When Is Disruption More Than A Buzzword
Written by Annette Densham, Chief Storyteller
Multi-award-winning PR specialist Annette Densham is considered the go-to for all things business storytelling, award submission writing, and assisting business leaders establish themselves as authorities in their field.
Disruption is another one of those words that gets bandied around, like authentic, hustle, pivot and influencer. Every startup is "disrupting" something, and influencers or brands are preaching about being "authentic." Often, what’s marketed as disruptive is just a tweak on an old idea, and what's passed off as authenticity can feel staged.
To disrupt means to shake things up, fundamentally altering the way an industry operates. Uber or Netflix are examples of companies that genuinely changed the game. But now, the word is slapped on everything from a new coffee flavour to another dating app. Not meeting unmet needs, filling voids, and questioning taboos and topics accepted as status quo for too long. Hijacking a word for marketing purposes and hoping the audience doesn’t dig too deep. When every business is “disruptive,” how do you tell what’s really changing the world and what’s just good marketing?
Enter Emily Harper. She’s the founder of Bawdee, a sexual wellness brand founded on empowering women by prioritising their pleasure, health, and confidence. She wants to DISRUPT, not just from a product perspective, but also redefine the way society views female sexuality, moving away from a male-centric perspective and focusing on women's unique needs and experiences.
That's a disruption. Meeting unmet needs and encouraging people to look a little deeper.
Products focusing on women’s pleasure aren’t new. But the way they were marketed was steeped in taboos and shame. When vibrators were introduced in the 60s, they weren’t designed for pleasure, but as medical devices to treat ‘hysteria’ in women. With the sexual revolution and feminist movements, attitudes toward female pleasure shifted, but it was still a topic that was hush hush. Not polite dinner conversation. It’s only been in the past 25 years that companies have focused more openly on female pleasure.
Interestingly, as more women enter business and entrepreneurship (globally, almost 40% of businesses are owned and run by women), there’s been a surge in female-founded sexual wellness brands focusing on women's pleasure, normalising the conversation around female pleasure and removing the stigma attached to it.
Despite this, female pleasure still makes people squirm in their seats. This is what makes Emily's work disruptive. While we’re still uncomfortable talking about female pleasure, we need people like her to remind us that continued education, open conversations, and societal shifts to normalise women’s pleasure are essential.
Emily’s journey into business started with a personal journey. “I felt disconnected from myself after having my son. Like many new mothers, I noticed that my relationship with my body—and especially my enjoyment of sex—had completely changed,” she said. “But what struck me most was that it wasn’t just about the physical changes. There was something deeper happening. I realised this wasn’t just about me, but something bigger—a societal issue around female pleasure and sexuality that no one was talking about. That’s when I started diving into research, not only to rediscover my own sense of pleasure, but also to understand the barriers women face in embracing their sexual wellness. Bawdee was born."
Female pleasure shouldn’t be an afterthought, and the new products on the market reflect women's needs, desires, and experiences.
“We’re challenging the male-centric narrative that’s dominated for far too long. I want to redefine what it means to take pleasure seriously. It’s not about chasing an orgasm or meeting a standard set by someone else. It’s about empowering women to reclaim their bodies, explore their desires, and embrace their sexuality on their terms. That’s the real disruption,” Emily said.
The biggest challenge has been breaking the silence. Sexuality, especially female pleasure, is still a taboo topic. There's so much shame and misunderstanding.
Emily knew she was up against years of conditioning, where women's pleasure was often dismissed or seen as secondary. “We had to fight against the narrative that women’s bodies are for someone else’s enjoyment, and instead position pleasure as a fundamental part of health and well-being. But pushing past that discomfort is exactly what makes this work so important. We need to have these conversations openly, without stigma,” she said.
“Disruption is necessary when the system is broken or outdated. In the sexual wellness industry, disruption is a must, because the way we’ve approached female pleasure has been wrong for so long. But disruption also has to come with responsibility. It’s not enough to just disrupt; you have to offer real solutions that make a positive impact. It’s not just about changing the conversation around sex, it’s about giving women the tools to explore their bodies and feel empowered. So yes, disruption is positive when it’s done with purpose and integrity."
Annette Densham, Chief Storyteller Multi-award-winning PR specialist Annette Densham is considered the go-to for all things business storytelling, award submission writing, and assisting business leaders in establishing themselves as authorities in their field. She has shared her insights into storytelling, media, and business across Australia, UK, and the US speaking for Professional Speakers Association, Stevie Awards, Queensland Government, and many more. Three times winner of the Grand Stevie Award for Women in Business, gold Stevie International Business Award, and a finalist in Australian Small Business Champion awards, Annette audaciously challenges anyone in small business to cast aside modesty, embrace their genius and share their stories.
