After selling her public relations firm Bevel for $75 million just two years ago, entrepreneur Jessica Schaefer has ventured into a new and rapidly growing industry: women’s fertility wellness. Her latest project, Lushi, is a startup designed to simplify the egg-freezing and in-vitro fertilization (IVF) process by providing users with a comprehensive support system, including concierge doctors, nurses, and cutting-edge technology.
Schaefer’s vision for Lushi is based on a deep understanding of the fertility challenges women face. “No one’s done this before,” Schaefer, 38, said, noting that venture capitalists were intrigued by her idea, with many commenting that they had never seen a business approach fertility in such a comprehensive way. Lushi promises to take care of every step of a woman’s fertility journey, from hormone monitoring and bloodwork to providing education and guiding them through the entire egg-freezing process.
The fertility industry is already valued at $30 billion and is projected to grow significantly in the coming years, according to Grand View Research. High-profile figures such as Chrissy Teigen, Emma Roberts, and Kourtney Kardashian have publicly shared their fertility experiences, and social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram have played a role in raising awareness about reproductive health.
For Schaefer, the idea for Lushi stemmed from her own personal experience with egg freezing. At age 35, she set out to freeze her eggs, expecting the process to be straightforward. However, after mistakenly administering a hormone injection prematurely, she had to redo the entire procedure, resulting in additional treatments, recovery, and a hefty financial burden.
The costs of egg freezing can exceed $25,000, and IVF rounds often carry similar price tags. In addition, the process involves up to 42 self-administered injections over several weeks, culminating in the egg retrieval procedure. Schaefer pointed out that this level of complexity would never be acceptable in other medical treatments. “You wouldn’t go get Botox and inject yourself at home, so why are we treating women’s bodies differently?” she asked.
Lushi aims to eliminate these complexities by offering at-home injections delivered by professional nurses, 24/7 AI support, on-demand doctors, and personalized fertility optimization plans. The platform also manages the egg collection process at a clinic, offering patients a streamlined experience for a price around $18,000. Schaefer emphasized that doing the process correctly the first time is far more cost-effective than multiple rounds driven by avoidable mistakes.
Fertility companies have long been dominated by doctors, Schaefer explained, whereas Lushi is led by marketers, brand experts, and individuals with extensive networks of engineering talent, bringing a fresh perspective to the industry.
To maintain control over her company, Schaefer turned down a $5 million private equity investment, instead securing seed funding from a group of serial entrepreneurs, including Ariel Kaye, founder of Parachute, and Justin Dibbs, co-founder of Allied Gold Corp. Her strong network has also led to discussions with investor Mark Cuban about potential partnerships to make fertility medications more affordable.
Lushi’s founders, Schaefer and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Mana Baskovic, have ambitious plans to expand into all areas of women’s health, including pre- and post-menopausal care. The company is also planning to launch Lushi medical centers and events in New York and Los Angeles to further their mission.
In addition to improving the egg-freezing experience, Schaefer is applying her branding expertise to the startup, including working with artist Adam Douglas Thompson on the company’s creative direction and launching attention-grabbing ad campaigns. One recent campaign featured an ad in Soho comparing the rising costs of chicken eggs to those of fertility treatments, drawing attention to the challenges women face in this area.
Looking ahead, Schaefer is hopeful that legislation will make fertility treatments more accessible. She has expressed support for President Trump’s efforts to mandate insurance coverage for IVF and is working with the administration to include egg freezing in the list of covered treatments. Currently considered an elective procedure, Schaefer is optimistic that her advocacy, along with Lushi’s growing presence, could influence policy changes in favor of more affordable fertility care.
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