STIMULATE believes that it takes the expansive, collective community of sexual wellness to truly make an impact in supporting individuals in their sexual health and overall wellbeing, and we are proud to honor 21 Trailblazing Female Founders during 2025 as part of our celebration of International Women’s Day – which was March 8th. Collectively, these women are each disrupting and supporting sexual wellness in a variety of ways with their own, unique contributions to the professional community of sexual wellness.
From retail leaders to medical professionals to brand founders to innovative product inventors and more, STIMULATE applauds these trailblazing women for boldly supporting individuals in their sexual health. Explore our full list of trailblazing women here, and join me in applauding Tami Rose, Founder of Mississippi based Romantic Adventures.
Founded in 2001, Romantic Adventures is the premier adult novelty store in the Jackson, Mississippi area, offering a huge selection of pleasure products, unique bath & body items, sexy costumes, lingerie, hosiery, bedroom furniture & accessories, bondage/BDSM items and bachelor/bachelorette gifts. In 2016, Navy veteran Tami Rose purchased the store with the goal of creating a safe, inclusive retreat for adults who want to build healthier sexual relationships with themselves and others, with an inventory of the highest-quality brands, best selection and customer service at a fair price.
Q: Every story has its own beginning. How did your journey bring you to this vast and wonderful world of sexual health and wellness?
Tami Rose: My journey to sexual health and wellness was actually grounded in practical expertise. With a background in massage therapy and experience running my own spa, Earthly Delights, I developed a strong understanding of human anatomy and client communication. When the 2008 financial crisis hit the luxury services industry hard, I strategically pivoted to a more recession-proof retail model. I discovered that my anatomical knowledge was invaluable for communicating with customers in a non-judgmental, educational way. Meanwhile, the accounting and business management skills I’d developed as a spa owner transferred perfectly to my new venture. This unique combination of body knowledge and business acumen created a foundation that has served me well in the sexual wellness industry, where both technical understanding and professional communication are essential.
Q: Being an entrepreneur certainly has highs and lows, but the drive to keep pushing through is what keeps so many entrepreneurs motivated. What drive keeps you inspired on your professional journey?
Tami Rose: My entrepreneurial drive is deeply rooted in the values instilled in me by my grandparents, who embodied the work ethic and resilience of the Greatest Generation. Those foundational principles were further reinforced during my service in the Navy immediately after high school. Military service cultivated discipline, systems thinking, and a structured approach to problem-solving that continues to guide my business decisions today. When faced with entrepreneurial challenges, I find myself returning to these core values: perseverance through difficulties, commitment to excellence, and understanding how each component contributes to the whole. This combination of traditional values and military precision has been instrumental in navigating the unique landscape of the sexual wellness industry, where innovation must be balanced with responsibility and professionalism.
Q: When it comes to the business of sexual wellness specifically, what do you hope to achieve in the year ahead in your own business?
Tami Rose: In the coming year, my primary focus is on strategic adaptability within an evolving regulatory landscape. The sexual wellness industry faces unique compliance challenges that can shift rapidly, requiring business owners to be exceptionally responsive and forward-thinking. I’m investing in strengthening our compliance infrastructure and developing contingency strategies that allow us to pivot quickly when necessary. This adaptability isn’t just about survival—it’s about creating a sustainable model that can thrive despite regulatory uncertainties. By building flexibility into our operational framework, we’re positioning ourselves to capitalize on new opportunities while maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and responsibility. My goal is to establish a business approach that others in the industry might emulate, demonstrating how agility and compliance can work together as competitive advantages.
Q: There is so much variety and range within the wide range of sexual wellness. Here at STIMULATE, we define this as “head to toe, young to mature, purpose to pleasure”. How do you define sexual wellness?
Tami Rose: I define sexual wellness through the fundamental principle that everyone has an inherent right to pleasure in their lives. This inclusive approach means creating spaces and products that honor the incredible diversity of human desire and experience. In my view, true sexual wellness exists when people can explore their needs and preferences in safe, consensual ways without facing unnecessary judgment or barriers. My role in this industry gives me the privilege of helping individuals discover and embrace what brings them fulfillment—whether that means addressing health concerns, enhancing intimacy, or simply adding more joy to their personal experiences. What makes this work meaningful is knowing that by approaching sexual wellness with openness and respect, we contribute to people living more authentic, satisfying lives. The breadth of human sexuality is remarkable, and I believe our industry is at its best when it celebrates this diversity rather than limiting it.
Q: If you could hope for one thing to change when it comes to sexual health and wellness for the next generation of professionals, what would that be and why?
Tami Rose: My hope for the next generation of professionals is that they inherit and build upon the hard-won normalization of sexual wellness that pioneers in our industry have fought for. Operating the only store of its kind within 100 miles of most of my customers—right in the heart of the Bible Belt—has come with significant personal and social costs that many don’t see. These weren’t just business challenges but deeply personal sacrifices. What drives me is ensuring these sacrifices create permanent progress, not temporary gains. I want future professionals to work in an environment where sexual wellness is recognized as an integral part of overall health, free from the artificial and outdated boundaries that have limited innovation and accessibility. My greatest wish is that they take the cultural and business advances we’ve established and move them even further forward, operating with the freedom and community support needed to reach more people and create greater impact. This isn’t just about business growth—it’s about preserving hard-earned freedoms and ensuring there’s no regression to the stigma and isolation that many of us faced as pioneers in this field.
My personal choice of Question: What business principle or philosophy has served you best in navigating the unique challenges of the sexual wellness industry?
Tami Rose: Systems thinking has been my most valuable asset in building a resilient business in this industry. Rather than repeatedly addressing the same problems, I invest time and resources in creating sustainable solutions that prevent issues before they arise. When I first took over our store, we faced regular air conditioning breakdowns—inevitably on the hottest days of the year when we needed functioning climate control most. Instead of continuing this reactive cycle, I established a comprehensive maintenance contract with a local HVAC company. This partnership allowed them to service our equipment during their less busy periods while ensuring our older units received monthly filter changes and bi-annual deep maintenance. Despite some vocal skepticism about the cost from industry colleagues, this systems-based approach has eliminated disruptive outages and store closures due to equipment failures. More importantly, it freed my mental energy to focus on growth and innovation rather than crisis management. This philosophy extends throughout our business: identifying recurring challenges and engineering permanent solutions that create stability and allow our creative energies to be directed where they matter most—serving our customers and advancing our mission.
Q: Finally, what’s your best piece of advice for aspiring leaders within this community?
Tami Rose: Keep your eyes firmly fixed on the horizon and resist the temptation to compromise your vision prematurely. In an industry that regularly faces challenges, true leadership means maintaining your course through both expansion and contraction cycles. Throughout our journey, we’ve weathered numerous storms not by retreating but by combining ingenuity with an unwavering faith in the future. What’s sustained us through difficult periods is a fundamental belief in human resilience and the enduring nature of the needs we serve. When regulatory pressures or market shifts create uncertainty, that’s precisely when innovation becomes most valuable. The leaders who will thrive in this community are those who can balance practical adaptability with principled determination—knowing when to adjust their approach without abandoning their core mission. Remember that every challenge in this industry also represents an opportunity to demonstrate exactly why businesses like ours are essential, not optional, in creating a more fulfilled society.
In addition to its storefront location on busy Highway 80 in Mississippi, Romantic Adventures also sells its novelties online at ShopRomanticAdventures.com for fast door-to-door shipments, and offers the latest and most-wanted brands to discerning customers.
Join Tami at STIMULATE this upcoming August 4+5, 2025, in Nashville, TN! And be sure to explore her website, Romantic Adventures, from where ever you are in the world.
