First, I came up with the name--Flingz--and got moving on legally registering the name and website. Those were the easy things. It gets harder from there. I spent then a long time researching ‘the market.' As in, I'd spent 12 hours on the computer and feel like I'd done nothing. Eventually I called up one of my old business school professors, who I'd been a research assistant for when I was getting my MBA. I told him I had this idea and had done all this research and work. He said, "You just better do it! Why don't you just go and make it?" I felt really stunted. I didn't know where to start. Then I kept taking baby steps. I had to meet some mentors. I had to try to reach out and call on advisors.

How hard was it trying to break into the fashion industry?

People turned me down, said outright that they wouldn't give me any help. I just started trying to call whoever I could find-- people who were in apparel companies, or the fabric sourcing contact board--and said ‘I'd like to make this product, how do I get connected with a factory?' A lot of places said I had too small quantities, or wanted to charge me. I knew nobody was going to pay $35 for a pair of underwear! It wasn't that special. I was really discouraged.

It took a lot of persistence, and eventually a contact referred me to a company overseas and the contact helped me find a factory in Asia. Once I started the relationship with factory, there was the language barrier [with figuring out the pattern]. And there was also the industry language barrier. Someone would terms I'd never heard of--like "cut and sew" --so I'd go and find a lot of blogs on the cut and sew. With every phase there was a new need for knowledge and relationships to help grow that phase.

You're married. Did being married help you to take the leap to entrepreneurship--make you more willing to take that risk?

No. I'd actually met my husband right after I'd left my job [to pursue the business]. I remember when we met, I was thinking, "I'm gonna tell him I'm gonna make thongs!" He was very supportive and even introduced me to a lingerie shop owner that became one of my first test stores. We got married nine months after we met. In those first months as newlyweds I did put my company aside; we had so much going on. Once we got settled, he was a big supporter. He would come home from work and help me work on the pattern. I'd be so tired-he measured crotch width alongside of me!

One thing that is true is having the support financially helps. I knew I had saved enough money to get started, but launching your own business always takes longer and more money than you think.

What's better--working for yourself, or someone else?

It's much easier to go to work and get a paycheck. When you work for yourself, you‘ve always got to work for yourself. It's a juggle. I have someone doing my pr. We have to manage the samples and make sure we have a return on investment, look at the website and e commerce and follow up. And then all the daily business grind, like shipping and managing the relationship with Fed Ex. It's never ending. It's way more work than I thought. If I had known what I know now, I may not have done it-or may have done it with a partner. I say that only because over the years you really better love your product and you better not be doing it for the money. The reward comes in lots of other ways.

So what makes the thongs so great?

They're cute and comfortable, but not bulky and can go under any outfit. Customers say they forget they're wearing them. And, they're individually packed. We were told they're also the preferred thong for pregnant women.