DANAI POINTER / TOWNSPEOPLE/ TRUNUDE FOUNDER
brooklyn chateau
Danai Pointer
I first met Danai Pointer, the middle child of Chinita Pointer, at my eldest daughter’s first violin recital. That was almost ten years ago. Even then, I was impressed by how at such a young age she'd become a key proponent of her father's legacy; an admirable quality not to be underplayed by everything else she has going for her. But as an endowed darling with a story to tell, Danai has set forth to create her own legacy as the founder of TruNude: an innovative company prioritizing a woman's wish to have an undergarment that looks and feels like a second skin. Sheer brilliance!
Having worked for corporate giants: Bloomberg, Rubinstein Associates and NYC Department of Cultural Affairs (to name a few), Danai exemplifies savvy businessperson. Although she has admittedly taken a giant leap of faith into entrepreneurship, she is currently Projects Manager for the Aspen Institute Arts Program. How she does it? I can only imagine. Not only did she launch a successful Kick-starter campaign, but she's also attracted A-list tastemakers necessary to growing a successful brand. Brava!
Ever since we met, we've been fawning over one another like adolescent schoolgirls; never shying away from giving and receiving compliments. That said, Danai Pointer is on her way to becoming the household name we hold closest to our hearts (literally). Townspeople is honored to jumpstart 2017 and chat with the genius behind every woman's must-have.
Ever since we met, we've been fawning over one another like adolescent schoolgirls; never shying away from giving and receiving compliments. That said, Danai Pointer is on her way to becoming the household name we hold closest to our hearts (literally). Townspeople is honored to jumpstart 2017 and chat with the genius behind every woman's must-have.
Danai Pointer
talks nude, Town and Takeaways:
TP: Why the "second skin" business?
DP: I knew I wanted to start a custom skin tone bra company a few years ago after an experience I had looking for nude bras to wear with three bridesmaid gowns. My complexion is cocoa brown with red undertones, and I needed a bra that would blend in, support me, and make me feel secure. I knew I wouldn’t be able to find anything to match me or fit me at the Target near my house so I made an appointment at a specialty bra store in midtown Manhattan certain that they’d have what I needed. After an hour of being felt up and prodded by a well-meaning saleswoman, I finally found the right size and fit for my chest size in shades of black and beige. But when I asked the owner if she had bras that matched my complexion she told me that it “doesn’t exist.” I took the tan option because black was sold out and went on my way. To this day you can still see bits of the tan bra in some of those bridesmaid photos.
I had worked in the government space for 6 years, yet in the back of my mind, this idea for a true nude undergarment company kept coming to me. In 2015 I reached a point at which I knew I had to pursue the idea. I trademarked my name, secured my website domain, and proceeded to spend over a year testing technology, researching bra manufacturing, consulting with experts and building a team, and surveying and interviewing women. Last month we successfully completed a Kickstarter campaign to confirm our research and validate our market. Now we’re taking our second skin business to women everywhere.
TP: Share (as best you can) the integration of technology into the overall design?
DP: The most powerful tool we use is right at our fingertips. People around the world have cell phones, so I knew I wanted to integrate tools we already have and twist them a bit to make bra shopping more scientific, unique and pleasurable. The basis of the platform boasts spectrophotometer technology-–a fancy way of saying digital color matching. This allows us to detect a person’s skin tone and create the bra in their unique hue using another internationally recognized skill: a Selfie! Second, our phones serve as GPS trackers, measuring tapes, levels, and more, so how about using them to measure our bust and tell us the right bra size for our body? TruNude is meant to be simple and easy. In just four steps you:
1. snap your selfie and get your color code;
2. select your product;
3. get fit;
4. sit back while we make your bra and ship it to your doorstep.
DP: My background is in public service and communications. I spent 5 years directing public affairs for the nation’s largest municipal art funder followed by 2 years consulting with mayors and their senior staff internationally. The foundation of my experience is project management, problem-solving and enhancing the quality of life for citizens. So when I thought about ways to improve bra shopping, the company that I founded had to make women’s lives better.
It was a huge risk leaving my job, health insurance, and all of those benefits to pursue this idea and work alone as an entrepreneur. I’m a woman of faith so of course, I trusted that God would have my back in everything I do. My former boss always said, “In God we trust, all others bring data.” So before I made the decision to leave I spent a lot of off time doing research to prove that my idea could provide value. I enrolled in a course called the Start-Up Ecology that was all about helping entrepreneurs test their ideas and keeping us accountable; I took a textile dye class, and I interviewed over 60 women and surveyed several hundred more to learn about what women need and want and how my company can be a game-changer.
TP: Describe a typical workday.
DP: Typically I wake up at 7 and go over my lists. In addition to launching TruNude, I have two consulting jobs, so there are lots of priorities to juggle. Depending on the day I may go to my office on the Upper East Side and knock out tasks there followed by an evening call or meeting about my technology platform, or I’ll spend the day at my co-working space in Lower Manhattan working on TruNude.
My work covers everything from talking to manufacturers to updating my website, planning major cultural events, and meeting with nonprofit clients and coordinating strategies for their organizations. Then add in exercise, dinners, events and other engagements. Thank God for my intern!
TP: Name three cons/three pros of being an entrepreneur thus far.
DP: I’m an optimist so let’s start with the pros:
- I love the freedom! After working in government and a corporate/jet-set atmosphere, it’s amazing to set my schedule and be my own boss.
- Seeing the look on women’s faces when I tell them about my company. Women are really excited about TruNude and what it stands for, so I love designing a product that resonates with them and has the potential to transform lives.
- I love a good challenge – and this is certainly that. It’s like putting together a puzzle. Some days you can find the right pieces, and it clicks, and other days it takes forever, and you can’t find what you need. At the end of the day, you have faith that everything will fall into place and result in something awesome!
And the cons:
- Not knowing all the answers is hard! Everything that I’m doing is new and requires me to reach out of my comfort zone, learn about new industries, create a new language, and test everything out to ensure that it’s meaningful. But I like the challenge, and that’s all part of the fun!
- Working alone can be a lonely business, but I’ve been fortunate to find a great co-working space that gets me out of the house. I learned early that the greatest capital is people, so I’ve developed a talented team of colleagues and collaborators who are extremely smart and encourage me to keep going!
- The nitty-gritty! I look forward to hiring an Operations Coordinator to assist with the technical minutia that takes so much time and makes businesses flow.
TP: Explain your five-year plan in a nutshell:
DP: I want to celebrate our individuality through our custom color matching process, increase options, and help women to feel amazing about their bodies. The experience of wearing your TruNude is really remarkable, especially when you haven't seen your skin in a garment before. And it's cool to unveil your bra after taking a selfie. I don't want to stop with bras and panties. We've had lots of requests for maternity bras, leotards, slips, chest binders, undershirts, and even men's underwear. In five years we want to be THE go-to brand for women and men who want to feel sleek, sophisticated and comfortable wearing their second skin from day to night. Our customers should be able to go through life with our products.
TP: The TruNude experience in a word:
DP: Individu-all
What time of day do you feel most beautiful?
Right before I walk out the door, when everything comes together.
Describe your any day/go everywhere face:
No muss no fuss. All natural and understated works best for me wherever I go. What's in your make-up bag?
Eyeliner, a natural bronze powder called Indian Earth, and Aquaphor! For a night on the town I’ll trade my lip-gloss for Hourglass Icon lipstick or Oh Baby by Mac. But it’s more like make-up Ziploc because I broke my compact…
Pizza take-out: Barboncino
Date night: Date days! He surprises me with full on experiences and I never know what will happen.
Cocktails with girlfriends: Le Boudouir
Market: Who needs a market when you’ve got every cuisine around the corner?
Sweet treat: Vermont maple almond brittle
Sunday outing: Museum or movies and dinner
Danai's Townspeople Takeaways:
Shower or bath? My house in my head has a claw-foot bath tub
Coffee or tea? Tea
Natural or treated? Treated (ease is real!)
Loose or fitted? Loose
Heels or flats? Find me a comfy heel and I’ll wear it all day!
Finishing Quote:
"If my day were a short story the title would read:
Lessons in Cramming an Ocean into a Bucket"
Danai Pointer
Interview by Crystal Granderson-Reid
Townspeople ©
Townspeople ©
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