Deeannah Seymour is the CEO and Co-Founder of pH-D Feminine Health, a brand focused on providing natural solutions for feminine hygiene and wellness. Although Deeannah left her twenty-year corporate career in pharmaceuticals to start pH-D, it was her experience and inside knowledge that proved pivotal in growing the business and landing products on the shelves of major retailers. Outside of work, Deeannah enjoys traveling with her two adult children, playing golf, and starting her day off right with a workout. Deeannah has been a Member of C200 since 2024.
Eva Glassman: How and why did you decide to start pH-D Feminine Health and develop your products in the first place?
Deeannah Seymour: I spent twenty years in the pharmaceutical industry and truly loved my corporate career. As a single mom raising two children, it gave me security, stability, and the opportunity to provide for my family in a meaningful way.
During those years I was consistently prescribed antibiotics for chronic sinus infections and over time, they disrupted my body’s natural balance. I began experiencing my own feminine health challenges, which led me to a personal search for a more holistic, evidence-backed solution.
Through that research, I discovered there was robust clinical data supporting the use of boric acid vaginal suppositories. I also spoke with numerous OB-GYNs who believed strongly in the ingredient. When I tried it myself, it was truly life changing. The problem was that it was incredibly expensive and only available through compounding pharmacies, making it inaccessible for most women.
That’s when I felt a moral obligation to do something bigger.
As fate would have it, my daughter’s ice hockey coach happened to own a manufacturing facility that produced holistic products. I brought him my idea, and in 2014, we launched pH-D Feminine Health on Amazon. Within six months, we became the #1 bestseller in our category. The sales velocity told one part of the story but the messages from women whose lives were changing told the rest.
Originally, I intended pH-D to be a side hustle to help pay for my kids’ college. But the demand quickly outgrew that vision. In 2017, I made the leap and left my corporate career to run the company full-time.
Our next goal was retail. While Amazon had been an incredible launchpad, we knew that when women experience a vaginal health issue, they need solutions immediately, not two or three days later. I attended my first ECRM event to connect directly with buyers and, through that process, landed Target and CVS chain wide. Our success with those retailers led to Walmart calling us to bring our product in.
We grew from 6,000 retail doors at the end of 2019 to over 55,000 today, now available in virtually every major retailer across the U.S. and Canada.
We are proudly self-funded and deeply committed to research and education. Even more meaningful to me: we are one of only two certified women-owned brands in our entire retail category. Nearly every other brand in the space is neither certified nor controlled by women.
Necessity truly is the mother of invention. pH-D was born from my own unmet need. Our original boric acid suppositories were just beginning. Today, we offer a full portfolio of feminine health solutions including menopause support, supplements, washes, wipes, and more. Our mission is to be the trusted brand women turn to at every stage of their lives.
EG: When looking back at your journey in scaling your business, what are the important moves or moments that you believe were vital in getting you to where you are now? How did you set yourself and your brand up for success?
DS: I’m not your typical business owner. I never took a business class, and when I started, I knew nothing about retail. What I did know came from my twenty-year career in healthcare and the pharmaceutical industry: the power of professional recommendation and the outsized influence of healthcare providers.
After leaving Abbott Labs, I began attending nearly every major women’s health conference in the country. I’d set up a tiny booth with a simple pop-up banner…and yes, I even used my old Abbott Labs tablecloth turned inside out. They never asked for it back when I left!
I’ll never forget that very first conference. There I was, this little startup founder with a modest booth, surrounded by massive Big Pharma displays with massive budgets. Their reps stood there scrolling on their phones, looking bored. Meanwhile, I was twenty people deep at my booth, literally having to raise my voice just to talk over the crowd. Executives from the large companies would wander over, peer around the corner, and ask, “What is going on over here?”
Most of the providers already knew about boric acid suppositories. What delighted them was that this solution was finally available commercially. For decades, it had only existed in compounding pharmacies. Providers were genuinely excited to at last have easy access to something they already trusted for their patients.
That moment taught me something powerful: the power of professional recommendation became the immediate secret to our success. If a healthcare provider recommends something, you’re over 60% more likely to act. In many ways, they were our original influencers, long before influencer marketing became a thing.
When I left my corporate job to pursue pH-D full time, I heard plenty of skepticism. “There’s no IP protection for boric acid,” people warned me. “How will you defend this?” My answer was simple: that was never my motivation. I felt a moral responsibility to bring this product to women. The legacy brands in the category weren’t touching it because they couldn’t patent it. If I didn’t do it, no one was going to.
There’s a saying in retail: “There’s no replacement for first to market.” And it’s true. Even though many competitors have entered our space since, pH-D remains the clear category leader and best-seller. And even more meaningful, we are now the number one, doctor-recommended brand. That endorsement became a massive inflection point in our growth.
Because of what we built, boric acid suppositories have now become part of the standard of care in the medical community, not just because they work, but because they’re finally accessible. We played a pivotal role in making that possible.
We remain deeply connected to the medical community. We are constantly asking providers where gaps exist in their practice and where they wish better solutions existed. Through those relationships, we collaborate closely. Additionally, maintain a scientific advisory board made up of leading women’s health practitioners who guide us on unmet needs in the market.
Our company truly is by women, for women built from personal experience, medical science, and a relentless commitment to improving women’s lives.
EG: Throughout your career journey—whether it’s during your corporate years or while getting your business off the ground—what was your experience like finding other women to connect with professionally?
DS: For the first two or three years of running my business, I was grinding away with my head down, alone in my little office. I wasn’t yet plugged into the business community, and even though I had a wonderful business partner, entrepreneurship can still feel incredibly isolating. It was a lonely season.
That began to change when I attended a local WBENC conference and met a woman who introduced me to EO, Entrepreneurs’ Organization. She became not only a pivotal influence in my entrepreneurial journey, but a dear friend.
Entrepreneurs are a unique bunch and it seems that no matter the industry, we all wrestle with the same challenges: hiring, scaling, culture, doubt, risk, resilience. When I joined EO, I finally felt like I had found my tribe, a group of people who understood the things I couldn’t talk about with friends who weren’t entrepreneurs. EO became an invaluable source of support, perspective, and connection as my business grew.
Later, I had the honor of being named an EY Entrepreneur of the Year. That community has been equally transformative. It’s full of extraordinary, inspiring founders, women and men alike, who push boundaries in their own industries. We even have a WhatsApp group where we trade advice, ask hard questions, and share the real stories behind the headlines. It’s been a constant reminder that none of us succeed alone.
EG: Tell me more about your journey to C200! What first drew you to the organization?
DS: I had always heard so many wonderful things about C200 and knew several Nashville-based Members, but it wasn’t until C200 Member Nancy Peterson-Hearn reached out to me that I considered joining. She saw my name on the list of top women-owned businesses in the city and invited me to lunch, where she told me all about C200. I think the world of Nancy and decided to join after our conversation.
Having a community has been such a gift for me as an entrepreneur, it’s also why I chose to join C200. Recently, I went to a FunRaiser hosted by C200 Member Maryann Bruce and met some fabulous women. Oh, my goodness, I left so inspired! It was such a fabulous time, to have the chance to connect, share stories, and learn. I need more powerful women business owners and executives in my life, so I’m grateful to have joined C200.
EG: What does being a “woman in business” mean to you? How does it impact the way you work and lead?
DS: To me, being a woman in business means leading with both strength and intuition. One of our greatest superpowers as women is our ability to sense the ripple effects of decisions and how something will land with people, what it will mean for a team, and where the real opportunities or risks lie beneath the surface. When we trust that intuition, truly remarkable things can happen.
My business partner is a man, and he’s wonderful. He brings decades more operational experience and what I call “entrepreneurial scar tissue,” and I bring a different lens, one that is often more attuned to people, impact, and long-term cultural health. Those perspectives balance each other beautifully, and the combination has been a tremendous advantage for our company.
While empathy is a human quality, I think women leaders are unapologetically bringing it into business in a way that is reshaping workplaces for the better. When people feel seen, supported, and valued, everything improves, engagement, retention, collaboration, and ultimately performance.
We’ve seen the statistic showing that women-owned companies tend to outperform those led solely by men. It’s consistent with what I’ve seen firsthand. At a recent FunRaiser, I spoke with several C200 members whose companies thrived under female leadership. Their success isn’t anecdotal; it’s part of a larger pattern that reflects what happens when women lead with clarity, empathy, resilience, and conviction.
Being a woman in business has shaped not only how I lead, but why I lead. It reminds me every day that when women can build, innovate, and influence, we don’t just change companies, we change lives.
EG: When you’re not working and find yourself with some free time, how do you typically spend it? What do you like to do for fun?
DS: I have two kids who are in their twenties, and we love to travel together. I also love to take a lot of girls’ trips with my friends. I love to run and play golf, although my travel schedule over the past several years hasn’t allowed for many gold outings.
Last year, I realized that I needed to change my ways and focus on my health. I traveled 260 days last year (this year has been equally busy). I’ve started incorporating exercise into my daily routine and joined an all-women’s gym. That has been key for both my physical and mental health.
EG: What is your advice to aspiring women business leaders and entrepreneurs to advance their careers? What kind of insights do you share with others when you’re connecting with them or at speaking engagements?
DS: My biggest advice to aspiring women leaders is this: it’s never too late to begin. I started pH-D Feminine Health at forty-two. Every chapter of my life, my biology degree, twenty years in corporate healthcare, my sales experience, my relationships, even motherhood, prepared me for this moment. Life wasn’t happening to me; it was happening for me. And when you look at your own journey through that lens, you begin to see how equipped you already are to take the next step.
When I first started pH-D, I kept it very quiet. I didn’t want doubt or negativity, however well-intended, to cloud my vision. And when I eventually told people I was leaving my corporate job, many thought I was out of my mind. They said things like, “It’s not patentable,” or “You have two kids—how will you pay for college?” Most of that doubt came from the people closest to me, and while I know it came from love, it was incredibly draining. I realized quickly that I had to protect my energy and my belief in what I felt called to build.
That’s where one of my core mottos comes from: “Faith over fear.” Both require energy, but you get to choose which one you feed. The people around me were projecting fear…but I chose faith. I looked at the worst-case scenario: if it didn’t work, I could always get another job. But the regret of not trying…that would stay with me forever. I decided that I’d rather fail boldly than wonder “what if” for the rest of my life.
Another piece of advice I share often is this: do not compare yourself to others. Early on, I was constantly looking at what competitors were doing…big corporations with huge budgets, celebrities launching brands with massive followings. I could always find reasons to believe they were “better” or more entitled to success than I was. But that kind of comparison is erosive. It steals your joy, your creativity, and your momentum.
Eventually, I made a conscious decision: I will not compare myself to anyone else. I found a quote that became a guiding principle for me:
“Don’t be distracted by comparison when you’re captivated by purpose.”
That quote gave me so much peace. It allowed me to stay in my lane, honor my unique path, and trust that the world needs my gifts just as much as anyone else’s.
EG: What has it been like to be a Member of C200? What significance has it been in your life since you joined?
DS: Being a member of C200 has been incredibly meaningful. It’s such a unique organization because it brings together women from both the entrepreneurial and corporate worlds, two perspectives I rarely saw in one place. Coming from entrepreneurship, I’m learning so much from women who have led large teams, worked with boards, and navigated private equity. Their experience is invaluable as I think about scaling my own company.
What stands out most is how warm and welcoming the community is. The support, generosity, and genuine connection within C200 have truly blown me away. It has broadened my perspective, strengthened my confidence for the next stage of growth, and connected me with women whose leadership I deeply admire.
C200 is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to inspire, educate, support, and advance current and future women entrepreneurs and corporate profit-center leaders. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the individuals quoted or featured and do not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or positions of C200.