I quit my job in media while pregnant and battling an autoimmune disease. It led me to start my own company.

Alex Taylor left a leadership role in media and started a women's health supplement brand.

Alex Taylor Alex Taylor worked as the editor in chief of Clique, a group that owned Who What Wear and Byrdie.

Intense stress led to an autoimmune diagnosis, and she decided to quit her job to reduce stress.

She went on to launch the women's health supplement brand, Perelel.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Alex Taylor, the 39-year-old cofounder of women's health supplements brand Perelel.

It has been edited for length and clarity.

I landed in leadership roles very early in my career.

At around 29, I became president and executive editor in chief of Clique, the media house that publishes Who What Where, Byrdie, MyDomaine, and other publications.

I loved the editorial work, but I worked very long hours .

I was the first one in at around 7 a.m. and the last one out around 7 p.m.

Back then, it was important to show up in the office.

I was also young, and I didn't have the obligations of having a family.

If an email came through in the middle of the night, I would respond.

Like a lot of women, I compromised my health and the things that really mattered to me in the process.