New gen bosses: Vanessa Cuccia, founder of Chakrubs, on how she turned sex toys into a luxurious must-have
New gen bosses is a new series created to guide and inspire more people to go out there on their own, either as new business founders or freelancers. And what better way to do that than to ask the ones that already succeed at it? We want to know about big fuck-ups and even bigger successes, and the risky decisions they had to make along the way. We want to be the last little push you needed.
Job title: Founder & CEO
Industry: Adult and wellness
Company founder or freelancer: Founder
Company name: Chakrubs
How long have you been doing it: 9 years
Age: none
Location: Detroit, Michigan
What pushed you to start on your own?
When my great grandparents immigrated to America from Italy, the first night they arrived they baked bread all night and sold it all day to support themselves. My grandparents would later on open up a car wash. My father is an inventor who created a non-surgical medical device that straightens the spine. My mother is a musician who developed her own record label after producing and writing a concept CD that no other label knew how to place, later became the CEO of the company that sold my father’s invention around the world.
Since I was 18, I have been financially independent and worked many jobs that helped me understand myself better because I figured out that I hated working for other people or ‘having’ to wake up at a certain time. Being on my own was a choice I needed to make in order to feel more aligned with how I fulfill my potential. Entrepreneurship is in my blood and I believe the fact that I was able to see that creating something from nothing is possible, it never seemed so crazy.
What was the very first thing you needed to do to set everything up?
The first thing I needed to do was to get the product in my hand. I had this idea for pleasure tools made from crystal and had months of thinking about it and why it would be good in theory, but I needed to get the designs and prototypes, and hold them in my hands. That’s when it became real.
What was the riskiest decision you had to take?
When I launched my business, the idea of utilising crystals as a material for an adult product was even more radical than it is today. I remember a friend of mine who was a notable spiritual teacher advising me to market Chakrubs as ‘reiki massage tools’ and not go so heavy on talking about masturbation and sexual healing. The product and philosophy marketing was very risky, but I’m glad I stayed true to what the mission was.
What was a skill you didn’t foresee needing that you had to learn?
Relaxing. When you work for yourself, it’s easy to constantly be working. Turning off my brain and relaxing has been a skill that I need to relearn time and time again.
At what moment did you realise that this was going to work out?
I knew the minute the name Chakrubs popped into my head. This wasn’t a business idea that came from me sitting at a chalkboard trying to figure out what kind of product I could sell. This was something that came from outside of me. To this day I say that I work for Chakrubs—because it is an entity on its own that I am simply helping facilitate its growth so it reaches who it needs to reach. I am deeply connected to my business but I also recognise that I am the vessel that works for this entity that is beyond anything I can take credit for.
What did you spend your money on?
Inventory. Getting the product. Everything else, in the beginning, I did myself. It’s not too hard these days to start a website, to get whatever certifications you need to start a business. You don’t have to know everything to start, just do little by little. Keep refining. If you’re doing something like making your own website or taking your own photos to start off—this is the time to compare yourself to other brands you admire. I know I’m going off on a bit of a tangent, but I do think this is important. When people start out and they need to do things on their own and let’s say take photos of their products, for example, a lot of times people aren’t looking at their work as objectively as they should because they feel this sense of pride that clouds their vision.
I think it’s good to see your work with a sense of pride, but you have to separate yourself from it and objectively see if it’s up to par with where you want to be. If you keep doing this with the things you want to save money on, you will learn valuable skills as well as save money. Of course, you may not be as good as hiring a professional in the field, but you can get by with this at least and learn more about your own taste along the way.
What was your biggest fuck up?
My biggest fuck up has been to take out loans. After being in business for a while, you start to get calls from people who will give you working capital but they are usually at high-interest rates. This starts a bad cycle. My advice is only to spend what you have. Don’t take loans if you can avoid it.
What was your biggest success?
Having my products appear on Conan was such a major highlight for me. It was a dream come true.
What do you know now that you didn’t know then?
One thing that I know now is that my stubbornness is something I have to honour instead of fight. I heard that I was stubborn my whole life but now I understand that instead of trying to be easy-going or accommodating with my visions or ideas, I have to just stay true. Any time I’ve tried to work in someone else’s vision into my own it doesn’t feel right and I know it has to feel right to me if it’s going to be successful.
What are three tips you would give someone who wants to start on their own?
One: Everything is an experiment. Keep doing things and refining the things you do. Don’t wait until it’s perfect.
Two: Let things take the time they need. If you can avoid it, don’t have a partner.
Three: Have a good idea. Like, it seems simple but, is your idea actually good? Is it helpful? Is it unique? And are you passionate about it? The more passionate and connected you are to your idea the more successful it will be.
Bonus: You can’t do everything on your own—but you don’t need as much as you think at first to start a business. Let things develop. Learn. Build a strong foundation. Be solution-minded. There will always be issues. That’s the name of the game. Problems will arise every turn. Start having fun with figuring out the solution because there will always be one. If you feel stuck between two decisions, there’s probably a third option you aren’t aware of yet. Take your time for it to reveal itself.
Want to discuss taking the leap with other new gens? You’re in luck! We’ve created New Gen Bosses, a Facebook group to continue and expand the conversation started through this new series.
