We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Shalanda Cummings. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Shalanda below.

Hi Shalanda, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear the story behind how you got your first job in field that you currently practice in.

I decided to enter the Sex/Toy party industry for the first time, while I was in the Navy. At that time, my then-husband was not working a steady job and we needed another stream of income. I have always been a people person with the ability to start a conversation with almost anyone. While in the Navy, people would come to me and say that I have a relaxing demeanor and that I make them feel at ease. So, I was talking with a friend of mine who already had a side hustle of doing hair (Braids, Locs, Perms, and so on.). During the conversation, I asked if she had any suggestions since I was not born with the ability of styling hair. She tossed out make-up artists, candle-making, t-shirts, tutoring, and toy parties. We sat around for a while and discussed her suggestions. I was even able to talk to her friend Tonya and she was nice enough to tell me how much she made at one party. After that bit of info, I was ready to give it a shot. Since deployment was coming up and I knew that people would be in the market for some goodies figured this would give me the quickest return. She gave me the contact information and I gave the company a call the next day.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Shalanda Cummings and I am the proud owner of The Black Pussykat Online Store. I am a disabled veteran of the US Navy, where I served for 12 years in the Construction Battalion aka SEABEES. I entered into the world of adult novelties while on active duty, as a way to bring in some extra income. While serving I was told by several of my shipmates that I have a trusting demeanor and I am easy to talk to. During this time we had a deployment coming up and I knew that my products would be in demand. I only had one issue…would I be able to receive my items in the desert? I was able to work out a plan with my distributor and was able to receive EVERYTHING. One of the things that set me apart from others is I am not just trying to sell you a product, but I also want to make sure you are informed about the product, how it works, and so on. I am always willing to answer any questions you may have and if I can’t answer them, I am more than happy to look up the information and report it back to you via email. My goal is to impart knowledge as well as a fun product.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Due to the type of industry that I am in, I have to be consistent with posting on social media, updating my products, and not being afraid to put myself out there. I attend Pop-up Shops, Expos, and private parties to get my brand out there. I have to be willing to deal with people who feel that I am peddling smut or lude material. I look at my products as sexual wellness. How many times have you spoken to a friend or family member and all they talked about was the need to get laid, but didn’t have a partner that could relieve that stress, or they were too shy to purchase a sex toy? While in the military there were A LOT of people that never used a sex toy before and others that were raised to believe that they are sinful. I have clients who have thanked me for introducing them to my various products and lingerie items. That is why my slogan is Enhance Your Experience. Sex toys are like seasoning for your sex life, so why not spice it up!

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

What helped me to build my reputation within my market is the fact that I am honest, I sell quality products at reasonable prices and I deliver to your home. I take pride in my products and my business and I like to make sure my clients are happy with not only the product but the customer service.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.theblackpussykat.store
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_bpk_store
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theblackpu55ykat
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/theblackpu55ykatstore