Dame - Building a Brand in a Taboo Industry

What if one of the biggest barriers to building a successful brand isn't the product—but the stigma around it? In this episode, I sit down with Alexandra Fine, Founder and CEO of Dame, for a thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation about building a brand in a taboo category, challenging societal norms, and redefining what leadership and wellness can look like.  What stood out to me most is how Alexandra blends conviction with vulnerability—sharing both the mission behind Dame and the real, often difficult journey of building a business in a space that still faces systemic barriers. Key Moments from the Episode: *Alexandra shares how an early "yes" from a top IP law firm—despite a bag of handmade prototypes—gave her the validation and momentum to move forward *The challenges of building in a taboo category, from being denied advertising and loans to navigating platform restrictions that directly impacted growth *How crowdfunding became a breakthrough moment, with thousands of early supporters validating both the product and the mission *A candid look at leadership—what it means to make hard decisions, separate identity from business outcomes, and grow through difficult moments *The deeper mission behind Dame: closing the pleasure gap and helping people understand that pleasure, especially women's pleasure, is valid and essential Join me, Ramon Vela, in listening to this honest and empowering conversation. It's not just about building a brand—it's about challenging norms, embracing growth, and creating space for conversations that truly matter.   For more on Dame, visit: https://dame.com/ Also, visit her podcast "A Fine Human" (https://open.spotify.com/show/0CFLtRNPI5sz8yBoFarIZP) If you enjoyed this episode, please leave The Story of a Brand Show a rating and review.  Plus, don't forget to follow us on Apple and Spotify.  Your support helps us bring you more content like this! * Today's Sponsors: Saral - The Influencer OS: https://www.getsaral.com/demo SARAL is the all-in-one influencer platform that finds brand-aligned creators, automates outreach, and manages everything in one place. Request a live demo today. Let the SARAL team know you're a The Story of a Brand Show podcast listener to get an extended free trial! Visit the link above.