Lora Haddock is the CEO & Founder of Lora DiCarlo, a company with the incredible mission of developing products that encourage women and people with vaginas to explore themselves, their anatomy, and support the joyful celebration of their sexuality.
Tell us about your company. What inspired you to start it?
Everything we do at Lora DiCarlo is rooted in sex-positivity and inclusion. We don’t hide what we do, and we firmly believe that women, non-binary, gender non-conforming, and LGBTQ+ folks should be vocally claiming our space in pleasure and tech – both of which are still heavily dominated by male-CEOs and executives. We also believe that society needs to drop the taboo around sex and sexuality – it’s a part of life and health that absolutely should be part of mainstream discourse. No shaming, no embarrassment, just the comfort and freedom to be yourself and enjoy your own body. I believe that comprehensive education on these topics is crucial in order to achieve societal gender equity.
Who are your cofounders and what makes you a great team?
I am the only founder, but I am fortunate to have a team of highly experienced advisors at the executive and director level who provide expertise and have helped me create the framework for Lora DiCarlo.
How is your company making a difference?
We set out to develop products that encourage women and people with vaginas to explore themselves, their anatomy, and support the joyful celebration of their sexuality. When our message of empowerment for womxn everywhere caused shock waves throughout a traditionally male-dominated industry, we doubled down on our vision, mission, and values for our unapologetically inclusive brand. Advocacy for gender equity, women’s health, and LGBTQ+ communities is baked into the foundation of the company.
What are some of the challenges you have faced?
Creating a safe space for individuals to become empowered and find their voice within my business is one of my driving missions.
What is your biggest win?
Lora DiCarlo was selected as a CES 2019 Innovation Awards Honoree in the Robotics and Drone product category for the Osé personal massager. It was vetted by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA, which owns and produces CES) and then a panel of independent expert judges in robotics scored it highly across all judging criteria; they saw the same marvel of cutting-edge technology that we did. A product that pushes the limits of engineering and design and opens the door to even bigger leaps in innovation, beyond even the sex tech uses. More importantly, as we engaged with CES, we were able to affect changes to their policies, making them safer and more inclusive for everyone.
Who is your role model?
My mom. She is one of the strongest people I’ve ever met. She gave me everything when she had nothing. She taught me that fighting for your beliefs is always the right answer no matter what the question is.
What do you wish you had known before starting your company?
Lots of people told me how hard it was going to be, so I knew what I was getting into. I came to understand that it doesn’t get easier, because the game changes as you change and as you scale. It doesn’t’ get easier, but it does become more rewarding.
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