wegg® showcase: Sheilisa McNeal, Founder & CEO of Fria, Inc.
- Posted by Asra Khan
- Categories Featured, Launch, wegg® showcase, weggs
- Date May 1, 2026
Issue 24: May 2026
Sponsored By: 
Tell us a little bit about your business and what inspired you to start it.
I’m the Founder and CEO of Fria, Inc., and we tackle hot flashes and overheating through wearable accessories powered by cooling technology.
Our mission is to help women beat the heat with accessories that are pretty, discreet, and genuinely stylish—pieces that blend seamlessly into your natural fashion aesthetic so no one knows your beautiful bling has a powerful secondary function.
The honest truth is: I was hot, and I was tired of being hot. The options to deal with the misery of hot flashes were either medicinal—something I personally did not want—or bulky, unattractive devices that shouted “medical.” I knew so many women walking around with pink fans in front of their faces; they’d try to make them cute and bedazzle them, but at the end of the day, it was still a fan.
At the time, I was an adjunct instructor. I couldn’t be in the middle of teaching a class, suddenly whipping out a fan. That disconnect between what I needed and what the market offered is what inspired Fria. I wanted a solution that respected my comfort, my professionalism, and my sense of style.
When you started exporting your products internationally, what challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?
During our market pilot, international orders started trickling in—first from France. I remember thinking, “Where did you find us? Are we advertised somewhere in France?” Then came an order from Greece, and I thought, Greece? The postage alone cost more than the bracelet, but they bought it anyway. Those early sales were clear proof that this isn’t just a U.S. problem; women everywhere are looking for relief.
Obviously, menopause is a global issue, and we want to serve a global market. The biggest hurdles to scaling internationally have been tariffs and shipping. As we move toward closing our first institutional funding, those added resources will help us identify and partner with organizations in countries where there is high demand, so we’re not carrying the full burden of logistics and cross‑border costs on our own. Our goal is to build a thoughtful, sustainable presence overseas, not just ship boxes across the ocean.
Is the patented cooling technology of your product a universal need for women worldwide?
Is menopause global? Absolutely. Menopause is not discriminatory—she is coming, okay? If you are a woman born female, you are going to go through it; it’s part of the normal reproductive process.
What we’ve learned, though, is that menopause carries a stigma that shows up differently around the world. In many Latin cultures, where the mature woman is celebrated, it’s easier to have an open, honest conversation about menopause in its totality. In the U.S., we are deeply anti‑aging—every product is about erasing or reversing age—so the stigma is often greater because menopause is associated with getting older. People are usually fine if you say “hot flashes”: you’ll hear, “Yeah, I get hot.” But say “menopause,” and you can feel the visceral reaction: “Oh no, that’s my mom, my sister, that lady over there—anybody but me,” even if they’re firmly in the perimenopause age range.
I often ask women, “Do you want to be beautiful young corpses, or do you want a full life that actually matures?” Part of that maturity process is the cessation of your period—why shouldn’t that be something we acknowledge and even celebrate? This stage of life often coincides with empty nesting and other transitions, but it also brings a real sense of freedom. You’re free from your period; you’re not planning vacations around it.
If we change the narrative around menopause, we can change the experience women have going through it. I believe that is a message women everywhere can embrace, and our cooling technology is one practical way to support that shift—by giving women tools that honor both their comfort and their dignity.
What advice would you give women entrepreneurs looking to expand their business internationally?
My advice is to come to the table from the very beginning with a global mindset. If you are solving a problem, assume the problem exists everywhere; otherwise, you’ll always be playing catch‑up. You’ll also conduct your research differently if you know from the outset that you plan to serve global markets.
For example, we’ve found that China has more in common with the U.S. than Spain when it comes to how women treat hot flashes and menopause, and that difference is rooted in culture. If you truly want to know your customer, then you have to know her wherever she is. It’s a matter of respect: How is she enduring this phase of life? What is she using to manage? What does comfort look like in her context?
In addition to our wearable technology, we’re debuting beautiful loungewear and sleepwear made from fabrics that are naturally wicking and cooling. They honor the modesty women want while still allowing us to feel like a sexy woman. That collection is coming this year—so keep an eye out.
We’re not going to cure menopause, but we can absolutely help women endure it more comfortably. Anything that improves your quality of life has a ripple effect on your family’s quality of life—because when mom is not okay, the rest of the family usually isn’t either.
Tag:wegg showcase
Asra Khan is wegg's Newsletter and Special Projects Manager. As a creative force, her focus has been dedicated to amplifying the voices of women and Asians within the realms of art, entertainment and education.
