Each month, 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.
From children's playthings to adult toys, Satisfyer's Stephanie Trachtenberg knows how to spin a brand and win the hearts of clients and consumers alike. A former brand manager for Hasbro, she stumbled upon her career passion when she found herself at the helm of a sexual wellness company making its debut in the mainstream market. Two years later, Trachtenberg landed with Satisfyer as director of marketing and PR, where her affinity for the sex toy consumer has turned her into a devoted member of the pleasure industry family.
Once I was in sexual wellness and started really understanding the consumer, digging into the insights and the opportunity, I found it incredibly inspiring.
Trachtenberg now works remotely from Rhode Island with an office home base in New York City, where she meets with colleagues every couple of weeks. She takes pride in her team's approach to product research, design and pricing, which takes into account the bodies, desires and budgets of the consumers who stand to get the most out of Satisfyer's wares.
Trachtenberg likewise appreciates her company's prioritization of sex education, and the value it accords to input from women staff members and clinical sex educators like Megwyn White, Satisfyer's in-house sexologist.
Trachtenberg plans to continue Satisfyer's goal of tech and sex toy industry disruption during the coming year by growing the brand's mainstream presence at consumer shows like CES while staying grounded in the B2B space at trade events.
Wherever Satisfyer goes, you can bet Stephanie Trachtenberg will be there, and this month she’s taking the spotlight as our WIA Woman of the Month.
XBIZ: Tell us a bit about your career with Satisfyer. How long have you been with the team, and what is your current job role? Was this your first time working in the adult space?
Trachtenberg: I’ve been with Satisfyer as director of marketing and PR for the Americas for two years now, as of June. Having had prior experience at Hasbro in brand management, I had expertise in building global brands for mass market retail and mainstream consumers. Once I was in sexual wellness and started really understanding the consumer, digging into the insights and the opportunity, I found it incredibly inspiring. So much so that I was thrilled to elevate my mission and join a global brand like Satisfyer. Since I’ve been here, it’s been an incredible journey. I’ve helped transform a collection of products into a brand and establish our voice in the mainstream media with over 4 billion earned impressions last year. We are now a powerhouse brand with an expansive range offering something for everyone, well known for our affordable price and quality and literally searched for by name.
XBIZ: How do women contribute at Satisfyer? How does the company utilize female staff members to create a positive and memorable product experience for women consumers?
Trachtenberg: There’s an expansive R&D team in our Germany headquarters, but here in the U.S., our on-staff clinical sexologist Megwyn White is an incredibly talented woman who understands all the ways sexual pleasure can help meet women’s needs. Together we work very closely with media to translate all our amazing product experiences into tangible consumer benefits that women can relate to. Our work together has truly helped shape the category, with a focus on destigmatizing masturbation and highlighting all the mental, emotional and physical health benefits of sexual wellness. The category is more mainstream than ever. Before Satisfyer, you didn’t see ads for our category in ELLE magazine. Before Satisfyer, no one was talking about simulating oral sex. Accessibility is what is really making the difference with women consumers — in terms of the product and the product experience. Meaning the cost of our product itself makes it accessible, but the way we talk about it makes it approachable.
XBIZ: What are Satisfyer’s big plans for the next couple of years? Where will you and your team be investing your energy to grow the brand?
Trachtenberg: While I can’t give away anything top secret, I can assure you that the next big thing from us will surely be grounded in innovation. Our Satisfyer Connect app was a huge innovation for us and for the category, and even won awards from the broader tech industry. So we are continuing to develop the line of app-enabled products, and as the app continues to gain traction, we learn more and more about our consumers’ needs and desires. From here we will certainly always stay a few steps ahead to develop the next big thing of their dreams!
XBIZ: What are your personal career plans for the remainder of the year? Do you have any specific goals you’re hoping to achieve before 2023?
Trachtenberg: While Satisfyer has been extremely successful in educating and engaging the mainstream consumer with our lifestyle positioning, I’m hoping to grow our mass market distribution with new outlets by the end of the year. Establishing a market channel strategy will help us create the right product for each retailer based on their consumer needs — and we want Satisfyer there to meet these needs to reinforce our lifestyle approach.
XBIZ: How will Satisfyer continue to nurture its presence within adult B2B in the future? Will we find your team on the road, at events, trade shows and such?
Trachtenberg: You will for sure see our familiar faces on the road and at events, and some new ones too! We have new leadership in place and a few new sales team members too, so we are excited to rejuvenate our relationships with everyone! We have a commitment to growth, partnership with our customers and a continued focus to elevate the industry. Satisfyer’s recognition at CES has contributed significantly to the attraction of, and demand for, sexual wellness products. Satisfyer’s work over the past several years to change the conversation around the category has helped drive our positioning as a lifestyle brand. Our CES win was a major milestone not only for the brand, but for the category. This acknowledgment from the most renowned tech show indicates the category’s acceptance.
