From Burnout to Business: How Alex Taylor Founded Perelel

The breaking point came when Taylor, then president of Clique, developed shingles and began struggling with significant weight gain, hair loss, and brain fog. Medical professionals linked her condition to the relentless pressure of her professional life. Realizing that no leadership role justified the collapse of her physical well-being, she began a transition that included a stint at Free People Movement before ultimately pursuing entrepreneurship.

Her shift into the supplement industry was born from personal frustration. While pregnant with her first child, Taylor found it nearly impossible to navigate conflicting nutritional advice from various specialists. Alongside co-founder Victoria Thain Gioia, she launched Perelel in September 2020. Despite the headwinds of a pandemic-stricken economy that stalled early fundraising, the duo bootstrapped the company before eventually securing capital from investors including Unilever Ventures and Selva Ventures.

Today, the Los Angeles-based brand has expanded its reach to support IVF journeys and perimenopause. For Taylor, maintaining this growth requires a radical departure from her past work habits. She now enforces strict boundaries, including an 8 p.m. bedtime and a digital lockbox for her phone, ensuring that her ambition no longer comes at the expense of her health or her time with her two children.