Jessica Wenger is the creator of Naked Rebellion.
“Naked Rebellion is nude shade luxury lingerie company crafted for every woman on earth. The nude bra is an essential fashion staple in a woman’s closet- a rare item that goes with every look, the foundation of any outfit, and the fundamental building block of every wardrobe. We help women feel acknowledged, comfortable, and confident while building a highly supportive and inclusive community of badass, rebellious women.”
AZF: Did you always know that you wanted to be entrepreneur? If not, when did you realize that it was the right path right for you?
JW:I have always been a serial entrepreneur. I worked in Film and TV for almost 15 years always going project to project. My husband and I have created 4 businesses and likely wont stop there. We love to solve problems creatively and the ability to work on lots of different projects. But the beginning of Naked Rebellion had a very distinct moment in time.
AZF: What excites you most about being an entrepreneur?
JW: An Entrepreneur, by definition, is someone that organizes and operates a business, while bearing most of the risks but also enjoying most of the rewards. That is everything that Naked Rebellion embodies for me. Naked Rebellion has been a dream of mine for 15 years, and finally being able to self fund the dream is wildly scary. Once it started, it couldn’t be stopped. It went from concept to sample making to a full blown launch with a fashion show in 6 months. I was able to focus solely on the brand and create an inclusive lingerie based completely on the community of rebellious women supporting me. We have bootstrapped our savings into getting this company off the ground, and have never looked back. After all the trials, failures and lessons along the way I’ve been able to walk into every day with my head held high while my entrepreneurial spirit has thrived. The realization that Naked Rebellion is ‘community first’ holds a special place in my heart.
AZF: How do you feel best supported?
JW: Wearing my Naked Rebellion bras of course – wink wink. But in all serious our community is built of the most supportive women around. We are so lucky to have the most amazing women around us. Once our product was created we realized just how much this community of women was craving connection. We have been able to become a platform in the community where every woman can see themselves represented. We strive to be defined as the most rebellious, inclusive, and comfortable brand.
AZF: What is your “life motto”?
JW: “A rising tide lifts all ships”. We all get further faster when we support each other. That is why you’ll see us always supporting other female founded local small businesses.
AZF: Describe your perfect Saturday morning.
JW: The Perfect Saturday starts with a workout at Desert Movement @desertmvmt followed by some soccer games for my three kids (Yes Im a soccer mom now) Brunch at Otro cafe @otrocafephx Shopping at The Fredrick @thefredphx and The Mercantile @themerchantile a facial from Kelly at @avellabeautyaz and dinner date nite with my husband at @cala
AZF: What motivates you to keep going amidst of the challenges that come with being an entrepreneur?
JW: We launched Naked Rebellion in 2019 with nine nude shades and fitting all body types from S to 3X. We have bootstrapped this far, and have hit huge industry disrupting milestones on our way. We were featured on the Today show and say 2,000% increase in sales in 48 hours. We have just secured Macys.com, Express.com and Wantable.com on our last trip to New York. These disruptive milestones that we have been able to accomplish as a business keeps us going when times get tough. We have been steadfast in our mission and it has always been our North Star.
AZF: What’s one piece of advice you’d give to a young entrepreneur who is just starting out?
JW: Surround yourself with people that are smarter than you. What a boring room if you’re the only one giving the answers. A community like the Foundress is worth its weight in gold bc it forces you to think bigger than yourself and be connected to something that is bigger than you.
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About The Foundress
The Foundress is a creative community of female entrepreneurs established by Coley Arnold and Lindsey Holt, owners of Junk in the Trunk Vintage Market. The women-led networking group currently has over 120 members who receive exclusive access to mentorship from experienced female entrepreneurs and industry leaders; community gatherings that feature expert speakers and the opportunity to connect with like-minded women; as well as monthly Mastermind Groups where members can brainstorm and collaborate together.
Every Friday AZF will spotlight a member of The Foundress and her business in the online series Foundress Fridays. Learn more about The Foundress and join the community at www.foundress.co.
