Brush up on your Spanglish and get set for world-class sex education and customer service. Alejandra Preciado is putting Tijuana, Mexico on the map of must-see pleasure toy shops.
Usually associated with party tourism and poor attempts at bilingual conversation, Tijuana also offers something special to those willing to step outside their all-inclusive resort: Fantasías Boutique. This women-and-couples-friendly adult store shines with all the makings of retail greatness, and Preciado leads the way.
I began working at Fantasías in 2014 as an administrative assistant. Little by little, I began to involve myself in operating the shops.
Preciado's official title is “Product Buyer,” though her daily contributions go above and beyond a simple job moniker. Social media, marketing, staff training, B2B relations, and customer service have earned Preciado a career full of accolades since 2014.
As Preciado tells XBIZ, the Mexican sex toy market is quickly growing in popularity and social acceptance, especially in a hybrid, border city like Tijuana. While more rural, central Mexicans might share a different point of view, Preciado says there's still plenty of business for sex toy brands to explore in her home country.
In celebration of sexuality for cultures across the world, Alejandra Preciado is this month’s bilingual, badass business babe of the month.
XBIZ: So tell us, Alejandra, how has 2021 been for you and the team at Fantasías Boutique? Has everything bounced back after all the lockdowns and COVID regulations of 2020?
Preciado: It has been a year with a lot of challenges. With regards to COVID, things have not gone completely back to normal. We still have sanitizing kits for customers to use at our stores before they come in.
On the other hand, 2021 has provided us with new business opportunities. The last ANME/XBIZ event that was held in July was good for our business since we were able to establish contact with new companies. We also regained connections and made up for lost time with some of the enterprises we had on hold because of COVID.
In addition to this, we are continually creating a safe space where our clients can express their needs, and we offer our best services and customer care. The Fantasías team is always working on providing the best service and reliability to our customers.
XBIZ: How did you join the team at Fantasias Boutique? What contributions do you make to your team and company's success?
Preciado: I began working at Fantasías in 2014 as an administrative assistant. Little by little, I began to involve myself in operating the shops. First as a floor salesperson when one of the employees was absent. I began to listen to our clients’ needs and desires, and giving them advice on which products would work best for their needs. That is when I fell in love with the business.
Currently, my main role at this company is as a product buyer. This includes maintaining relations with our manufacturers and suppliers, as well as creating new business opportunities for Fantasías. I am also involved in personnel training. I make sure our personnel is up to date with regards to the market’s new tendencies and new products.
My job also includes coordinating our marketing work team, including supervising the content published on our social media, our website and our online customer service.
XBIZ: Give us a peek into pleasure retail in Mexico. Are people open-minded about sex toys and sexuality there?
Preciado: Lately, Mexican society is evolving and is little by little becoming more open towards sexuality. The use of sex toys, and a concern for sexual wellness, have become more mainstream. As we are at the U.S.-Mexico border and far away from central Mexico, Tijuana has a unique, hybridized identity and culture. There is more openness towards multiculturalism and diversity, including sexual education, which allows us to have a closer relationship with our clients and our community. This openness helps us better educate our customers regarding sexual-related topics and the use of adult sex toys.
XBIZ: What has been your experience as a woman in this industry?
Preciado: Fortunately, this industry has received me with open arms. There are many people who have helped me in getting to know the industry better. They have introduced me to new products, companies and people. This has allowed me to do better business, and create stronger partnerships and even friendships. In the beginning, the most difficult thing has been explaining to my friends, my family, my peers and former teachers where I work and what I do — and that they take my work seriously and recognize it as serious, delicate and important work. It’s been an educational experience for me, too, but as I said, society is evolving and being more open to sexual topics nowadays. It is easier to generate awareness about the industry and the work that we do.
I believe nowadays this industry is evolving little by little, opening new opportunities in key roles to women, from sales personnel at the shops to CEOs at large companies. It is an industry that empowers you as a woman, motivates you to explore your own sexuality, your professional abilities and capabilities, and it encourages you to educate and empower other women. It is a very free and open community.
XBIZ: Do you have any female colleagues whom you really admire?
Preciado: I greatly admire Adriana Salinas, our star salesperson. She is a very capable, hardworking and professional woman. She is also a dedicated mother and is always willing to help you out and answer your questions about sexuality and our products. She has worked in this industry for more than 11 years. She is always willing to go out of her way to help out our company and aid our clients, as well as to support her coworkers by training them and giving them advice.
XBIZ: What does the future hold for Fantasías Boutique and your career with the company? What keeps you excited to continue working with your team into 2021 and beyond?
Preciado: We plan to keep on growing as a company, expanding our product catalog and our online store, as well as open new shops. We plan to continue educating our community through different means with regards to sexual topics and the use of adult sex toys. Sexual education projects are very exciting to me and I am convinced that as people become more sexually educated, we will have a freer society — one that is woke and aware about their own sexuality.
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.
