The Sex Shop Industry: From Manual Bookkeeping to 800,000 UAH in Revenue. The Hot Mamas Success Story

How do you build a business in a niche where Instagram can shadow-ban you for a single image, and influencers are often too hesitant to review your products? What do you do when sales suddenly drop, but you can’t pinpoint why because your accounting is managed "in your head" or in a paper notepad?

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Today, we are joined by Natalka — co-founder of Hot Mamas, an educational sex toy boutique. We discussed the normalization of sex in Ukraine, maintaining a friendship within a business partnership, and how implementing systematic financial management revealed the true health of the business, as clear as day.

The Journey: From a Glass of Wine to a Team of Six

How It All Began

The store was co-founded by Natalka and Dana. At the time, they were already building their own Instagram blogs and had established a significant media presence. This visibility became the launchpad for their own venture:

Dana and I were just drinking wine at her place, brainstorming... Since we were bloggers, other sex shops would send us products for promotion. I realized I enjoyed advertising those products much more than, say, handmade soaps — which was the big trend back then. When I was offered sex toys, I thought, 'Great, let’s do it, I can really talk about this.' People listened to us, they trusted us, and we eventually said, 'Why don't we sell them ourselves?' And just like that, it took off.

The name was born that same evening. The priority was to avoid clichés like "strawberries" or "peppers." Since Natalka was already a mother and Dana was her daughter's godmother, Hot Mamas felt like the perfect fit.

Partnership and Team

The founders met at a makeup course and had been friends for two years before launching the business. Working together became a true test of their relationship:

At first, everything was viewed through rose-colored glasses. I thought, 'Oh my god, she’s so great, I’d marry her!' But then you realize you are two different people with different perspectives. You have to learn to compromise. We’ve had our conflicts, but I’m the type of person who tends to smooth things over, so we maintain a healthy balance.

Today, the team consists of six professionals: an operational director, a content creator, a personal assistant, and managers handling logistics and customer service. Natalka serves as the CEO, focusing on the numbers, while Dana is the creative face, overseeing the website and communications.

Market Challenges and Niche Specifics

Education as a Foundation

Hot Mamas is more than a store; it’s an educational platform. The founders don’t claim to be clinical experts; instead, they focus on normalizing the conversation around sex:

There is a massive gap in sexual education. We started explaining that toys aren't about 'indecency' or 'vulgarity' — they are about self-exploration and wellness. Our audience connected with us because they realized, 'Oh, they feel the same way, I’ve experienced that too.' We make them feel that their needs are normal.

Natalka and Dana have turned education into a lifestyle brand. Their candid and humorous videos help break down social taboos. The numbers speak for themselves: the main Instagram page @hotmamas_shop has over 36,6K followers.

Their personal pages are equally influential: Natalka has 10,3K followers and Dana has 20,8K. 

Their YouTube project, Hot Mamas Show, has become a genuine media hub for open dialogue, with over 3,5K subscribers. Their content frequently goes viral, with top videos reaching over 7K views, proving the high demand for modern sexual education.

Navigating Censorship and War

The primary hurdle remains social media censorship. Even global brands are forced to blur products or use "leetspeak" to avoid being banned.

If we were selling vacuum cleaners, I can’t imagine where we’d be by now. In this niche, you are constantly innovating just to stay visible. We tried doing product reviews on YouTube and were hit with a ban almost immediately. Even influencers are often too shy to collaborate; they still view the topic as taboo.

The war adds another layer of complexity. Natalka shares how "mom brain" tries to adapt to the ongoing crisis: despite shelling and blackouts, the business persists. 

The shelling might start in the morning, but then I see a Shopify notification — a new order. Life goes on.

Customer Profile and Seasonality

80% of their customers are women. Men, on the other hand, sometimes feel threatened by the products. Natalka recalls an instance where a friend’s husband threw away an unopened gift:

‍They often view toys as competitors, rather than allies in a relationship.

Seasonality also dictates the rhythm of the business:

• Peak seasons: December, Valentine's Day, and Summer.
• Low seasons: September and October. "September is quiet. No one is focused on sex; everyone is sending their kids back to school," Natalka notes with a laugh.

Reflecting on the market's evolution, Natalka says:

When we started, most shops were Russian-speaking with cringey, dated aesthetics. Today, the industry has become much more aesthetic and professional. However, while the niche is growing, it is much harder for newcomers to gain traction now than it was for us.

2026 Strategy: Scaling and International Expansion

While Natalka jokes that her personal "scaling" involved pregnancy and motherhood last year, the business isn't slowing down. The team is currently exploring a franchise model to expand their reach.

A top priority is expanding into the Polish market. According to the founders, the demand is already proven: 

We see a huge number of our people abroad. Both the local Polish community and Ukrainians living in Poland are actively buying from us. While Poland has its own shops, we believe there is a specific audience there that resonates with our unique, educational approach.

Financial Management: From a Notepad to Automation with Finmap

The "Before" Era: Manual Bookkeeping

In the early days, financial management was instinctive rather than systematic. Everything was tracked manually in a notepad.

I kept everything in my head and a single notepad. I managed all the cash flow and would simply tell Dana: 'Pay this bill, here is your salary, and here is mine.' That was the extent of our accounting.

The Turning Point: "Where Is My Notepad?"

The need for change arose when sales fluctuated and the owners wanted to identify the root causes to prepare for scaling.

We wanted to seek professional consulting, and the first thing they asked for was our data. I looked for my notepad, but realized it wasn't enough for a growing business. Dana, who is always pushing for modern solutions, insisted we simplify and automate. That’s how we discovered Finmap.

The Result: "A Real Eye-Opener"

Natalka admits she was initially hesitant about the discipline required for digital logging, but the results were transformative: 

Comparing my old manual notes to what we have now is like night and day. Now, I can check my phone at any moment and see exactly what’s happening. All accounts, graphs, and trends are right there in the palm of my hand. I finally know our exact budget — what we can reinvest and what we can save. The peace of mind is incredible.

Automating with Finmap allowed them to track their real margins (which range from 50% to 100%) and plan for a team of six. As CEO, Natalka now manages the company’s finances with professional precision, keeping a finger on the pulse of every transaction.

Finmap belongs in every business! — Natalka concludes.

Build a Transparent Financial System for Your Business

If you are still managing your accounts "in your head" or spending hours on manual spreadsheets, it is time for a systematic upgrade. Finmap helps entrepreneurs eliminate financial chaos through automatic bank synchronization and intuitive reporting.

• P&L Report: Understand your real profit, not just your bank balance.
• Cash Flow: Prevent cash gaps and plan future expenses with confidence.
• Automation: Your transactions sync automatically — no more manual data entry.
• Full Visibility: Professional tools that make financial management simple and scalable.

Get a clear view of your business today. Try Finmap for free for 7 days and experience how much easier leadership becomes when the numbers work for you.