111. Making Fertility a Dinner Table Topic: Motherhood, Startups, and Access to Care with Samantha Diamond

What if fertility and reproductive health were treated like skincare or mental health, something we talked about before it became a crisis?In this episode of AND/BOTH, Ashley sits down with Sam Diamond, co‑founder of Bird & Be, to talk about building a clinically‑backed fertility company in the middle of a global pandemic, and why proactive, inclusive fertility care matters more than ever.Sam shares the deeply personal experiences that shaped Bird & Be’s mission, including miscarriage, fertility treatment, and the gaps she saw in education, access, and support for both women and men. Together, Ashley and Sam explore why fertility conversations are still too reactive, how male fertility remains stigmatized, and what it looks like to build a company rooted in science, ethics, and care.They also talk about:Launching a startup during COVID — and why at‑home testing was harder than expectedWhy male fertility must be part of every fertility conversationThe shift from “cute” branding to clarity as Bird & Be entered retailWhat it took to land Bird & Be in Ulta — and why placement matteredHow early education and testing can shorten or even prevent long fertility journeysWhy women are not “small men” — and how research still fails women’s bodiesBlending motherhood and entrepreneurship without pretending it’s balancedThis is a conversation about health, agency, science, and building systems that actually support people, not just sell to them.Connect with Sam: Bird&Be site: https://birdandbe.com/Connect with Ashley:Website: https://www.ashleyblackington.comPodcast website: https://www.andbothpodcast.com/Dovetail® App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dovetail-app/id6744341822Instagram: @mydovetail.appLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyblackington/