The Entrepreneur Experiment EE465 - From Pharmacy Counter to 1,500 Stores: How Laura Dowling Built Fabu Wellness
In this episode of The Entrepreneur Experiment, Gary sits down with Laura Dowling — “The Fabulous Pharmacist” — a pharmacist, founder, educator, entertainer, and one of Ireland’s most recognisable health voices.
From 20 years behind the pharmacy counter to running a fast-growing wellness brand stocked in 1,500+ stores, Laura shares the real story behind Fabu Wellness: the failures, the stolen idea, the long nights in labs with breastfeeding babies, the near-quit moments — and the explosive online launch that changed everything.
She reveals how she built a deeply engaged audience during COVID, why simplifying health information is her superpower, the truth about going viral, and how humour, honesty and empowerment built a movement behind her sell-out show Viva La Vulva.
If you're a founder, creator, health professional or anyone thinking of starting something from scratch — this episode will give you courage, clarity and a reminder that nothing is ever “overnight success.”
Show Notes
In this episode, we cover:
How Laura built her platform by simplifying health information during COVID.
The power of answering real patient questions and showing up consistently online.
Why humour is her secret weapon for breaking taboos in women’s health.
The origin story of Viva La Vulva and how it grew into a national tour.
The 12-year journey behind Fabu Wellness — including the major setback that nearly stopped her.
Leaving pharmacy in 2022 to go “all in” and launching Fabu via Instagram Stories.
Selling out her first launch and securing distribution with Wholefoods Wholesale.
Scaling to 1,500+ stores while staying authentic and refusing fear-based content tactics.
Mistakes entering the UK market — and why toning down the humour didn’t work.
How she handles criticism, customer care, and running a business with her family.
🔗 Links & Resources Mentioned
Fabu Wellness – https://fabuwellness.com/
The Laura Dowling Experience Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLN4xDBAAv7WCZCJ0VJC8lIXiX8_QtHFZJ
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Music Credit: “Nobody Knows” by Andrew Applepie — used under royalty-free license.