The subject of this interview L* is in an unconventional business of selling sex toys and other erotic products. She speaks on the unconventional yet profitable business of selling sex toys, how she’s often mistaken for a sex worker, the harassment she faces and her hopes for the business.
Why did you start selling sex toys? What inspired you?
I’ve actually wanted to do it for a very long time, it’s just that I didn’t have funding when I was
in school. My school fees was mad expensive so I couldn’t be telling my parents that I wanted to start a business. I waited until I finished. I started in 2019, actually. November 2019, after I finished NYSC. I bought my good before but when I got back, it already arrived, and I got into the business. It wasn’t really hard at first because my old accounts had about 9k followers on Twitter and the kind of personality I had on that account, kind of made it easy for me because I’m outspoken and I don’t really give a fuck about what anybody thinks. My family members also support me fully, they know what I’m doing, and they give me advice. My mum even asks me when I’m restocking and I show her my products sometimes. She even brings customers sometimes. Some of her friends have even patronised me.
How profitable is it?
It’s a profitable business, but you know they always say “the soup that’s sweet, it’s money that killed it”. So your profit depends on your investments. If you invest little, your profit will be very little. If you invest plenty your profit will be very plenty.
Another time, one person called me really early in the morning around 8/9 am. Called me and said “hi, he wants to talk to me”, I said, “Okay, no problem”. He said “he is horny can I help?”. Guy, I sell sex toys, I’m not a prostitute or all those girls that you can talk to online and they will get you off. I don’t do all those nonsense. I’m selling pleasure I’m not giving pleasure.
Harassment?
Definitely, I’ve faced harassment, there was sometime this year that people dragged me on Twitter and Instagram. I used to have screenshots but not anymore, I lost the pictures. People went as far as calling me Devil, they said I’m a child of the anti-christ because I’m selling vibrators and because I’m open about it. Most of the people that sell it online, don’t put their faces out there. You’ll not see them attach their face because of what I go through. But that’s what makes people patronise me more because they know this is my brand and they know that it’s me. They do not know most of the people selling so trust is kind of a favour on my part so that has helped me.
But trust me, there was one time I was depressed about it, no matter how outspoken you are and you want to form hard guy, things will get to you. That time I was really down, my mum was even trying to make me feel better. She told me not to worry and not to think about it, and I shouldn’t mind them because people will always talk, even if it’s pure water I’m selling, they will say why am I selling my pure water like this so as long as my business is bringing me money and it’s making me happy, I should keep doing what I love. The fact that I have that kind of support, trust me if you are a stranger, I could really care less about what you think. I don’t give a fuck, I don’t give two fucks about what anybody thinks anymore because my family has my back and so do my friends.
Even though some of them judge me but like I said I don’t give a fuck about what they think, I’m making my money, and I’m not the way I used to be before. Now, I can take care of my mum and I can take care of the bills. People will talk that’s just it.
Apart from the fact that I was depressed one time concerning it because I was thinking that why do people have to go to the extreme? Apart from that, there was a time that people sexualised me a lot, from my old account they used to sexualise me a lot because then I no hear word, I used to post thirst traps and all that, but after a while, I stopped because I knew that I didn’t want that kind of attention again. Now, if I post anything and you sexualise me, I will change it for you. Last last, we will fight, and you will block, I will never go the extra mile to block you because you are the one that looked for my trouble. That’s just who I am now, I don’t like being sexualised even though people do it.
What are the worst scenarios that have happened because of your business?
There was a time, so many times in fact, one person sent me a masturbation video, God! I
was so mad, I was so fucking angry because… I don’t even know how to explain it… You know when someone is wanking, and then he came and he sent the video to my DM, like, guy, I sell sex toys. Mehn, It’s fucked up… It is really fucked up.
Another time, one person called me really early in the morning around 8/9 am. Called me and said “hi, he wants to talk to me”, I said Okay, no problem. He said he is horny can I help?. Guy, I sell sex toys, I’m not a prostitute or all those girls that you can talk to online and they will get you off. I don’t do all those nonsense. I’m selling pleasure I’m not giving pleasure. But you know people will be people and they will get you mad. I think right now, I deal with things better, I’ve gotten used to it so sometimes I ignore it, but most times it doesn’t get to me anymore because I’m used to it like I said.
Has it ever affected your relationship? Have your partners ever complained that they don’t like what you are doing?
It has never. Because I have never let it affect my relationship like if a guy wants to tell me “why are you doing this?” Guy, you knew I was doing this before you came to meet me. If you cannot accept the fact that I’m selling sex toys be going because I’ll pick my business over you. I can’t pick a man over my business that’s paying me, that’s paying my bills. It will even be stupid of me. Guy, I should pick you? No, no. It has never because I have never let it.
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Is there anything you’ll like to add or anything that bothers you?
I’ll like to add that people should please stop trying to copy me. It will end in all the tears
tried cos humans are wicked.
Copy you in what sense?
The way I advertise. You know everyone has their unique styles.
