Meet Kate Marley | Sex & Relationship Influencer, Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kate Marley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kate, what do you attribute your success to?

Authenticity. From the very beginning of our brand we have not been willing to sacrifice ourselves or our authenticity for anything. Our personal brand and our product line have all grown with its own authentic soul. I think that when a brand grows because it wants to be like another brand it is limiting itself to what it’s capable of. If you’re constantly looking at what someone else is doing you can’t focus on what you want to be doing or your strengths. A lot can be lost from not following your heart and inspiration, but following another’s instead, so for us being authentic to our values and mission has contributed to our success.

Chris & I started our personal brand as sex & relationship influencers because we always felt that our relationship was meant for more in this world. We always had a feeling there was more to it than just the two of us. We saw a disconnect amongst people in relationships and marriage. Relationships and marriage should bring more joy, connection, intimacy, and depth to your life, but time and time again we saw the opposite. This brought on our curiosity of how people would react if the relationships they were observing were real, loving, authentic, imperfectly perfect, and portrayed honestly. Our curiosity and desire to see change in the world brought us success because we truly care and believe in deep connection and inspiring more intimacy in the world.

Our intimate product line Common Confidential came from the same curiosity, but it is part of our solution. Deep intimacy and connection requires effort and time. Chris & I understand that making time to connect can be a challenge, so we wanted to bring our biggest tool to the market. I also attribute the success of this brand to authenticity and believing in a greater purpose. We believe in a more intimate and connected world. Our massage butter is a tool that we truly believe helps people get there.

In short, I suppose authenticity and deep belief in what we’re doing is what has led to success. We are never anyone, except ourselves. That can never be duplicated or taken away from us.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

As a sex & relationship influencer and entrepreneur in the intimate space, I’m never short of setbacks or challenges. It is a space that brings up a lot judgement and is often disregarded. We’ve met many challenges along the way because of the sector that we’re in. Though, once again, I think you can look at the souls behind it, the stories of where we came from, and see that our business is nothing short of honest, credible, and authentic.

We thought long and hard on the name of our brand because we wanted it to express the greater purpose and belief behind our brand. “Common” comes from the fact that one thing everyone on earth has in common is sexuality. “Confidential” comes from the idea that our sexuality is taught to be confidential. We find extreme irony in the idea that sexuality is the very reason that we all exist, yet it is the one thing we are taught not to talk about or be open about. We believe in a world where sexuality, intimacy, and connection are open and discussed, which is why we chose the name Common Confidential. Common Confidential is an intimate product line with our main products being an organic massage butter and reusable bamboo love towels. Through years of health issues I became really conscious of the foods I put in my body as well as my skincare and the products in my home. One thing I often considered was massage oils and lube. I cared about the products being clean, organic, and free of anything unnecessary. I desired to find a product that was healthy for my body, felt good on my skin, was easy to use, felt intuitive and fostered deep connection. I wasn’t able to find an existing product, which was when I developed it on my own. As my platform grew, I discovered that many people were looking for the same thing I had been, many for the same reasons. Since I had already done the research and tried competitor products I felt inspired to start a business that would help other people, as it did me.

We have learned that when something doesn’t work, that’s okay. It probably wasn’t meant to and something better is yet to come. As I say, if I had known how many challenges would come with starting a product line, I probably never would have done it. I’m grateful to have had no idea what I was getting into! There will always be a problem, a setback, or something that needs to be solved. Now that I’m in it, I think that is the nature of the business, but it definitely is difficult. I’ve learned not to jump ahead, be patient, and allow things to work out at their own pace. I can confidently look back at every setback we have had through the growth of Common Confidential and say that in the end every problem put us in a better place.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

Ooooh gosh this is a fun one! I love hanging out on South Pearl and always take friends there. First pop into Common Threads, consignment shop. You never know what you might find. Some of my favorite pieces of clothing I found there. There also tons of other cute boutiques as you walk down to Sushi Den for dinner. Definitely go early or make a reservation! While you’re waiting or killing time Stella’s coffee is super cute, the summer farmer’s market is my favorite, and you can’t go wrong with a little Sweet Cow, while you explore!

If you’re looking for a burger our favorite is Park Burger, specifically the one is Rhino. Then, 10 Barrel Brewing across the street, sit on the rooftop patio! If you like cocktails, we also love Death & Co, which is nearby.

I also love going to Boulder. When I first moved to Colorado, I lived in Boulder and that is always where my heart is. You can’t go wrong with any of the local hikes! My favorite spots to eat or drink are The Dushanbe Teahouse, The Laughing Goat, Japango, The West End, and Jax. It’s been years, but Sanitas was always my favorite brewery! Walking down Pearl Street is fun for visitors and locals because you never know who will be out!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My partner in crime, partner in life, and business partner – my husband Chris Marley. He is the most energetic and business minded person I’ve ever known. Since the day I met him, I’ve watched him start several businesses, some that succeeded and some that didn’t. No matter how many failed he never quit, he just kept trying because he knew one would stick. When the day came that I was the one starting a business he supported me all the way, trusted my intuition, and has joined me as my partner. He may have thought I was crazy, but he never stopped believing in me! He is the best business partner I could ever ask for because we compliment each other. Whenever I’m lacking in math or science skills, I always know he is there to pick it up. haha. When he is struggling to make some pretty for our website, he knows I’m there to help.

Website: katemarley.com , commonconfidential.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamkatemarley/ , https://www.instagram.com/iamchrismarley/

Image Credits
Gracie Wilson Gaby Deimeke