We had the good fortune of connecting with Wendy Berry and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Wendy, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
The idea for conditionHER was sparked by the preference of one of my exes. Let’s just say he was more of a “hair vs. bare” type brotha. I felt like I needed some maintenance tips for the new ‘70s bush life I was embracing, and at drinks with my girls, I asked, “Have any of you ever used your regular hair shampoo or conditioner on your pubic hair?” There were LOTS of laughs and truths told, and it sparked the idea to create an intimate skin care brand.

In 2013 we began researching and meeting with private label labs, but nothing felt right. Little did we know that a New Year’s Eve trip in 2015 would lead to a serendipitous meeting with a female PhD biochemist visiting California from Europe. That connection led to the formulation of our phenomenal brand. A loan from my retirement fund helped bring conditionHER to market in 2019.

conditionHER is a natural daily-use moisturizing cream, made with safe ingredients and scientifically formulated for external intimate areas like the vulva, inner thighs, and underarms.

Our All-in-One formula helps reduce ingrown hair and discoloration, soothe chafing issues, calm irritation after hair removal, and soften pubic hair “if present,” without disrupting healthy vaginal flora. We hope the Shoutout community gives coditionHER a try!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
We’re LA based mothers, besties of over 20+ years, and “employed entrepreneurs,” both juggling and balancing demanding corporate jobs and growing our intimate care business. Wendy has spent the past 11 years working in the Warner Bros. Television marketing division, and is currently Director, Integrated Content and Multicultural Partnerships. Eugenia has worked entertainment adjacent for over 20 years and she’s currently the Chief Human Resources Officer at NKSFB, LLC. We’ve always been ideators, but bringing and intimate skin care brand to market is something neither of us saw coming.

Building a business with your bestie has it’s unique challenges as well as advantages. One notable lesson is the importance of choosing your battles. If one of us is extremely passionate about a business decision, we’ve gotten better at deciding when to push back and when to acquiesce. You win some and you lose some, but it’s all coming from a sincere place of belief in what we’re building.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
While some of this was much easier pre-pandemic, here’s what we might do if we had girlfriends in town. If they hadn’t spent much time in LA, we’d probably take a day drive down Sunset until we hit PCH, which would give us the beach view vibes everyone wants. Perhaps we’d pull over and  spend some time on the beach, simply stroll on Santa Monica Pier, or take the walk down to Venice Beach. If they’re into hiking, Runyon Canyon or The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden would be on the list. Nightlife is not so robust for folks 35 plus, but we might chill at The Dime one night or secure reservations at 1010 Wine. We might have a drink at Harriet’s, and if there’s a Kiss-n-Grind event happening at The Sofitel, we might slide through.

If shopping is on the agenda, we’ve got tons in LA! We could hit The Beverly Center or The Grove, some boutiques on Melrose and Fairfax (shoutout to Melody Ehsani). However, we are intentional about supporting Black-owned businesses, so we’d look to take them by Nobody Jones Boutique on Pico, Soul Folks in Leimert Park, Uplift Us Marketplace in Westfield Culver City, or Runway Boutique on Adams.

LA has a diverse range of incredible food and drinks, so we’d eat well for brunch, lunch or dinner at spots like Alta, Post & Beam, Catch LA, Perch LA, Sky Tacos, Comfort LA, Mike’s Deli, Hilltop Coffee + Kitchen, Grilled Fraiche, My 2 Cents LA, The Bombay Frankie Company, Redbird and Yume Sushi.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
We absolutely love this question, because it speaks to the essence of who we are as Connectors! In an effort not to leave out any of the wonderful individuals that we could shoutout, we’ll stick to organizations. Right away we’ve got to thank Buy From A Black Woman (BFABW), founded by the ultimate champion of Black Women founders, Nikki Porcher! BFABW is a registered tax-exempt nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, that has empowered, educated, and inspired Black Women business owners and the people who support them since 2016. As the website states, the platform ensures that Black Women have the tools and resources that will allow them to be successful. Through educational programs, an online directory, and funding, Buy from a Black Woman continues to grow as a trusted resource that helps Black Women in business. Nikki created a partnership with H&M to feature Black Women-owned brands in their stores for special events, and conditionHER was blessed to be included at both the Topanga, CA H&M event and the Buy From A Black Woman Holiday Market in their Times Square, NY store. conditionHER was also named “Skin Care Business of the Year” for 2020 and 2021 as part of the Buy From A Black Woman Business Awards. The recognition from our community means everything to us!

Next we’d like to recognize Power Digital Marketing for selecting us to participate in their inaugural six-month Power Digital Marketing Business Mentorship Program. As new founders trying to market our business digitally, we felt quite overwhelmed. We knew that digital marketing was the key to boosting sales direct to consumer, but we didn’t know how to do it, much less what to do first. Receiving one-on-one training from digital marketing professionals is beyond valuable and impactful for a small business like conditionHER. The insights on digital ads, email marketing strategy, and influencer marketing is invaluable,. Experiences like this help take companies to the next level, and we are beyond grateful to our Power Digital family.

Finally, we’d like to include Ureeka and iFundWomen as two organizations that have offered invaluable mentorship, community support, and even funding opportunities for our brand and countless others. This entrepreneurial journey we’re on is driving home the power and true importance of cultivating relationships and building community.

Website: https://www.conditionher.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conditionher/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/conditionHER

Other: Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@conditionher

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