Startups Decoded S2E10: The FemTech Edge: Build and Train by Your Menstrual Cycle - Lizzy Palmer (Founder, SyncN).
94 percent of sports-science research excludes female physiology.
The result? A $10 billion fitness industry that burns women out, leads to injury, and disrupts hormonal health.
Lizzy Palmer, Founder and CEO of SyncN, is changing that. SyncN is the first cycle-aware fitness and nutrition platform that personalizes training and nourishment around women’s hormonal rhythms — used by athletes, creators, and founders who want performance without burnout.
In this conversation, Lizzy unpacks:
- How SyncN helps founders align health with high performance — designing systems for consistency, not guilt.
- The hidden toll of fundraising — what chronic stress does to founders’ energy, hormones, and focus, and how to lead without self-erasure.
- Scaling through partnerships — how SyncN’s growth strategy ties mission to distribution through gyms, coaches, and women’s health platforms.
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Disclosure: Andy Walsh serves as an advisor to SyncN. The views expressed here are my own and not influenced by my advisory role.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Health and Wellness for Founders
01:21 Lizzy’s Journey: From Dance to FemTech
04:37 The Gap in Female Health Research
09:10 Understanding Female Physiology and Hormones
13:16 Training Female Athletes: The Importance of Cycle Awareness
17:57 Self-Compassion and Acceptance in Fitness
22:15 Normalizing Conversations Around Menstruation
25:53 Partnerships and Collaboration in FemTech
28:15 Building Partnerships for Growth
31:20 The Importance of Action in Partnerships
32:52 Leveraging Professional Relationships
36:10 Storytelling and Education in Fitness
39:34 Mental Health and Founder Life
43:50 Navigating Fundraising Challenges
49:45 Introducing Sync In: A New Approach to Women’s Health
Guest Bio
Lizzy Palmer is the Founder and CEO of SyncN, a cycle-aware fitness and nutrition platform helping women train and fuel in sync with their physiology. A former UX researcher at Meta and Roblox and a professional dancer and fitness coach, Lizzy founded SyncN to close the research gap in women’s health and empower female founders to optimize performance without burnout.
Music Credit
“Neptuno” – Phondupe (Album: Onykia)
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