With decades of experience in the business of pleasure products, Ducky DooLittle possesses a wealth of expertise that benefits industry professionals and consumers alike. Having recently joined Blush Novelties as the company’s new marketing manager, DooLittle is a sex educator, author and speaker who also has held positions within adult retail and distribution. DooLittle was instrumental in building public sex education learning programs for the Museum of Sex in New York City and adult retailer Babeland. She is the author of “Sex with the Lights On: 200 Illuminating Sex Questions Answered,” and also has made several press appearances on HBO, MTV, NPR and more.
In this month’s edition of Women in Adult, we profile DooLittle, as she elaborates on her vibrant and expansive career in the pleasure products industry and sex education.
There is nothing better than that person who tells me I helped them understand their body in a new way, be it a sales person in an adult shop or an individual I had the fortune of meeting at a store event.
XBIZ: What is your role and responsibility at Blush Novelties?
Ducky DooLittle: I am the marketing manager. This means I work with a lot amazing people to create brand awareness through avenues like advertising, social media, trade shows, consumer events, and online and in-person educational events. I train the Blush sales team and staff. And one of my favorite things I get to do is contribute my opinion to new products and write some of the copy that helps the retail staff and consumers understand how to get the most out of their Blush experience.
XBIZ: How did you get into the business?
DooLittle: I started by working in a gritty New York sex shop in 1988. I loved it from day one. I was so inexperienced in sexuality and I loved (and still love!) how I learned something new every day.
With all these years under my belt I have had the benefit of working from the bottom up — in retail, as a buyer, as a manager, as an education coordinator, and with manufacturers and distributors. Even after all these years I still wake up happy to be in the business of pleasure products.
XBIZ: What challenges have you confronted in your career and how have you overcome them?
DooLittle: I have experienced a lot. When I started in this industry people judged me harshly. I literally lost friends and family when I committed myself to working with pleasure products.
As a young woman it was hard for me to understand their attitudes because I knew I was not doing anything wrong. I wasn’t compromising my values or morals. The people coming in to the shop were not bad people. They were explorers, they were curious, they were shy, and often they were really very funny and kind.
There were however a couple things that really helped me develop the fortitude and self-confidence to work in this industry. One is that I was orphaned and was not held accountable to parents in the way that people who come from a traditional family may be. The other thing that helped me is that I met some really amazing business owners who took me under their wings, encouraged me, and gave me opportunities to grow and build my skills.
XBIZ: What is the most rewarding part of your job?
DooLittle: I get to help people every day. To your average person I may look like I am just a cog in another capitalist industry, but working with sexuality is different. The products we sell help people better understand their own bodies and inspire people to take a break and live in the moment. A great sex toy will inspire exploration, questions and communication between lovers. There is nothing better than that person who tells me I helped them understand their body in a new way, be it a sales person in an adult shop or an individual I had the fortune of meeting at a store event.
XBIZ: What is your personal motto or mantra that you live by?
DooLittle: Working in this industry has made me both compassionate and tough. I believe there is a logical reason for every illogical behavior. I believe in reserving judgment, keeping an open mind, and being kind. Unless you try to hurt my dog, then you must die!
XBIZ: What career accomplishment are you most proud of?
DooLittle: I am most proud of the fact that I have a job where people don’t ask me to compromise who I am or what I believe in. I work with good people who value what I do and give me avenues to express myself. Blush, for example, is a company that hired me because I am creative and unique. I get to work with a company that is fun, progressive and reaching to be the best they can be.
XBIZ: What are your professional goals for 2017?
DooLittle: My main goal is to use every avenue available to show the world just how cool Blush Novelties really is. There’s so much creative advancement happening inside this building. We are not just another importer. We have design and engineering teams that manufacture every piece. I invite anyone who meets me to ask to see an example of what this means. All I want to do is put things in people hands so they can feel the difference. And when life does not allow me the opportunity to do that, then join me on Facebook Live, or Twitter, or in online classes and I’ll show you there!
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.
