Maria Marino, Alex Berstein, and Katherine Anne Koury are the Co-founders of Panic Panties, a premium, ready-to-wear underwear brand sold in airports, boutiques, hospitals, Walgreens, and over 5,000 CVS stores nationwide. With over 16 million brand hashtag views on TikTok, Panic Panties has won the Women Business Enterprise National Council’s (WBENC) national pitch competition for innovation and has been named Hot Undergarments by Star magazine. Maria, Alex, and Katherine Anne founded the company at Syracuse University after noticing a lack of attractive, on-the-go underwear options.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
- [3:33] The catalyst for Panic Panties and its evolution
- [8:41] An overview of Panic Panties products
- [11:28] How Maria Marino, Alex Bernstein, and Katherine Anne Koury market their brand
- [14:22] Panic Panties’ sustainability initiatives and manufacturing process
- [17:21] What’s next for Panic Panties?
- [21:20] The Panic Panties team’s most influential mentors, advice, and superpowers[
In this episode...
Purchasing underwear in a pinch is a common yet overlooked problem for women on the go. Whether after a workout, during travel, or in unexpected situations, traditional retail options fall short, offering unappealing, bulk-packaged choices. How did three best friends turn a shared frustration into an essential brand?
Dissatisfied by the lack of on-the-go underwear options on the market, Maria Marino, Alex Bernstein, and Katherine Anne Koury teamed up to create a premium, ready-to-wear underwear line designed for convenience and style. Their innovative approach and strategic retail partnerships with Walgreens and CVS have fueled Panic Panties’ rapid growth. The trio promotes their products by producing viral social media content, facilitating community events, and hosting a life-sized panty costume that appeared in high-traffic areas like Times Square and the Vegas Strip. Through social media engagement and a commitment to sustainability, Maria, Alex, and Katherine Anne have penetrated a niche market with an innovative solution.
Tune in to the latest episode of the Lead Like a Woman Show as Andrea Heuston chats with Maria Marino, Alex Bernstein, and Katherine Anne Koury, Co-founders of Panic Panties, about how they scaled their brand. Together, they discuss the brand’s manufacturing and development process, their future endeavors for Panic Panties, and how they broke into major retail chains.
Resources Mentioned in this episode:
Quotable Moments:
- “We were three real-life best friends constantly running from the gym to happy hours, always needing a pair of panties on the go.”
- “We panicked, so you don’t have to.”
- “Our product is so personal — every woman has a visceral reaction to a time they needed a spare pair of underwear.”
- “Where there is a will, there is a way.”
- “Don’t take no for an answer. Sometimes, it takes a year to get a yes.”
Action Steps:
- Embrace the blue ocean strategy: Identifying unique market opportunities can set a business apart from the competition.
- Prioritize effective networking: Building connections can open doors to essential resources and support.
- Foster resilience and perseverance: Develop a persevering mindset to navigate setbacks.
- Engage with your community: Connecting with local communities can increase customer loyalty.
- Maintain a sustainable focus: Prioritizing sustainability resonates with consumers and enhances brand reputation.
Sponsor for this episode…
This episode is brought to you by Artitudes Design by Andrea Heuston. Artitudes Design is an award-winning creative agency that has been creating visual communication for Fortune 500 companies for over 25 years. They have worked with notable companies such as Microsoft, Starbucks, Expedia, and have also served startups and nonprofit organizations.
They specialize in connecting speakers with audiences by creating visual value with presentations and through the creation of motion graphics, video, and content.
To learn more about Artitudes Design, visit their website today. Checkout their portfolio to see their previous projects, and contact them today to find out how they can help you bring your business a cut above the rest.