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Leading with Lee®
Meet Leda Toussaint, Owner, and Creator of GNTLE
Leda Toussaint, owner, and creator of GNTLE, helps women with sensitive vaginas find a true cleanse and symptom relief by providing a healthy alternative to feminine care without the harsh ingredients.
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Leda is no stranger to vaginal infections. In her late 20s, she suffered from recurring yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis for almost a year. After trying multiple products and antibiotics that only made her symptoms worse, Leda created a natural feminine wash with a clean and sophisticated formula where she found relief within days.
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Leda's twelve-year background in medical science and passion for women's reproductive health laid the foundation to help launch GNTLE in 2018. Leda is currently working to help women "Go GNTLE" with the goal of dismantling the taboo stigma around women's health, bodies, and sexual wellness.
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Q. Welcome, Leda. Can you tell us who or what inspired you to pursue a career in medical science?
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I love this question. I’ll never forget my 7th-grade science teacher Mrs. Barnes. This beautiful black woman taught science in a way that excited my young mind. Mrs. Barnes pushed me into greatness. Outside of my family, she was the first black teacher I had that required a level of excellence from her [black] students. She saw my curiosity about science and pushed me to explore more. She introduced me to programs like Medical Explorers, and Health Rangers that put me on the path to medical science. These programs exposed me to parts of science and medicine I never knew existed. I was hooked from there. I will always thank Mrs. Barnes for pushing me to excellence. God rest her soul.
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Q. Can you tell us about your company GNTLE and who’s it for?
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Of course. GNTLE is an all-natural feminine care company born out of my vulvovaginal issues. I created a gentle and sophisticated feminine wash formula with four simple ingredients that aid in a woman’s vulva cleansing and healing process. Every element in the GNLTE products is natural and hand-selected to bring our customers the safest care possible.
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GNTLE’s natural feminine washes were created to give a triple vulva balancing effect while eliminating odor as well. Combined, the natural ingredients help balance the vulva’s natural moisture, pH, and good and bad bacteria.
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This is the first feminine wash of its kind on the market, and I am so proud of that! GNTLE is for every woman dealing with a sensitive or high-maintenance vulva. The woman who can’t just use anything on her Lady to clean without feeling irritation; GNTLE is for her.
Q. What steps did you take to get your business up and running?
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There were a ton of steps to getting my business up and running but the most important one was research. Research. Research. Research. Before bringing GNTLE to market, I researched the industry in its totality. From becoming aware of my potential competitors to discovering my niche targeted audience. This discovery process helped me identify my lane in an already saturated market. I hope you caught that nugget right there. LOL. This research and discovery helped me with positioning my brand in the feminine hygiene industry.
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To my future entrepreneurs out there, take the time to research why what, and how you want to start a business in the industry of your choosing. I’ve watched a lot of entrepreneurs begin ventures that don’t solve a problem or add value to their niche or target audience. Do the leg work upfront. You won’t regret it.
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Q. Finding a feminine product that does not irritate a woman’s vagina is hard. Can you tell us why someone would say yes to GNTLE?
You ain’t never lied. Most of the ingredients in feminine care products include harsh acids, alcohols, detergents, and fragrances. Why is this important to know? These ingredients are infamous for stripping the vulva of her natural oils and breaking down the skin barrier. We experience inflammation, irritation, and possible infection when this happens, and we all know we can’t have that.
GNTLE is free of all these hazardous and toxic ingredients. Our focus is to balance your natural oils while cleansing at the same time. Our four all-natural ingredients allow this balancing effect to take place. I think this would be a great reason for someone to say yes to GNTLE.
Q. Showing up for yourself and others as an entrepreneur is hard. How do you keep yourself motivated and disciplined?
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Listen, schedules and intentional self-care are life savers for me. As a wife and a creative visionary, my world use to get quite chaotic at times. I would be in a creative flow for the business and completely forget about my home life as a wife. Only to feel mentally drained doing my wifely duties. Talk about exhaustion.
But I had to get serious. Serious about my home life and my business. I started planning and scheduling everything. From what meals to make for the week to plan out my business for the next 90 days. I also made sure to plan self-care sessions. Yes ma’am. These schedules helped me prioritize the things that matter the most so I can show up the way others need.
Q. Are you planning on adding additional products to your line in the future?
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Absolutely. The GNTLE product line will be expanding in the upcoming year. Make sure ya’ll join the GNTLE Lady Tribe for more details.
Q. What does success mean to you?
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Truth be told success changes as I evolve as a person and with my business. Right now, the impact is the measure of success. My goal is to change the way women think about how they care for themselves. When I get a DM that says “I stop using my loofah on my vulva”, or “I decided to go commando and let her breathe” I recognize the mindest shift in these ladies. This is impact. This is a success.
Q. What advice can you give aspiring entrepreneurs who would like to turn their dreams into realities?
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Wow. There are so many things I’d like to say but here are a few I wish I was told from the beginning.
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1. Just start. No of us knows exactly what we are doing. As entrepreneurs, we are figuring everything out as we go. When you're passionate about what you are doing, the people with the right information ALWAYS SHOW UP.
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2. Look to make an impact and not money. Money is currency and it flows with people. When you impact the people, money is inevitable.
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3. Trust yourself and your ideas. You don't need as much validation as you think.
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4. Be GNTLE with yourself (pun intended but not lol). As an entrepreneur, you will mess up A LOT. It's part of the journey. Keep this in the back of your mind, and be kind to yourself.
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Stay connected with Leda:
Instagram: @gntleladywash
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PR: Lamore Lifestyle PR
Interview by: Lee K. Whetstone