Meet Laura Wingate, founder of Meno Plan, the global community for menopausal women
I am a mum of one lively 6-year-old, wife, and owner of Meno Plan, a community for women in menopause.
I lost my mum and my dad within six months of each other a year ago and am working through grief and beginning to blur the edges of the hole in my life that their loss has left. It’s a process that will always be a work in progress. So I’m told.
I started my working life as a lawyer, then moved into catering and event management before running a film location catering company for many years and then saw friends going through the torment and fear that was menopause and set about trying to find a way to help women navigate this stage of their lives.
I was raised in the South of England and now live in Monaco and got here via Clapham, Richmond, and Africa. It’s been a helluva journey and I cannot wait to see what awaits in the future. The only thing I know for sure is that it’s unlikely to be what I expect it to be.
I am in the midst of: Overwhelm!
Being a mum, managing grief, moving country, perimenopause, and running a startup. Like many women my age, there are huge demands on my time and attention and right now there are some biggies in the mix that are demanding a lot! It’s tough sometimes to feel like you are enough and to give yourself a break.
The best thing I’ve done for myself in midlife so far
Creating Meno Plan, a company to help other women in midlife and beyond. Being a woman can be tough as we often have the pressures of caring for kids whilst caring for ailing parents, whilst maintaining a household, whilst holding down a full-time job. And then there is the menopause, which is a real kick in the teeth at an already tough time in life. It’s a lot.
I created Meno Plan to help women through this stage and, in the process, I have been given an insight into the wonder of what women can achieve when they come together and raise each other up. Honestly, it has been one of the most humbling and uplifting experiences. Along the way I have been given the gift of friendship, wisdom, and inspiration. It’s been a blessing to see what women on a mission can do!
The best thing about my current age, 44
Be you, be proud and remember that nobody else gets to live your life as you, so they are not qualified to hold opinions of you anyway!
Not giving a damn about what people think of me! It’s a case of knowing that everyone has a public face and a private face and that they often don’t match. As you get older you start to realize that people will think what they will of you and there is very little you can do about it. Be you, be proud, and remember that nobody else gets to live your life as you, so they are not qualified to hold opinions of you anyway! I think when you get to a certain experience point in life, you’ve seen the best and worst of people and can usually spot someone who is full of bullshit a mile away. They usually have strong opinions, so not worth the effort.
My Grown-Ass Lady heroes
Dany Garcia — she’s epic — a great business woman and works her ass off. I met her a few times when I was working on Hobbs and Shaw and she was just an inspiration and kicks ass like you would not believe, but also just so gracious and kind. It’s a rare combination.
Also, Amanda Gorman for her delivery of “The Hill We Climb” at the 2021 Inauguration. The word “Iconic” is bandied about with reckless abandon in today’s world, but if it could be correctly applied anywhere it would be this moment. Goosebumps every time.
What’s next for Meno Plan?
World Domination… too much?
Maybe growing our community and making sure that every woman has access to reliable information and a tribe of women to support her. With our unlimited access to the world at the click of a button, there is no need for women to feel alone, isolated, afraid or unsure when going through menopause. We got you.
We are also on a mission to make sure that women get the support they need in the workplace and are busy contacting as many companies as we can to get them to sit up, take note, and make the right decisions when it comes to menopausal colleagues. In the U.K., 1 in 10 women leave work because of the menopause and that’s a statistic that we are aiming to help change.
Follow me and Meno Plan:
Menolounge.co.uk to join our free community
Instagram: @meno_plan
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