart. So I am so excited, both Danielle Stanton and Matt Stern decided to come back to the show so that we can talk about hormone replacement health together. So, welcome, guys. Hi there. Happy Friday. Thanks for having us.

SPEAKER_00 10:06

Hey, yeah, great to see you both.

SPEAKER_02 10:08

Yes, it's so great. And for us, this is such a challenge because we have to not talk over each other when we record. So it is hard enough with two people and exceptionally hard with three. So we are going to do our best. Okay. So just to give everybody some frame of reference, Danielle was on the show before. We were talking about women's health, hormone replacement therapy. She is the co-founder of a company, Fuel Forever, guys, which you have to go back and watch her episode. It is such a cool company about creating healthy snacks and she works with children and schools. It is everything. And you just have these new protein bites. I'm going to put a little plug for that here. And you sent them to me, and they were delicious. So thank you for that.

SPEAKER_01 10:48

Thank you.

Danielle’s Personal Journey with Perimenopause and HRT

SPEAKER_02 10:49

So I'm excited for you to share a little bit about your journey. But before you do, I also want to talk about Matt Stern. So Matt Stern was on here before. We were talking about GLP ones. And his company, MyStart Health, he's the CEO of that company, offers GLP ones to the masses, which is amazing. But guess what? He is launching into HRT space. And so we are going to specifically talk about how his company is going to be doing that, why they're doing that, the opportunity that there is to serve a broader base of women with information that both Danielle and I have struggled to get and are so grateful to have found. So it gives you a little background on everybody. Okay. Before we get started, Danielle, can you share a little bit about your experience with hormones and hormone health? Just to give everyone some reference about your experience with that.

SPEAKER_01 11:37

Well, I started uh about 10 years ago. So in my late 30s, I started experiencing symptoms of depression, insomnia, um, just night sweats, just all these symptoms. And unfortunately, I was misdiagnosed when I went down a very tough road. And at some point I said, there must be more. I'm misdiagnosed. And so I was very happy that I found a functional medicine doctor that diagnosed me with perimetopause. I've been on HRT, bioidentical hormones for 10 years, and it has been a game changer. I sleep well, I am active, I am the best shape of my life. I don't have any mental health issues as I as I was having before. It's just been the best experience. And I also, I'm very, it's very important that I consistently meet with my doctor every six months and I get my labs checked. It's something I always say, I'm the CEO of my health. So I take it very seriously. Just because I I'm on HRT doesn't mean I don't stop. I stop and go to the doctor. I consistently see him and get my labs checked for the last 10 years.

The Problem with Misdiagnosis and Lack of Access

SPEAKER_02 12:56

Yeah, which is so important. And I know from our conversation before, I had a similar experience to you. And I couldn't even believe this. And we talked months ago. I had a friend just yesterday who posted on Instagram. She is about 40 years old, and she was having perimenopause symptoms, and she went to the doctor, and the doctor said, No, that's not what's wrong with you. And she asked to be put on HRT and they said no. And they put her on birth control. They put her on birth control for a couple of months. She then came back and said, I've been doing all this research. I've gone to conferences, I've read books, I've listened to podcasts, I've talked to other people. There is still something wrong. And birth control is not the right solution. And they still said no. She had to fight so hard to get put on hormone replacement therapy. And I sent her a note. I said, it is unbelievable to me that in this day and age of information, and we live in a very affluent, wealthy community outside of New York City, that you had to fight as a woman for what you think is the appropriate care for yourself. And it is mind-blowing to me. So I love that you shared that you had to be the CEO of your own health because I think it is so, so important. So thank you for that. Okay, Matt, that's why you come in because you are going to help us by bringing us information and by bringing a service and products to a broader spectrum of women so it isn't so hard. So can you talk about what you are launching and also why?

SPEAKER_00 14:32

Yeah, that was it. Thank you for sharing that story of your friend because that is exactly why we're here and why we're all talking together. It gives me chills. Like just listening to you tell that story of that woman's experience and knowing Danielle personally and knowing her journey is everything of why I'm here and doing what I'm doing today. It's the experience of my mother, it's the experience of my wife, and the experience of my friends like Danielle and yourself that is just firing me up every day to take on this journey and take on the traditional healthcare system because it's that story of access, um, it's a story of affordability, and it's a story of education that's been totally misled. Half of our population's been completely neglected and mistreated over the last 20 plus years. And it's time for, you know, people with the capability like me around building companies and technology to put the power back in the hands of women. And I love how Danielle also describes herself as being the CEO of her own health, but a lot of people don't have that level of advocacy for themselves to be able to do that. And it's up to us, you know, it's up to people that have the knowledge and have the skill set to build a business like this, to come alongside women and really empower them with a platform to uplift themselves and uplift the women around them so that there is a solution that is effective, affordable, and we can reach everyone across the country. Because again, like you recognize, right, there's also these like affluent areas where you can find a naturopath or you can find a holistic medicine doctor. That doesn't exist in 90% of the country. So we're also, you know, very privileged to live in San Francisco and New York and these areas that we live, but the rest of the country doesn't have the kind of access that we do. And we're gonna open up these programs like we have for GLP ones, we're gonna open up a hormone therapy program to the rest of the country.

How GLP-1s and HRT Work Together for Better Health

SPEAKER_02 16:27

Which is so important. All right, so wait, before I don't want to skip over GLP ones because if anyone has not watched the episode that launched the week before this with Dr. Funk, which is really important, it's all about breast cancer and what women can do. We dive really deeply into what women can do to proactively reduce their risk of breast cancer. And GLP ones are on her list of things that women can do to help them reduce the risk of breast cancer. And so she's also a huge proponent of that. She's also a huge proponent of HRT. She's a friend of yours. And so she was fabulous. So if anyone hasn't watched the episode right before this, we're doing back-to-back episodes to really dive into women's health. Be sure you do that. So before we move into HRT, I don't want to skip over GLP1s because you are your business is started on GLP1. So would you mind sharing a little bit about how the business works from a GLP one perspective? And then we can move into the news part of HRT.

SPEAKER_00 17:20

Yeah, absolutely. And I would say Danielle is even more of an expert on this topic than I am too, in the way that she's studied women's health specifically. So I'd love for her to speak on it as well. But from my perspective, in getting into the telehealth business and really going deep in GLP1s, we've served over 20,000 people with our GLP1 program. And what I've learned through that and learned through the study of women's health over the last year and a half of being in the business, almost two years now of being in the business, is that the two in combination are actually way more powerful. Um, you have a Mayo clinic study that says that there's 35% more effectiveness to weight loss if you're on a hormone therapy program as a menopausal woman. So you have one of the foremost experts or like, you know, I say like authorities on health in the country with a study that that shows that. But more so, I think, you know, where Dr. Funk is an incredible advocate and expert is around the anti-inflammatory benefits of GLP once and what that does overall to your metabolic health. But now all the studies coming out this year are going to be around brain health, sleep, brain health, gut health. Um, like it's going deep. And people don't believe it because these peptides are so revolutionary. But yes, it's it is impacting your weight loss and getting you to a healthy weight, which we know prevents diabetes and can reverse prediabetes, but all the other ancillary health benefits are coming as well. Then paired with hormone therapy, specifically for women in perimenopause and menopause, seems to be a game changer.

SPEAKER_02 18:57

Danielle, anything you want to say on that subject?

SPEAKER_01 19:00

No, I think it's he's exactly right. I think it's a great tool. Women are struggling in perimetopause and menopause. And if there's any tools out there that can help them with HRT, why not? And then also be educated about if you are going to take these, getting proper nutrition, lifting weights, daily movement, and you know, all the pillars, sleep, and just really focus. It's not all just one thing, it's the whole selective, you know, pillars of health. And so I think it's great what Matt's doing. And there's just so many resources for people, but it's just finding the giving them the access. And I'm so happy now that I can share what Matt's doing because I have so many women that are talking to me, like, what do I, what do I do? And it's so hard to find the right support. And we have to help people.

Building a Nationwide Telehealth Model for Women

SPEAKER_02 19:53

Yeah, we do. And it's amazing to me how I also had another friend. I'll share this story too. I also have another friend who surprisingly lives in LA, who's 55 years old. She is still on birth control. I spoke to her the other day. And she has not spoken to other females that she knows about what's going on with her body. And she's like, I just feel like something's off. And the doctor just said to her, you can just stay on birth control because your mother didn't go into menopause till she was 60. So you just stay on birth control. And she's telling me all the things that are happening to her. And this is a super intelligent woman who's an entrepreneur, runs her own business. And I didn't want to say to her. I looked at her and I was like, but but Lisa, there's so much information out there about what's happening to your body. You need to start reading, you need to start educating yourself about what's happening to your body because she was starting to get so frustrated because her body was not performing the way it had before. And she's Uber healthy and eats really well and exercises, but was having to have all these other side effects of, you know, being tired and lethargic. And I was like, this is very menopause, my friend. And she's like, but it's not hot flashes. And I was like, I know it's not, but there's so much more. And I just I could once again, I could not believe that there are just so many people who don't have the access to the information. And so I am happy that both of you are here to share that information because there's just so many people who really feel frustrated and the doctors are not helping them at all. They're just telling them they're fine or just keep doing this. So, okay, Matt. So let's talk about your company. What are you guys going to be offering that can help with A, education, and B, products and services?

SPEAKER_00 21:43

So it's been a journey to build out a HRT program that can reach people in all 50 states. It's not as straightforward as a GLP 1 weight loss program, which you see kind of everywhere out there in the country. So we've had to really analyze the right pharmacies to come alongside and partner with, the right doctors. That are actually trained in menopause and treating menopause. And that's not easy to accomplish. So we've been working very hard on that over the last year as we've learned, as we've seen this as kind of an emerging need in the marketplace. And we've arrived at a place where I feel like we have the protocols in place to really meet women where they are in this journey and build a true connection and relationship there. Because right now, like your friend that you mentioned, that's 55, if she's not on social media, she doesn't really have access to education and community around these topics. Like that's where the education is currently being done. And so I think it's on us to come alongside women like yourself and build a community that's founded in education, founded in medical principles to educate a broader market around the availability and then to have the medical expertise backed behind that so that when you do reach out, you can connect with a doctor that truly can meet you where you are. And you're not walking into another doctor's office and they're telling you, ah, don't worry about it. It's just a part of life. Right.

SPEAKER_02 23:04

Yeah. So from a telehealth perspective for your business, some telehealth businesses, you don't necessarily have the opportunity to meet with the same doctor every time you interact with the service. Can you talk about how you plan to approach that for your business?

SPEAKER_00 24:09

Great question. Yeah. I think that is a big part of our work that we've done over the last year is how do we accomplish that? It's not easy from a telehealth setting to make sure that a doctor is available at the same time that you need them to be available. But we have built this technical process on the back end that A has a charting system so that if you do meet with a different clinician or a different NP the next time you come in, they have a record of your history and what you've what you've spoken about and where you are in your journey. So that part is continuity of care, right, is what really what we're talking about. Right. So accomplishing that from a technology perspective is one piece. But actually on the doctor's side, we're making a big push where you can meet with the same doc. So you can schedule and find time where your schedules do sink. And if you want to see that person, you may have to be a little bit more patient. Maybe we'll nail it and get you the same time, same date that like immediately you want to get there. I think we're going to get really close to that, or as close to that as we can get to. But in the absence of that, you'll be able to schedule and get with the same doc um that you saw before. Or if you want to expedite it and speak to another coalition, you'll know that, and this is about building trust, right? As a brand and as a company, but you'll know through multiple experiences with us that we've got your back and that we understand you. And you're not having to reset and explain things every single time you come in. So that is a big focus of how we're designing the program.

Bloodwork, Personalization, and Long-Term Care

SPEAKER_02 25:28

So a little technical question here, because Danielle talked about continual testing. And I know for myself, I go every month to two to three months for continual testing for everything that I'm on. And I know Danielle does too, because you're constant, your body's constantly changing. And so the uh let's call it the chemical cocktail of hormone replacement therapies, and because you have that, you have the patch, you have testosterone, which comes as a cream, you have progesterone, which comes in a pill, you have suppositories, which is a cream also. So there's lots of different things that you can have at different doses to kind of create trying to find the right balance for you to make your symptoms better. So, like Danielle said, she goes frequently for testing. I do as well. How is your company going to accommodate that for someone? Like, what is the protocol for that? Because it should never be, let's go take a blood test, take some pills, and come back a year later.

SPEAKER_00 26:22

Another great question. So we're partnering with Blood Work that is on like the foremost innovative side of these blood work companies and labs that are really at the cutting edge of making it as convenient and accessible and affordable as possible. There's a company by the name of Tasso, which is incredible, that you pop on your arm at home and it takes a vial and they ship it back in and it's seamless. It goes to a really reputable lab, and then that those lab results are API back into our patient portal, into the customer experience. So you have them readily available for you there. And the way that we're doing it, we're trying to make it as available as you need it. Our protocols are gonna require it every quarter to six months, depending on what you're self-reporting as your symptoms. So if you're doing great and you're rolling and like you're feeling good, like I don't think we need to interrupt that and say like every quarter you have to have blood work, but every six months for sure, I think it's a good practice and that you should have. And we're gonna, you know, align with these amazing blood work companies that I'm super excited about to make that happen. And then our team will be personalizing off of that. So yeah, that's on the blood work side. On the product side, like you asked, it's another complicated part of this program because there are so many delivery mechanisms for estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone that we do need to get to learn from our patients what their needs are. You know, I think you two are in the 0.01% of the audience that we're helping where you really know what works for you at this point. And so maybe you come to my start and you're like, these are the products that I want. But I think the reality is we're gonna be solving for the masses that don't know. And so we're gonna start with some really baseline formulas that our doctors feel comfortable prescribing out the gates so we can build a relationship with you over the first 30 days and really get you onto something that moves the needle. Like we can get you feeling better in the first 30 days and you build that connection with us and our docs, that's the an amazing outcome, right? For the first 30 days. Then we're gonna start coaching you on the benefits of blood work and what we get to know from a personalization perspective from the blood work. And you then have that trust with us that, like, we know what we're talking about. So you're more likely to go do the blood work and take the next step in the journey with us. And then we can start to really personalize products off of that and customize from there.

SPEAKER_01 28:39

I also think women, this is, I mean, this is so exciting for women, but I think women also have to play an active part in their own health as well. So understanding, okay, I'm taking this estradiol. What am I taking this for? What are the symptoms I'm having? And why am I taking progesterone? Why am I taking to start understanding the symptoms and understanding the HRT is so important because you also have to be an advocate, but also understand what you're putting in your body. So educating, having these doctors is great, but also study up on it. You know, I know it's it's it's easy for me to say, but I didn't know anything about this 10 years ago. And I just started learning and I'm still learning. I I just went from an estradiol cream to a pill, and I started experiencing different issues and I just wrote it down, what I've been experiencing. And then I went to my doctor and I said, This is what I'm experiencing. Is this typical? And then we have that conversation. So again, being in charge of your body as well.

Debunking HRT Myths and Medical Misinformation

SPEAKER_02 29:42

Well, and you said something that I think is so important because I think so many women also don't realize symptoms that could be related to lack of hormones. And so you're we when you say like write down anything that's happening, you're really talking about anything that is happening that feels off, right? It's like it could be that you don't have a lot of energy. It could be that you can't fall asleep. It's not just I have hot flashes. It could be that you're irritable, brain fog. It could be so many different things that can be caused. Right. There's so much, so much, and so many people don't even know. And so I love that you said write it down because it's just keep a log of anything and not just what it is, what time of day it happens. Because I also found some of the supplements that I'm taking, I had to change when I took them during the day. And just by making a simple change in a supplement and taking it at night versus taking it in the morning actually helped my hot flashes. So simple. I didn't, I didn't know that, would have never thought. But my functional medicine doctor was able to tell me that, oh, you can take that supplement. Why don't you take it at night and see if that helps you? Try it at night for 30 days instead of in the morning. And it did. It I who knew? But I had to speak up and say, I'm kind of struggling with this right now, and hot flashes isn't normally my struggle, but I feel like I am and I don't know why. And how do I tweak and adjust?

SPEAKER_01 31:09

And these things take time too. A lot of times women are like, when am I gonna feel better right away? And I'm like, these things take time. And if you've been experiencing this for years, it could take a good six months to a year to feel yourself. And so a lot of times they want that quick fix and they have to understand they have to be patient. And that sometimes it's just working with the doctor and figuring out different doses. I mean, the doctors are still figuring it out as well. It's still very new. I talk to my girlfriend a lot about our hormone levels and what she's, her levels, and what her doctor wants, because we just want to have, you know, having those conversations that are so valuable.

SPEAKER_02 31:48

Yeah, they are. They are. So, Matt, I have another question. For many years, so I can't even believe Danielle was dealing with this 10 years ago. 10 years ago, HRT was like, oh my goodness, no, you don't do that causes cancer, right? And then you dig a little into the research. And when you actually really look at the research study, it's like the increase in potential risk cancer was so minute versus the advantages of HRT. But for so many years, that's the space, the headspace that doctors lived in. And I'm pretty sure there are probably a lot of doctors in our country that are still living in that head space. So, Matt, how do you, as a company, when you're going to go launch a company, put information onto the internet, how do you address that concern for people?

SPEAKER_00 32:34

Well, you two are the perfect examples of of how you address it. I think it it really is women leading women and wanting to help women with their own joint journey and their own stories. I think that creates trust in the marketplace, right? Amongst your friends, like that they have a firsthand person that they can look at and see themselves in and follow their lead. Like that is where a lot of the education is coming from and where a lot of the trust is going to be built. So, you know, that's why I'm so grateful that you're willing to host us and have this conversation, because I think this really is where it starts. I think it's by having these conversations and and letting and just putting it out there, right? Normalizing the conversation, moving it away from this fear conversation of cancer and actually like getting real education in real people's hands. On the medical side, I guess I could answer that too, but like you you have this entrenchment over the last 20 years of doctors that have been classically trained around the women's health initiative that was this billion dollar study in the early 2000s, which you you know pointed out was complete bullshit. And now they've debunked that and you know, the shifted the FDA came out in November and said this is the biggest blunder in healthcare history, right? That this has been allowed to go on. So now that you have this shift happening, there are fortunately doctors like the amazing ones that you guys have that are have already been educated on this the last 10 years and educating themselves and their patients. And so we've gone on a search to find those docs. Like, who are those docs that want to reach a broader audience and want to really help women and are educated and can connect emotionally to the women and where they are, meet them where they are today. So those are the groups that we're aligning with and we're excited to partner with. So that's how we're gonna accomplish it is like just it's it's a it really is hand-to-hand combat, right? We need to have docs that are willing to do the hard work, they're willing to spend the time and really educate and come alongside women.

SPEAKER_01 34:24

And I do feel misinformation and fear is the driving factor why a lot of women don't even want to start the conversation because they hear misinformation. And for me, 10 years ago, I had a lot of people say, oh no, you can't do that. And and I have a history of family history of breast cancer, and I was got all the information and I made the decision that was best for myself and my family and my marriage. And I'm so happy that I listened to my doctor and also did the research. And I I just I really just having that power of knowing all the information is gonna set you up for success when you're in menopause. And it's such a better life. The quality of life is I I never thought I would be here at 50 feeling this good.

SPEAKER_02 35:13

Well, and everybody, you got to go follow her on Instagram. Danielle is in like phenomenal shape.

SPEAKER_01 35:22

I wasn't there 10. I wasn't there before, though. And I would say HRT is a big reason why I'm where I'm at. So I think that a lot of times I worked hard, yes, but having those hormones make it easier to build muscle.

SPEAKER_02 35:37

Yeah, it makes a huge difference. I think so many women don't realize because if you don't have the hormones, it's really hard to build muscle. That's what Danielle's talking about. And so, and it's also super important, and you are a perfect example of this, is not only do you need the hormones, but you do need the weightlifting. There are so many studies out there that talk about how weightlifting is so, so important as you get older for your bone health and for your muscle growth. And also super important if you're on GLP ones, because you can lose muscle mass on GLP ones. So, what I find so interesting is it's all so interconnected. And it's like I feel as I sit here and listen to you talk about everything that you're doing, and I know everything that I'm doing. If you can just make steps towards starting to feel better in your body, the other things that you need to do to continue your good health, such as eat really well and move and exercise and lift weights and sleep better, it all starts to kind of happen and move if you can get to that first spot with a change that can make you feel better about your body.

SPEAKER_01 36:46

And I think this is a daily lifestyle. It, you know, we say it all the time: create a lifestyle that you can do forever. And I think the quick fixes, all these fad diets, they are just temporary. If you can, you know, do something every day. And if it's walking, if it's dancing, if it's weightlifting, whatever you are passionate about or excited about, do it every day. And then incorporate, you know, healthy foods, nutrient-dense foods, protein. But there's so much information. I think it's overwhelming for women. They hear, like, oh, do I have to do this? Do I have to do that? Just find what works best for you that you can incorporate into your lifestyle. So when you're traveling, you don't feel like, oh, I can't do that because that's not part of my diet. Make a lifestyle that you that's easy to live by. And then it's not that hard. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 37:41

That's really well said. Yeah. And I think what you were touching on is also how do you create momentum in your life? And part of that is, yeah, finding a plan that works for you that you can commit to every single day. Part of it is also having a little empathy for yourself and understanding that, like, not every day is going to be an hour workout, nor is that necessary. But if you can find 10, 20, 30 minutes a day to get started, that's my biggest coaching advice to any of our patients when they reach out and they say, like, I'm not seeing the results that I need. And like, I'm checking in on them and seeing like, what are the things that you're doing day to day to build those consistent habits beyond just the GLP one? Right. And so, how do we get them to get 10 pound weights just sitting on the side so that like they can grab them for 10 minutes a day? And once you start to grab them for 10 minutes, that 10 minutes becomes 12 minutes, becomes 15, becomes 20, becomes a walk outside, becomes a weighted vest. Like all of those things build on each other. But like once you're when you're stuck and you haven't done anything, or you've been feeling these symptoms for 10 years, or you've been dealing with this weight gain for 10 years and not having the energy and not being able to sleep, you can't expect it or reverse that in the course of a week. And if you try to, you burn out so quick because you're gonna be sore and then you're gonna be uncomfortable. And then like, you know, you negatively compound in the opposite direction. So it's really having patience with yourself and having patience with the process to just build these little habits every day that start to compound. So true.

Testosterone, Libido, and Breaking the Silence

SPEAKER_02 39:06

And you have to have patience when you're talking about hormone therapy as well, because it does take time, which we touched on the fact that it takes time. So I have another real quick question, Matt. So I know for myself personally, I use testosterone cream. I didn't start out using testosterone cream. And I'm gonna bring this up because of the reason why I use testosterone cream, which is a subject that a lot of women don't love to talk about. And the reason for that is my doctor was like, you're doing great on the patch and you're doing great with your progesterone because you don't have a lot of hot flashes and you're sleeping really well and you're sleeping through the night. I think you're great. And I said to him, I said, I know, but I my sex drive has like disappeared. And I had to, you know, I have a male gynecologist. I had to sit there and say to him, but like, I feel like that part of my anatomy isn't even attached to my body. Like, what has happened to me? And he's a guy and he's super funny. And he's like, you know what I do? He goes, I just tell my wife to call me whenever she's ready. And I look at him, I'm like, but that is not okay. I'm not okay with that. And so he said, Okay, here, here's this woman's name, here's her phone number, give her a call. And I had no idea who I was calling. And it turned out I was calling a compound lab. Okay. So the woman at the compound lab, of course, is making fun of my gynecologist. And I was like, I don't want to feel like there's something wrong with me by me saying I want to have some sort of sex drive back again. I I don't want to feel shame in saying that. I think that's an okay thing to say. She's like, of course. So she put me on testosterone cream, and it has absolutely helped. So I share the story just because it's part of this process that women don't necessarily like to talk about. And testosterone is not just I'm going to take testosterone and then grow hair everywhere. But I also have a question, which is I can only get the testosterone cream from the compound lab. So as you're creating a business that wants to make all of hormone replacement available for women at a broad spectrum, can they get everything in one place from your services?

SPEAKER_00 41:08

Yes. And so that's a lot of the work that we've done over the last year is how do we create a comprehensive program that also includes testosterone? And currently, I think from a regulatory perspective, testosterone is being looked at and potentially maybe deregulated in a way where it's treated much more like estrogen and progesterone, because I think that again, historical science on it is being debunked. But in the world that we live in today, it is treated differently. And so that is where the blood work comes in as well, because none of our doctors will prescribe testosterone without seeing blood work first, for men or for women. That's just the way it works. So we've gone through and worked with each of our doctors on this protocol where once you're on estrogen and progesterone for a period of time and we set a baseline with you, then we do blood work. Then, based on that blood work, if you're still not seeing the results that you want, right? If you're still reporting that I don't have my sex drive back, or I'm not really feeling like myself yet, and like you want to take it to another level, testosterone is often that lever in my research that can move the needle and take it to that next level where you really start to feel like a younger version of yourself. Like you're describing, I think Danielle is also a great expert on this topic. I've seen a lot of her content on it. Um so I'd love for her to speak to it too, but we're ready for it. And yeah, our our compound pharmacies that we're partnered with also are, you know, very medically vetted, like tested, are ready to fulfill on all of those hormones.

SPEAKER_01 42:33

Yeah, I I love testosterone. And I don't know how women can't live without it. You know, I was on testosterone cream for most of perimetapause. And then when I went into menopause, I saw a big drop in my libido, my energy, my femininity. I was really tired. And so I switched to injections, very low dose. I don't feel like I'm manly or have hair anywhere. And honestly, I would take the facial hair just to feel how I feel. I feel like myself again. I'm my libido's back. I have energy. I just, it's life-changing. And I'm just, it's so sad to me that people can't get that feeling. And and no one should be living this way. And testosterone should not be easier for my husband to get it than me. We should, it should be equal. And so I just think don't be afraid of it's it's a hormone that women need and that we lose. My my best friend just showed me her blood report, and she has it's not even detected testosterone. And she's asking, why am I so tired? And why do I not have a libido? And why do I feel a little bit depressed? Well, you're missing a major hormone that you need. Yeah. And it's it's not right that she should be living this way and she shouldn't be. I can't wait for to to recommend her to Matt because I I I just feel like she has nowhere to go. Yeah. And and so the it's just not right. And we need to start advocating that this should be just as easy for women as it is for men.

SPEAKER_02 44:12

Right. Well, and that's why I brought it up and shared my story because lots of women don't want to talk about it. When you see women going out to lunch, they're not sitting at the table and being like, So how's your sex life? You know, women are not. They should, but they're not talking about it. And so much of that is because there's shame in what we know is naturally happening to the majority of the women who are in perimenopause and menopause. The majority of the women have reduced amounts of testosterone, and the majority of them don't feel like they felt when they were 30. And for some women, it's completely fine, but it's if For you as a woman, you're not fine with it, it should be completely okay to speak up and talk about that with your doctor.

SPEAKER_01 44:54

And as far as as a couple, I think it's important to have those conversations together. My husband always takes part in these discussions. Like we go to the doctor and we talk about this because I think it's important because it also affects you in your relationship. If you're not intimate, how does that affect your relationship? So I think it's important to do it together as a team and talk about those things. Yeah. Um, so I feel like it's, it's, it's very important. I mean, my husband's very happy with the fact that he's, you know, that I'm taking control of my health and not just saying, no, no, no, you know, so I I you have to have those conversations. And it's it's important. It's important to want to have those feelings as a woman. It's not just for the men. Right. I'm sorry, it's for us too. Totally. So let's let's start sharing more. Yeah. Yeah. I'm not embarrassed about talking about that.

SPEAKER_00 45:46

I I think the conversation is shifting. I mean, it's what literally one conversation at a time, right? It's gonna, we're unwinding 20 years of stigma or more, especially on women's sexual health. We're unwinding hundreds of years of stigma, right? Of those conversations just not being normalized. But specifically, I was at a bar. Uh, I was texting Danny, I was texting Danielle, I was at a meeting at a bar, and there were four women, like two tables down from me having this conversation about testosterone. I was blown away. I was like, it was literally the commercial for what we're talking about. And I'm texting Danielle, like, am I too weird to like go up and talk to them about this? Because it's just too perfect. Um, and she was like, Don't worry, we'll like recreate it or something. But like, yeah, um, Danielle is my uh internal advocate and expert on all of these things. And yeah, it was it was cool to see four women out just randomly at a happy hour and openly talking about testosterone. So it's coming and we're gonna we're gonna be a big part of that shift.

SPEAKER_02 46:41

That's amazing. I love that. So it made me think of something. So, Matt, I remember when I first met you and I found out when I first met you that you were really interested in women's health and hormone replacement therapy. And I was like, wow, you're so passionate about this, and you're a guy. Like, is that weird in the women's health space being a man trying to pave the way with this business idea and with this mission? Is it weird being a man?

SPEAKER_00 47:09

I don't think so. Okay. Or like that, like, yeah, it's it's kind of a tough question to answer. But like, I think in general, I believe that I'm empowered with 20 years of business experience in across healthcare and digital marketing to build platforms and build communities and engage patients, customers. Like, that's what I've had the benefit of experience over the last 20 years. And so if I can apply it to any world, I think about, and really the major shift in the last five years of my life is having a daughter. Right. So, like, what is the business that I'm gonna build that she's gonna look back at when she's 20 and she's gonna be like, my dad did that. Yeah. Like, that's cool. And so, you know, this is just the natural evolution that my start has taken. You know, we we started a telehealth business that with the idea that we would get into it, we would learn what patients need and we would meet them with where their needs are. And it happened to be that 80% of our patients were women over the age of 50. And so that drove me like really hard at like, let's figure out what are the other things that are emerging in healthcare that we could start to offer to these patients and really uplift their longevity, because that's what this business is all about. How do you live a longer, happier, healthier life? And then as I got into it, at the same time, it's like always how life works, right? As you start to look at it, like then my wife, who has our child, has gone through multiple experiences with doctors telling her, ah, don't worry about it. It's fine. Like everything's gonna be okay. And she's like, No, it's not. I don't have my body back, I don't have my mind back, I'm not sleeping. And this was four different doctors' experiences where she had the same experience. Your blood work looks great. Your blood work's perfect. You're so healthy. And she'd come back and be like, I'm healthy. And I'm like, but you feel like crap. Right. That's not the answer. And then I start to talk to my mom on top of that, and she 20 years ago was told, menopause is a part of life. Sorry, nothing we can do for you. And my mom now has osteoporosis. She had heart surgery last year. It's awful. And she is like the victim of this broken system. And so I've got these, the two most important women in my life, right? That have both been directly impacted by this. And I have the opportunity to help. So it's like, it's just the perfect opportunity for me to take what I love doing in business and apply it to a world where I can really make an impact.

SPEAKER_02 49:37

Which I love. So thank you for doing that. And thank you for being brave enough to be a man who will step out. I'm I love that it hasn't been an obstacle for you. And I'm glad that the healthcare community is embracing a man who's starting this initiative. I think that that also is telling and says a lot and also says to women just because your OB is a man, that doesn't mean that that can't provide the right amount of help for you. It's really about the knowledge that they have and what's their stance and position on HRT is really what it is. It doesn't matter if they're male or female. It's really how can they help you for where you are in this stage in your life? So that's important. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 50:14

And that's a great human. I mean, anything, he's just a great person. And so, and and just to take his knowledge and his expertise, like I am so excited to watch this, and I'm just proud to be a part of it however I can, because he's gonna really change a lot of people's lives, which is so powerful.

SPEAKER_00 50:33

Thank you, Danielle. I I just want to add, I think both of your doctors are men as well, what I've heard so far, right? So that's really powerful.

Advocating for Your Health and Partner Communication

SPEAKER_01 50:42

My doctor is a male, and he asks questions about, you know, how's my libido? We we have conversations. Yeah. We talk about UTIs and we talk about this, and we talk it's very important to have those discussions. So I love sharing with my health journey with a male doctor. It's been it's been phenomenal.

SPEAKER_02 51:03

And I also want to, you talked about this before, and I don't want to skim over this because I didn't repeat it, but I do want to repeat for everybody Danielle made the important comment about including your partner in this conversation with you. And I think that is so incredibly important because while women are lacking information, the men that they are with are lacking just as much information as well. And so giving them a peek into what is going on and how we feel really helps because I know from my personal experience, I know my boyfriend was like, Do you just not like me anymore? And I'm like, it has nothing to do with you. You could be Brad Pitt sitting here, my friend. It has nothing to do with you. But that's a really important conversation to be having so that they can understand some of why we're tired, why we're losing our hair, why our skin is changing, why, you know, the bump in our belly isn't like flat and really great looking anymore, why we don't feel good in a bikini, why we don't feel good in sexy underwear anymore, all the things. It's so important to just communicate and bring your partner into that conversation. So I thank you for bringing that up. And I wanted to make sure I reiterated it because I do think it's super important and in the big picture of how women approach this. So thank you. Okay, before we run out of time, Matt, is there anything I haven't asked you that we need to communicate to women about what you are launching and about your business? And we'll put everything in the show notes so people can click, they can go, they can read, they can look into it. But is there anything that I didn't ask you that you think is really important?

SPEAKER_00 52:37

I think we've covered it. You know, the key to me is that people know that there is hope coming, that there are companies working on this and that there are gonna be solutions over the next year that really change access in a major way to these life-changing hormones and peptides. And we're gonna continue to expand and learn and grow alongside the women that are in our program and do everything in our power to just create the the best, easiest, most affordable, accessible program across all 50 states. And that's gonna be it's gonna be a growing process, like any new business that that we enter into. But the intent is so pure and so from the heart that like we're gonna win. Um, I think that's like the key that I think about. Like, and and we win when our patients win. And so that's like the most exciting journey that I've ever been on in my business life. And the fact that you allow us to use your platform to have this conversation and Danielle's here means everything to me. So thanks for making it happen.

Closing Thoughts and Final Advice

SPEAKER_02 53:37

Oh, well, thank you for coming on, and thank you for all that you are doing for women's health because uh we need a voice, we need an advocate. Healthcare is really complicated. And so the fact that you are willing to brave the waters in the healthcare space, I commend you. It's something I would not want to do. So thank you for being willing to do that. Okay, Danielle, before we go, is there anything that you think we missed or you want to make sure we cover off on?

SPEAKER_01 54:03

No, I just to reiterate just don't stop fighting for your health. Just, you know, again, be the CEO, get involved, learn, research. There's so much information out there on AI. Just don't stop fighting for it because life can change pretty quickly once you start. But to live a life without hormones, if you're having symptoms, is very difficult. So I just my biggest advice is just keep keep fighting. And now you're gonna have a resource that you can go and get help. And it's it's right there to, and so it's so much easier.

SPEAKER_02 54:41

Yeah. It's a great job. Yes. Thank you so much to both of you for coming on the show. We have Danielle, Fuel Forever, Matt Stern, My Start Health. Ugh, I thank you both so much for being on the show. I thank you for everything that you do. I follow you both on Instagram. You are both like out in the marketplace, you're on the news, you're really trying to help women. And so I really appreciate you taking the time to come on the show and help my audience as well. So thank you so much. And I am so excited for what you're doing, Matt. And thank you for the time and thank you for pushing. And your daughter, I know, is so proud of you, even though she's little and she's the cutest thing. So congratulations. Thank you for that. And we will talk soon. Thank you for joining us for this week's episode of Building the Best You. If you are ready to take a deeper dive into transforming your life, check out my Empowerment Fundamentals course on my website, houseofgermar.com. Thank you, and I will see you next week with another inspiring guest.