Joe Fuller founded Mary Menopause following her own journey with menopause. Today, Fuller helps individuals and organizations draw menopause from the shadows and lead them into everyday conversations through coaching, policy guidance and cultural changes. Conference News spoke to Fuller about her work and what the events industry needs to do to better support women.
Long before her period stopped, when the perimenopause struck at 42, Joe Fuller found herself navigating a landscape of bewildering symptoms without guidance, support or basic awareness of what was happening in her body. This experience helped create Merry Menopause, an organization dedicated to changing how women experience this important life transition.
Fuller said: “I didn’t know what was going on. Mood shaking, anxiety, brain fog, body pain. I thought there were serious issues with my mental and physical health. No one was warning me. There was such a gap in information and support, which made me mad.”
She added: “I turned that anger into action. I began to read, research and share what I learned. What started as a personal project has quickly grown into a platform for education, coaching and conversation. They are my way of helping other women feel prepared and supported. I am proud to be part of the movement that creates real change for women in the workplace.”
Joe centers on the idea that female hormones are strength rather than weakness. Through coaching and education, she helps change the culture of the workplace, ensuring that people stay, lead and perform at their best.
Industry impacts and challenges
The event industry is fast-paced, high-pressure, including long hours and tight deadlines. All of these require high energy that can be felt impossible when dealing with menopause symptoms such as fatigue, anxiety, brain fog, and sleep destruction. Fuller said: “For many women at events, the pressure to be constantly running and ‘on’ can mask what’s actually happening. There is fear that it will be seen as underpowered.
Despite women making up 70% of the event industry workforce, they remain underrated in the role of senior leadership. Fuller said: “Because it can be difficult not only physically, but also mentally and emotionally. If you’re not sinful, suspected, burned out or supported, it’s no wonder that your job doesn’t offer flexibility, flexibility, or flexibility, or flexibility, if you’re not sure you’ll be able to offer them the peak of their careers.
Practical solutions and implementation
Moving beyond awareness and into action, Fuller emphasizes that creating a menopause-friendly workplace or event requires no innovative change. From simple venue changes to strategic HR partnerships, the path to advance entails specific steps that industry stakeholders can take immediately to support women throughout their careers.
Fuller emphasized that menopause is not a niche issue. It is a matter of workplace well-being that affects a significant portion of the workforce. Fuller said: “The event industry moves fast, but if you want to keep talented women in your room, leadership needs to slow enough time to listen and take action.”
This includes developing policies to truly address the reality of menopause beyond superficial compliance, creating a work environment that provides flexibility, autonomy and understanding, especially during the industry’s infamous high pressure period.
For event planners, she suggests “comfort” and creates spaces where people can breathe in, such as seats, quiet zones, and breakout areas for those a little further away from the buzz. She also suggests inclusion of speakers that can bring menopause and menstruation into conversation. Regarding the venue, we suggest that all toilet cubicles have bottles and that the basics are covered so that participants as well as crew members train staff to understand the needs of middle-aged women. Fuller said: “Good news? This isn’t complicated. It takes motivation, consistency and courage to start a conversation. Being menopause friendly doesn’t have to mean a complete overhaul.
This is another way event leaders can provide greater support to women in order to discuss career advancement and team well-being. Fuller explains that hormones have a much greater impact than mood and energy levels, and directly affects confidence, creativity, communication skills and leadership abilities. Once event leaders grasp this concept, they can begin to recognize hormones as valuable leadership assets, not merely as “women’s problems.” Fuller’s cyclical leadership framework exemplifies this approach, helping women track their menstrual cycles and coordinate high stake activities such as presentations, planning sessions, or negotiations with phases when they feel most competent.
For women in menopause or postmenopausal, this intelligence involves understanding evolving energy patterns and capacity levels and planning work accordingly. Event leaders can cultivate hormonal intelligence by normalizing conversations about hormone health, implementing flexible work arrangements, and building a culture that truly values rest and reflection. As Fuller emphasizes, these practices represent healthy leadership principles that not only benefit women, but also increase overall organizational effectiveness.
Breaking the barriers and vision for the future
Fuller’s message to women currently struggling with menopause is that it encourages and empowers them. You are not alone, you have not failed. She emphasizes that struggling during this transition is not a sign of weakness, and that it is a natural response to major life changes that often occur without proper support and understanding. Her practical advice focuses on developing self-awareness. Track symptoms, monitor menstrual cycle if they are still present, and start connecting patterns. She emphasizes that knowledge is truly power, and it is important to remember that treatment alone is not enough for people with HRT, and that emotional support and understanding of the workplace are equally important. Fuller said: “If your friends, coaches, or managers are notified, you don’t have to carry this on your own if you feel safe. Don’t wait until you burn out to receive support. Menopause is a signal, and you ask to be careful, not a stop sign.
Despite growing awareness, Fuller identifies enduring misconceptions that continue to undermine women’s professional experiences. The most stubborn myth is the realization of menopause as a hot flash that affects women in their late 50s. This misconception leads to women being overlooked, overlooked, rejected, or prematurely written down when they are actually at their career peak.
Fuller said: “The event industry has a real opportunity to lead change here. It is the first industry of people based on energy, connection and creativity, but they don’t happen in a vacuum. They can design a more inclusive space, provide flexibility, provide happy conversations, and enable menopause and menopause and measler attacks.
Fuller’s advice is directly for conference organizers who want to be an ally. Ask if you have created an environment that is comfortable, considered and supported by those suffering from symptoms. Rather than making assumptions, she advocates direct consultations with women in the team, network and viewers to understand her needs and reveals surprisingly simple solutions such as better bathroom facilities, proper seating, proper ventilation, quiet spaces, and support programming. Fuller envisions a menopause awareness that evolves from conversation topics to built-in practices in the future, integrated into representative experience, speaker support, and staff welfare, as organizations recognize hormonal health as the basis of inclusion and performance rather than peripheral concerns.
Source link
