The Radicle Trailblazer series was started to spotlight and celebrate the achievements of visionary leaders. Our goal? To delight and educate our audience, showcase diverse paths to success, and inspire them with the stories of those who are forging remarkable careers in the global supplement industry.
This month, we are taking a different approach. Women In Nutraceuticals (WIN) was founded at the start of 2022, with a vision of achieving economical and social equality in the global nutraceutical industry. The global nonprofit membership organization–open to all genders–offers tools, networking, visibility and mentoring to create an environment where women have an equal place in the leadership and evolution of the industry, and where they can reap equally personal fulfillment, social and economic benefits.
For this month’s Radicle Science Trailblazer interview, we asked four WIN leaders to respond to questions about the organization’s impact, the impact of gender equality in the nutraceutical industry, and the global opportunities ahead.
- Gillian Fish is the founder and CEO of The 6AM Agency, a founding member of Women In Nutraceuticals, and the regional co-chair for WIN APAC.
- Rajat Mittal Shah is the co-founder of Nutriventia, and the regional co-chair for WIN APAC.
- Traci Kantowski is the vice president of business development for Cypress Minerals, a founding member of Women In Nutraceuticals, and co-chair of WIN’s programming committee.
- Michelle Martin is the president and COO of Cypress Minerals, serves as CEO of A Thousand Plus, and is on the board of directors for Women In Nutraceuticals, serving as vice president.
What’s one widely accepted belief in our industry that WIN, and similar organizations, are challenging, and why is it important?
Gillian Fish: A long-held belief in the nutraceuticals industry is that it is divided by region—APAC, Europe, the Americas—each operating in silos with distinct priorities. Yet Women In Nutraceuticals (WIN) is proving that our sector is, in reality, a global village. The challenges and opportunities we face—from women’s health to healthy ageing, sustainability, gender equality overall and consumer trust—are universal. By creating platforms for cross-border collaboration, WIN is demonstrating that diversity of culture and perspective is not a barrier, but a catalyst for innovation and growth.
A global village not only expands business opportunities, it enables leaders to become more culturally aware and sensitive, to learn from each other, and to break down barriers and stereotypes. The power of trans-national mentoring adds further momentum—bringing motivation, dynamism, and an international flavour to everything we do. This exchange fuels greater growth, stronger results, and a united ability to champion gender and societal equity. When leaders unite with cultural sensitivity and respect, new solutions emerge, markets expand, and the industry’s credibility strengthens. The future of nutraceuticals will not be defined by regional silos but by shared purpose—and WIN is showing how.
If WIN had unlimited resources, what groundbreaking project or initiative could the organization pursue?
Rajat Shah: If WIN had unlimited resources, we would build a powerful ecosystem that removes every barrier between women and their potential in the nutraceutical industry. We would begin with foundational mentorship, equipping women with the skills, confidence, and belief to take big leaps. This would be followed by a global accelerator program dedicated to women-led nutraceutical ventures, combining access to world-class R&D, regulatory and market-entry support, leadership development, and the ability to fund every good idea, and do it well.
I know the stakes personally. I have sat in boardrooms where I was the most qualified person at the table, yet my voice was ignored or talked over. That reality is far too common for women in every country and with the right structures in place, it can be a thing of the past.
Imagine an environment where no promising concept is left unexplored because of lack of resources, guidance, or connections. Where women innovators can bring breakthrough science and sustainable solutions to market faster. Any why would we stop there, we could scale the program to other industries so that women in every industry could benefit.
But safe to say that, achieving gender parity in nutraceuticals would no longer be aspirational—it would be inevitable. If you have the means to fuel this vision, now is the time to make it happen. The future of nutraceuticals, and the world’s health, depends on it.
What’s the most compelling WIN success story you’ve seen, and how is that enabling positive change for the future?
Traci Kantowski: The most compelling WIN success story is the incredible community it has built. Now at more than 750 global members, WIN has created connections and sparked movements that simply wouldn’t have happened otherwise.
My own experience is proof of this. I met WIN Vice President and Cypress Minerals President/COO Michelle Martin through WIN. A casual conversation quickly revealed opportunities to collaborate—something that likely wouldn’t have happened without WIN. I’ve heard countless similar stories of members finding new roles, earning board positions, and building successful business partnerships thanks to WIN connections.
Equally important, gender equality is now a recognized topic at every major industry event. Companies are not only talking about it, they’re beginning to act by embedding equity into hiring, leadership development, and company culture. WIN is inspiring the next generation of leaders, expanding the pipeline of women in science, leadership and entrepreneurship, and ensuring that diverse voices shape the nutraceutical industry. As more companies see the tangible benefits of gender balance, these changes will compound to create an industry that is stronger, more innovative, and better prepared to serve a global community.
What’s one small but powerful change companies in our industry could make today related to WIN’s mission of empowering women personally and professionally that would have a lasting impact?
Michelle Martin: In today’s climate of increasing complexity, one simple but powerful two-step change can create a lasting impact and improve business. If leaders can acknowledge openly and listen deeply, the results could be surprising.
First, leaders must acknowledge that gender equality across all levels of our organizations still needs work. This isn’t only about fairness and equality for women—it’s about strengthening the health, resilience, and competitiveness of our businesses and our industry. Change begins with the courage to recognize and acknowledge the gap and with an openness to see that closing it benefits everyone.
Second, we must listen—truly listen—to our teams, across all genders and roles. WIN’s mission is rooted in equality, not tokenism. Through personal and professional development opportunities, WIN helps equip women to step into greater responsibility. But leaders must create the conditions: curiosity, dialogue, and trust, with a growth mindset. By engaging team members in honest conversations about barriers and opportunities with an open mind and genuine intent to learn, grow, and evolve, leaders can discover exactly where improvement needs to begin, the catalyst for unlocking potential and growth. The responsibility for an organization’s evolution, culture, and success is led from the top.
The data is clear: gender equality enhances innovation, strengthens teams, and drives profitability. When leaders build trust by addressing the unspoken and inviting every voice to the table, systemic change follows.