The office spaces and cubicles of every stellar sex toy brand have often hidden the industry's most outstanding female talents. Nina Saini is only just beginning to take center stage in the pleasure industry media, but she's been building brands like a boss since day one in vibrator land.
Saini's ideas and expertise are front-and-center now that she is the vice president and a partner at Concept to Consumer Collective, a consulting company that quite literally does it all for those seeking sex toy business stardom. But long before Saini was living the Boss Babe lifestyle, she was the industry's best-kept secret for unparalleled brand recognition.
We represent a wonderfully diverse and inclusive industry where your knowledge and passion is more important than your color, creed, sexuality or gender.
Who doesn’t remember The Cone, the now-defunct but absolutely iconic cone-shaped, ride-on sex toy? Truly ahead of its time with innovative, gender-neutral design and unforgettable presence, the ingenuity of The Cone's marketing and PR (and the fact that you can probably still picture it exactly as it once stood on shelves) can all be credited to Saini.
While working for The Cone, Saini developed the mega-skills that have molded her into a well-rounded, inspiring CEO. This month, it's Saini's turn to tell the career story that's earned her the coveted title of Woman of the Month.
XBIZ: How has your 2021 been going thus far? Have things bounced back since the overall craziness of 2020?
Saini: 2020 was challenging, as it was for everyone. However, I was lucky to keep working and stay healthy.
2021 has been amazing! It’s been even more hard work, but with an incredible opportunity that has taken my work life in a different direction, and given me the platform to share my passion for this incredible market. In January, I agreed to join Concept to Consumer Collective (CtoCCollective.com) as partner and vice president, and I am loving it.
I enjoy challenging myself with global client projects while combining creative and commercial together. No two days are the same and it is so satisfying to make ideas a reality for clients. It also helps that I work with an incredibly talented team and some real industry friends who all share the same passion and enthusiasm for this market. It’s like being in a “family” that actually like each other and like working together! We all complement each other’s skill set and bring out the best in each other. In case you can’t tell, I love what I do and the people I am doing it with.
XBIZ: What initially led you into a career in the sex toy space?
Saini: I’ll be honest: a career in the sex toy space was never on my radar! It was purely down to a chance meeting and me loving a challenge.
I was approached by the creators of The Cone and was asked if I would be interested in handling the PR and marketing. Having no experience of the sex toy industry, I obviously said yes! The great thing about working on The Cone was we, as a team, were going through the same journey as newbies. When you have a small team, you do tend to get involved in all aspects of the business, which I personally loved. It taught me a hell of a lot and it provided hands-on experience of doing what it takes to launch a brand globally for a B2B and B2C market, and not just from a PR and marketing perspective — which by the way, was tough back then! It was not easy launching a PR campaign when sex toys were not in the mainstream and press would literally hang up the phone on you. It was damn hard work, but the results were worth it and to this day, 16 years on, I am still remembered for my work for that iconic product.
XBIZ: What's your career like today at CTC Collective?
Saini: With Concept to Consumer Collective, I feel as if everything I have learned to date about the sex toy business is being utilized. I am able to offer clients my expertise and experience (including my mistakes!) on how to build a brand in the sex toy space and how to create commercial longevity for global sustainability. As a small but growing team, my role is wonderfully fluid and involves everything from operations, strategic planning, and new business development to client relations and marketing. As the requirements of our clients vary, we as a team offer a bespoke approach so each client receives services specific to their needs and objectives. With this in mind, my role differs from day to day.
XBIZ: How did you join forces with this new branding and marketing company?
Saini: Although Concept to Consumer only launched earlier this year (in 2021), I have known Gary and Mark (my business partners in CtoC) for 16 years. Professionally, I respect and admire them. They have always been very generous with sharing their knowledge and insight with me, I have learnt a lot from both of them. Personally, I love hanging out with them, even when we aren’t working together! They’re always smiling, a great laugh and fun to be around. It’s never a dull moment.
Gary first mentioned CtoC to me at the end of 2020 and I knew I wanted to be part of it. It was a no-brainer! I thought it was a brilliant idea and much needed. Having worked with many clients over the years, I know firsthand how frustrating it is to deal with several companies to achieve the same goal or objective, especially when these companies aren’t talking to one another. With CtoC, clients have one company handling all the aspects of launching a brand to create a product for consumer consumption. If I wasn’t working with CtoC, I would definitely use them myself!
XBIZ: What are your favorite parts of your daily work? What tasks, interactions or events do you enjoy the most within industry life?
Saini: My favorite parts of my daily work include combining creativity with commercial when developing a brand or product concept. I enjoy meeting new clients and catching up with industry friends. I also love that almost all of our design, creative and client management team is female and it's so empowering to know that the only thing that is important is your insight, knowledge and skills. We work in an environment where being open, honest and truly client-focused is at the heart of our business DNA. There is no ego, no politics, no can’t-do attitude — just a desire to enjoy doing what we do and sharing our passion and market insight with potential clients.
XBIZ: What are you most looking forward to doing and creating with the CTC Collective team during the remainder of 2021?
Saini: CtoC has taken off even more than we had hoped or even wished for. Therefore, I am excited about the creative branding and product design work we have done for clients and seeing this come to market. I’m also excited about the projects we have not started yet and the amazing plans we have for the rest of this year and beyond. This is only the beginning for CtoC and we are all excited about where we take it next.
XBIZ: Are there any industry women who really inspire you?
Saini: I have met so many wonderful women (and men!) during my career and to name them all would risk missing someone out! I particularly admire the women who have helped shape the industry for decades and have paved the way for it to be what it is now. We represent a wonderfully diverse and inclusive industry where your knowledge and passion is more important than your color, creed, sexuality, or gender, although we love that too.
XBIZ: How are you and your team members planning on conquering 2022? How does your team stay on top of the trends to maintain excitement and relevance?
Saini: Our plan is to continue building on the fantastic start we have had in 2021 and that includes strengthening the team and expanding the services we offer. We have lots of exciting things in the pipeline and projects we are working on with clients that will be groundbreaking. However, the nature of the confidentiality of our business means we will have to be content with an internal smile and little pat on the back, as unless you are the client, you will not know we have worked on it.
Each month, XBIZ spotlights the career accomplishments and outstanding contributions of Women in Adult. WIA profiles offer an intimate look at the professional lives of the industry's most influential female executives.
