My Icky Business …Icky Icky Business
When I asked the Thesaurus about ‘panties’, it answered nonchalantly ‘underpants or undershorts for women and children.’
Then, I asked google the same question. Boy, was there excitement! There was so much reverence around the word with descriptors like sexy, lacy, cheeky and more. Google even threw some interesting images at me to back those descriptors.
So, the panties business is a good business to be in. The likes of ‘Victoria’s Secret’ and ‘Agent Provocateur’ have made this business super sexy to be in.
And then I asked the next question - ‘periods’. Thesaurus totally feigned ignorance and said ‘a round of time or series of years by which time is measured.’
Google again was up on its game. This is what it said
And as you can see, the descriptors became stress, issues, problems, tired and the likes.
My business is about putting both the words, ‘Period’ and ‘Panties’ together and when I did that the result was most unusual.
It was ICKY.
If you are wondering why I say icky, here’s how my life goes.
Cocktail Dinners
Wearing my favourite colour black and watching eyes follow me is ego-assuaging. Being introduced to accomplished men with single malts in their hands is exciting. Watching them turn on their best and politely ask me about the nature of my business, is exhilarating. And watch them excuse themselves and walk away when I blurt out Period Panties is heart-wrenching. Even the mention of holding a PATENT doesn’t bring them back.
Meeting Customers
One of the things we do every month at Yashram, is to get on a Skype call with the customers of Morph and Adira. We learn what makes them happy with us and we learn where we didn’t deliver our promise.
My interactions have statements like this….
“I love YOUR panties, but can you make them sexier?”
“YOUR panties were a saviour on my honeymoon!”
“Can I swim with YOUR panties?”
And this one takes the cake, “My wife really likes YOUR panties”
The initial few times this happened, I would quickly check if I was having a wardrobe malfunction.
And then I ask my customers that since they like ‘MY panties’, if they would recommend them to their friends or family. I say with despair that very few have said yes.
So even my customers who love my panties, won’t talk about them.
Family
My parents are my inspiration. In their own right are rebels who have always stood by their daughter. My mother till date remains my most successful word-of-mouth marketeer. Yet, over a candid conversation one day, she confessed to me she was initially uncomfortable with what I did. She had actually checked with my father if it was respectable for their daughter to be talking period to the world.
Today, they swallow the jagged little pill and proudly talk about their daughter making period panties.
So there you go, being in the Period Panties business isn’t glamorous at all.
But, when a mom comes up to me and tells me that her daughter could sit through her exams thanks to my panties, I beam with pride.
When a customer tells me that my panties kept her stain-free and confident on her trek to the Everest Base Camp, I am humbled.
So, I will let the world talk about my panties. I will take one for my sisters and daughters.
Yes, I am in an ICKY business. And yes, I am proud of it.
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