I never expected a cancer diagnosis at 48 to lead me here: building a brand for women in midlife.

At the time, I was living my best life in Ireland, thriving in my dream job after 27 years building brands and marketing strategies for some of the world's biggest companies. Then menopause hit as a side effect of the cancer treatments. I experienced brain fog that questioned my sanity and belly weight gain that messed with my self-confidence.

My Irish doctor was clear: "Go on hormone replacement therapy." But I knew it wouldn't be a long-term option, especially with plans to return to the Philippines. Instead, I was told: "Build more muscle. Eat more protein." Easier said than done - especially when your only options are giant tubs of protein powder clearly made for 25-year-old male bodybuilders.

That's when I started researching what women actually need during perimenopause and menopause. The deeper I dug, the more frustrated I became. We lose muscle faster than men. Our bones need different support. Our skin changes. We have different needs hormonally, nutritionally, and emotionally. Yet the market still offers generic fitness supplements or anti-aging products that promise to make us look 25 again.

That's why I created SECONDSPRING®: a wellness brand built for women like us, grounded in the same disciplined approach I used to build successful brands for decades. We're not here to help you look younger. We're here to help you feel stronger and fully at home in your new self.

In the West, menopause is often seen as an ending. But in Asia, some cultures call it the Second Spring --- a time of renewal and reinvention. I want every woman to feel that, not just to survive this stage, but to truly thrive in it.

Menopause is not an ending, it's a becoming. And your second spring can be your most powerful yet.

--- Jasmin
Founder, SECONDSPRING