Today we have the opportunity to speak with Antonella Amoruso and Nadia Amoruso, two of the founders of “You & Me hot”, an innovative startup that is redefining the landscape of sex toys and inclusive sexual education through their website Sex Jujube. Antonella and Nadia will share with us the vision and mission of Sex Jujube, as well as the challenges and successes that have characterized the path of this entrepreneurial adventure. We will discover how this venture is opening up new perspectives in the sector, promoting a more inclusive and conscious approach to sexuality.
Describe your company, what do you do?
Our startup, "You & Me hot" and the related e-commerce site Sex Jujube, was born in 2019 from a courageous and innovative idea of three determined founders: Antonella Amoruso, Nadia Amoruso and Silvia Petrella. We are dedicated to redefining the concept of sexual pleasure, with a particular focus on inclusiveness and accessibility, ensuring that every individual, regardless of their physical abilities, can fully enjoy a satisfying and conscious sexual experience
Is this the aspect that differentiates you from the competition and other sex shops?
Absolutely, our commitment to accessibility and inclusiveness is at the heart of our company. We want every client to feel represented and respected, creating a safe and open environment to explore their sexuality without prejudice or barriers. This commitment to accessibility and inclusiveness was at the heart of our project, especially in the context of sexuality education for people with disabilities. Hence the idea of introducing a distinctive graphic sticker on our e-commerce, which is positioned on specific product sheets selected by our team of experts. When our customers with disabilities browse the site, the sticker catches their attention, signaling that there is something specific for them. This dedicated section has been tested and experimented with as many as 40 people with disabilities, who confirmed its usefulness and the added value it brought to their experiences.
Furthermore, it was important for us to provide detailed and concrete information that had not been available before. Our goal has been to create an inclusive and informative environment where everyone can feel represented and welcomed, eliminating barriers that often prevent people with disabilities from accessing products and services that are easily available to others.
This is therefore one of the aspects that made you an innovative startup, are there other characteristics?
In addition to our dedication to inclusivity, we are aggressively focusing on the importance of sexuality education as an integral part of our mission. In collaboration with expert professionals in the sector, such as Dr. Laforgia, Dr. Azzurra Carrozzo and Dr. Francesca Buonocunto, we are carrying out an open and informative dialogue on sexuality also for people with disabilities, both online and offline. Our goal is to ensure that sex education becomes an integral part of institutions and awareness-raising events. In this regard, we have planned to bring sex education to schools, rehabilitation centers and various events. Recently, in collaboration with Dr. Buonocunto, we conducted a test that gave promising results. However, as I mentioned previously, there are still challenges to overcome, especially in gaining access to key institutions. As a result, we are working on an innovative project to bring sex education to the streets. We have begun to outline the themes and content to be addressed in this initiative, which we believe could be a significant first step in creating greater awareness and acceptance.
And did the public bureaucracy support you to carry out this project?
Although we encountered some initial difficulties, we are grateful for the support we received from some public bodies who understood the importance of our mission and provided us with the necessary support to overcome bureaucratic obstacles.
What were the biggest difficulties you had to face and overcome?
In addition to the bureaucratic challenges, we had to deal with the need to change social perceptions on sexuality, overcoming prejudices and opening a constructive and inclusive dialogue on the topic. However, we are determined to overcome every obstacle and continue to carry out our mission with passion and dedication.
How do you see the market in general, both of sex toys and of the whole discussion of sexuality? How are you preparing for these possible changes in the next decade?
We expect a notable increase in demand and greater open-mindedness in the coming years, and we are investing in continuous innovation in the design and technology of our products, ensuring we remain at the cutting edge to meet the evolving needs of our customers.
What were your inspirations and motivations that pushed you to create this start-up?
We were inspired by the desire to create an environment of openness and understanding where sexuality can be explored without shame or discrimination. Our passion for inclusiveness and awareness has guided every step of our entrepreneurial journey, pushing us to overcome every obstacle with determination and courage.
For those interested, you can visit our website https://sexjujube.it/ or send us an email at info@sexjujube.it
We thank Antonella and Nadia for this important testimony of the success achieved with dedication and commitment to create an online project destined to bear ever greater fruit.
