Anna Lee is the creator of the worlds first smart vibrator, the Lioness.
Sexused to be the last thing Anna Lee wanted to talk about.
Two fateful experiences set her on this path: Her first time using a vibrator left her disappointed.
She also had a chance encounter with the male founder of a sex toy company.
I was like, How do you know what youre building works for people with vulvas?
(Not surprisingly, the company is now defunct.)
Previously, she assumed her own body, not the equipment, was faulty.
They set out to create a toy that actually worked for people with vulvas.
They pivoted toward a smart toy after learning that would-be customers were excited to see data about their pleasure.
The companys signature Lioness vibrator launched in 2017.
I just wanted to be a really good engineer, Lee says.
She eventually shifted to TikTok, where she stumbled across a clip about dramatic career changes.
The company received a spike in sales the video had gone viral.
Today, it has nearly 3 million views.
Taboo topics might pull her viewers in, but her playful humor keeps them around.
Twice, she says, it sold out the companys entire stock.
But even the video-sharing app has its limits.
As a result, Lee believes her platforms not a forever thing.
Shes had at least a dozen videos pulled and has been shadow-banned.
When I lost my virginity, that was me learning sex through lens of someone else, she says.
But masturbation takes all of that away, and you get to just be you.
I just started followingPablo Rochaton Instagram.
Its so clever and just a nice, lighthearted start to a day.
Im looking into the history of Rabbit-style vibrators.
So now Im going into a deeper dive to see if thats really true.
Im trying to manifest it.
Theyre mostly all sex-oriented.
I DMed a musician at a concert in Korea.
Like, Hey, loved your show.
It was so great.
They just said, Thanks so much, and then I was too scared to say anything else.
Ive definitely gotten all the dudes who are like, Oh, I want to have sex.
I dont know what they think Im going to say.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
This article was originally published onOct.
