We had the good fortune of connecting with Dana Myers and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Dana, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
This is such a great question, as I’ve been on the “to give up or not to give up” line many, many times over the course of my career. First, I think you have to gut check yourself and ask, “Do I still have the passion and drive to make it through this challenge?” Sometimes you do and sometimes you don’t. If the passion for your business is gone, then overcoming whatever problems are in front of you is going to be 10x more difficult. If you do still have the passion, then you have to ask “What do I need to give up or let go of in order to keep the business going?” There have been moments where I’ve had to cut entire channels/divisions of my business out in order to save it, and to give myself the opportunity to rebuild. Those hard decisions are never fun, but if you want to keep going, then you have to make them. For me, it’s always about the passion. If I still have the passion, then I don’t give up. I’ve had to shift, change and evolve the business many times, but the passion keeps me going.
What should our readers know about your business?
I’m the founder of the sexy beauty brand Booty Parlor, which I started 18 years ago with my husband. Back when we started, the sexual wellness business as we know it was still VERY much the “xxx” business — seedy stores and less-than-appealing products. I wanted to do something better for women! I wanted to give women a place to shop for products that inspired them to feel like the sexiest and most confident version of themselves. Because when a woman feels lit up within herself, and turned on by herself, every single aspect of her life improves — including her relationships, work, community life and more. And so that’s the mission behind every product we create, every blog we post, and every book I write or workshop I host. The brand is about inspiring a woman to have that inner turn-on and generate a truly confident magnetism about her.
Has it been easy? NOT IN ANY WAY! It’s been a roller coaster full of high highs and low lows.
But every problem has a solution if you’re willing to think outside the box, detach from your emotions a bit and be decisive in your actions.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned along the way is to never give up and always try and find the fun — even when things are really rough and you can’t yet see your way out of the problem. Also, to return to your creativity, again and again. And try not to use the word FAILURE. Some things don’t work, some ideas crash and burn, some product launches tank. But it’s all part of the process. I don’t believe in failure — only temporary setbacks and lessons!
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would most definitely take them for a wake surfing lesson with my all-female surf crew, @awakesurfcollective. Then, we’d grab a little lunch and stroll at Upper Buena Vista, and maybe a walk around Design District too. We’d hit up a FIIT class at Yoga Joint in Midtown, some beach time at SoHo, a dinner at Michael’s Genuine (it’s such a classic). I’d probably throw a house party for my out-of-town bestie to mingle with my Miami crew!
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Giving a big shout-out to my business partner and husband, Charlie Myers. Working with a spouse is no joke and we’ve done it now for 18 years! He picks me up when I’m down, and vice versa. And even though it’s hard to separate work and life, getting to be creative together is one of the things I love most.
Website: www.bootyparlor.com
Instagram: @bootyparlor