Each month, industry news media organization 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.
Danielle Seerley just might be the pleasure industry’s unofficial favorite sweetheart. Seerley has all the makings of a sex toy superstar: a background in both mainstream and adult business, the ability to multitask her way around social media, sales and marketing, and an unforgettable smile that perfectly fits her positively sweet personality.
Each month, industry news media organization 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.
Luckily for us in the sexual health space, Seerley decided to leave a lucrative vanilla career with some of the world’s most well-known brands to join this little-yet-large industry of pleasure. Some of us know her as the woman of wands at Los Angeles-based Shibari, but if you’re a veteran, you’ll remember Seerley as the friendly face of ID Lubricants just four years prior.
Wherever she goes, Seerley leaves a trail of happiness, fun, and satisfied customers, and that’s why we’ve chosen Danielle as our newest inductee to Women in Adult.
XBIZ: You’ve been the industry’s go-to woman for everything from lubes to wands. But where did you cut your teeth in the business world?
Danielle Seerley: My retail career started in the luxury retail sector. After starting in a sales associate position I was quickly promoted to a management position and absolutely fell in love with sales for a career. I was recruited by Nike, Inc. to manage their Cole Haan stores; I was one of the youngest managers promoted at the time and I was very determined to grow. Nike transferred me to a few different locations to rehabilitate underperforming stores to top performers, and I utilized the opportunity to grow my career in multi-store specialty areas. I helped establish their clientele program and managed/tracked results for 69 stores as well as developed training programs for product and new managers.
I wanted to gain more diversity and took an opportunity with Henri Bendel after six years at Nike. I’m incredibly thankful for the learning opportunities along the way. Having a strong background in client development systems has been incredibly helpful transitioning from that aspect of sales to the manufacturing side. I dealt with a lot of conceptualizing, creating and implementation of training programs at almost every retail level. It was such an easy transition when I went from retail to wholesale in that sense.
XBIZ: Jumping from Nike Brands to hawking bedroom goodies — now that’s quite a leap! What led you astray from continuing a vanilla career?
Seerley: A good friend of mine owned a printing business and asked for a copy of my resume one day. One of his customers (ID Lubricants) had an opening he thought would be a really good fit. I wanted to balance out my resume and move into the wholesale sector, and he saw the perfect opening. He didn’t originally tell me where he was sending it, you can imagine how surprised I was when he copied me on the email and closed with “thanks for all the lube,” LOL! I went in for an interview… and seven years later here we are!
XBIZ: What sticks out in your mind about the start of your adult industry journey?
Seerley: I would have to say the people I met and the understanding and appreciation it gave me for this industry. I was so excited about the travel and the different places I got to go, the different things I got to do. Whether it was a training, trade show, speaking engagement etc., — it always felt like a new challenge and exciting. It still does; no two days seem to be the same.
XBIZ: How have you made your way around the industry, and what roles have you filled throughout your career?
Seerley: I originally worked with ID Lubricants in sales and was then promoted for my sales role to include trade show management. I remember looking at the going away cake on my last day and asking myself this same question, to be honest. My goal is to leave something better than when I found it, and I hope that is true with my time at ID. I truly learned so much at ID and from [company president] Gregg [Haskell], and that knowledge has helped me be successful in my role at Shibari. ID is where I originally met a lot of customers and business associates, many are now dear friends and trusted colleagues. I hope that my love of the industry and brand was left with them each time we met.
XBIZ: What industry mentors have played a role in your success? Who inspires you?
Seerley: Wow, industry mentors... What if some of them don’t even know? Just kidding…sort of. I look up to Kevin [Mirarchi] with Shibari. He has always had a unique ability to get in front of trends and stay relevant in the market. He helps me not take things so seriously, or at least try not to, and I know at the end of the day Shibari will always have my back. Cheri Curry-Poe has always been an inspiration and a champion of my career from the first day we met. Jennifer Brice is a great resource for strategic management and I always appreciate her support. Cathy Ziegler for her never-ending positivity and helpfulness. While we have not worked directly together, I have always admired Tom Stewart after sharing a booth with him at my first Erofame. Watching the evolution of his company is inspiring, and Tom’s ability to balance business and help others has always stood out to me. There are others, but I’ll keep those to myself for now. There are several people that I can think of that truly inspire me to be the best version of myself. Ryan Hansen, Terry McGowan, Kim Faubel, to name a few. It’s a rare thing to find people that challenge you to be better without even trying.
XBIZ: Managing an industry veteran brand is no small feat! Tell us about an average day working behind-the-scenes at Shibari.
Seerley: Movin’ and shakin’! Life at Shibari is pretty great; I love being a part of our brand. I’m passionate about our product, the brand agility we have, the opportunity we have to make a difference in people’s perception of the adult industry, and most importantly to feel like an empowered businesswoman. One of the thoughts I always carried with me in retail were the things I would do different when I was running things. I really wanted to make a difference in areas that were important to me. I’m lucky; I get to do that at Shibari. I’m involved in everything from new product selection, writing copy, social media, trade shows, marketing support, etc. — there is always something to be a part of. That is what makes Shibari such a great fit for me, I get to have an outlet for creativity but also do what I love, sales. I always love looking at old pictures to see how far the brand has come in the four years I have been with them; it makes me really proud.
XBIZ: We all know you haven’t truly lived if you haven’t had at least a few embarrassingly funny moments at trade shows and events. Spill a couple of yours.
Seerley: I thought the Womanizer boxes were thin mints and tried to raid Holiday Products for food before I passed out at Altitude. The first time I ever rented a Prius was in San Francisco. After parking, I thought it was turned off and left to do store visits. When I got back to the car I realized it was already running. Then I realized it had been running the whole time! That was when I realized Priuses are silent and deadly and to keep rentals to engines I could hear.
XBIZ: The adult industry has come a long way since your rookie days. Who’s responsible for all this amazing change? And as a Woman in Adult, how do you think women have helped change the game?
Seerley: Our industry is unique in relation to this question. Brands are creating new key roles that allow women to fairly contribute. It could be additional sales people, added leadership, specific areas of brand management, or production leadership. Key roles are starting to get the visibility they deserve and people are getting rightfully earned recognition for their work. Women are also breaking out of the mold of what typical positions they held, especially when it is a specialty customer, i.e. only makes men’s products. I love that women in these top positions are continuing to help other women be successful. We rise by lifting each other!
XBIZ: Let’s get all your retail and distribution readers excited and give them a reason to book your next plane ticket. What’s up next from Shibari?
Seerley: Shibari just launched our newest line, Voodoo. I love the products in this new line, and think it is the perfect complement to our group of sub brands. We are launching a new lube duet; Gender Fluid. Our lube collection is small, but offers something different in packaging. Gender Fluid really rounds out our collection and speaks to an important market. I like getting back to my roots as our lube business continues to grow so rapidly.
XBIZ: You’ve definitely got the knack for keeping industry folks happy. What’s your secret?
Seerley: I hope my customers feel the level of service and dedication I try to give them. That I will always champion their cause and fight for their needs. Customers are family to me, and no store or account is unimportant regardless of their size. I hope my colleagues find me unforgettable for my passion for what I do and ability to create success and excitement for a brand. I believe in supporting each other regardless of where you work and hope my pay-it-forward attitude is contagious. We are an unforgettable group of women, I’m thrilled to be recognized among you.
