Meet Nicole: A “Retail Geek” at Sexual Wellness
Nicole proudly describes herself as a “retail geek”. She has been an Adjunct Professor at Columbia College Chicago since 2009, teaching retail marketing. She is its author Retail 101: The Guide to Managing and Marketing Your Retail Business (McGraw-Hill) and has served as a spokesperson for American Express Small Business Saturday.
Her client list includes:
In 2022, Women’s Wear Daily named her one of the 25 Inspiring Women in Retail.
But what makes her voice particularly relevant to sexual health entrepreneurs is that she’s also its founder Stimulatethe only sexual wellness trade show and conference in North America. Stimulate connects retailers such as CVS, Walgreens, Adam & Eve, Hustler Hollywood and independent boutiques with sexual wellness and intimate care brands.
He entered the field of innovation and adult sexual wellness through retail — and quickly saw both a market opportunity and a community gap.
The sexual wellness market is growing — but it’s changing
Nicole confirms that sexual wellness is one of the fastest growing categories in mainstream retail. Major retailers define it as “interte care” and it continues to expand.
But growth is not automatic or effortless.
She emphasizes:
Consumer behavior is changing.
Generational shopping patterns differ dramatically.
Retailers have evolving priorities.
Accessibility matters more than ever.
For example:
Generation Z shops differently than Baby Boomers.
A vibrator placed at checkout may work for one demographic but not another.
Retailers may focus heavily on women’s indulgence one season and shift to men’s products the next.
This is where business strategy becomes essential.
Just because your product doesn’t land on a shelf today doesn’t mean it won’t tomorrow. Importance of retail timing and alignment.
The road to market is not straight
One of Nicole’s most important business lessons is this:
The road to market is not straight.
Consumers don’t move from awareness to checkout in a neat, predictable line. Affected by:
This is especially true in sexual wellness, where validation and trust are critical.
For professionals building a business in this space, this means your strategy must extend beyond simply creating a great product or service.
You must ask:
Who is my target market?
How do they discover me?
What influences their purchasing decisions?
What does the retailer need?
What does the end consumer need?
These are exactly the kinds of questions that are addressed in SHA’s Development Accelerator Certificate Programthat helps sexual health professionals think like entrepreneurs.
Clinical credibility versus consumer appeal
Many sexual health professionals struggle with a basic tension:
How do you balance clinical credibility with consumer-friendly branding?
Nicole explains that many brands on Stimulate are backed by science, backed by educators or co-created with health experts. But this alone does not guarantee retail success.
Retailers rate:
Shelf space price
Consumer experience
Aesthetic packaging
Price point
Brand alignment
Emotional appeal
You can’t approach retail wearing just your doctor’s hat.
You have to put yourself in the consumer’s shoes.
Please:
Would this packaging catch my eye?
Does this product feel accessible?
Does it match the retailer’s brand identity?
Is the price right for this audience?
This multi-layered thinking is essential for anyone building a sexual health brand — whether you’re selling natural products, online courses, or coaching services.
What sells in sexual wellness?
According to Nicole, some of the strongest retail categories include;
Lubricants
Purpose Driven (Dryness, Menopause, Medical Necessity)
Enhancement of pleasure (aromatic, heating, sensory-based)
Broad appeal to demographics
General Pleasure Products
Gender-specific data
Vibrators
Products with a focus on the anus
Graded product lines
But it’s not just what he sells once.
Retail success depends on:
If a customer buys once and has no reason to return, your growth stops.
A sustainable business requires a long-term strategy — something that Growth Accelerator helps professionals develop step by step.
Retail is emotional
Today’s consumers don’t just buy products – they buy stories and values.
Nicole emphasizes the importance of:
Brands founded by women
Return initiatives
Social impact
Ethical positioning
The emotional toll is real.
If your brand does good – and communicates it clearly – it becomes part of your competitive advantage.
This insight is critical for sexual health entrepreneurs who often enter the field from a mission-driven place.
Your mission matters. But it must also be communicated strategically.
Staying true to the brand identity
One of the most important business lessons from the interview:
Not every product fits every store. Not every store fits every product.
Retailers and brands need to stay aligned with their identity and audience.
Leadership requires making tough decisions:
Does this product agree with our customers?
Is the price right?
Will it fit our shelf?
Is this the right timing?
There is no cookie-cutter solution to sexual wellness.
This is why strategic training is essential.
Why it matters to sexual health professionals
Many sexual health professionals — therapists, coaches, trainers; — are deeply passionate about impact, but untrained in business strategy.
You may know:
How to help customers
How to train
How to advocate
But you know:
How to scale?
How to honor?
How to cast?
How to buy?
How to place your bid?
How to align with retailers?
How to generate recurring revenue?
This is exactly why SHA created the Development Accelerator Certificate Program.
It is designed for:
Sexual health entrepreneurs
Product founders
Trainers and therapists expand services
Educators building digital platforms
Professionals who want to make money ethically and strategically
The program bridges the gap between purpose and profit – just as Nicole describes when she defines sexual wellness as “the purpose of pleasure.”
The Big Takeaway
The sexual wellness industry is growing — but it’s also evolving.
Success requires:
Understanding retail psychology
Knowing your target market
Alignment with brand identity
Balancing credibility and consumer appeal
Pricing strategically
Building long-term customer loyalty
Thinking beyond one-off sales
If you’re serious about building a sustainable sexual health business, passion alone isn’t enough.
You need strategy.
And that’s exactly what it is SHA Development Accelerator Certificate Program offers — practical professional training tailored specifically to the field of sexual health.
Because the impact is powerful.
But impact plus business acumen?
This is transformative.
