Starting a business in the sexual wellness industry comes with a unique set of challenges and opportunities. Nanna Steffen and Daniel Kulikowski, founders of Below Body, know this all too well.
They’ve tackled everything from sceptical suppliers to branding hurdles to create a company that emphasises self-care and empowerment rather than provocative advertising.
In our interview, Nanna and Daniel share the real story behind their journey—from the initial concept to overcoming obstacles and finally achieving success. Their experience sheds light on what it really takes to build a brand in this complex and rapidly evolving market.
Nanna and Daniel, embarking on the entrepreneurial journey in the sexual wellness industry must have been filled with unique challenges and opportunities. Could you share some of the initial hurdles you faced when launching Below Body, and how you overcame them?
Nanna: Yes we were definitely met with unique challenges in the sexual wellness industry, Some barriers were with suppliers here in Australia who weren’t as open to working with us in this particular industry at first, even collaborations with brands and engaging with influencers has required more effort than let’s say if we were an active wear brand, this meant for us very early on we had to reframe our language and approach for the business to be more self-care + wellness focused. For us it also ended up requiring much more capital than we had initially projected, with some initial early setbacks with design and product quality we ended up going all in on the business and placed our personal lives on pause for a couple of years as we felt at that point this was something we really wanted to do.
Daniel: It was definitely a challenging time for us, but we were determined to see our vision through, and it ended up being worth all the sacrifices across the two years of development to launch.
Nanna: When it came to branding, we realised the importance of investing in quality branding and graphic design, especially in the market and direction we wanted to go with Below Body. This took a lot longer than anticipated – 5 years – as it was a challenge to find ways of differentiating ourselves from the current sexual wellness market as we wanted to heavily focus on not using provocative language or imagery.
Nanna: Lastly, selling out much faster than anticipated was both exciting and challenging. It meant that some products had to be put on pre-order, which highlighted the importance of clear communication with our customers. Ensuring that they felt informed and supported throughout the process was crucial to us.
Daniel: Looking back, it has been a fun but definitely challenging journey both professionally and personally, but it was worth it in the end. We’re proud of the quality of our products and the reputation we’ve built now with the products we launched with and the relationships we have built with our ethical manufacturing supply chain.
With the goal of becoming the ‘Aesop’ of sexual wellness, what strategies are you implementing to differentiate Below Body in the market, especially considering the rapid growth and competitive nature of the industry?
Nanna: Aesop for us is a beautiful brand story that has really resonated with us, the brand experience and innovation was something we were personally drawn to as their consumers. We have taken inspiration from their considered approach when it comes to brand and values particularly with keeping to strict brand guidelines and high quality products.
Nanna: We feel keeping to our core mission in all our communication to emphasise sexual wellness as part of a holistic self-care routine for women has been a differentiating factor. We believe that by empowering individuals to prioritise their sexual well-being, we can help them live happier, healthier lives. This is what we believe truly sets us apart.
Daniel: It’s about more than just selling products; it’s about promoting a mindset of self-love and empowerment and building strong relationships with yourself and/ or with your partner.
Nanna: At Below Body, we’ve always focused on promoting self-love and self-care in a tasteful manner. Our goal is to empower individuals to embrace their sexuality with confidence and grace, without resorting to provocative language or content.
Daniel: Sexual pleasure is an extension of our overall wellness routine, and we want to approach it with the same level of care and respect as any other aspect of self-care.
Your sell-out success with two of your four launch products is impressive. Can you delve into the process of developing these products, from conceptualization to market launch, and what makes them stand out in the sexual wellness space?
Nanna: It’s been humbling to see how our vision has resonated with our customers. What sets us apart in the industry is we are a solely female focused brand using non traditional messaging for this industry – we actively avoid provocative language and content. Our focus is self-love and self-care with – that idea that sexual wellness is simply an extension of self-care routine. Hence the tagline “Love yourself better”. For us it was important to invest in top-tier branding, website development & product quality to help establish a strong foundation in the growing industry. We wanted Below Body to convey sophistication, quality and luxury, while also being welcoming and inclusive for all customers, especially women.
Daniel: It’s been incredible to see how our brand has resonated with both women and men alike considering we purposely created a brand that was built for women. We are so glad to see that men also feel comfortable on our website and are purchasing gifts for their loved ones. This truly warms our hearts and gives us joy seeing our vision for connection coming true.
Nanna: There have been many hours spent behind the scenes of self-education so we become an internal team of experts for the brand as opposed to outsourcing ads etc. Launching with an elevated yet understated range of packaging that can stand on its own and build a cohesive brand identity that will resonate with our target customer.
Nanna: Our two-year development process was a testament to our commitment to excellence. We wanted to ensure that every product we released met our standards and exceeded our customers’ expectations.
The sexual wellness market for women is projected to be worth $189 billion by 2026. In your research and experience, what trends are you seeing that are driving this growth, and how is Below Body positioning itself to meet these evolving consumer needs?
Nanna: There’s definitely been a big shift towards destigmatising sexual wellness and embracing self-love as essential for overall well-being. I’ve been inspired to see how attitudes are changing in this industry and how empowerment and self-love and care have been starting to take priority in women’s lives. At Below Body, we’re committed to offering products and experiences that promote empowerment, self-care, and pleasure in a tasteful manner. We truly want everyone to feel welcome and represented whilst still maintaining our focus on female empowerment.
Daniel: I agree with Nanna, we’re so proud to be part of that change and to continue contributing to a more open and accepting conversation around sexual wellness.
Reflecting on your journey so far, what have been some of the most valuable lessons you’ve learned about entrepreneurship, especially in a niche yet booming market?
Nanna: Thinking back on our adventure, the moment that really felt special was when we saw how much people loved what we were doing. It was like the market was giving us a big, warm hug, affirming that what we’ve created truly resonates. Suddenly, we were navigating through the exhilaration of selling out and moving into pre-orders sooner than we had ever imagined. It was a bit scary but amazing to see our little dream turning into something big. We had to quickly learn how to keep everything running smoothly while still being there for everyone who wanted our products. This whole experience taught us a lot about being quick on our feet and really listening to what our friends and customers wanted. It really taught us the importance of being agile and responsive, traits that have been fundamental to our success in a niche yet flourishing market.
Also, building meaningful partnerships and maintaining dedication to quality and integrity have been instrumental in our success. It’s about more than just selling products; it’s about building a brand that people trust.
Daniel: Understanding your target audience – a cliche but knowing who your audience is and talking to them with a consistent tone of voice/communication and imagery. Once we felt we had locked this in, everything seemed to flow from there.
Looking ahead, what are your aspirations in the coming years, both in Australia and potentially internationally, and how do you plan to continue innovating and growing in the sexual wellness industry?
We plan to continue building an immersive brand experience for our consumers. In the coming year we will look to expand our business to the international market, we are currently seeing some traction from our store sessions in the international market without us proactively targeting those markets, organically.
We aim to open a flagship store location and headquarters on the Gold Coast for many reasons. We want to be reachable, to have a door that’s always open for anyone curious about embarking on a journey of self-discovery and wellness. Second, it’s about experience. We believe that understanding and embracing sexual wellness requires a supportive, pressure-free environment where questions can be asked, and discoveries can be made at a comfortable pace. This headquarters will serve as a beacon for our community—a place where workshops, talks, and events can unfold, inviting conversation and learning around topics that are often kept in the shadows. It’s about demystifying the world of sexual wellness and making it a natural part of everyday conversation.
We will also continue innovating and new product development. Our next launch will be later this year and feature an edible aphrodisiac, so stay tuned.
