WoW Woman in FemTech | Suzanne Sinatra, founder of Private Packs
Interview by Amanda McIntyre - Chavis
Suzanne Sinatra is the CEO and Founder of Private Packs, a New York City based FemTech company. A former Event Planner turned Accidental Entrepreneur. Private Packs has reimagined the therapy pack and sculpted it for the intimate areas to deliver discrete wearable and reusable comfort. Private Packs was born out of a traumatic Brazilian waxing incident that prompted Suzanne to design a product that currently was an unmet need in the marketplace. “I’m just a woman that hurt her vagina. From that experience and those of the women around me inspired me to start Private Packs.” Launching later this year, Private Packs will transform the healing process for women in their most sensitive areas, specifically after childbirth, bikini waxes, intercourse, and surgery.
Private Packs was initially scheduled to launch in 2017. However, two weeks before her crowdfunding campaign Suzanne was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer that quickly progressed to Stage 3. While in treatment Suzanne continued to work on Private Packs and the 2nd product was born. Happy and healthy today, Suzanne is an advocate for female health. She is an active member of the Women in SexTech, a community of entrepreneurs united by a desire to meet the needs of women and remove the stigma from innovations within the sexual technology industry.
What is the main concept behind your project / product and how did you come up with it?
Private Packs mission is to provide an upscale comforting experience for intimate area body part pain discomfort. I thought of Private Packs after a Brazilan wax ripped off my skin down there. However, cancer treatment completely changed my vag, and I started using my own product for relief from vaginal dryness and it became an integral part of my pelvic floor physical therapy because I suffer from vaginal atrophy.
When did you begin this venture, and do you have other members in your team?
I thought of the idea in 2014 but I started the business in 2017. I am the only person on my team.
How long did it take you to be where you are now?
I was originally scheduled to launch on September 1, 2017 but I was diagnosed with breast cancer 2 weeks prior so I had pivot quickly from focusing on the campaign to trying to find an oncologist, oncologist surgeon, medical insurance, chemotherapy treatment, on and on. It was non stop.
What was the biggest obstacle?
Not knowing. Was I going to beat cancer, was I going to be around to launch my company, will people buy my product, will it work? The questions would haunt me and it got to the point that it would cripple me and make me depressed and anxiety riddled.
What are your biggest achievements to date?
Launching our successful crowdfunding campaign.
What are the challenges of being an entrepreneur in the niche you are in? How about being a female founder / entrepreneur?
Nothing. Being a female founder has not been challenging because if I wasn’t a woman I wouldn’t have had a Brazilan wax that gave me the idea for Private Packs.
Is the #WomenInTech movement important to you and if yes, why?
Because now we have a community to lean on in good times and in bad.
What is the most important piece of advice you can give to all female founders and female entrepreneurs out there?
Don’t put your health on the back burner for your startup. You have to be here to run it.
What will be the key trends in the femtech industry in the next 5 years and where do you see it heading?
Sexual wellness will not be new and it will be accepted in society.
Who are your 3 inspirational women in femtech?
Miki Agrawal of Thinx, Lauren Shulte of The Flex Company and Jordana Kier and Alexandra Friedman of Lola.
Website: www.privatepacks.com
Social media handles: @suzziesinatra / @privatepacks
This interview was conducted by Amanda McIntyre-Chavis, Women of Wearables Ambassador in New York, USA. She is the CEO and Founder of LegendFactory, a interactive brand management company and two new tech initiatives: Muzaik, a social media aggregator and Myndfull, a wearable tech company. She is also an active mentor, arts advocate and supporter of various social causes. Based in New York, Amanda is a member of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc. (NARAS), the National Association of Black Female Executives in Music & Entertainment (NABFEME), National Association of Professional Women (NAPW), the ELLEVATE Network and Women In Music. Follow her on Twitter @AmandaMcChavis.