Liz Klinger
Hey there! I’m Liz. I co-founded and am CEO of Lioness, a women’s sexual health company. I make smart vibrators and explore the female orgasm for a living and love every minute of it.
Specifically, I make the Lioness, which looks and acts like a normal vibrator, but uses sensors so that when it’s connected to an app, you can see your own, unique sexual response (yes, including orgasm) and explore your own sexuality. We’re doing all this to open up the knowledge and conversation about female sexuality — and in the process, destigmatize female sexuality.
There’s the old saying that everybody is different, but until now, we haven’t had a way to learn and understand how we’re different, what works for different people, and have more ways to explore your own pleasure.
There’s so much that we don’t know about pleasure and health that we’re just starting to understand, and I’m very excited to help make that a reality.
A satisfying sex life (solo or with a partner) is as important as eating, sleeping, and breathing, but we don’t usually treat it the same way as our other basic needs. We really should though, because even ignoring one basic human need will affect our overall health and happiness, because all of this stuff is interconnected. If we can think about pleasure the same way we think about the food we eat or going to the gym, we’ll all be much healthier, happier, and having more fun while we’re at it.
Who in your industry do you admire- who has influenced you?
Ida Tin, founder of Clue, the period tracker app, and is propelling our understanding of women’s health. She’s a total badass I hope I can be someday. Before starting Clue, she used to run motorcycle trips through Cuba and Mongolia. And she’s super sharp, chill, and has great style to boot!
Where do you go/what do you do in order to do your most creative work?
Stress can help me be creative. If something doesn’t work out, I always find another way to make it work. One of my worst qualities is that I’m terrible at following directions — I’m so glad I never became a brain surgeon or a lawyer! Instead I originally pursued art, especially sculpture and photography, and did a lot of fun work by being scrappy and experimental. The advantage I think I have by being terrible at following directions is that I can usually find some way to accomplish my goals or arrive to a new idea, and it’s usually by doing something that doesn’t follow convention or is unexpected.
If you could recommend one book or documentary, what would it be?
I love unconventional movies that make me think and piece things together, so if you’re into those sorts of movies I’d recommend Memento by Christopher Nolan. He made it about 10 years before the movie Inception, which is similarly trippy.
What trends in your industry excite you the most?
So many exciting trends! More great women (and men) getting into sexual health. How we’re starting to realize and have real conversations how important sexual wellness is to each and every one of us. That when you read about female pleasure and orgasms there are more images than just women “in rapture”.
What are your essentials for a productive day?
For me, it’s all about the basics. Great sleep, wise food choices, and regular exercise — these days, I’m all about rock climbing and surfing. I’ve found that these things affect my productivity and overall wellbeing. If I’m feeling cloudy or down, paying attention to one of these basics does wonders for me.
What was the best piece of advice you have been given?
“If you live each day as it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right”
Yeah, that’s the quote Steve Jobs read back when he was young. Kind of cheesy, I know. But it resonates with me because at a young age I realized I am not invincible. I lost friends when they were far too young and have had my own scares in the past that risked me living as good of a life as I do now. I take care of myself to live the best life I can, and prioritize and make decisions about my life so I don’t regret not trying something if I end up having more responsibilities later (mortgages and loans are a real thing). If for some reason today is my last day, I’ll die without regrets.
What is one product or service under $200 that you’ve found in the past year that has changed your life?
I recently started surfing and learned the basics by taking a surfing class ($100). I’ve lived in the Bay Area for years and am surprised I didn’t try it sooner!
Although I’m not good at it at all, it’s so nice to be out in the water. Being out in the Pacific Ocean and thinking about the strength of the ocean waves reminds me of how big and powerful our Earth is. Not to mention it’s also a great workout. It’s incredibly meditative once you start getting the hang of it!