Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Natalie A. Mitchell, Ph.D.. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Natalie, thanks for joining us today. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?
N’sentials is a brand name that combines two words depicting the product line – intimate essentials. When most think of intimate apparel or lingerie, they immediately think of special occasion garments, commonly known as “minute wear” due to its short-term wear. Further, these garments are also sometimes worn for the appeal of others. Instead, N’sentials swims in an adjacent lane and focuses on the intimates women wear daily, bras and panties. Intimates serve as the inner layer of apparel. It is the first set of clothing women dress their bodies with underneath their outwear. Therefore, intimates are worn closest to the body and for the longest period of time in a day. For these reasons alone, thoughtfulness and intentionality are central to the development of these essential garments to ensure consumers are comfortable and confident with their intimate selection. Consumers benefit in understanding the brand name so that they are informed about the product. It is less about the provocative “s” word, and more about the functional use of the brand. Hence, it is important to me always to carefully introduce the brand name and explanation behind it for additional context.
N’sentials is a second name for the brand. The first name was tied to a family reference and had potential for a trademark conflict. It took several months of completing naming exercises and data collection activities with friends and family to test out new names. Creating a new name was hard and required thoughtful insights due to the long-term usage across the life of the brand. I didn’t realize that it would take me so much time to arrive at a new name. But I am so happy that I was prompted to create a new name. Now, N’sentials, the new brand name, is the most fitting for the brand and helps me quickly explain the product and value proposition when sharing with customers. It all worked to my good and for the brand!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Sure. My name is Natalie A. Mitchell, Ph.D. and I am founder and CEO of N’sentials. In my efforts to try more organic products, starting with food first, bed and bath linen, and then skincare brands, I purchased some, but was unwilling to sacrifice taste and aesthetic for others. I moved to the next product category that is closest to my body – intimates – and noticed a gap in this space. Existing sustainable intimate lines were diligent in sourcing materials, however the garment aesthetic lacked flair and appeal, which is important to me. Hence, the conception of N’sentials.
N’sentials is a luxury sustainable intimate apparel line that sits at the intersection of innovation and sophistication. The brand’s core line will consist of performance-driven bras and underwear that offer breathability and moisture management. Meryl Hydrogen yarn particles are integrated in the fabric that enables greater functionality and supreme softness. These garments are ideal for consumers who experience moisture buildup and seek absorption in their intimates, helping them to feel more comfortable and confident in their lifestyle. N’sentials’ product offering is innovative and one of the first in the U.S. to offer performance-driven beauty fibers in non-athletic apparel, within the intimates space. A heavy investment in R&D is warranted to bring garments of this nature to market. Currently, the core intimate line is in development and will launch in Fall 2024.
To complement the core intimate line, N’sentials also includes accessory products – the multi-use bra travel cases and eco-friendly candles, which is a new release. The bra travel cases are designed to protect the mold of bras and avoid damage and transport other undergarments. It can also be used as a cosmetic bag or a cute clutch purse for the weekend. Both product lines enable consumers to extend the life of their undergarments, avoid repeat purchases, and make sustainable decisions, all while looking stylish.
I am very proud of my determination and leadership in bringing the accessory product line to market. It was an unexpected pivot for the business. However, the products are N’sentials fan favorites! The reception has been very positive with greater demands for more styles and sizes. We will continue to iterate to support the needs of our customers.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Sure. The development of the accessory product line is a clear indicator of my resilience as a business owner. After being engaged with a potential funding partner over several months, unfortunately, they pulled out before finalizing the deal due to a business operation shift. I’d lost a substantial amount of time and money spent on R&D that could not be replaced. The anticipated funding was sought to support the core intimate product development. Getting this news was upsetting, but I didn’t realize the impact of it until a few months later. Further, I honestly didn’t have time to process it because it was not a good use of my time. Pity parties are no fun. But, I love a pivot party! Instead, I immediately pivoted to focusing on what I could control and create with my mind and existing funds. Pivoting this quickly was warranted as I was preparing for my first vendor event. While I’d planned to sell a finished product at most, or show a prototype at least at the event, I realized that I would not have anything to sell or show to customers, which would have been a lost opportunity.
Within a short period of time, I introduced two products – the bra travel case and a candle collection. Remaining positive and flexible allowed me to succeed at a time when I could have sat in frustration or just quit. Tapping into my ingenuity was the only option when I didn’t have other options. I was forced to be creative, clever, and an astute solution-seeker. Fortunately, it all worked out. Scaling the business with accessory products was part of the 3–5-year product portfolio plan after initially launching the core intimate line. Instead, the product line launches have reversed, and that is a good thing. Introducing N’sentials to customers via the accessory product line first is a more logical approach. It’s afforded me the opportunity to connect with customers, build a community (the N’siders), collect consumer insights and test product ideas. Further, the accessory GTM process helped accelerate my learning of inventory procurement and management, supply chain management, order fulfillment, and even how to successfully run vendor events, and more.
In just three short months, N’sentials has scaled from two to five accessory products, sold 130 units, participated in six vendor events, and generated generous sales primarily through my personal selling. The positive reception of the accessory product line validates the product and its value for consumers. Consumer demand and excitement is prevalent. Their strong positive response also underscores my keen ability to select the right products for N’sentials to meet the needs of consumers. Additionally, the success of these products, remaining resilient, and pivoting, also demonstrates my courage to stand strong during the time of defeat, which is a clear indicator of a successful business owner. Onward and upward!
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
Since the launch of N’sentials’ accessory product line three months ago, I’ve explored multiple marketing strategies to build and grow a customer base, including vendor events, paid social ads, and word of mouth. But to date, nearly 85% of my product sales are attributed to me personally. The must-have bra travel case is such a novel product that it is also a conversation starter, it sells itself without me pitching it. Customers are really impressed with the bra travel case because it has multiple uses. It can store bras and undergarments to protect the bra structure and avoid crushing it in a suitcase. Some use it as a cosmetic bag. Others who are more daring will wear it as a clutch purse, this is my preference!
I’ve sold several units by simply just wearing the bra travel case as a clutch purse in public. Pairing a bra travel case with my look has proven to be successful. Further, I am fortunate that I have a product that is aesthetically pleasing and can be worn publicly. By doing so, I can show the functionality of the bra case. Specifically, I’ve sold them on the fly at restaurants, bars, networking events, hair salons, banks, fish fry events, business conferences, and more. The sales immediately occur when customers admire my look that is complimented by a color-coordinated bra travel case. When asked where I get it, I introduce them to the N’sentials brand and share that the bra travel case is my product. Next, customers typically ask where I can buy it, and then I promptly respond, right now! :) They are very excited to purchase on the spot and they begin to share how they will use the case or gift it to a friend, followed by expressing interest in subscribing to our email list. Social media has its benefits, but speaking to consumers in person allows them to see the authenticity of the brand and draw a deeper connection. Plus, it allows me to learn more about their pain points to deliver solutions for those concerns. All these approaches have been helpful in building my clientele.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.nsentials.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nsentialsline/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092311680115
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nsentials/
Image Credits
all photos were taken by me/or my camera.