| Written by Amy Storer-Scalia, on 31-03-2007 11:51 |
Chic Spotlight: Pure Romance's Patty Brisben
Pure Romance's CEO, Patty Brisben is making sex sell in Cincinnati. She tells all about what makes a "romance enhancement" company successful, a relationship work and a big dream come true.
Cincy Chic: Where were you 15 years ago? How did you transition from that life into the one you live today?
Brisben:
I was a married, mother of four, looking for a fun outlet. I was also
one of the top five most successful consultants with a company similar
to Pure Romance. At the time I found that a lot of women were
requesting information and answers regarding female sexual health that
this particular company was not providing. That was the beginning of my
own personal desire to create an alternative for women.
The transition began when that company folded and I had to make a
decision regarding what I was going to do. At that time, there weren’t
really any other companies out there of this nature.
That was when I decided I was ready to take the leap and launch my own
company, providing women with more of what they were looking for, while
continuing to offer women with a safe environment to learn about
sexuality and intimacy.
Cincy Chic: The legend goes
that you were inspired by women talking freely in a discussion about
sexuality on The Phil Donahue Show. Why did that inspire you and how
have you instilled that freedom in your company?
Brisben: It
inspired me because I felt that these women were very empowered, taking
control both financially and in their own bedrooms. Back in the 80s,
that was virtually unheard of. I felt like they were in on this secret
and I wanted to be a part of that sisterhood and camaraderie.
Today, we have instilled that freedom by marketing our company in a
clean and classy way. Our parties are not only entertaining, but also
highly educational. We are committed to providing a safe environment
for women to ask questions and feel like they can be open when it comes
to learning about intimacy and sexuality.
Cincy Chic: Cincinnati has
always been thought to be a conservative city. Did you have any
inhibitions about starting such a “push the envelope” kind of company
in Cincy?
Brisben: Cincinnati has never intimidated me. It’s
been a wonderful place to raise my family and overall, the city has
been very supportive of what I’m doing. They see the light at the end
of the tunnel and realize that we are truly about educating women.
Cincy Chic: Let’s talk about
business. What kind of response have you received from Cincinnati women
since you started your business in 1993?
Brisben: They have
totally embraced it! Women in the community have honestly asked why
it’s taken so long for us to have something like this available.
Cincy Chic: What was your greatest challenge in getting your business started?
Brisben:
For me, it was finding my niche. I have never been a “behind the desk,”
paperwork type person – I’ve always needed to be active and would
describe myself as a "do-er." It was important at that time to really
build a strong team of individuals that could contribute to all aspects
of the business.
Cincy Chic: Any business advice you would like to disseminate with other women out there with big dreams of starting their own company?
Brisben:
Follow your dream. Stay passionate about what you’re doing. When you
lose your passion, then you’ve lost your reason to move forward. I
truly believe that every time you fail at something, it makes you
stronger to push forward and do a better job next time. There’s always
going to be obstacles in business, but you just have to learn lessons
from your setbacks and ultimately turn them into positives.
Cincy Chic: Going along with the business advice... you have several family members working for you. Is that a key to success? If so, why?
Brisben:
In my case it has been a key to success. Having my family have the same
passion for what I do has been really important to me. While growing
this business, I was working many hours so I was able to still spend
time with them and keep that bond strong. They’ve also brought a lot of
great new ideas to the table to help substantially grow this business.
Cincy Chic: Do you feel like
you have inspired women to freely discuss their sexuality as the women
on Phil did with you? How does that make you feel?
Brisben: I
really think we have pioneered a lot of programs that have opened doors
for women. I take great pride in that. Women are no longer hiding
intimacy issues; we have allowed them to really come out and improve
those intimacy issues.
Women today are really concerned with their relationships. For example,
many married couples are realizing that just having a marriage
certificate isn’t going to bond you for life – in reality, you have to
work at your relationships. I truly believe that you have to work on
anything worth having in life.
Cincy Chic: Because you
started this company from the ground up, this company is really an
extension of you. What kinds of things scream Patty Brisben in the way
your company functions?
Brisben: You know the old saying “treat
others as you would want to be treated” – I’ve taken that motto and
used it with our company, making every women feel comfortable when she
comes through the door.
I hadn’t even seen a bedroom accessory before starting in this
business. As a result, I learned first-hand what made women feel
uncomfortable and I didn’t want that to ever be the case for the women
that were turning to Pure Romance. My experience was a plus because I
could really relate to many of our customers who were looking for a
comfortable environment where they wouldn’t feel awkward or
uncomfortable.
Cincy Chic: Tell me a little about the Patty Brisben Foundation?
Brisben:
I’ve always taken pride in being able to surround myself with great
people. As I mentioned before, many women came to me with complex
questions. Because I was not a doctor, I felt it necessary to team up
with qualified individuals who could provide answers to these
questions. Through this experience, I discovered that there is very
little research done on female sexual health. Even today, there wasn’t
any place for women suffering from cancer, pain disorders – it is
astounding what little information is available. The foundation helps
in funding, as well as providing this research, so our children’s
children will not be struggling with these same issues down the road.
Cincy Chic: Where do you like to go/do in your spare time?
Brisben:
I love visiting Nappa Valley, my second home in Naples, Florida and St.
Maarten. I especially love family vacations. I’m a very family-oriented
person so this is extremely important to me.
Cincy Chic: If there’s one thing you’d like our readers to know about you, what would it be?
Brisben:
That I’m a strong believer that one should always practice what they
preach. I would also want them to know how very important my family is
to me. They’ve been a great support system throughout the years.
Cincy Chic: What’s been your greatest accomplishment thus far?
Brisben:
To me, one of my best accomplishments has been winning the Ernst and
Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Award for this region. It really showed
me how much Pure Romance has been embraced in our community – I take
great pride in that.
Cincy Chic: What do you hope to accomplish in the future?
Brisben:
I would love to contribute even more information regarding women’s
sexual health. I strive to always continue offering even more
opportunities to women and keeping them financially and personally
self-empowered.
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