Fairlady

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

Play With Me

Carmen Ely

STARTUP COSTS: ‘I kept these to a minimum,’ Carmen says. ‘Using my own laptop, I saved money by creating my own website. My biggest expense was buying the products, because you can’t launch a store without them!’

CURRENT TURNOVER: ‘I would say, month-on-month, we’ve increased our turnover by 33%.’

It was a failed marriage, of all things, that led to Carmen Ely launching an adult intimate store. With a background in project management and anew-found passion for finding accessories that help you embrace your sensuality to enhance your sex life, she’s on a mission to change how we see adult toys.

How did Play With Me come about?

The idea started 12 years ago after a colleague mentioned to me how difficult it was for her to even park her car outside an adult shop, let alone going into one and buying something. It got me thinking:

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