How a College Student Turned a Class Project into a Scalable Business

What if the riskiest part of your business was just saying what it is out loud? Katie Diasti didn’t plan to start a company about periods – especially not one she’d pitch to rooms full of confused, uncomfortable investors. But when a college class project opened her eyes to just how outdated and wasteful the period care aisle was, she couldn’t unsee it. That spark turned into Viv, a sustainable, stigma-smashing brand that’s changing how people learn about and experience their periods. Host Andrea Marquez unpacks what it really takes to build something bold in a space full of silence. You’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of how education can be a growth strategy, how community can be a business tool and why sometimes the boldest thing you can do is say the quiet part out loud and start a conversation. If you’ve ever felt like your idea was too taboo, too weird, or too risky – Katie’s story will show you that that might not be the red flag you think it is. It might be proof that you’re onto something big.

Got a bold leap of your own? Share it with us in an Apple Podcasts review, Spotify comment, or email us at [e-mail] – you might hear it in a future episode.

In this episode you’ll hear:

(01:55) What if the riskiest part of your business was just saying what it is out loud? Hear how Katie’s personal experience around avoiding period talk shaped Viv’s mission to rewrite the narrative around period care.

(05:00) Can a class project turn into a startup? Katie explains how she validated her idea with real feedback — and got obsessed with solving a problem.

(07:30) Struggling to figure out how to create and test your products? Katie shares how she hustled for product feedback, sourced sustainable materials, and tested prototypes on herself and her friends.

(09:20) Scared to ditch a stable job? Katie was too. She reveals the exact moment she backed out of her job offer – and why she did it.

(13:31) Ever pitched a room full of uncomfortable investors? Katie breaks the ice with “Let’s talk about periods” — and wins them over anyway.

(18:10) Can education be your best growth strategy? Katie shares how content helped her build trust, strengthen customer relationships, and expand her product line.

(26:30) Feeling unsure about your idea? Katie’s advice for building in a risky and stigmatized space might be the push you need to finally go for it.