Case Study · Founder
Saanvi Botanicals
Building trust in an intimate wellness category — from idea to 22 SKUs
01 — Problem
Women's intimate wellness had a trust problem
The category was filled with clinical, sterile products from pharmaceutical brands — or low-quality, unbranded options with unclear ingredients. Neither option felt like it was made for women who care about what goes into their bodies.
There was a clear gap: a premium, plant-based wellness brand that could combine clean formulation, transparent ingredients, and an experience that felt personal and trustworthy — not clinical or generic.
"Women want to know exactly what they are putting on and in their bodies. They want efficacy and elegance. The market was not delivering both."
02 — User Insight
Trust and education are the real product
Through conversations, reviews analysis, and community research, one pattern emerged consistently: women in this category do not buy the product first. They buy the trust. Education, transparency, and community proof have to come before the conversion.
Ingredient Transparency
Users read every label. Unclear ingredients = abandoned cart.
Education First
"How do I use this?" precedes "Should I buy this?"
Community Proof
Reviews and shared experiences overcome category skepticism.
03 — Product Strategy
Start narrow, earn trust, then expand
The strategic question was: launch broad (full skincare + wellness line) or go deep in one niche first? The answer was clear from the user research — trust in intimate wellness is earned, not assumed. Spreading thin across categories would dilute both credibility and focus.
The strategy: establish expertise in one niche (intimate wellness), build a loyal base, then expand into adjacent categories from a position of trust.
04 — Prioritization
Why Yoni Oil and Yoni Steam first
With unlimited possible SKUs, the priority framework came down to three factors: user need intensity, market gap size, and formulation feasibility. Yoni Oil and Yoni Steaming Herbs scored highest on all three.
Routine products with repeat purchase behavior. Core to the customer's self-care ritual.
Category dominated by clinical or low-quality options. Premium plant-based space was underserved.
Getting intimate wellness right first establishes credibility for every product that follows.
Search volume, community conversations, and competitor review analysis confirmed appetite.
05 — MVP & Validation
Etsy as the product validation engine
Rather than building a full DTC site before validating demand, I used Etsy as a low-risk MVP channel. The audience was already there, the trust infrastructure existed, and the feedback loop was fast.
Etsy (MVP)
Real demand validation. Learned which products resonated, which descriptions converted, and what questions customers asked most.
Walmart Marketplace
Scale and distribution reach. Listing on Walmart Marketplace brought the brand to a new, broader audience and validated mainstream appeal.
Shopify (DTC)
Full brand control. Built the owned channel for storytelling, customer relationships, and long-term retention.
06 — User Journey
From discovery to loyal customer
01
Discovery
Customer finds product via Instagram content or Etsy search. Educational content builds initial awareness and credibility.
02
Trust
Ingredient transparency, clear how-to guides, and community reviews reduce hesitation in a sensitive category.
03
Purchase
Conversion driven by clean packaging, detailed descriptions, and availability across trusted platforms (Etsy, Walmart).
04
Experience
Product quality and clear instructions drive a positive first use. Packaging reinforces the premium positioning.
05
Return
Repeat purchase and word-of-mouth driven by efficacy, trust, and the brand relationship built over time.
07 — Go-to-Market
Multi-channel sequencing, not spray and pray
GTM was deliberately sequenced. Each channel had a specific role — not just "reach." The order mattered as much as the channels themselves.
Etsy
Demand validation + first reviews
Phase 1
Instagram Content
Brand building + education + trust
Ongoing
Walmart Marketplace
Scale + mainstream credibility
Phase 2
Shopify DTC
Owned audience + retention + LTV
Phase 3
Email / Community
Repeat purchase + advocacy
Ongoing
08 — Product Portfolio
From hero products to a full wellness line
Yoni Oil
Intimate Wellness
Yoni Steaming Herbs
Intimate Wellness
Vitamin C Mask
Skincare
Congestion Steam
Wellness
24K Gold Serum
Skincare
09 — Outcomes
What we built
22
SKUs Launched
Across 18 products
3
Active Channels
Etsy · Walmart · Shopify
5yrs
Of Ownership
End-to-end, solo
10 — PM Takeaways
What this proves
User-Centric Thinking
Every SKU decision started with a real user need — not what I wanted to make. Research, reviews, and customer conversations drove prioritization.
Ruthless Prioritization
Launched 2 hero products first. Validated demand before expanding. Said no to dozens of SKU ideas that did not serve the core user.
Execution Under Constraint
No team, no agency, no budget. Built formulation, branding, packaging, and multi-channel operations solo. Real ownership.
Data-Informed Growth
Used Etsy analytics, Walmart seller data, and Shopify conversion metrics to inform what to build next and where to invest.
11 — Future Roadmap
Where we go next
Near-Term
—Subscription model for hero SKUs
—Bundle offerings (Starter Kit, Self-Care Set)
Mid-Term
—Personalization quiz to match products to needs
—Expanded education content and community
Long-Term
—DTC-first with Shopify as primary channel
—Wholesale into specialty retailers
12 — Summary
This is what 0→1 product ownership looks like in practice
Saanvi Botanicals was not a side project or a simulation. It was five years of real product decisions — user research, formulation, branding, pricing, distribution, and growth — made alone, with real stakes, and real customers.
That is what I bring to every PM role: the ability to think clearly about users, make prioritization decisions with incomplete information, and execute with ownership and accountability.
Let's Talk About What I Can Build For You