North Shore Native's Business Grows After Shark Tank Appearance

BOSTON, MA – Tania Green's great-grandmother loved to bake. She baked fresh bread every morning and put a full meal on the family table every single night.

"Her real niche was baking," said Green.

That knack was passed on to Green, a Lynn native and Gordon College graduate. When she realized that all her worst days revolved around PMS, she took to the kitchen in her small Boston apartment to come up with a solution.

Green is the founder and CEO of PMS Bites: chocolates made with herbs known to ease symptoms of PMS, and without gluten or animal byproducts. She went on the TV show "Shark Tank" in May to present her product during the season finale, and within two weeks sales of PMS Bites had spiked.

"I’ve always loved to bake, but I’m also very health conscious and wanted to create a treat that wouldn’t impact my blood sugar levels," said Green. "I’ve always been someone to look at something and want to tackle it."

Green graduated from Gordon College in 2008 amid the economic downturn. In school, she learned the traditional way to climb the corporate ladder, but in light of the recession, that tradition went out the window. Green said she got her entrepreneurial spirit in part from having to learn to make her own path.

Green said while the issue of women's health can be taboo – it's still not common practice to discuss periods – it's important to her. She said 90 percent of women suffer from one or more of the 150 symptoms of PMS, but people don't like to talk about it. Even women who suffer from it sometimes don't like to discuss it, she said.

But women who try PMS Bites tell Green they love them. The company allows women to make a one-time purchase of six bites for $9.99, or order a subscription to be delivered every 30 days. Customers can choose from flavors like "Plain Crazy," "CocoNutty" and "All Kinds of Nuts." The bites are made with Siberian ginseng, chamomile and dandelion root, thought to curb bloating, cramping and irritability. They are between 70 and 80 calories per bite.

To learn more about PMS Bites, visit the website.

Photos courtesy of PMS Bites