From Advertising to Activism: Mega Desai on Transforming Women's Lives in India

Menstrual equity. There’s a good chance you’ve never really thought about what that means. But you should. Because it affects women, men, families, workplaces, and entire economies. If talking about menstruation feels uncomfortable, good. Growth usually starts there. Let’s start with some simple facts: Half the world’s population is women. Every single one of us was born from a woman. And every one of those births began with a missed period. Menstruation isn’t a niche issue. It’s biology. It’s economics. It’s education. It’s dignity. It’s opportunity. This week we celebrate International Women’s day, which is also an opportunity—to talk about women’s health, cultural stigmas, economic growth, and human dignity. On this episode of Better Good, Scott M. Curran is joined by Megha Desai, the President of the Desai Foundation, for a perspective-shifting conversation about menstrual equity. She talks about her family’s attitudes toward menstruation as she was growing up, and what this taught her about the challenges women face. She explains what period poverty is, why menstrual equity is important for every society, and the impact of over-regulating women’s bodies. She traces her swerving career that took her from branding and social impact, showing how they connect. This episode explores themes of equality, women’s rights, politics, and storytelling. Guest: Megha Desai Host: Scott M. Curran Executive Producers: Aaron Shulman & Kieron Banerji Production by Echo Studios Check out our Podcast: linktr.ee/scottmcurran Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:03:35 Early Memories of Doing Good 00:05:18 International Exposure and Perspective 00:07:24 From Advertising to Nonprofit Leadership 00:10:21 Taking Over the Desai Foundation 00:13:28 The Mission: Health, Livelihood, and Menstrual Equity 00:15:33 Why Women's Work Matters for GDP 00:17:06 Getting Comfortable with Periods 00:22:58 Menstrual Equity in America 00:27:45 Changing Hearts and Minds 00:31:51 The Vision for Menstrual Equity 00:35:29 Measuring Success and Building Partnerships 00:43:34 A Rallying Cry for Change Better Good is a podcast series where you’ll meet the visionaries and doers tackling the toughest challenges of our time. With moving stories and practical takeaways, Scott M. Curran brings listeners into the art and science of doing good—through conversations with the social-impact leaders reshaping how we change the world. Whether you lead a global workforce, run a fast-growing nonprofit, or are simply driven to make a difference, this show offers the ideas, inspiration, and tools to leave the world better than you found it. The world's biggest problems won’t wait. Neither should you.