A decade ago, pleasure products and sexual wellness brands were still rarely discussed within the broader health and lifestyle landscape. Media outlets often treated sexual wellness as a novelty, so brands struggled to secure thoughtful coverage.
Over time, however, discussions about intimacy, pleasure and sexual health gradually moved from the margins to the mainstream, appearing everywhere from lifestyle magazines to wellness podcasts. Educators, therapists and advocates helped foster a more informed dialogue, planting the seeds for a wider cultural shift.
Ultimately, I dream of Little Leaf helping us work toward a world where the next generation doesn’t bat an eye when talking about sex and pleasure.
Few people have a clearer understanding of that transformation than Kathryn Byberg, founder and CEO of boutique PR firm Little Leaf Agency. Byberg has helped sexual wellness brands, educators and advocates shape their stories for the mainstream media, steadily expanding the industry’s presence within the broader wellness conversation.
At the recent XBIZ Honors Awards, Byberg was named Marketing Executive of the Year in recognition of her agency’s growing influence in helping sexual wellness brands gain visibility. For Byberg, however, public relations has always been about something larger than just brand exposure.
“At Little Leaf, we view PR and communications as a tool for cultural change,” she explains. “Our goal is to help bring credible and ethical voices, educators and brands in sexual wellness into the mainstream conversation. We believe that sexual wellness is a fundamental part of overall health and well-being. However, it remains an area plagued by stigma, censorship and misunderstanding.”
From Science to Storytelling
Byberg’s journey into the sexual wellness industry wasn’t exactly planned. She originally studied genetics, and spent several years pursuing postgraduate research in molecular biology and biochemistry. However, she had always felt drawn to storytelling and media, so she later completed postgraduate studies in journalism.
After working for a time as the marketing and events manager for a sports NGO in Ireland, where she ran national and international events and led the PR program for Olympic athletes, an unexpected turn came when Byberg moved halfway across the world to Shanghai with her partner — now her husband.
“That’s where I first came across LELO,” she recalls. “I joined the company and spent the next seven years helping build the global PR and communications strategies across brands including LELO, Intimina and FOREO.”
Byberg eventually became head of PR and communications, turning a surprising career pivot into a long-term professional calling.
“Looking back, that mix of science, journalism, events and communications became the perfect foundation for what I do today,” Byberg reflects. “Once I entered the sexual wellness industry, I realized how impactful this work could be. That was the moment everything clicked — and I’ve never left.”
Planting the Seeds of Change
During her years spent shaping global communications at LELO, Byberg gained a clear understanding of the sexual wellness media landscape — and a glaring gap within it.
There was a lack of PR and communications agencies that genuinely specialized in sexual wellness. Working with outside agencies revealed how frequently the category was misunderstood. The consequences extended beyond mere strategic errors. In some instances, campaigns were entirely off target.
“I created Little Leaf to bridge that gap,” Byberg says. “We built a team across the globe that not only understands communications and media, but also understands the sexual wellness industry inside and out.”
As Little Leaf continued to grow, so did its reach.
“I’m so proud of the team that we’ve built at Little Leaf,” Byberg enthuses. “From Canada to Europe, we have a multicultural team of 14 members all over the world — and despite being remote, the team chemistry is palpable.”
The agency initially concentrated on the U.S., the U.K. and Ireland, but as the need for specialized communication support grew, so did Little Leaf’s presence in non-English-speaking markets. This year, the firm has started expanding into the Spanish and German markets.
“We’ve added new team members who truly understand the industry and the cultural attitudes toward sexual wellness in those markets,” Byberg notes.
Cultivating a New Conversation
Throughout her time in the pleasure biz, Byberg has watched the public conversation around sexual wellness grow and evolve.
Back in 2013, when she first started, sex bloggers were crucial, as independent writers and niche online communities drove much of the discussion about pleasure and intimacy, often filling gaps left by traditional media outlets hesitant to cover the topic. Today, social media platforms and creator-driven media have created new opportunities for education, advocacy and brand storytelling.
“We’ve seen a shift to influencers as Instagram and TikTok took off,” Byberg says. “YouTube has reemerged as an important platform for creators in the sexual wellness world, and sex bloggers have shifted their focus to podcasts and owned social platforms like Substack.”
As discussions about sexual wellness grow, so does the expectation for brands to model responsibility in how their products are designed and produced.
“Body-safe, sustainable sex toys are still competing with the fast-fashion era of cheap toys on third-party marketplaces that are low-quality, don’t have longevity and will eventually end up in a landfill,” Byberg explains. “We’re seeing an uptick in consumers, particularly millennials and Gen Z, being passionate about mindful consumption rather than disposable trends.”
As the sexual wellness industry continues to grow, Byberg believes the demand for thoughtful, strategic storytelling will only increase. Little Leaf, she says, is well-positioned to help brands and educators navigate an increasingly complex media landscape.
For Byberg, however, business growth is not the only measure of success.
“My goal is to help shape a future where sexual wellness is recognized as an essential part of overall health,” she affirms. “Ultimately, I dream of Little Leaf helping us work toward a world where the next generation doesn’t bat an eye when talking about sex and pleasure. A world where we can say the word ‘vulva’ freely and without stigma or shame.
“I feel so proud of what we do,” Byberg says. “I’m just happy to be a part of this industrywide objective that we’re all working so hard to achieve.”
