It’s (finally and wonderfully) no secret that these days, women are everywhere in the pleasure industry. There’s no need to painstakingly search for female-owned sex toy brands or scour staff rosters to find that one female employee.
Women have officially taken back their rightful spotlight in an industry that never could have succeeded without their buying power. After all, pleasure tools aimed at clitorises and vaginas — albeit designed, produced and marketed by men who could scarcely find the former — built the pleasure trade into the international powerhouse it is today.
The challenge today is to remain competitive, stay relevant and on top of trends with our product selection, overall knowledge, and technology.
Looking back, it feels good to recall the pioneering ladies who pushed and shoved their way through the so-called old boys’ club and opened sex toy businesses for women, by women.
Honey’s Place, as we all know, has already set a historic precedent as the industry’s first female-founded adult distributor.
“There have been so many changes and so much growth over the years,” says Honey’s Place President and CEO Bonnie Feingold. “One of the most noticeable shifts I’ve seen is how the industry has become more empowering for women.”
Founded in 1994 by Feingold’s mother, Helene “Honey” Kusens, Honey’s Place helped pave the way for female leadership and remains one of the only female-owned adult distributors in the world.
“There was a point when adult products were more male-focused, and that has changed dramatically,” recalls Feingold. “There are more women working in the industry at all levels. I love seeing all the female business owners and entrepreneurs finding success!”
As the largest sex toy distribution company on the West Coast and a preferred wholesale distributor for top adult product and lingerie brands, Honey’s Place holds semi-exclusives for some of the most popular brands and remains an industry leader with customer-centric values.
Feingold spent her childhood observing as her mother poured the feminist foundations that would become the backbone of Honey’s Place, both then and now. Even as Feingold took the helm of Honey’s after her mother’s passing, however, there was still work to be done.
“I watched my mother succeed when there were no other women in the industry, and when I came into the industry, there were not many women owners or CEOs — none in distribution,” says Feingold. “When I started, more than a few people expressed their opinion that I wouldn’t succeed.”
Twenty-five years later, Feingold is enjoying the fruits of her labor, which have spread to encompass the entire industry.
“Now every company has women on staff, especially in sales,” reflects Feingold. “The narrative for our industry is changing in a positive way and women are at the forefront, and I believe the industry overall has changed because of the women working in it.”
Through integrity, accountability, passion and clear focus, Honey’s Place has built a vibrant company with a culture dedicated to collaboration and strong relationships.
“From the top down, we have an amazing team of people who work together to ensure that we exceed our customers’ expectations,” says Feingold. “The most important focus of each sales representative is the development of our relationships with customers and learning how to better serve them.”
The award-winning distributor caters to all types and sizes of business, including physical store locations, reseller platforms, home party businesses, and e-commerce retailers, and its progressive approach allows customers to grow using the latest technology and web services — including reliable drop shipping — available exclusively to Honey’s Place members.
“We take the time to dig into the details of every department, from our ERP system, website, personnel, customer service practices, and warehouse automations and, when needed, we make improvements that our customers want and benefit from,” says Feingold.
Honey’s Place specializes in bath and body products, adult toys, lingerie and party supplies, carrying more than 18,000 SKUs from 170-plus manufacturers around the world. Following recent expanded partnerships with lingerie brands like G World, Fantasy Lingerie, Allure, and Dreamgirl — plus a West Coast exclusive with Beverly Hills Naughty Girl — Honey’s Place is also a one-stop shop for customers’ lingerie, apparel and accessory needs.
Focused heavily on superior customer service, Honey’s Place account managers are highly trained and committed to providing merchandising tips, inventory recommendations and promotional support — and every staff member has the knowledge and experience to help keep Honey’s Place customers updated on current and predicted trends.
Feingold attributes the company’s accolades and superior service offerings to the incredible people she calls colleagues.
“Surrounding yourself with the best people, professionally and personally, really matters,” she reveals. “Hiring people who are motivated, genuine, honest and highly skilled in their roles has been paramount to Honey’s Place success.”
Following in her mother’s calculated, business-savvy footsteps, Feingold has identified what it takes to continue the Honey’s Place legacy as a trending pleasure business.
“The challenge today is to remain competitive, stay relevant and on top of trends with our product selection, overall knowledge, and technology, and every Honey’s Place staff member is equipped with the knowledge necessary to update customers on current and upcoming trends,” notes Feingold. “It is essential to be the best at what we do in every area of our business and help our customers navigate this ever-changing industry.”
Who can say whether Honey’s Place will remain the only female-founded distribution outfit in the industry? It seems to be the final frontier in an industry now dominated by women designers, manufacturers, sales executives and retailers. For now, Honey’s Place remains the sole owner of this brag-worthy title, and Feingold intends on earning her keep every step of the way.
“The future is ever-changing, and I intend to change with it,” says Feingold. “We will continue to update and improve what we do, seek feedback from our customers, and diversify our offerings to stay relevant and on top of trends.”
Fortunately for Feingold, feminism is more relevant than ever, and Honey’s Place can proudly count their team among the industry pioneers who forever revolutionized the face of sex toys.
“The industry will continue to evolve, that’s for sure,” she concludes, “and we’ll never forget what got us here.”
