From Scotch to hot flashes: Carin Luna-Ostaseski’s journey to perimenopause
In this episode of the Hotflash inc Podcast, founder and host Ann Marie McQueen talks with serial entrepreneur Carin Luna-Ostaseski – creator of Hot or Just Me?, a comprehensive online platform supporting women through perimenopause and menopause.
Carin’s path from successful whiskey founder to menopause advocate is anything but ordinary. After launching the first American woman and Hispanic-created Scotch whisky (SIA), and pioneering a grant program for underserved entrepreneurs, she found herself navigating hot flashes, anxiety, insomnia and more. Rather than suffer silently, she launched a new venture focused on offering trusted products, expert advice, and a supportive community for other women going through the same.
They talk candidly about hormonal sensitivity, the pressure to take HRT, entrepreneurial lessons, how to optimize sleep (even if your partner snores like a bear) and the most helpful (and unhelpful) products in the menopause space.
If you'd like to check out Carin's marketplace Hot or Just Me? use our exclusive discount code for Hotflash inc listeners, HFINC, here for 25 percent off.
Episode highlights:
1:30 – Carin’s journey from tech and whisky to menopause advocacy
3:00 – Founding SIA Scotch and navigating 80 rejections
4:15 – How her own symptoms inspired Hot or Just Me?
5:20 – How she selects products for the site and what she avoids
6:30 – Her top-selling tools for cooling, comfort, and sexual wellness
7:45 – Why she’s cautious about one-size-fits-all supplements
9:00 – Thoughts on the “menopause gold rush” and consumer choice
11:10 – Why she isn’t on hormone therapy and how that’s played out
13:00 – Navigating hormonal sensitivity and IVF struggles
14:30 – The nuance around HRT pressure and platform responsibility
15:30 – Non-hormonal solutions that work for her (starting with sleep!)
16:45 – Caffeine and alcohol hacks that actually help
18:30 – Sleep optimization tools and routines
19:30 – Advice for people who still love alcohol but are struggling
20:45 – The state of menopause entrepreneurship and community-building
21:30 – Where her platform is headed next
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This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Where to find Carin:
Explore Hot or Just Me? → hotorjustme.com
Follow Carin Luna-Ostaseski → @hotorjustme
Find a certified menopause practitioner → menopause.org
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