Suzy Contreras' journey into the pleasure products industry has been steady and carefully cultivated. Across departments, accounts and nurtured relationships, Contreras has demonstrated commitment and passion at each step.
Now serving as Nasstoys’ sales representative for the West Coast and South America, Contreras possesses more than 26 years of industry experience. Her path began long before she entered sales meetings, product training sessions, or customer visits. It started when she was 19, working in production for a lubricant brand, filling bottles and learning the business from the ground up.
I love working with the Latin American customers; it just feels like I am checking up on family or my close friend.
“I did a little bit of everything,” she says. “I learned a little bit from every single department.”
As a sales assistant and customer service contact, she handled accounts, answered questions, entered orders and supported customers directly. Because she is bilingual, she also became a key contact for Spanish-speaking customers and Latin American accounts.
“Customer service is a little bit like being a salesperson,” Contreras says. “I built relationships with everybody.”
After her longtime position ended during the pandemic, Contreras spent about a year away from work, unsure of what would come next. Taylor Means, a sales executive at Nasstoys at the time, reached out with an opportunity. Nasstoys was seeking a Spanish-speaking sales representative, and Means believed Contreras could be the right fit.
“I was like, ‘Well, I’m not really a salesperson, but I’ll give it a try. I’m up for the challenge,’” Contreras recalls.
She interviewed with Nasstoys President Elliot Schwartz and sales veteran Kathryn Hartman, and the connection was immediate. She joined Nasstoys in 2021 and has been there ever since.
Moving from lubricants to toys presented a new learning curve. After spending more than two decades focused on lube, Contreras knew water-based and silicone-based formulas inside and out. Toys, however, were a completely different world, with new materials, functions, features and selling points to learn.
“I knew nothing about toys,” she says. “When I started with the toys, I was like, ‘Oh my God, this is so much more fun.’”
Today, Contreras assists clients throughout Latin America and the West Coast, a region that highlights her professional background and social skills.
“I love working with the Latin American customers,” she says. “When I make sales calls, it doesn’t even feel like I am working. It just feels like I am checking up on family or my close friend.”
Being bilingual has been a major asset, but Contreras is quick to point out that it has also been an area of ongoing learning.
“In the beginning, I did have a little bit of a problem when I would do my presentations or my trainings,” she says. “I had to do a lot of research and Google how to say certain words, because in English it is not the same thing in Spanish.”
Her customers have helped her refine her lingo. She’s often went to them for advice, turning the learning process into another way to strengthen her relationships.
When working with customers, Contreras focuses on practical product education. She discusses functions, materials and selling points, giving retailers and distributors the information they need to present Nasstoys products effectively. She has also seen firsthand how much packaging can influence customer interest and retail success.
“In the beginning, we had a hard time because of the packaging,” she says. “It was a little bit more old school.”
Customers gave feedback, and Nasstoys listened. As the company updated its packaging with a fresher, more modern look, Contreras saw the difference almost immediately.
“Now that we updated our packaging, made it a little bit cooler, that makes it easier,” she says. “Now my customers call me, and they’re like, ‘Oh my God, I need to carry it.’”
For Contreras, one of the most rewarding parts of her time at Nasstoys has been learning from the people around her. She speaks warmly about Schwartz, whose leadership has helped her grow, and about Meghan Beck, whose guidance and patience have made her feel supported as she continues to develop in her role.
“My goal is to be better at training and presentations,” Contreras says. “I want to loosen up and not be so nervous, and just let it flow.”
Women in the industry have played an important role in Contreras’ growth. She credits Means for bringing her to Nasstoys and Beck’s mentorship. Another major source of encouragement is her close friend, industry vet Mona Madrigal of Pipedream Products, who has been in her life for more than 20 years and remains someone Contreras turns to for advice.
Outside of work, Contreras stays grounded through family. She has two grandchildren, and when the day has been stressful, she likes to call her son and spend time with them. She takes them to museums or the park when the weather allows. She and her husband also enjoy going to casinos on the weekends to unwind. When she is not doing that, she is often cleaning.
“I’m a neat freak,” she says with a laugh. “I clean all the time.”
Looking ahead, Contreras is excited about what is next for Nasstoys, including new products, updated packaging, and expanded lines. She is also looking forward to more travel. These days, she is often on the road, spending about two weeks out of each month visiting stores, attending distributor events and meeting new customers.
For Contreras, that face-to-face connection is what makes the work meaningful. After decades in the industry, her approach remains rooted in the same values that shaped her career from the beginning: learn the business, support the customer and build relationships that last.
“I like doing that,” she says. “I like chatting and catching up with everything.”
What began with filling bottles at 19 has grown into a career defined by resilience, adaptability and connection. At Nasstoys, Contreras has found a role that lets her draw on that experience while continuing to learn, travel and grow.
And after more than 26 years in the industry, she is still up for the challenge.
