Davielle Jackson is the founder, CEO, and president of Femi Secrets, which markets the Pretty Panty, a highly absorbent, leakproof sanitary product. In addition to period panties, Femi offers other feminine hygiene products, including wipes and liners that are vegan, paraben-free, cruelty-free and natural.
Jackson shared what made her choose her career path.
What is your profession?
I’m a scientist, I invented a product called Pretty Panty.
What are your day-to-day responsibilities?
My day-to-day is just running my company by scaling it, growing it, and driving it.
What made you select your career?
I was pre-med at first, [I] started in biology, which is clearly why I then went on to be a scientist. One of my friends came to me and she was like, “Listen, I’m having a problem when I’m on my cycle. I’m having leaks and nothing on the market can help me.” I went on to help her I did the research to find out why women were having leaks, then I created a solution which I now call Pretty Panty.
Tell us more about the Pretty Panty.
The Pretty Panty is the first disposable period panties that I invented. When my friend came to me I was doing research and I was like, “Why are women having leaks when they’re on their cycle?” I quickly noticed that women who wear pads, no matter what panties they have on, it’s going to shift and move, so you’re going to have a leak. Now you get to the tampon, but no female anatomy is the same. No tampon can actually feel one woman and stop the leak, so I created the Pretty Panty, which is the pad and panty in one system. We guarantee a 100% leakproof product but it went on to start [providing] more solutions for women like lighter periods, less cramps, no odor, healthier periods, and healthier vaginas. It rolls into the brand called Femi Secrets. Now we have the Femi Secrets health and wellness app, we have the Pretty Panty, all the products you need like Femi wipes, liners and pads.
What do you consider your superpower to be?
I literally have a superhero name called the Vagina Saver, with my own trademarks, and everything. My superpower is making women have the healthiest vaginas. It’s crazy that when you start with a woman who has a healthy vagina, she has an easier period, she has a lighter period, she has anxiety-free periods, and you will see a happier woman as a whole.
Why should women of color aim for leadership roles?
The number one thing about women of color being in leadership roles is we actually lead all the households. We lead households, we lead the kids, and we lead our husbands. For us to do it in the corporate sector is like a no-brainer. One of the statistics is that Black women are growing in entrepreneurship faster than any other sector, so it’s very important to have us at any level in the corporate sector.
