“There’s No Reason to Not Expect Better”: A Q&A with Uwila Warrior’s Founder, Lisa Mullan

Behind every genius product for women, there’s a fiercely determined female innovator—or at least, there should be. Fortunately for all of us at Uwila Warrior, our CEO and founder is exactly that: a forward-thinker with hustle, whose LinkedIn profile proves that women can shatter glass ceilings, businesspeople can pivot industries, and anyone can be an entrepreneur if they’re gutsy and smart enough.

After years of working in investment management and running investor relations for a publicly traded software company, Lisa Mullan started Uwila Warrior. UW is a Boston-based underwear company with a mission that goes beyond simply giving women another option for their nether regions. Get to know Lisa and Uwila Warrior more in this quick Q&A, and hopefully, get inspired to chase your own dream… and to treat yourself to undies that mean more.

What’s Uwila Warrior’s brand all about? And why underwear?

Our brand is all about empowerment, helping women live their best lives and focus on what it’s important. It’s about taking something so small that should not get in the modern woman’s way and not be such a pain—like your underwear—and making it right.

It’s such a small thing when you think about it, but at this point in time, there’s no reason why women can’t expect better from our products. Especially our underwear. We wear it every day, and it protects our most private parts. Why shouldn’t we choose something special, and versatile? Did you know women on average wear only 15 percent of what’s in their underwear drawer? What are you doing?! It’s time to rethink this.

So that said, who’s UW right for?

Uwila Warrior is for the woman who is over buying bulk just to get a discount. It’s for the woman who’s always on the move—going from work to yoga, chasing the kids around, going on a date, trying to get some sleep. She shouldn’t have to worry or think twice about switching undies or what to pack.

But most importantly, it’s for the woman who wants to wear something pretty and comfortable. You know, for the longest time, women were told to buy a certain line of sexy underwear and to look like the stick-thin models who wear them. Well, we don’t! We should be comfortable. But that doesn’t mean our underwear has to be so utilitarian looking. I started Uwila Warrior to accomplish both: comfort and beauty.

What’s up with the name, Uwila Warrior?

In thinking about our customer, myself and two others decided she was smart, wise, and beautiful. Very intelligent, very interesting, knows how to navigate life. She’s like an owl—in German, “uwila” means “owl.” And warrior, well, our customer is juggling a lot. She has to be smart about life, what’s right for her, and what’s right for her family.

Anything UW-related that you’re excited about right now?

A lot! New colors coming in the silks. New camisoles. We’re coming out with a thong that we’re calling the VIP; it’s made of our Happy Seams fabric and it’s extremely comfortable for a thong.

We’re also coming out with a pair of full coverage seamless underwear called the No-Brainer. It’s a bit more utilitarian, more of a higher rise. It’ll be available in neutral colors with a little bit of shine to it, and we’ll sell it at a lesser price point than the other pairs.

And something else too: we’re expanding into plus sizes, starting with the No-Brainer. What’s important to note here is that unlike other brands, which often just take their product and size it up, UW is creating a whole new cut to make it perfect for women who carry their weight differently. It’s the Uwila way—we want every woman to feel good in their underwear, at all times.

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