The document discusses empowering women through addressing challenges related to menstruation. It proposes investing in THINX, an innovative company creating period-proof underwear, and expanding their business model. The expansion plan focuses on developing and developing countries, includes a buy one-donate one model, and establishes a non-profit foundation. It outlines strategic pillars like diversifying the workforce, training programs, and effective communication. Risks like reputational issues are addressed, and the proposal argues the investment could empower women through improved products, education, and social impact.
2. WOMEN STRUGGLE
• Unesco estimates that one in 10 girls in Africa
miss school once a month because of their
periods and eventually drop out altogether. One
study in Ethiopia reported that more than 50%
of girls miss between one and four days of
school per month, and in Bangladesh, low
standards of menstrual hygiene has lead to
widespread infections.
• In some world countries like Uganda, where 80
per cent of the population live in rural areas,
young girls are missing up to 20 per cent of the
school year because they don‟t have access to
pads and tampons. Some of these girls will
miss so much school they‟ll fall behind. In a
worst case scenario, they might have to drop
out.
• Menstruation is still a taboo in the western
world, women buying tampons are shied by the
looks of others & have to play ill at work. Many
social campaigns have started from women to
overcome embarrassment.
LDM, SMH,SB
3. LDM, SMH,SB
WHAT CAN WE DO?
SCOPE
Empower women and support equality by making menstruation chal-
lenge easier using innovation and socially acceptable through
education.
WHERE
User: Developed &
Developing World
Market: Retail & e-
commerce
WHAT
Innovative,
sustainable
period-proof
underwear,
education
WHY
User: Eliminate
shame on
menstruation,
defend equality
Business:
Profitability &
Social value
WHO
End User:
Women from
8-60 years old.
Trend Leader:
THINX
BRIEF
HOW
Purchase THINX
and through
BIMBO change
management.
Create new fi-
nancial model
WHEN
Starting now,
7 years
investment and
expansion plan in
various markets
OPPORTUNITY
Invest for equity in THINX after filed reports concerning HR strategy.
Acquire the innovative IP and through a new business model and
management, expand by delivering social advantage, innovative
healthcare PSS (Product-Service System) and education around the
world.
STRATEGIC PILLARS
- Long-view investment plan with return in 7-10 years.
- 1:1 financial model, charging premium in luxury markets on promise
of at-cost or no-cost distribution in developing markets.
- Establish strong HR department to discover talented professionals
and create flexible and collaborative business hubs.
- Structure agile, team-based, iterative, global, user research and
product development ; addressing unique challenges of each
market and evaluation through re-mapping user journeys.
- Digital upgrade for feedback, subscription to empowerment
community and campaigns for donations to THINX FOUNDATION.
4. LDM, SMH,SB
STABLE STEPS TO GROWTH
$-
$1,000,000
$2,000,000
$3,000,000
$4,000,000
$5,000,000
$6,000,000
$7,000,000
2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Aggressive
Forecast
Conservative
YoY Growth Margin Acumen NPV
Aggressive 40% 40% Customer Base 590,000 $24,250,250
Forecast 20% 20% Price Point $34 $ 3,075,140
Conservative 5% 5% Discount Rate 80% $ 2,762,460
NPV OF PROFITS IN MILLION $
No more than
$3mm investment
by ACUMEN
Down round
series B BIMBO
ACUMEN retains
40% equity
INVESTMENT
STEP 1
INVESTMENT
STEP 2
Purchasing 100%
equity of founders,
angels and series A
equity
Buy-in management
invests $400m for
20% equity
20+20% equity for
key leaders & future
employees respe-
ctively
COST-
STRUCTURE
FORECAST
Assumes $20
cost to produce
per pair of
THINX
Allows for ~100k
pairs of THINX
underwear to be
donated in 2018
under the Buy one-
Donate one model
2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Tax liability 960,000 1,152,000 1,382,400 1,658,880 1,990,656 2,388,787 2,866,545 3,439,854
Cost to produce 14,117,647 16,941,176 20,329,412 24,395,294 29,274,353 35,129,224 42,155,068 50,586,082
Salary liabilities 2,880,000 3,559,680 4,399,764 5,438,109 6,721,503 8,307,777 10,268,413 12,691,758
Facilities Capital 1,000,000 1,230,000 1,512,900 1,860,867 2,288,866 2,815,306 3,462,826 4,259,276
Marketing Budget 3,000,000 3,690,000 4,538,700 5,582,601 6,866,599 8,445,917 10,388,478 12,777,828
1+1 production capital 2,042,353 2,227,144 2,396,824 2,536,249 2,624,423 2,632,669 2,522,287 2,241,542
Total $ 24,000,000 28,800,000 34,560,000 41,472,000 49,766,400 59,719,680 71,663,616 85,996,339
4%
59%12%
4%
12%
9% Tax liabilty
Cost to produce
Salary liabilities
Facilities Capital
Marketing Budget
1+1 production capital
5. LDM, SMH,SB
PEOPLE AT THE CENTER OF OUR BUSINESS
Flagship Office
Satellite Offices
Mobile Offices
• New York City & San Francisco “Home Office”
• 50% of FT employees, including executive leadership
• Select international markets, reporting to Flagship
• 25% of FT employees
• Cadre of project-based and sales personnel working remotely
• 25% of FT employees and 50% of project-based
Talent
Developme
nt Training
19%
Business
Strategy
Finance
19%
Product
Developme
nt
Operations
31%
Marketing
Sales
31%
15%
Project-
based
THINX
Employee
Leadership
Learning
Opportunities
Open Dialogue
Collaborative
PILLARS OF OUR APPROACH
3
mos.
6
mos.
12
mos.
Policy audit
Assessment
Staff survey
Reccomen-
dations
Hiring
Reorganization
Agile in motion
OFFICESTRUCTUREHRPLANWORKFORCE
Diversification
• 15% of staff are project-based to maintain agile, fresh
perspectives on strategy and product
Training
• All employees offered project-based leadership
opportunities, including project-specific hires
• Creation of Chief Learning Officer position
• Peer-to-peer trainings that include on-site and
online/international teams
• Fellowship training program placing high-potential grads
in emerging markets to add value, identify with the social
mission, and identify to central team when models differ.
Communication
• Bonuses for effective collaboration
• Protocols and policies for managing common yet
sensitive communications scenarios
• Bi-annual, confidential an anonymous staff survey
• Internal blog/chat
Incentives
• Robust flex-place policy
• Clear growth paths by area of expertise‟
• Annual performance reviews for fulltime staff
6. LDM, SMH,SB
EXPANDING OUR AUDIENCE BASE
STRATEGIC MARKETING TIMELINE
Domestic:
• Multichannel ad campaign in major markets
with high density of millennial females (e.g.
New York, San Francisco, Chicago, etc.)
• Two-tiered approach: commercial emphasis
essential product value prop; brand
campaign tethered to 1:1/social mission as
component of crisis
communications/rebranding strategy
International:
• Complement and capitalize on existing
endeavors in Phase 1 developing markets
through Public Health campaigns in
partnership with local governments.
2024-2025
2021-2023
2018-2020 Domestic:
• Multichannel product-driven campaigns
penetrate new markets
• Introduction of loyalty/ambassadorship
programs
• Initiate strategic partnerships campaign with
mission-aligned brands and services
International:
• Initiate multichannel two-tiered market
penetration approach in select markets in
Western Europe
• Begin to commercialize Phase 1 developing
markets in high HHI, cosmopolitan
neighborhoods
• Expand THINX Foundation to Phase 2
developing markets
Domestic:
• Continue loyalty/ambassadorship programs
• Continue strategic partnerships campaign
with mission-aligned brands and services
• Multichannel brand campaign emphasizing
THINX Foundation
accomplishments/outcomes
International:
• Continue strategic ad campaigns in select
markets in Western Europe
• Continue commercialization of Phase 1
developing markets, expanding
spokesperson/ambassadorship-driven
campaign
• Depending on market viability, explore
commercialization of Phase 2 developing
markets
7. LDM, SMH,SB
INNOVATING FOR VALUE
SUSTAINABILITY SOCIAL IMPACT
Throughout life a woman creates 62,415 pounds
or garbage only due to menstruation. Only few of
the products available in markets are made from
organic cotton and the rest consist as of 90% of
plastic chemicals that are environmentally
harmful and not recyclable.
THINX period-proof underwear are made mostly
of cotton (95%). Other materials are micro-fiber
polyester, nylon and elastane. Polyester is made
of non renewable sources yet, it has been proven
to have throughout its lifecycle less energy
impact than other materials and is 100%
recyclable. 1st plan to use recycled polyester,
nylon and elastane for THINX panties.
Packaging is made from paper and plastic which
are 100% recyclable. First action is to reduce
paper thickness and use recycled materials.
Second action following up marketing strategy is
to reuse materials. Create an ornament by
origami instructions at the back of paper and
create a DYI video of making the plastic sleeve a
bag for cosmetics, underwear etc.
User-centric product development
6 different solutions according to women's needs to
make them feel comfortable, secure and
empowered.
THINX FOUNDATION
Educating girls about menstruation, their body,
finance and entrepreneurship.
Donations & Empowerment e-community
Offer the ability to support online THINX FOUND-
ATION and its actions while creating a hub for
women to discuss freely and learn/participate in
campaigns.
1+1 model
Buy one, offer one approach from women to
women.
Public health campaigns
Local actions in partnership with authorities &
NGOs to raise awareness and eliminate shame on
women‟s health and menstruation.
AUGMENTED
PRODUCT
BENEFIT
CORE
PRODUCT
ACTUAL PRODUCT
8. LDM, SMH,SB
OVERVIEW
Products
Services
Partners
Resources
Channels
Community
HR, CSR &
Marketing
Strategy
User-
centered
Innovation
Organizational
&
Business
model
1. Innovative product for challenging days to
empower women
2. Support education gender and economic
equality
3. Convenience and accessibility offering.
VALUE PROPOSITION
Two distinctive customer groups
1. Women in developed countries
2. Women in developing countries
CUSTOMER SEGMENTS
- Subscription service for building empowerment communities
- Supporting co-creation through HR incentives and digital strategy
CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS
Developed World
1.E-commerce
2.Retail (Big pharmacies & super-markets)
Developing World
Hospitals
CHANNELS
1. User-experience and design professionals
2. novelty management focused on design
thinking
KEY RESOURCES
Developed World
Distribution companies - Retailers
Developing World
Hospitals
Educational organisations
KEY PARTNERS
1. Design thinking for innovation
2. Quality & sustainable production and
distribution
3. Education through THINX foundation
KEY ACTIVITIES
To create value when expenses arise planning
on economies of scale and scope as products
and markets emerge.
COST STRUCTURE
1 + 1 model and gradual investment plans in
different sectors and markets
REVENUE STREAMS
9. LDM, SMH,SB
HOW TO TACKLE RISKS?
RISKS MITIGATION
Reputational THINX:
The founder of THINX has been sued for sexual harassment.
This puts at risk the entire value proposition of the business.
Replace the founder with competent management team
that can scale and do so within the vision of THINX.
BIMBO Implementation:
This investment recommendation is predicated on
the buying in management landing and executing the
strategy. Failure for the new management to land will
cause this investment to fail.
• Retain key THINX staff to via options pool
• Require buy in from new management team to create skin in the
game
Reputational ACUMEN:
Due to the risk level of investment a 80% discount rate was
applied, resulting in a very low investment. If not messaged
correctly could result in entrepreneurs no longer trusting Acumen.
• Replace founder with reputable management
• Implement the buy one / donate one model to improve
social benefit
• Execute strategic communication campaign to manage
messaging
1+1 Model:
This is a new model for the business focused on
markets where THINX has no existing customers or
distribution network.
Leverage ACUMEN‟s network to establish a distribution model
through female focused non-profits
10. LDM, SMH,SB
LET’S DO THIS
WE PROPOSE
User-centric, sustainable PSS & education.
Innovative business model.
Design thinking development & expansion strategy .
Human and collaboration oriented HR management.
Empathetic and rigid global marketing plan.
Balanced environmental and social impact.
Stable financial plan to growth.
So what do you think?
Ready to empower women?
11. LDM, SMH,SB
WE DID OUR RESEARCH
“Here‟s Proof Your Startup Needs HR,” Bloomberg
“What is the CLO‟s Role in the Gig Economy,” Chief Learning Officer
“5 Ways to be a More Effective People Person,” Entrepreneur
“The Complete Guide to the 5 Types of Organizational Structures for the Future of Work,” The Future Organization
“How the Gig Economy Will Change in 2017,” Fast Company
“THINX and Allegedly Breast-Groping „she-EO‟ are the Reasons HR Departments Exist,” Quartz
“A New Model of Leadership Development,” SOCAP16
“The Top 5 Job Skills That Employees Are Looking For in 2017,” TopResume
“What Should Business Leaders Change to Thrive in the Gig Economy,” TrainingZone
“An Innovative Solution to Menstrual Hygiene in Developing Countries,” Co.Design, Aug 15, 2015
“Five Amazing Companies Working in Menstrual Hygiene,” Forbes, Jun 10, 2015
“Tackling Big Global Challenges with Low-Cost Innovation,” Harvard Business Review, Feb 17, 2016
“Feminine Hygiene is the Key to Educating the World‟s Girls,” MamaMia, Aug 7, 2013,
“People Are Finally Talking About What No One Wants to Talk About,” NPR, June 16, 2015
“Thinx Promised a Feminist Utopia to Everyone but its Employees”, Racked, Mar 14, 2017
“She Created Period Proof Underwear to Empower Women. Now She‟s Accused of Sexual Harassment,” Washington Post, Mar 22, 2017
“The 1:1 Business Model: Avoiding Unintended Consequences,” Wharton Business School, Feb 16, 2015
“The Business of Giving: TOMS Shoes”, Success
“Women‟s Underwear Startup Thinx Replaces Embattled „She-E-O‟”, Bloomberg
“I Tried Thinx „Period-Proof‟ Underwear and It Was a Total Disaster,” Huffington Post
THINX foundation page,
PCI Global Organization page,
The Global Women‟s Project page,
“Empowering women”, Fair Trade USA Page
“Essay on Women Empowerment: Its Meaning and Importance”, Important India, August 2015
“Women‟s Empowerment Principles”, United Nations Women
Women‟s Empowerment Organization page,
Women‟s Empowerment Principles Organization page,
12. LDM, SMH,SB
WE DID OUR RESEARCH
Femme International Organization page,
“We need to ttalk about periods”, Independent, February 2015
“Not going to hide tampon”, Huffington Post, July 2016
“Menstrual Cycle Still a Barrier to Achieve Gender Equality”, Huffington Post, March 2017
“The fight to end period shaming is going mainstream”,Newsweek, April 2016
“If the body isn't sacred, nothing is: why menstrual taboos matter”, The Guardian, February 2017
“Bad blood: the taboo on talking about periods is damaging lives ”, The Guardian, March 2016
“The P Word: A last taboo”, The Telegraph, October 2013
“Menstruation: Ending the taboo”, DW, May 2017
“Polyester Recycling”, Textiles Environment Design
“Should Your Vagina Go Green? Everything you need to know about organic tampons“, Teen Vogue, October 2015
“Greening the Crimson Tide”, Slate, March 2010
“Women Beware: Most Feminine Hygiene Products Contain Toxic Ingredients“, Mercola, May 2013
“The Top 5 Organic Pads & Panty Liners – Reviewed!”, Menstrual Cup Reviews
“The Science Behind Period Underwear. How female entrepreneurs are confronting the social stigma around menstruation“, Racked, January 2016
“THINX: For Bleeding on a Budget”, April 2016
“What Do I Think About Thinx…….A Period Panty Review!“, February 2017