The sexual wellness revolution is here, and it’s all thanks to some women who are shaking up the industry. Moving the topic of sex from taboo whispers behind doors to the booming world of self-care and wellness, these ladies are putting female pleasure at the forefront, de-stigmatizing sexuality, and helping other women change their lives for the better.
Get to know all the impressive women in sexual wellness that we work with at Little Leaf Agency who lead the movement and believe that pleasure and empowerment are a birthright for women.
1. Dr Carol Queen At Good Vibes
Founded in 1977, Good Vibes is the original sex toy retailer to bring shame out of the shadows. The brand is America’s first sex-positive and woman-friendly places to shop for sex toys, changing the shopping experience from nerve-wracking one to empowering. This pioneering brand is one of the most inclusive (and expert-led) retailers offering a safe, judgment-free zone for people to explore their pleasure, with Dr. Carol Queen at the helm.
With a PhD in Sexology, 45 years of experience in the sexual wellness industry and four books under her belt including “The Sex & Pleasure Book: Good Vibrations Guide to Great Sex for Everyone”, award winning author Carol Queen leads the helm at Good Vibes. Carol is highly sought-after for her expertise in sexual diversity, safety, and enhancement. She has spoken at numerous colleges across the US, curated the Antique Vibrator Museum, and participated in debates on promiscuity at the Oxford Union.
She’s a beacon of her sex positivity and pleasure for women, men, transgendered, and non-binary folks of all backgrounds.
2. Erika Lust
Before the rise of ethical porn and erotica, women didn’t have many options for adult visual content. But thanks to Erika Lust, who makes erotic films with the female gaze in mind, that’s changing. This award-winning creator brand creates sex-positive, adult indie cinema with realistic sex, carefully crafted storylines and relatable people. As leaders in the feminist porn movement, their work focuses on female pleasure and is revolutionizing the way porn is consumed by women and marginalized groups.
Erika Lust is an award-winning indie erotic filmmaker who creates sex-positive adult cinema by portraying relatable characters and realistic hot sex, going beyond gender stereotypes and harmful fetishization to offer a groundbreaking alternative to mass-produced mainstream porn that’s more inclusive to the trans, non-binary, and female experience. Erika has directed six feature films and series, over 130 short films, and produced around 150 more.
3. Lisa Finn
Founded in response to a lack of woman-friendly sex stores in Seattle, Babeland is iconic for being the first sex toy retailer to cater to the LGBTQ+ market and prioritize female pleasure. In the 90s, they cemented themselves as a sex-positive haven for women and queer people. As pioneers in inclusive pleasure retail practices, they set the tone for other brands to cater to women and to include more demographics in the marginalized community and beyond.
As Babeland’s Resident Sex Educator, Lisa Finn is one of the most well-known women in sexual wellness who has been waving the brand’s sex-positive flag since 2017, when she joined the team. With a background in acting and psychology, Finn leads Babeland’s sexual education program and marketing plans. Proclaimed as the ‘Sex Toy Fairy Godmother’ by Women’s Health, Finn’s nearly decade-long career at Babeland has started from working part-time on the Manhattan shop floor to heading Babeland’s events program sex-ed and marketing efforts.
4. Kathryn Byberg
Selling sex toys takes finesse and requires a unique marketing and PR approach, given all the limitations in the sexual wellness advertising space. Still, nobody specialized in the area before Little Leaf, which is the first-ever sexual wellness PR & Communications agency. With years of collective experience in the space and some of the biggest names in the industry under their belt, Little Leaf’s all-female team implements careful strategies and creative viewpoints into everything they do, carving out a much-needed space that gives female pleasure the spotlight it deserves.
After spending eight years directing PR and MarComms at luxury sex toy brand LELO, and its sister brands Intimina and FOREO, Kathryn Byberg took her in-depth knowledge of the sexual wellness world and DTC marketing and her little black book of contacts to create Little Leaf Agency and head the team as CEO.
From sex toys to lubes and menstrual cups to raunchy books, Little Leaf has worked with many amazing companies in this space, from disruptive newcomers to heritage brands, and has a proven track record of success. Over the past three years, Little Leaf Agency has nurtured growth in start-ups with no funding, helped existing brands grow, and elevated brands using Kickstarter and press-worthy campaigns.
5. Kristen Tribby and Nora Langknecht
German brand Fun Factory has led the way in sex tech, introducing the world to the first silicone vibrator and the first rechargeable vibrator, bringing women more a more convenient way to get off, with new sensations due to this innovation in material. Bringing colorful dildos to the market, Fun Factory normalized eco-efficiency and ethical practices in sex toy manufacturing, paving the way for other brands while making pleasure more accessible for women all over the world.
Kristen has been a sex educator for over 15 years and is qualified through ‘Everyone Deserves Sex Ed’. She is the Head of Global Marketing and Education for Fun Factory, an award-winning German pleasure product manufacturer, and she regularly hosts workshops encouraging sexual exploration. With over 15 years of experience in sex education and sex-positive retail management, Kristen is passionate about debunking sexual stereotypes and contributing to the adult industry’s evolving role in creating more space for sex-positive exploration.
Nora is an EDSE certified sex educator and the brand & digital marketing manager for the pioneering sex toy brand FUN FACTORY. She has more than 12 years of experience in sex education, and worked as a reproductive counselor and doula before starting in marketing. Nora is enthusiastic about the ways in which sex toys and expansive education can enhance our sexual lives. She started with FUN FACTORY in 2016, and has since earned her Master’s in Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice from UBC.
6. Amy Baldwin and April Lampert
Trailblazers Amy Baldwin and April Lampert began the Shameless Sex podcast, which is in the top 1% of podcasts worldwide and offers sex education in a shame-free context. Encouraging self-love, curiosity, and empowerment for women, the Shameless Sex podcast infuses wisdom with humor in its valuable advice. The hosts have also authored the book Shameless Sex: Choose Your Own Pleasure Path to Unlock the Sex Life You’ve Been Waiting For, is a game-changing compilation of sex and relationship tips with insight from doctors, therapists, sex-ed experts and more to help women take their power back.
Amy is a sex and relationship coach, certified sex educator, lead educator for Uberlube, co-owner of a mother-daughter owned online pleasure boutique, Pure Pleasure Shop. Amy was also voted 2024 and 2022’s as Industry Sexpert of the Year. April is Vice President and co-owner of Hot Octopuss, an innovative pleasure product company, and was Honored as Woman of the Year in the pleasure products industry in 2016 and Sexpert of the Year in 2024. April is a certified sex educator, and has been a trailblazer in the realm of sexual pleasure since 2008.
In 2017, these prominent women in sexual wellness combined forces to create the Shameless Sex Podcast, inspiring radical self-love, sexual empowerment, and shame-free intimacy. In 2024, they were voted as 2024 industry Sexperts of the Year 2024. Their podcast now ranks in the top 1% of all podcasts in the world. Shameless Sex boasts 19 million downloads and 350K+ listeners per week with over 350+ episodes to date.
7. Jacqui Rubinoff at Eye of Love
Having your voice heard isn’t always easy for people – especially for women, who already face many challenges in the face of the patriarchy. Pheromone fragrance company Eye of Love aims to support women and give them a leg up in all their endeavours, from attracting their desired partner to getting the attention they deserve in a business meeting. Eye of Love makes attraction accessible and boosts natural charisma, letting others around you see your inner magic for what it really is.
Jacqui Rubinoff is a dynamic entrepreneur and relationship expert passionate about promoting healthy and fulfilling connections between individuals. As a co-owner and the Vice President of Eye of Love, Jacqui is at the forefront of creating radical solutions to enhance people’s love lives and is on a mission to champion women’s inclusion while shaking up the status quo.
