We recently connected with Michelle Diaz and have shared our conversation below.

Michelle, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s talk about social media – do you manage your own or do you have someone or a company that handles it for you? Why did you make the choice you did?

Running Private Invitation’s social channels is all on me, and let me tell you, it’s like juggling a whole circus! Being creative and staying on top while handling other business demands takes serious time. I’m on a mission to conjure up a creative dream team to handle this part for Private Invitation, ha!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

For starters, my name is Michelle Diaz, and I was born and raised in Miami but spent seven years living in New York City during my twenties. In short, I decided to start an e-commerce business focused on pleasure, self-discovery, and intimacy. My approach has been to treat all things intimacy in a much more health-conscious way. I am your average girl who has always kept most of my personal business private and that is probably why the name ‘Private Invitation’ stuck.

I’m not the biggest fan of overly sexualized campaigns or some of the tacky messages you might find in your typical adult store. I believe that these overly sexualized stores and websites are the reason that conversations behind intimacy are still so taboo and awkward make the shopping experience awkward for some.

I created Private Invitation with the intention of it being a platform that is inclusive and inviting to all. I want to grow my collection to invite those of all spectrums. I’ve met individuals bound to wheelchairs that are sexually active but lack options that cater to them. I’ve also met individuals who are overcoming post-chemotherapy effects and are trying to find themselves again. These people are what drive my business and motivation. It’s so much more than just ‘sex’ or ‘masturbating’ but more about self-discovery. Prioritizing how you feel about yourself and nourishing that spark of desire within you is the overall message here at Private Invitation.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

I’ve always been responsible when it comes to managing my money. Since I was very young, I’ve learned to always set aside a few dollars from every paycheck and put it into savings. Before making Private Invitation official, I was learning about investments and buying into stocks. Investing money is a category I am still completely lost in but it’s a topic that I am so intrigued by. It was this same mindset that allowed me to see Private Invitation as an investment. When you invest, there are no promises that you will gain or lose capital. It’s a risk that you just make with your best judgement. I believed in my vision and so, I set aside $5k – that was my limit. That was my play money that I was willing to lose if Private Invitation failed. To start my business, I only needed half of that $5k, and since then I’ve broke even and it’s allowed me to provide better packaging, better service, and more fuel to be overall better as a company.

Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?

I have reliable manufacturers for my toys and an amazing USA based skincare lab for my topical items. I’ve worked in product development for several years, so I have a deep understanding of the process and agreements behind collaborating with vendors whether they are domestic or internationally based. Even with this understanding, I find myself learning new things as each project is always unique and carries its own set of issues. My biggest lesson is planning and executing projects in a timely manner so that delivery schedules are as planned. Having products produced and delivered on-time to align with, for instance, holiday sales, is always risky!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.privateinvitation.store
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/privateinvitation.store
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/privateinvitation.store
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/michellediaznyc