From Candy Dreams to Startup Realities

Bio

Ashlee Lena Turner is the CEO and founder of The Pocket Panty (TPP), a brand that offers small, discreet, individually wrapped panties—tiny enough to fit in a purse, glove compartment, gym bag, or even most back pockets. They’re the perfect solution for a quick and accessible spare pair after an intense workout, a last-minute overnight stay, an unexpected tinkle from laughing too hard at happy hour, or for women who experience occasional incontinence.

Ashlee’s entrepreneurial journey began in 2006 when she opened Sweet Sugar, a candy lounge on Melrose Blvd. in Los Angeles. With over four years of experience in real estate and more than a decade of business ventures, her passion has always been in creating solutions that empower women. But The Pocket Panty holds a special place in her heart, as it allows her to combine her love for women’s rights, reproductive health, and social advocacy.

Through The Pocket Panty Project (TPP+), a nonprofit 501(c)(3), Ashlee is committed to improving health and hygiene outcomes for women and girls by providing menstrual health education, advocacy, and access to essential products. At TPP+, we believe menstrual health is a fundamental human right and a key factor in the overall well-being and success of women and girls.

For Ashlee, The Pocket Panty is more than a brand—it’s a movement.

Summary

The salient point of this podcast conversation with Ashlee Turner is the profound importance of listening to customers and addressing their needs, which has been pivotal to her entrepreneurial journey and the creation of her innovative product, Pocket Panty. Throughout our dialogue, Ashlee elucidates her experiences as an entrepreneur, beginning from her early ventures to her current focus on providing women with practical solutions to their intimate needs. The conversation delves into the various challenges she faced, including the lessons learned from her initial failure in the candy business, which ultimately fueled her determination to succeed. Ashlee emphasizes the necessity of understanding the diverse reasons behind women needing extra underwear, which has expanded her market significantly. Our exchange not only highlights her business acumen but also her commitment to social impact, as she aims to empower women and girls through accessible menstrual health solutions.

Conversation

Jothy Rosenberg's conversation with Ashlee Turner offers a compelling narrative that traverses the landscape of necessity-driven entrepreneurship. Ashlee's journey is marked by a profound understanding of the importance of consumer feedback, a theme that resonates throughout the episode. She reflects upon her inception as an entrepreneur, rooted in her childhood experiences of reselling candy, which ignited her fascination with market dynamics and customer needs. This foundational experience evolved into the conception of Pocket Panty, a product that addresses an urgent need for women to have access to spare underwear, particularly in moments of unexpected necessity. The dialogue emphasizes how Ashlee's initial vision was expanded significantly through direct engagement with customers on platforms like Shark Tank, where she learned about the diverse medical and social reasons women seek her product, thus broadening her market and enhancing her social impact.

As the discussion progresses, Ashlee articulates her belief in the necessity of merging profit with purpose, advocating for a business model that prioritizes social responsibility alongside financial viability. She recounts her experiences in various sales roles, emphasizing how a focus solely on monetary gain often left her unfulfilled, prompting her return to entrepreneurship with a renewed sense of mission. The episode serves as a clarion call for aspiring entrepreneurs to identify and address real-world problems, particularly those affecting marginalized groups. Ashlee's insights challenge conventional notions of success, urging listeners to seek out ventures that align with their values and have the potential to enact meaningful change.

Furthermore, Ashlee’s partnership with Planned Parenthood exemplifies her commitment to community empowerment and education. The upcoming Breaking the Cycle initiative aims to facilitate conversations about menstrual health between mothers and daughters, particularly in the context of incarceration. This innovative program seeks to dismantle the stigma surrounding menstrual health and promote education among young girls, ensuring they are equipped with the knowledge and resources necessary for their well-being. The episode encapsulates the transformative power of entrepreneurship when it is rooted in empathy and a desire to create solutions that uplift and empower those in need, leaving listeners with a profound understanding of the impact that purpose-driven ventures can have on society.

Takeaways

• Customer feedback serves as an invaluable resource for identifying growth opportunities within a business.
• Ashlee's entrepreneurial journey underscores the significance of pursuing purpose over mere financial gain.
• Learning from past failures is crucial; each setback can provide essential lessons that foster future success.
• Addressing fundamental human needs can transform a business model while simultaneously improving lives.
• The Pocket Panty initiative illustrates how addressing urgent societal issues can create a sustainable and impactful business.
• Engaging with underserved populations can reveal market potential that may otherwise remain unrecognized.

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