An interview from JRL Charts with Ming Destiny, the creator of Pocket Dungeon
Original Article: Andy Powell, Staff Writer
Andy@JRLChartsOnline.com
HONOLULU, HI – Ming Destiny is a lover of art, science, sex, nature, leather and travel. She created the Pocket Dungeon because she loves travel and she loves play.
Ming has been working on Pocket Dungeon for 4 years and has raised all the money for it through her crowd funding campaign on Indiegogo.
In fact Ming is also the producer and founder of a 5 day leather kink event called Leather and Leis, and she regularly hosts parties and classes furthering the BDSM lifestyle in the islands of Hawaii.
Plus, Ming is the CEO of PD Kilts, a kilt company that her and her boy have started offering high quality kilts at very affordable prices.
She identifies as a Kinky, Quirky Queer erotic adventurer, Ming lives in Hawaii with her slave of 4 years, and her 2 Dogs.
Well I was delighted to hear that Ming would chat with me about the sensational Pocket Dungeon which is exclusively distributed through Williams Trading Co.
Please welcome Ming Destiny to JRL CHARTS.
Andy Powell: Ming welcome to JRL CHARTS. Lets talk about the fabulous Pocket Dungeon now available exclusively through Williams Trading Co. How did you score such a major distributor in the Adult Entertainment Industry to move your brand through retail?
Ming: We went to Xbiz, and there was so much excitement about us! By the end of the weekend, we were absolutely overwhelmed. We had enthusiastic interest from everyone and from everywhere. India, Switzerland, Hungary, Canada, Spain, France, the Ukraine and England, to be honest it was the first time we saw the product in a global market, and as you can imagine it was over whelming. Then we met the folks at Williams Trading Co. Rich and Scott were just so friendly and enthusiastic and they saw the vision instantly. They not only saw what was in front of them but they saw the big picture and the many steps to get it there. They told us that they would help us launch because we knew there was so much we did not know we did not know, they said they would walk us through it, and they have! Williams Trading Co has helped every step of the way as we get the “kinks” out of manufacturing and has offed us so much invaluable advice. They invited us not just in to their product line database, but in to their family. They are an amazing company it feels wonderful to be with them. There is a reason they get so many awards and have been in business 40 years. You could say it was love at first sight.
Andy Powell: The Ms. Ming’s Mini Benyi kit is an even smaller version of the original, featuring the Leather Blindfold, Leather Flogger, Ball Chain Flogger, and the Benyi Bull Whip. How did you come up with the concept to produce the Pocket Dungeon and the Mini Benyi Kit?
Ming: I came up with the idea of Pocket Dungeon and the Mini Benyi because I travel a lot and I love to play. I have play partners all over the USA. But I was finding that 25 pounds of the 50 pounds of my luggage was all of my kink gear. So I made this kit for myself and when folks saw it, it blew their minds. Also I also LOVE playing in nature. Hence the tag line “anywhere you dare” because you really can take your toys anywhere. The Mini Benyi is and even smaller and more compact kit which features our most versatile toy: The Benyi Jou: Translation Unique Whipping Cane and 3 of its attachments. Leather Flogger, Ball Chain Flogger and the Mini Bull Whip to give 4 toys in one! Plus we added the Leather black out blindfold and put it all together in a lovely leather case.
Andy Powell: The Pocket Dungeon is just that…a collection of fetish pleasure products packaged in a high quality leather pocket friendly case. I don’t know any other brand that his perfected this concept. How many different collections in this format do you have available for retailers?”
Ming: Thank you for asking that question! We have so many things in development that are variations on our brand and philosophy, “Travel sized kinky toys… ‘Anywhere you dare’”. What is very important to us right now is to be sure that we have perfected the quality and to get the word out about the Pocket Dungeon. You will be seeing a number of new offering in the coming months. Pocket Pokies, the Gag and Tag, and the Wristicuff.
Andy Powell: What have you found that has surprised you about the Adult Novelty marketplace in the USA?
Ming: Great question. I was absolutely surprised to find was that most adult novelty stores really don’t know and understand BDSM. They sell the products, but they don’t understand them. They don’t understand what a good scene is and how to achieve it. For example….. I heard many times that folks did not know about the science of brain chemistry aspect of BDSM play. We play with Oxytocin, Adrenaline, Dopamine and Serotonin. These are the feel good natural brain drugs and there are ways to access them to achieve amazing results. Deepening a relationship, bonding, soaring high, and self-confidence are just a few of the many benefits of this play.
Andy Powell: Are you finding retailers receptive to the Pocket Dungeon brand?
Ming: Yes indeed! We are being seen as the cross over product that folks have been looking for. Their customers are coming in them after reading 50 shades and wanting toys and more importantly they want to understand how to use them. Taking home a paddle and adding it to sex is honestly just going to piss the recipient off if they are totally new to BDSM and don’t know how to use it properly. There is an art and a science to a good scene, and we are talking about how to achieve that by making the science behind BDSM erotic.
Andy Powell: Retailers love demos because they can put a custom display of the Pocket Dungeon in their stores and, for e-retailers, they can stream the demo at their online stores. Do you have demos available for retail and if so how many?
Ming: We have created lots of instructional videos on how to use the items in the kit but also we take the education process one step further by offering mini classes and play ideas for people so that they can really integrate this lifestyle into their sex lives in a holistic and relationship enriching way. After all that is at the core what our industry is about, healthy sex lives and happier relationships.
Andy Powell: Will Williams Trading and Pocket Dungeon be producing a display case for the Pocket Dungeon collection?
Ming: I will have a point to purchase display developed soon. I have given a tremendous amount of time researching to make it as easy, expensive and informative possibly. I know there is a learning curve to all of this, and I want to make it as easy and efficient as possible for everyone.
Andy Powell: With the Gay Pride Season in full swing, have you and your marketing team thought about promoting the Pocket Dungeon at any of the Gay Pride Festivals in the United States this year and if so, which ones?”
Ming: We are advertising in the Gay Pride addition of the Williams Trading Company catalog and even though I am in Hawaii I go to 10 to 20 kink, queer, poly events around the country a year. I love talking to and educating people and showing them Pocket Dungeon and I LOVE using it on people. We will be at the San Diego Pride Festival next month in fact so Please come find the Pocket Dungeon/ PD Kilts booth and I will happily show you what all the excitement is about.
Andy Powell: Kewl….Now Ming I have to ask this one…With all of the competition in retail with the various brands of fetish products, what makes Pocket Dungeon stand out above all the rest?
Ming: Well I think we stand out in two ways: First is the unique pocket-friendly nature of all our toys and secondly we are talking about the how and why of BDSM. We see ourselves as a travelers brand, but we also realize we are a cross over product. In many cases we will be the first set of toys and the first introduction to BDSM for most folks and we are taking that responsibility seriously. We want to make BDSM accessible and enjoyable for everybody. Our videos are friendly and informative and every Pocket Dungeon has an illustrated 20 page booklet where we go in to detail about how to do this play safely.
Andy Powell: What can you tell the retailers that are reading this right now about the Pocket Dungeon collections that they can not do without?
Ming: The Pocket Dungeon is our flagship product. We have named the company and our brand philosophy around those two simple but powerful words. More will be coming, displays will be coming, but start with the Pocket Dungeon and watch as your customers eyes light up as you tell and show them everything that has been engineered into this beautiful leather sunglasses sized case.
Andy Powell: What do you think retailers should know about the ever expanding BDSM market?
Ming: I think it is important to look at the young people, the next generation. More and more I find that they see BDSM as just a part of a healthy sex life. They want to explore like young people do, and they want to be a good partner. In the past that meant having dinner on the table at 6:00. Today it means trying new sex toys, new positions and new dynamics. Today’s generation is not constrained by a lot of the old societal shame, and so you see them experimenting and exploring more than ever before to find out what fits their personal style.
Ming Continues…Remember Andy…It is important to recognize we are not talking about a fad here. We are witnessing the next evolution in sexuality; playing with power. The retailers that take the time to really understand this new market will be ahead of the curve. I truly believe the strides that were made in gay acceptance of the last decade will be what we can look forward to in this coming decade for kinksters and BDSM players.
Andy Powell: How can retailers stay on top of your special promotions through Williams Trading? Can they follow you on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin….?
Ming: We are on Facebook, Twitter, and Fetlife.
Andy Powell: What can Gay and Lesbian Adult consumers expect when they purchase the Pocket Dungeon collections?
Ming: Authenticity, because I identify as queer and I live in the leather community, it was very important to us to not skimp anywhere. We did not want to make a cheap novelty. To the very best of our ability we strive to make the highest quality product that we possibly can. We searched and innovated our kit’s components. We insisted on quality napa leather and quality stitching, stainless steel hardware and iron for the padlocks. The whole process was set back a whole year as we sent back thousands of sample items because we kept raising the bar with the factory’s we were working with. We believe in this product, I am always amazed at how well it stands up to all styles of play.
Andy Powell: Amy, thank you for chatting with me here on JRL CHARTS today. Our Fetish readers are going to be thrilled to check out the Pocket Dungeon collection and, for retailers, they are going to enjoy the revenue they are going to make when they begin stocking the Pocket Dungeon in their boutiques nationwide.
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Contact your Williams Trading Co. sales rep for ordering information at 800-423-8587.
Williams Trading Co. is a full line Adult Wholesale Distributor with over 40 years of excellence in the industry, carrying over 20,000 different items; with new products added weekly. Check out www.williamstradingco.com for its simple and effective online ordering system, backed by a knowledgeable sales staff. Over the years, the company has expanded to offering direct drop-shipping services for online retailers, with the launch of MuffsandCuffs.com.
