Promoting Body Positivity on Shark Tank: A Chat with Ta-Ta Towels Founder, Erin Robertson

 

Welcome to Titty Talks!

In this 6-part interview series the founder of Titty City Design, Jessy, connects with real people that are part of #TheBoobment – the social movement we started to break the stigma around BOOBS.

At Titty City Design, we believe that by talking openly and honestly about our experiences with our breasts, we can take back the power from those who over-sexualize our bodies. Instead, we can:

1. Promote body positivity, body acceptance, and self-love.
2. Help educate and share resources on breastfeeding, making postpartum and transitioning into motherhood feel less lonely. 
3. And! Encourage each other to take care of our breast health, because 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.

Get ready to hear from inspiring organizations, entrepreneurs, and healthcare professionals in our brand-new interview series! Join us as we share empowering stories, and learn from passionate entrepreneurs and experts in the field that are helping to break the stigma around boobs and let's keep the conversation going! 

Episode 2: Meet Erin Robertson, the founder of Ta-Ta Towels

Boob sweat while getting ready can be a real problem, especially when it causes unwanted rashes, and Erin Robertson is on a mission to make getting ready, no sweat with her patented Ta-Ta Towel that absorbs and eliminates uncomfortable bacteria-producing moisture —that dreaded underboob sweat.

As the owner and creator of Ta-Ta Towels, Erin has built a brand that celebrates body positivity and builds confidence with a towel to fit just about every bra size from A to O.

Join Jessy as she Talks Titties with entrepreneur, Erin Roberston, to chat about how she created the Ta-Ta Towel from viral sensation to Shark Tank success, and her journey to promoting body positivity. Erin even shares behind the scenes of working with one of the Sharks, and a story about Ashley Graham. Get ready to be inspired and empowered by Erin's passion and dedication to creating the Made in LA, Ta-Ta Towel.

 

Listen or read our convo below! Enjoy and let us know what you think in the comments!

Listen to Jessy and Erin

Let's Talk Titties!

Jessy: Hi, Erin. I'm so, so excited to get to talk to you today. Thank you so much for taking the time to have this interview on the Let's Talk Titties blog.

Erin: Of course. Thanks for having me.

Jessy: It's exciting to feature you as an entrepreneur and share about what you do, and your brand, Ta-Ta Towels, because it's obviously so close to my own passion and what my business is, that it's only natural that we connected. And I'm so impressed by you. I'm so impressed by what you've invented, and your brand… And your story is so cool. And obviously, we share the love for our Tatas and all the Tatas.

Erin: Yes, absolutely.

Jessy: You have a really fun story to tell. And today, just for everyone that's listening, we're going to be talking about self-love. We're going to be talking about body positivity, and how Erin created her product, the Ta-Ta Towel. She even went on Shark Tank!

Erin: So cool.

Jessy: We can't wait to hear about that story and what we can always make me sweat. Yeah, it's kind of honestly making me sweat a little bit. Just bringing it up, like, oh, my gosh. Just being in the Tank with the Sharks. I know. I'm sure you hear that sound, and it probably triggers something.

Erin: Oh, yeah, sweat.

Jessy: There you go.

Erin: There you go.

Jessy: Well, hey, sweat and boob. Sweat is kind of really connected to what we're talking about and, you know, for everyone. Also, that's, like, Erin and I, we got connected through Instagram, which the Internet can be such a fun place, and obviously, we share a love for Breasts, Tatas, Titties, Boobs, all the fun words we can come up with. And it's been so fun keeping in touch with you, Erin, since we first met. I remember you telling me that you had heard me on a podcast, and honestly, I was just like, oh, my gosh, it's only natural to have you on Titty Talks, and so we can talk about your story.

Erin: Oh, thank you. I'm glad to be here, and I'm so glad that we've met, too. Honestly, like, the Internet, it's so crazy sometimes, the people that you can meet, and it's fun. So here we are.

Jessy: Exactly.

Erin: Here we are after sliding into each other's DMs.

Jessy: I know. We were meant to be Breasties.

Erin: Absolutely.

Jessy: Yeah. All right, well, let's dive in again. For those that may not know about you and your brand, Ta-Ta Towels.

Could you give us a little background about yourself?

Erin: I am a proud Navy brat, so I am from all over the US. I've lived coast to coast, and then I spent the last 22 years in Los Angeles. I'm actually in the middle of moving to the Pacific Northwest right now, which is so fun. And also, I'm the inventor and creator of Ta-Ta Towels, which are towels for your Tatas.

Jessy: Yes, they are. By the way, I have been just, like, dying to try it out. I don't know why I haven't ordered one yet, but I did, and I think you should have.

Erin: I would have sent you one. All right, the next podcast we do, we're both going to be wearing them. Oh, by the way, of course I'm wearing mine.

Jessy: Mine actually is supposed to I think it's arriving today, so I'm, like, checking my phone.

Erin: You should have told me. I totally would have sent you one.

Jessy: Well, I want to support you, so I'm so happy to have ordered and gone through the whole process.

Erin: That's sweet. Thank you. I appreciate.

Jessy: Well, awesome being on the West Coast. We definitely share that in common. It’s the Breast Coast. Yes. I am wearing a T-shirt right now that says one of my signature sayings, “Breast Coast.”

Erin: Love it.

Jessy: We obviously immediately bonded over the names of our companies, Titty City Design and Ta-Ta Towels. We're the perfect pair.

Erin: Okay. Yes. Giving a lot of puns here today.

Have you always been a fan of boob puns?

Jessy: I know. Have you always been a fan of pun… boob puns?

Erin: Oh, yeah, for sure. I mean, my parents are very sarcastic, so growing up, I think I just naturally have a sarcastic vocabulary and attitude. Whenever I can find a pun, I will play around with it. So, yeah, I've been a punny girl my whole life. Yes.

Jessy: That's awesome. Me too.

What about, body positivity and self-love? Has that been kind of a part of your life as well? Can you share more about that? 

Erin: Yeah, I think body positivity has been something I've struggled with my whole life, and up until the point of starting my business, it's kind of transitioned into now, respect. And I'm actually finding what body positivity is.

And so it's been a long journey, but I think I've kind of hit I've gone through all of it, right? Like, we're so negative and looking at ourselves and to then all of a sudden, I have this business and brand that I want to be body positive, but how do I do that if I'm not positive about my own body?

And so I honestly have to thank my business and the models who I've worked with. Every single one of them has been my muse, and every single one of them, I leave photo shoots just feeling so grateful to be surrounded by women who, yes, they might be a couple of sizes bigger than me, but they are stunning. And I mean that in a way of I'm so hard on myself thinking, oh, I'm not this right size. But then, here is this model who's a couple of sizes bigger, and I am just enamored by their authenticity and their beauty and their confidence. 

It's been a struggle my whole life to be positive about my own body, and then I started this business. It's really been a blessing to work with so many women who are body positive. It's changed my outlook, and why I am so adamant about my pictures not being retouched. My models have been my muse this whole time.

Jessy: Wow, that's beautiful. I have some similar feelings as well about starting a brand, about boobs and what that really means. But I totally hear what you're saying about there's this element of confidence, too, right, that comes with when there is this respect and this self-love for your body, all of a sudden, it creates this almost, like, unstoppable and unshakable confidence.

Erin: Yeah. And I would also find out, I would think to myself, where does it start? Right? We're supposed to as moms… women, we're supposed to have our hectic morning and then get out the door fresh as a daisy, looking all beautiful and confident. But you don't feel confident when you're sitting there sweating and you get out of the shower and you try to make yourself pretty, but yet you're sitting there looking at yourself in the mirror, looking like a refrigerator with your giant towel on. So that was part of my going back to. All of our mornings are different and chaotic, but I want women to have that time of while they're getting ready, look at themselves in the mirror, and have positive thoughts instead of being all covered up, feeling sweat dripping from all the places, all the nooks and crannies of our beautiful bodies that we're blessed with. I just wanted to give women some confidence in the morning.

Jessy: I love that. Okay, well, we've kind of teased about it a lot, but let's talk about Ta-Ta Towels.

Tell us about Ta-Ta Towels how did this come to be? What was the inspiration? 

Erin: Yeah. So I am someone who has MacGyvered my way through life in school. I was never good at school, but I was really good at daydreaming all my report cards or she can't sit in her seat, can't stop talking, stares out the window. So I've always had a hard time with the book smarts, and so I kind of struggled and didn't know what I was going to do with my life. That's why I was so grateful to the entertainment business, because you can change jobs every couple of months and everything's new and different.

Jessy: So you started your career in the entertainment business?

Erin: I did. I was a personal assistant for a lot of celebrities, musicians, actors, producers, and directors.

Jessy: Oh, wow. I'm sure you've got lots of stories.

Erin: Oh, my gosh, stories for days that could be a whole other podcast of the craziness of working in that industry. It was fun, though. I'm grateful for it, but I was lost just kind of trying to figure it out. And then suddenly, I started working on these shows, and I was trying to find women that I could look up to of like, oh, I want her life, so let me work towards what she's doing, or I'll find out from her and try and go that path. But all the women that I would be working with, weren't happy. It was a thankless job. They were overworked. And so, I just kind of started having that feeling of, what am I going to do with my life?

Am I going to be a personal assistant forever and just take care of all these people? When do I start taking care of myself? And it's kind of funny. I am a business owner by accident. I was one day just getting ready. I was doing the true LA. You're going to love this so I had an LA day with my girlfriends and we went to the Shape House. Do you know what that is?

Jessy: Yes, I've been there!

Erin: They are the reason for me starting this business. So first we went to Cafe Gratitude and ate grass – which nothing against them – because I love Cafe Gratitude, but it's not very filling. So, I'm painting the picture of the day and how it all happened.

Jessy: LA day. I love that.

Erin: Exactly. So we went to Pilates, and then we went to Cafe Gratitude, and then we went to the Shape House.

Jessy: In case you don’t know, Shape House is this place you go to sweat. It feels a little like torture. You get covered in an infrared blanket and you just sweat, sweat, sweat, sweat, sweat.

Erin: But wait, you're leaving out the best part. They give you sweatpants, sweatshirt, socks, and then they zip you in a sleeping bag. And the worst part of all is they put a cup of water by your shoulder with no straw, and your arms are in the blanket.

Jessy: Like you are literally like you're a burrito. And you’re sweating like everything out.

Erin: Yeah. And I'm a girl who's down to try anything once. So, I was down, but I didn't ask any questions. So nobody told me that you sweat while you're in there, but you're going to be sweating profusely hours after. Nobody had told me that.

So I had a date scheduled for that day. And we get out of the Shape House, and I'm like, oh, my gosh, I'm running late. I need to run home and get ready. So I ran home and my air conditioning was broken in my tiny little apartment in Los Angeles, where was I living at that time. I keep wanting to say Lake Stevens. Not Lake Stevens. Los Feliz. Yeah, in Los Feliz.

Jessy: Okay. Yeah.

Erin: So I was trying to get ready and I could not stop sweating. And I always sweat while getting ready. It's hot. Especially while you blow dry your hair. But this was a lot more than usual. And I was, like, fanning myself off with the blow dryer. I had a towel on my head. I had that velcro one wrapped around me. But I just kept feeling beads of sweat pouring down my stomach. And then I looked at myself in the mirror and I was like, there's a towel for everything. But not where why isn't anything getting this area?

Jessy: Yeah, like right under your boobs. The skin is touching your skin. You are sweating.

Erin: Right. So I ended up taking my towel and putting it under my boobs. And now here I am trying to feel cute, getting ready, and I've just got my butters hanging. Just I did not feel cute whatsoever. And I just kept thinking to myself, there has to be something. So honestly, as I'm blow drying, I'm looking at my phone, trying to I'm on Amazon, like, boob, sweat, boob, towel, boob, something. And I just couldn't find anything. So I ended up going to this date. It was awful. I showed up, and it was the traditional doesn't look like his pictures. He's just weird. And I just wasn't feeling it. So I went home, I politely excused myself.

Jessy: And now, honestly, you have to thank this person because you're, like, getting ready to see them changed so much.

Erin: Exactly. I don't even remember their name. But thank you to that guy and Shape House. And so I ended up coming home, and I just had that thought of, what could I do? How could I create something? And I wasn't thinking big picture. I was just trying to solve my own problem. Prior to that, I remember sitting around and my girlfriends and I would talk about boob sweat. But no one ever really went into detail.

But we were finding out girls were having rashes. It was just really uncomfortable, myself included. And so I just thought, There has to be something. But there wasn't. So I laid in bed and I thought of all the different scenarios or different ways I could make something. And I just kind of had that AHA moment. And I was like, oh, my gosh, I think I know how to do this. And so I ran to my living room and I taped four pieces of printer paper together, and I cut out what I thought would be a pattern. And then I borrowed my best friend's sewing machine. I YouTubed how to sew.

Oh, yeah, I had no idea how to sew. Not whatsoever.

Jessy: And starting a whole line of apparel, if you will, or linens, and you're like, I don't even know how to sew.

Erin: Yeah, I had no idea how to sew. But again, it was that MacGyver in me. When I was younger too, I should say this. I grew up in a home where you can't watch TV. It was more like, get outside and play. So I would always sneak over to my friend's house because her parents would always watch MacGyver. And I loved that show. And so I would sit there and watch the show, and if you don't know what it is, this guy could make anything out of nothing. And so I feel like it really stuck with me to this moment. Because I was thinking, okay, how can I make this out of stuff that I have? Right? Because I can't make material or anything like that. So I borrowed friend sewing machine. I YouTubed how to sew. I asked my mom for fabric because I had no idea where to get fabric. I was just like, what do I do? So I ended up cutting up towels in my house or my apartment. I always say this shout out to my roommate, Shawn, I'm so sorry I cut up all of her towels at the like, I was on it, right?

I was like, I think I've got it. So I made these towels that shoot, I'll send you a picture of the first couple of ones I made because they're hilarious. They just look like a two-year-old made them. And so I came up with a couple of prototypes, and then I started handing them out to my friends who were complaining about certain issues. I also had a lot of friends who were about to be first time moms, and so they were talking about the night sweats of breastfeeding and things like that.

Jessy: That's a real problem.

Erin: Yes, I have seen it. Well, not firsthand, but I've seen it through my friends struggling with it. And so I just wanted to be the problem solver. And I also thought, okay, they're the perfect test group, right? So I started handing them out to them, and then they wouldn't give them back to me. So I was like, Can I have them back? And they're like, no. And I'm like, no, really, I need them because I can't keep sewing. Like, I've got needles going through my finger. I need to have these. I don't know how many more I can make before I start losing fingers. And so they were like, no, these are great. And that's kind of just how it all started.

Jessy: Wow, that is so cool. I love that you MacGyvered this idea. You took it and you were like, okay, there's a real spot for this in the market. There's a real problem that you're solving.

Erin: Not to mention I also had rashes under my breast, and they were extremely painful. And I had gone to the dermatologist, I had tried everything, and I just didn't feel like ointments were healthy to be putting there. And especially they say deodorants and all these different things. And I thought to myself, that can't be healthy. And it also hurt. It was really painful to put anything on that area because it was so sore and wrong. So when I started using the towel every morning religiously, even if I didn't shower, I would put it on while getting ready because moisture happens build up, especially that skin on skin contact. And then I started noticing that not only are my rashes healing, but they're going away and they haven't come back. And honestly, to this day, I have not had a problem with that area rashing at all. So I knew I was something when I started fixing that area. An area that I struggled with.

Jessy: Yeah. And then obviously, you have to think to yourself, if I'm struggling with this, so many other people must be. And so that's the part that I think is just so brilliant, too.

Erin: You know what's funny about that is, yes, a lot of women struggle with it, but at the time when I was creating it, no one wanted to talk about it.

Jessy: No talks about it.

Erin: If you say Boob Sweat or you have a rash, you're instantly met with OOHhhh, that's gross. And it's like, really? Let me see your bra. Let me smell your bra. Not to be gross, but let's be real.

Jessy: Yeah. Stop lying. You have this problem too, probably.

Erin: Exactly.

Jessy: I know. It's honestly, it's remarkable to me how we feel so much shame around our breasts, particularly that we won't share about those experiences because our bodies just have been viewed for tal as old as time, as sexual objects. And so talking about them, there's some sort of shame or like, are you talking about something sexual? It's so taboo, right? Yeah, it's wild. But then even to something you were talking about earlier before, when we were talking a bit about body confidence, is that once you have a product like this that you create and similarly for me, about products covered in Boobs, it immediately helps people to talk about their experiences. Right. To help, because yeah, that could be a serious issue to have a rash that you're not paying attention to an actual health issue because you're uncomfortable talking about your breasts like a body part. That's like it's a body part.

Erin: A lot of women still to this day. It's funny how many men buy this towel for their wife, and then we get emails from the men and the women that they gifted it to, saying, my husband bought me this because he heard me complaining about boob sweat, and I would have never purchased this. But I am so thankful that he did, because this is so great. So it still is a real thing. Women still don't want to talk about it, and it's okay. I think that I've definitely seen from the beginning of when I started this business to now, it's been widely more accepted. And women talk about it because I think that, at least for myself, when I find somebody else who struggles with something that I'm insecure about and you have that, it's just magical. When two women can get or more can get together and talk about these issues, you don't feel so alone and you don't feel so gross or however else it might make you feel. You leave the room thinking, oh, wow, a little bit of that negativity went away. And also you're so grateful for her being so brave also to talk about these things, because it really is met with EW, gross boob Sweat.

Erin: Yeah, it's been an interesting ride.

Jessy: I hear that. I can completely relate. And yeah, there's just something that's just so brave right, about talking about it, like bringing it up, that also just helps other people bring it up. Just there just saying it. Just mentioning Boob Sweat, maybe somebody else just like, their ear perks up and they're like, Wait, you know, a product it's so amazing how your product just promotes this self acceptance on that level, right? Like, just accepting, like, hey, yeah, okay, so your body has that, so does mine. This is not uncommon. And that right there just is promoting body positivity and ultimately self love. Like, getting a little bit more, finding out more about yourself and then taking care of yourself. And that's all part of self love. And something else, though, I want to just praise you for is the size ranges are impressive for your towels.

Erin: Oh, thank you.

Jessy: Yeah, it feels like, really, there literally aren't that many options out there for busty gals or just bigger bodies. And just like all bodies, things just are not made for. There's always this one size fits all stuff. I don't know. Sometimes when I go to a hotel and I'm trying to wrap myself around the towel that they have in the hotel, I'm like, what is this? This is just a napkin.

Erin: And not only that, then you have to walk out with the top part barely touching, and then everything else is wide open. You're like, so much for a towel.

Jessy: Yeah, this isn't a real towel.

Erin: It's a napkin. It doesn't even cover a butt cheek. Get out of here.

Jessy: No, thank you. Not a confidence boost at a hotel when you get a towel that's like, is this from my hands or my body? What the heck?

Erin: And that's what I mean by this, is that I didn't even realize the confidence that I would be giving myself in these towels because I didn't realize how negative I was towards myself while getting ready. But I truly felt like a refrigerator getting ready in a big giant because in order to get a towel that would wrap all around my body, I had to buy the big bath towels. Then towels, they aren't as absorbent. They just kind of seem to push the wetness around. It was hard to get ready with confidence. And then once I put this towel on, I wasn't sweaty because my whole body could breathe. And then I had this towel that was not just wiping away the moisture, but my fabric wicks away, and it actually pulls moisture away from your body. So the sweat isn't just sitting on the towel against your skin. And so it kind of just was a snowball effect of, wow, I feel better in the morning. I feel a little more confident also. I'm not going to lie. It makes your boobs look really good. So you kind of have that confidence of like, I found myself, like, dancing and singing a little bit more as I was getting ready, and then I well, it's so cute.

Jessy: You have so many cute patterns and styles. Like, not to mention it gives your boobs an actual lift, right? Like, it gives a little lift.

Erin: It gives a little bit of a lift. I don't like to say some women think that when I say my towels lift, they're like, oh, but on my. Neck, and it's a little difficult to explain. It gives you a lift, but it also separates the skin. Yeah.

Jessy: Which is the important part. That's the health part. That's what's making the area dry out, right. So that our skin is not touching each other, creating rashes, all sorts of things like that.

Erin: But it also lets you have your natural hang. So instead of being while you're getting ready, being shoved in a bra and you can't breathe and you're already adjusting and trying to get comfortable, it lets you have that natural hang with a little lift.

Jessy: Yeah.

Erin: It's your best friend. We'll pick you up in the morning.

Jessy: Yes, I love that. Yeah. Perfectly paired with your Hot Tits Mug for a little perky morning. And there's our commercial, folks, as we take little sips from our Titty City mugs. So cute. So, yeah, your products truly just, like they solve, like, a real problem.

Curious, so how did you bring the Ta-Ta Towel to market?  

Erin: I was having a breakdown. And then I started looking online for farmers markets or little places where I could test the product because the towels were really working. I was getting great feedback. And at this point, I had made 26 towels all on my own.

And I thought I was like, oh, yeah, I got this. I've got 26 towels. Let's go to market. Let's try this out. And the next expo or market that I could find was the LA Women's Expo. And so I signed up for that. I got myself a booth, and then that was it, right? I was like, okay, I'm signed up. This is going to be the big reveal. I'm so excited. And then the day happened where I was maybe like, a day or two away from selling my product, and I started panicking. I was listening to all the negative voices in my head telling me that this is so silly and stupid and no one's going to understand it.

And I was so broke at this point. I was working three jobs. I was driving for Lyft. I was a personal assistant still. I was just trying to figure out a way to have this hobby, right?

Because I really believed in it. And so I was like, if I could sell a couple of towels a week or whatever, that's great. It'll be my side gig. So I started panicking, thinking about going to this expo, and I looked up the cancellation policy because I was going to cancel.

I was like, this is so stupid. Everyone's going to laugh at me. What am I doing? I can't do this. This is ridiculous. And so I looked up the cancellation policy, and I was too broke to cancel because if you cancel last minute, you had to pay a fine. So, I was like, all right, well, put your big girl panties on. I guess we're doing it. And so I ended up going to the expo, and I sold all 26 or 28 towels, however many I had. And I remember looking at my mom, and I was like if I could sell ten a week, then I would only need two part-time jobs instead of three.

Jessy: The math is real.

Erin: Exactly. And so I was really glad that I did that expo, because I really wanted to back out. I was like, what am I doing? And I've had a lot of moments in my life where it's sink or swim time. It's like you got to jump or sit still and let everything kind of pass you by. And so I thought to myself, well, whatever. I won't tell anyone I'm at this expo. So if it happens and people see me, great. If not, no big deal. And I went. And at first, I got a lot of faces of, what is this? But then the women walked around the expo for a while, and a light bulb went off. Why? Because their boobs are sweating, and they're hot. And so they would come back to the table and buy the towels, and that's kind of how it all happened. And then women would grab their friends, and, oh, my gosh, look at this product. And then we were laughing together, right? People weren't laughing at me. We were laughing together. And I had a great crowd around my table, and it was just I was starting to see the positive outcome of these towels and the women that were bringing their friends together, and it kind of was bringing people together, right?

They're like, oh, you have boob sweat? Me too, girl.

And then there was a woman there from Baby Center, and I didn't know, and she had purchased a towel, and then two months later, I think she ended up writing an article, and she was the first person to write about me. And then it went viral from there.

Wow, you went viral? Share more!

Erin: Like on James Corden, the Late Night show, he did a monologue about it. Kathy Lee and Hoda were talking about it. They were on the Ellen show.

Jessy: Oh, my gosh.

Erin: I had no idea. And by the way, I had only a couple towels made, because I never thought in a million years that people would even know about my towels. So I didn't even know there was a button on the website for overselling. I just thought, oh, shoot, put my towels up. So I was out for the day, and my phone, when you get a sale, it drops down like, ding. And so I was out, and all of a sudden, my phone just kept going, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. It was buzzing like crazy. And I even turned my phone off because I was like, Something's weird. There's a glitch. So all of a sudden, I go back to where I was living, which I called it Fem-row, because I had this cute little bungalow, and it was all these awesome women and artists that just lived there. I think there was, like, six of us. And I come back and they run outside, and they're like, Erin, have you been online today? And I was like, no. Why?

And they're like, “Your towels are everywhere.” And I was like, “What do you mean, they're everywhere?”

Erin: And they're like, they're everywhere. And they were showing me articles. And so I run inside, and I look. And it WAS everywhere. Back up a little bit.

So, then I look at my website, and I had sold over 30,000 towels in a matter of a couple of hours. 

Jessy: Oh, my gosh.

Erin: Panic set in. You would think I would be happy, right? I had no towels made at that point. I had a couple still attached to my sewing machine that I hadn't finished.

Jessy: You’re like, I'm not making 30,000 of these. My gosh.

Erin: That's exactly what I thought. I was like, what do I do? I don't even know how to fix the problem. But then I started panicking because you know how the Internet could be your best friend or your worst nightmare? I was thinking as fast as it came, everyone's going to tear me down because I don't have towels to give them. I don't know what to do. And so I called my parents, and I called my sister, who they live in Washington. And they flew down, and we started climbing all the racks and shelves downtown La. For fabric that matched the towels that I sold to try and piece it together. And then I then had to find a manufacturer, which was really hard to do at that time because when you go in with all these orders, they look at you as, oh, who's this girl that knows nothing about this industry? And all the bad things that could have happened, happened. So I had jumped to multiple manufacturers, and it took me a couple of months, but then I finally got all the towels out, and everyone was really kind and nice. 

Jessy: And the customers?

Erin: The customers were great. They love the towel because fortunately, they love the towels, right? It was working. And once we would send some towels out, customers would talk about them. So I think people were just excited and understood, hey, this happened by accident. I'm a business owner by accident. I really thought that I would be handing these out and asking my friends to buy these for birthdays, holidays to gift to their mom, their aunt, their grandma. And then all of a sudden, it.

Jessy: Just it literally happened. Not even overnight. Just like over coffee. Yeah. You're like what? All of a sudden you check your phone, you're like, what do and so.

Erin: And then again, going back to the MacGyver thing, it was I have to figure this out because sink or swim time, right? I either have to shut the website off and tell everyone, I'm so sorry, I didn't know what I was doing and now I can't fulfill their orders or figure it out.

Jessy: Did you ever contact that person who wrote the article about you?

Erin: Oh, yeah. And I do a thanks for her. I didn't do it this year because I've been moving back and forth, but August 3 is when I went viral, so I always thank her and this lovely woman, Christine, who also now, she is phenomenal. Do you remember a while ago this Playboy model took a picture of a woman changing in the locker room and totally body shamed her?

Jessy: I think I do remember something.

Erin: It kind of went everywhere. And then this woman wrote an open article, or I forget what it's called, an open letter to her responding, kind of just saying, how dare you. We all have these imperfections on our body. So she was on the Today show and I had sent her a towel and I hadn't heard back from her, but I was thinking, whatever, send a towel. She'll use it whenever. And then she did a post saying that she wasn't going to try the towel because she thought it was silly. But then her and her husband were doing yoga and she was sweating in that area. And as they walked into the room, she saw my towel sitting there and she's like, well, I guess now is the perfect time to put it to the test and see if it really works. And so she tried the towel on as well and she did this write up on it which received huge attention. So actually those two women are both the reason why it went viral.

Jessy: Wow, I got so many chills. Just so much women empowerment there and women supporting women. That's what it should be like, right?

Erin: And it sounds so cliche, but it's one of my favorite sayings is, there's room for all of us at the table, so pull out the chair next to you for someone else to sit down because there is room for all of us. And the magic happens when you help somebody else. Also, you don't have to bend over backwards to help someone. You could just be a shoulder for them to cry on or someone to just support you. Support other women supporting me. Yeah.

Jessy: But it's so important. I love that. I love so much that you are still really connected with them and how they helped you grow and you showing your appreciation. That's so cool.

Erin: Yeah. No, actually now, because we posted it, I'm going to repost it now because I posted it on August 3 and it's all kind of the breakdown, and I post their article and what they said. I will always be grateful for them, and I will always give them the shout outs because they deserve it. And it takes a lot to help somebody else, or not even help, but to believe in somebody else.

Jessy: Yeah.

Erin: Again, one of the women, she didn't think she was going to ever try. She's like, we'll see. But she did, and she took a chance, and it worked, and she changed my life, and I'm just super grateful for her.

Jessy: That's amazing. That feels like a hug.

Erin: Yeah. Giving her a big hug.

Okay, so Shark Tank. So how do we get from here to Shark Tank?

Jessy: Tell us the story behind how you ended up on there, what the process was. Like, how you prepared, you pitched, you sweat. Luckily, you had your ta towels ready to go.

Erin: Yes. At this point, too, I was, like, wrapping my head in them. I was wrapping my whole body in these towels. Yeah.

Jessy: You're like, oh, yeah, I'm fully on board. Tatas.

Erin: Yeah. So how did Shark Tank happen? I'm trying to think back to how it all got started. So I was maybe six or seven months in after that viral moment, and I had sent a tape in because you have to send a tape or to somehow get through those doors. So I sent my audition tape, and I got a call, and I panicked because I used to watch that show all the time, and I used to always think, like, good for those business owners, but I would never do that. That is so scary. Know your strengths and your weaknesses. Right. Like, I'm creative. I can talk the creative side, talking numbers, I have no idea. I'm dyslexic I have ADHD. There is no way I would be able to pull it off. But again, it was life presented me with a sink or swim moment, and I just thought to myself, when am I ever going to get this opportunity again?

Shark Tank is a big deal. That is a hard club to get into. 

 I just thought they were just being nice and like, okay, we'll see. But I ended up jumping through all the hoops, and I was able to get on, and it was terrifying.

I honestly though I would never end up on the show! 

How long was the process? Was it a couple of months? Weeks?

Erin: Oh, no, it definitely was a few months for sure. Yeah. You get vetted, and you got to go through all the hoops. And then I ended up getting on, and I was always that girl who felt left out, whether I was being left out or not being a Navy brat. Every 14 to 16 weeks, you move to another place, so of course people don't think to put you on an invite list or the new girl. Whether it was happening or not, I always felt kind of left out. And then being able to get myself on this show and get myself to walk through the doors while my knees are, like, shaking like crazy, I just thought, Got to do it, and it's back to sink or swim time. Sorry. I just started thinking about that moment, and I got lost in what I was saying. No, that happened for you.

Jessy: Yeah, well, it happens. Honestly, it's like, such an emotional experience. I can imagine. There's this very big moment. You're on a TV set, right? You seen the show before. You know it's a big deal. You actually made it through all those things prior to it. You're now here. You're on national television. Yeah. You're nervous. No wonder why your train of thought goes. You're like, I don't know. For me, I think I probably would just stand there and just like.

Erin: I did have an out plan. Would you like to know what my escape plan was?

Jessy: Yes.

Erin: Working in TV, I knew the background. I was always behind camera, never in front of. But working on TV shows, I knew. I was like, okay, if things go bad, they can't air if you swear a lot or if you hold up your middle finger. So if everything goes bad, I'm just going to hold a middle finger up and just swear a bunch and then run out those doors, and they'll never anchor it. You're like, oh, my gosh.

Jessy: You know what, though? And I've seen your episode a few times, and to know that that was all going I mean, I have to imagine all that's going on in the background, like the nerves and all the stuff, but you don't come across that way at all. That self-talk we give ourselves sometimes is so wild. And then you're out there, and you're talking to these very wealthy investors about boobs. You're like, Holy cow. I'm talking about Tatas on national TV.

Erin: Yes.

Jessy: And boobs are still seen as taboo.

Erin: Yeah, well, I definitely thought, too, I wanted a panel of women, but I thought if I had the guys, it's boobs, so maybe they'll have some fun with it and it would be fine and good to go. And then also, too, if you watch the show, people go on there, and they know their numbers, and they know what they're talking about. I had only been in business for six to eight months. I had no clue about my numbers. I just had made it this far, and I was kind of like, let's go to the next thing. This is an opportunity. Let's see what comes of it. And so I guess that's what I meant by I felt so left out growing up but now I'm patting myself on the back because I just got myself into a club that is really hard to get into.

Jessy: Congrats.

Erin: Proud moment. Yeah, thank you.

Jessy: Yet so proud moment. Huge moment. Like, very small club that's incredible in your pitch, like, your products on display, you've got all the Tatas out!

Erin: My first models are with me.

What were you thinking when you heard the Sharks react? Was anything surprising to you?

Erin: I think I blacked out most of it. Because you're just so scared, right. You want to be perfect, you got to say everything, right? But, you know, you're putting yourself in a situation where they're going to try and trip you up. And so I just kind know, said my prayers before I went in. And then I literally when the doors open, I had just gone to the Beyonce concert and that woman can like, she would come out and so I literally said, when those doors open, I was like, walk like Beyonce now, Beyonce, because I did not do you justice at all. But that's what was in my mind of like, okay, be a confident woman, walk through that door and here you go.

It was definitely a "sink-or-swim" moment when those doors opened. I just went with it!

Right? Like, if I was going to be too scared, I would have messed up. And honestly, I did. But we're human, right? And I guess I'm learning now that business is not perfect and all of those sharks have had major failures, but they've come back and learned from that. And I really respected that and I thought, these people know what to do. They've made it to the top. They've had to dig themselves back up from the bottom. So I just thought, here we go.

Jessy: Yeah.

Erin: And honestly, I was so scared of Mr. Wonderful because for obvious reasons, but he was lovely. And I still have it framed in my office today of him wearing the towel with the grapefruits in them. And that was my highlight, for sure.

Jessy: Yes. Oh, my. So, Lori, she ends up investing in you. And so well, once again, congrats. Like, so cool. So how did that make you feel?

Tell us about the Shark Tank deal.

Jessy: Did you feel like you got what you were looking for and what happens after that deal?

Erin: Yeah, I don't think I cared about the money going into it. I was just excited that somebody believed in me and my product. Because for the longest time I had gone through this process of self doubt and doubting myself every step of the way and thinking people aren't going to see it or understand this. Just, you know, for me and my friends, but for them to when Lori said she said you had me at I first of all, I love Jerry Maguire, so I was then I just I think that's the big takeaway that I got from it was, oh, my gosh, this woman gets it. And she even said she doesn't have large breasts, so she doesn't have this issue. However, her mother did, and she grew up in a house watching her mom tuck her T shirt under or struggle with those issues. And so it just was a moment of major gratitude and excitement that she gets it. And by the way, all the judges said no, or all the sharks said no. And she was the last one. And so I really was getting my middle fingers ready and ready. Yeah.

Erin: I was like, all right, well, this is over. Here we go. But when she said she got it not, it only made my day. I still think back to that time of when I just was so low you have to put your face on and yeah. But behind the scenes, I was still trying to get those orders fulfilled. I was still trying to figure it all out. And so I always say I became a business owner by accident, but I just kept going. And again, I love bumper sticker quotes, and they're so cliche, but you have to keep going when most people would stop, and that's what will separate you from the rest. And so I pushed through and got through those doors and just was super grateful that Lori also saw how great these towels were and how needed they were.

Jessy: Yeah.

Erin: And there's no market for it.

Jessy: No kidding. And here you are again. I can't say enough. You're here on Shark Tank, national television, promoting a body positive product, like something that's showing real inclusivity in the marketplace. And I don't know, I was saying to you before, I don't remember if it was when we were recording or not, but I watched Shark Tank. I didn't see your episode live when I saw it because I always just watch them recorded and it's so fun, and you're like, oh, my God, this is brilliant. And sometimes I don't even realize I have Shark Tank products in my house. I'm like, no way. Because they're just so brilliant, and they do a great job of picking out the products that they know are going to be a hit. And I love that Lori recognized that. And there's not many products out there in the Shark Tank catalog know, promote such body positive and inclusivity as, like, yours. So that's just know it's really oh, thank you.

Erin: Yeah, I appreciate that.

Jessy: Yeah. Of so, like, after the like, now you're just connected with Lori's team, and she helped how did she.

Erin: You know, you literally sign your life away. So there's certain things you can talk about and cannot talk about. Sure.

Jessy: And I'm not trying to get you to say anything you're not supposed to talk about by the no, it's totally.

Erin: Fine, but you just can't talk about things. So everything with Lori is great. Her team is fantastic. She's very kind and sweet. Also, her husband is a lovely human being. And it really does feel like you're working with a family business, even though she's so huge and has all these products and stuff. They really do treat you well. They take you seriously. You can ask all the hard questions. And it's kind of nice because you think that you're going to get a deal, and then, okay, they're going to take it away and do everything, but they really let you kind of learn the process also. And then we parted ways because it just was really important for me to make my towels here in the US. And my business blew up before I could even learn the basics. And I just didn't want my business to grow so fast that I had zero control over it because to me, it's bigger than Boob Sweat. This isn't something that I wanted to just see on the CVS aisle of as seen on TV. I really wanted to build a community of women who are supportive, who support others, who are know, talking about these things.

And it's just to me, it's bigger than boob. I just I really wanted to make sure that manufacturing stayed in the US. And so that's what we're doing now. Lori and I are still on great terms. So thankful to her and her team. But, yeah, I just take care of going on the show. I was so scared and exhausted from trying to figure it out. I was like, Take the business. Do what you can with it. I'm over it. But then once we started going, it's like, oh, wait a second, I can do this. I want to make this bigger than Boob sweat. So that's what I'm here doing.

Jessy: Oh, chills, chills, chills. I love that it's an amazing exposure, an amazing opportunity. I love that. You got to learn so much. Again, over coffee, you learned that you were a viral sensation, and you're like, now what?

Erin: Now what?

Jessy: Yeah, now what? Well, first of all, again, thank you so much for sharing. This is, like, a lot. This is a lot to share. A lot to go through emotionally, too, to talk about your story and all the stuff, the things that went great, the things that were struggles, being trying to make all those towels, getting a deal, having to part ways. It's a lot. And honestly, it's business, right? There's so much that goes on with products. But I really do love and appreciate that you keep your products made here in the US. That's so meaningful.

Give us the drip on Ta-Ta Towels

Erin: They're made in Los Angeles. I actually even make my fabric in I have because, again, it's about here's one of, uh, the Modal towel. It's super thin. Yummy. It's a patented Fiber it's lensing modal, which is super high quality, lightweight, and again, it was important to me to make a fabric that wicked away moisture, because I was finding that all the towels, bath towels, just was moving things around and still know some wetness in areas. So, yeah, I make my fabric in Los Angeles. We manufacture it in Los Angeles, and that won't change. I love being able to go to the factory and see all the people making the towels and making the fabric. It's really fun.

Jessy: Oh, my gosh, that's so cool. That is so cool. It's like your product evolving. It's evolving. It's improving. Thinking back to just your cutout that you have.

Erin: Oh, my gosh, they were so thick because I was literally making them with regular bath towels. I would go, like, home goods and all buy the discounted towels that I could find, and then we'll have to talk again, or I'll send you pictures. I call it down Mammary Lane, because the progression of my towels and how they started to what they are now is definitely they're definitely different now.

Jessy: Oh, my gosh. Wow. I can only imagine.

Erin: Yeah.

Jessy: I know nothing about towels to now. I'm sure you know everything. It is about the patented material, all the details that went into everything. Yeah. It's like a very pinch me moment.

Erin: Well, and it was important, too, because that area is so sensitive. I wanted to make sure the right fibers were touching that area. I didn't want know have any other issues caused by my fabric. So our modal is Hyperallergenic. It's vegan. It's always fun to say for La people. The towels are no, I'm really I'm really proud of them.

Jessy: Oh, good. Yeah, I'm proud of them. I'm proud of you. This is so inspiring. Your story is amazing. And since how many have you sold?

How many Ta-Ta Towels are out there?

Erin: I get asked this a lot, and I always am nervous to answer this question, because I don't want to I've sold a lot of towels.

Jessy: I'm not trying to make you uncomfortable.

Erin: The way that I like to say it is I could fill stadiums with women just wearing who have purchased these towels. And by the way, that's a photo op. That is a dream of mine, is to fill a stadium with all my customers and take a picture of all of us wearing our tata towels.

Jessy: So, yes, I'm seeing Super Bowl commercial. I don't know. I'm getting Super Bowl vibes.

Erin: Exactly. We want to start making towels, too, with license whole logo thing of the teams, but, like, the colors. So wear your towel while preparing all the snacks and everything for my gosh.

Jessy: Honestly, that would be so brilliant. I know. It's like football season is upon us. Yeah, brilliant. Fill a Stadium Super Bowl commercial. Dream big. Honestly, you're good at manifesting. If I have anything to say about that, you manifest it, baby!

Erin: Well, speaking of manifesting....

When everything went viral, I would manifest my ultimate model to be Ashley Graham. She is so beautiful. I started a little "Ashley Graham Fund" so someday I can have the money to hire her.

Jessy: Ashley Graham was who popped in my head by the way.

Erin: Yeah.

Jessy: I was like, it's Ashley Graham. I know it.

Erin: She is beautiful. I just love her in every single way. And so she was always the person in my head of like, okay, when I have Ashley Graham money, I'm going to pay her and I'm going to see if I can one day hire her. And then one day she posted in her tata towel with her sister who was about to have a baby. And she and her sister had purchased a towel and she posted it online. And I was like, yeah. So huge. Shout out to Ashley Graham. I am a huge fan. And she has no idea. She made my life wearing my gosh.

Jessy: Oh, my I'm sure you saved that post. Like, you've got, like saved it.

Erin: It's printed out, and framed in my office. Are you kidding me? Yeah. Amazing.

Jessy: That's big time. That's so cool. Oh, my God.

Erin: Big time. And I just like, body positivity and she's amazing, let's be real. Yeah.

Jessy: And she's a mom. She's been so open about her motherhood journey, going to when, pregnancy, postpartum, breastfeeding, everything. I have a lot of respect for her, too. I love that she has a Ta-Ta Towel and it was so organic. Sometimes that's just like the coolest thing. You're like, I had no idea you were a fan of my product.

Erin: Right?

Jessy: You're like, by the way, do you want to just do like an Instagram Live with me and then make a commercial out of that?

Erin: Any chance? I don't know. Right? Who knows? But that was the other thing is at that time when that happened, I was just so thankful that she did it. And again, in my head, I'm like, little old me, leave her alone. I'm not going to say anything or reach out. I was just grateful for her to post. And again, it's another woman supporting another woman-owned business, and just mad respect and appreciation for her for doing that. She has no idea who I am, but she made my life. And I will always talk about tagging, Ashley Graham. Tag. Tag. Tag. Tag.

Jessy: Oh, my I'm going to definitely be keeping my eye out for that. Somehow you're going to work together again. Somehow.

Erin: I hope so. That would be awesome.

Jessy: Yeah. I just know it. Yeah. As we kind of wrap up, we've been talking about so many amazing things. I've loved this. I feel like I could just talk to you all day and maybe we will. I don't know.

Erin: Yeah. Again, the next time we talk, we're going to be doing it FaceTiming in our tan. Only one wearing mine.

Jessy: Yeah. Oh, I am in. I am in. You had me at hello. Yeah. So again, amazing. Love, love everything that you're doing.

Anything you want to promote?

Erin: Follow us on Instagram! We get a lot of men who like to follow and I really am trying hard to get the community of just women. I mean, no offense guys, but it's different, right? When you're trying a boob sweat and they're like, where do boobs anyways? Yeah, that's the polite way of saying it. So if you could give us a follow and we can stay in touch, that would be awesome. It's @tatatowels on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. And then just to also kick my algorithm into the right fields because lots.

Jessy: Of mean I hear it's, it's but and it's out there and also being know Shark Tank on national television. You've got a lot of eyeballs. Yeah, social media is a totally strange place sometimes.

Erin: Oh my gosh, it's great and bizarre. And then as soon as you figure it out, everything changes again. And then you have to sit there and try and figure out the new algorithms or honestly the past couple of months I've tried to just be like, you know what, I'm just going to post when I post. And I'm not going to get too carried away with the algorithms and things like that. I'm just going to kind of put it out there to everyone of I would love for this to be a community for women. It's bigger than boob sweat. It's about so much more. And so yeah, you can follow us to be a part of our breast friend club and then let's see what is coming up. Oh, I'm actually really excited about this because since the LA Women's Expo started this crazy career, I have been so busy and I have not been able to get back into the expos, which I love doing because it's just so fun to be able to have the women feel the towels, try them on and all that good stuff. So this year we are jumping back on the bandwagon and we are going to yes.

Erin: I'm so excited. I emailed them and I was like, you guys don't even know. Like you started up this for me and I just am so excited to come back. So we are going to be in Arizona, Atlanta, Miami, and Jacksonville, Florida for the La. Or I keep calling it the La. Women's Expo. The Woman's Expo. Women's you are if you live anywhere near or around that area, come check us out and let's have some fun.

Jessy: Oh, I love that. And you'll send me all the information and details so I could post the dates, and people can find where you'll be, and it's just always so fun to get to experience in person. I know. I've been doing events, and I call them my Titty tents.

Erin: I love it. It's so fun.

Jessy: And just seeing people's faces when they are with your products, and that sparks a new inspiration, like, new excitement about what you're doing and seeing getting to see your products, seeing the tata towels, like, people see them and experience them, that direct feedback. It's really powerful.

Erin: It is. It's great. And I've done so well with it, being an ecommerce brand, but it's just so different when you get to be in the crowd with the people and actually feeling the towels, trying them on. It's different, and I love it so much. So I'm excited to we're going on tour again. Yeah.

Jessy: Titty Tour. Tata Tour.

Erin: Exactly.

Jessy: Oh, my gosh. I'm here for all that. Well, this has been the best this has been the breast the breast conversation, the best day. And yeah, I'm so excited for you. I'm excited for tata towels. I love being friends with you in real life, not just on Instagram.

Erin: Me too.

Jessy: Yeah. And I appreciate you taking the time to share your story with all of yeah, it's so it really plays into something that I've started and what's going on with this interview series and just oh, I love your dog.

Erin: Made a little sorry. Say hi, Lucy. That's my shop.

Jessy: Hi, Lucy.

Erin: Can you say hi? She's always by side.

Jessy: I love that. I have my little doggie over here too. I can't really tilt my screen to show her. We have our fur friends that got our backs.

Erin: Yes, that's for sure. Yeah.

Jessy:  But yeah, what I started here with this interview series is just really getting to talk with people that are helping spread a really positive message about our bodies and just having those open conversations, because the more we talk about our boobs, our experiences with them, just the less shame we feel, the less sexualized they become. And honestly, just more change that can happen in this wild world about women's bodies, women's health, women's anything. Put any word after there, right?

Erin: Exactly. It's just supporting us. Just like boobs. They're like snowflakes, right? Not one of them is the same. And that's, like all of us women, we are all different. But that's the beauty of it, is your insecurities could be inspiring to somebody else and empowering to change. And I think that's what I would like most out of all of it is women supporting women, period. It doesn't matter what it's about, but just being supportive to each other.

Jessy: Perfect. I think that is, like, the perfect note to end this on. Thank you, Erin.

Erin: Well, thank you for having me. I'm excited to do this with you. Yay.

Jessy: All right, well, so good to see you.

Erin: Tata for ah, yes.

Jessy: Tata for now.

Ta-Ta Towels Website: https://tatatowels.com/

Stay tuned for more Titty Talks

Join Jessy for the next Titty Talk in our 6-part interview series where we feature another incredible woman that is a part of "The Boobment," our social movement to break the stigma around BOOBS. 

At Titty City Design, we believe that talking openly and honestly about our experiences with our breasts is key to promoting body positivity, body acceptance, and self-love. That's why we're thrilled to launch our Titty Talks interview series, where we're speaking with inspiring brands, organizations, entrepreneurs, lactation consultants, and healthcare professionals who are passionate about supporting moms and promoting breast health.

By sharing their stories and expertise, we hope to educate and empower new moms, make postpartum and the transition into motherhood feel less lonely, and encourage each other to take care of our breast health. Join us for our next Titty Talk interview, and let's keep the conversation going!

 

At Titty City Design, we believe that every boobie is beautiful, and that should be celebrated. We are a female-owned and operated, small business here to spread self-love and body positivity with our line of boob apparel, boob accessories, and boob-themed decor and products for the home. A portion of our proceeds goes to help support postpartum people and breast cancer patients.

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