Miki Agrawal isn't afraid to defy expectations.
A former investment banker, professional athlete, film producer, and restaurateur, she's tried her hand at a half-dozen pursuits. Now, she's the co-founder and mastermind behind one of the buzziest clothing brands on the block: Thinx.
You may know the name from their viral advertising campaign, which included pictures of grapefruits, eggs, and provocative statements plastered across New York City subways — and made waves online for the controversy it inspired. Or you may know it from someone who's tried the product itself: underwear that was designed to replace feminine hygiene products, priced at $24-$38 a pair. It may sound simple, but Agrawal says it's the first big attempt to introduce something new in feminine hygiene in centuries. And it's a potentially $15 billion market.
"I want to be the taboo queen for the nether regions," Agrawal told us.
Business Insider recently spent a morning at home with Agrawal in her Brooklyn loft space, learning about her winding road to entrepreneurship and the things — both material and spiritual — she's collected along the way.
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Originally from Canada, Agrawal now calls the hip Brooklyn neighborhood of Williamsburg home. The spot: a converted church just off the Bedford L stop. The sign out front still reads "All Are Welcome."
Through the stained-glass entrance is a narrow hallway that leads to a series of apartments. Agrawal says that half a dozen of her friends live on the same floor of the building; they end many evenings in impromptu hangouts.
She shares the lofty space with her partner of five years, Andrew Horn. Like her, he's an entrepreneur. That wasn't always the case for Agrawal, though: after attending Cornell, she began her career as an investment banker. But the shock of 9/11 shifted her focus. "It was my wake up call — that a-ha moment," she says of the events of the day.
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