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What if you could get more of what you want in life? But not through pushing, forcing, or pressure.
You can.
When it comes to money, time, and energy, no one’s gonna turn away more.
And Kate Northrup, Bestselling Author of Money: A Love Story and Do Less and host of Plenty, is here to help you expand your capacity to receive all of the best.
As a Money Empowerment OG who’s been at it for nearly 2 decades, Kate’s the abundance-oriented best friend you may not even know you’ve always needed.
Pull up a chair every week with top thought leaders, luminaries, and adventurers to learn how to have more abundance with ease.
The quicker you discover what that is, the better for you. Because if you don't know who you are, why are you here? And for me, that is the only goal in life. Self acceptance and love for ourselves and honoring our body is the best way to find that out. And really, the purpose behind Skirt Club was, yes, sexuality and sexual identity, but also giving yourself the chance to really tune in to what turns you on.
Kate Northrup:Today, I have the founder and CEO of Skirt Club, Genevieve Lejeune, and this is a private international members only club for bisexual and bi curious women with live events and play parties. Genevieve is an absolute revolutionary when it comes to inspiring women to invest in their own pleasure, not only financially, but also with their time, energy, and presence. And I believe she has been one of the pioneers that has changed the landscape in our entire culture around our ability to openly talk about and own and celebrate pleasure and desire for women. This conversation is about money, it's about power, it's about sex, and I think you are going to love it. Enjoy.
Kate Northrup:Welcome to Plenty. I'm your host Kate Northrup and together we are going on a journey to help you have an incredible relationship with money, time, and energy, and to have abundance on every possible level. Every week, we're gonna dive in with experts and insights to help you unlock a life of plenty. Let's go fill our cups. Please note that the opinions and perspectives of the guests on the Plenty podcast are not necessarily reflective of the opinions and perspectives of Kate Northrup or anyone who works within the Kate Northrup brand.
Kate Northrup:Hello. Thank you for being here.
Genevieve Lejeune:Hello, Kate. Nice to see you.
Kate Northrup:I'm so excited to finally meet you in person. We've been trying to meet for probably eighteen months now. And with less than twenty four hours notice, I was like, how about now? And there's nothing like a first meeting happening live on video. So Okay.
Kate Northrup:Thank you for being willing. I wanna know, first of all, so you are the the founder, the owner, the CEO of Skirt Club, which is an international membership for women who are bisexual or bi curious. It's a members only club. Over 16,000 members. 25,000 members.
Kate Northrup:Yes. Over 25,000 members. I mean, that is an amazing business. So what did you always know that you were going to start an international private members only club for bisexual and bicurious women? Not in the slightest.
Kate Northrup:Like when you were five? Did you know? What I wanna be when I grow up is.
Genevieve Lejeune:No. I wanted to be a lawyer at five. Really? Yeah. So this was not on
Kate Northrup:the cusp. Interesting.
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah. Yeah. Things Don't you
Kate Northrup:call them what do you call them in in in London? Aren't they called something different? Solicitor. Solicitor. Yeah.
Kate Northrup:Solicitor.
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah. Yes. No. I had never expected this career. No.
Genevieve Lejeune:No. Another had anyone, I think it's the first of its kind. Yeah.
Kate Northrup:You're a total original. Yes. Yeah. How long ago did you start it? It's been eleven years.
Kate Northrup:It's been eleven years.
Genevieve Lejeune:Yep. Twenty thirteen London, that's when I incorporated Skirt Club Limited. Amazing. And what was the seed of this business? Myself.
Genevieve Lejeune:I, was frustrated with what was on offer for somebody who identified as bi. I couldn't find my own community. It didn't seem to exist. Mhmm. I had been to to lesbian bars, didn't feel so welcome.
Genevieve Lejeune:And I had been to straight bars and got frustrated with men, you know, constantly hitting on me and had ended up just living out in in gay bars in Soho, London, feeling comfortable there with just really open minded people, and, that's where it all began.
Kate Northrup:The gay bars are the best places. I spent all of my twenties in gay bars.
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah. Yeah. I'm still spending all my time in gay bars.
Kate Northrup:Yeah. Fantastic. Okay. So you were looking for a place to meet other to meet your community. Yeah.
Kate Northrup:And so and you were like, okay. It's not no. There's there's not, like, buy bars. And and and and these other places, I'm I'm not finding them. And so how did you start?
Kate Northrup:What was the first iteration of Skirt Club?
Genevieve Lejeune:It it was just a party in my flat in Shoreditch, London Yeah. For some women I'd met just like me. And actually was born from a play party I attended. I I didn't know how to find bi women, so I figured if I went to a play party with You would find that. My boyfriend, I would find her, and make friends and then not feel so lonely in this world.
Genevieve Lejeune:And so I did. I found three friends, and between the three of us, we invited other friends. And and so we multiplied. And what was the 15 people in August 2013 was very soon, a 100 people in February, a 150 people in February 2015. That was, that's when things got really big.
Genevieve Lejeune:And obviously, you swiftly outgrew your flat.
Kate Northrup:Did you only have one event in your own home?
Genevieve Lejeune:About three, and then someone broke the sofa bed, so we had to get out of there.
Kate Northrup:That's funny. That's amazing. And and so it picked up quickly, which means it was a good idea, it means it was obviously a need in the marketplace. Did you have any reservations? Were you nervous about anything getting started in a business around sexuality?
Genevieve Lejeune:Yes. 100%. I mean, at the time I was working in finance, you know, this was not done. You know? And we were all scared of being found out.
Genevieve Lejeune:You know? It was there's a lot of stigma around bisexuality back then. I know it's only eleven years ago, but really times were so different. Women being sexually open, enjoying pleasure, and identifying as anything but straight or gay was confusing, and questionable, you know, about her. Was that did that make her slutty?
Genevieve Lejeune:Did that make her greedy? Did that mean you know, if she was forward? And those things were just not deemed qualities in The UK. So I was also embracing sex positivity as well as sexuality and sexual identity. And it was really hard for women to choose the label bisexual.
Genevieve Lejeune:So I went first. And to do that, I had to create a pseudonym, and I created Genevieve. And then my real self could continue working at Bloomberg where that would not have been alright. So and Genevieve, created the Skirt Club, and she hosted events. And was a personality.
Genevieve Lejeune:You know? She dressed a certain way. She behaved a certain way. That's so fun. Yes.
Genevieve Lejeune:Brought out my inner diva. Yeah.
Kate Northrup:So feel free. And by the way, I didn't mention this, but if I ask you anything that you don't wanna answer, just, you can pass and then we can edit out. Yeah. And always answer however you want to, but, like, do you continue to live in some parts of your life as your given name and then in some parts as your suit as your as Genevieve? Absolutely.
Genevieve Lejeune:I mean, my world is is is two halves. Two halves? Yeah. Kate, I don't mind saying that my real name is actually Kate. I know
Kate Northrup:that actually.
Genevieve Lejeune:We're twinning on
Kate Northrup:that front. Love another Kate. Yeah. Solid name.
Genevieve Lejeune:Nice English Kate. You know, she's very unassuming. And and she dresses like this, not not as a diva. And she plays by the rules and has had a a great career and done whatever her parents asked of her to be a good girl.
Kate Northrup:How long did you work at Bloomberg after you started Skirt Club?
Genevieve Lejeune:Oh, oh, really just three months. So it was a bit of overlap. And then it just took off? No, actually I moved to a branding agency. So I had another career separate from journalism.
Genevieve Lejeune:I was in financial journalism and then I moved into branding and advertising. And all the while I'm running skirt club parties at the weekend. Yeah. So
Kate Northrup:How long before skirt club became your full time I'm doing this and I'm no longer having a full time job?
Genevieve Lejeune:It was year two. Year two? Yeah. Okay. And that's really important, you know, when you're building a company, you cannot rely on any income with a startup.
Genevieve Lejeune:You have to assume there is none. And for me, not the first five years, you know, it was tough. So I always had another way to keep the bills paid.
Kate Northrup:Yeah. Thank you for saying that. That for five years Yeah. You were not seeing, you know, significant take home. Right?
Kate Northrup:And that you were able to stick with it. Why do you think you were able to go for five years? And was there any point at which you wondered, should I be throwing in the towel? Because I get this question a lot from people. How do I know when this thing isn't viable?
Kate Northrup:Like, how long should I go?
Genevieve Lejeune:Well, I mean, if you went to business school, that would be year two that you should you should give up.
Kate Northrup:Oh, really? But I did not go to business
Genevieve Lejeune:school. Yeah. No. No. Did I.
Genevieve Lejeune:So Perfect. I was making money with my career and I was doing this for fun at the weekends. And that happened for two years until I could not cope any longer with the the pressures and I had to make a decision which it which it was gonna be. Yeah. And really, was taking a bet on women, you know, their ability or their want to invest in themselves.
Genevieve Lejeune:In
Kate Northrup:themselves, yeah.
Genevieve Lejeune:And ten years ago women did not do that. You know, that the investment was in a handbag or a pair of stilettos or Jimmy Choo's were it. You know? That was
Kate Northrup:take myself back to 2015. Like, what was I yeah. I was having my first child. I mean, I've always invested in myself, but I come from, you know, I come from a a a a women's empowerment family where it's like that was just you know, I grew up, like, at women's empowerment workshops. So that's different, but I think that you were obviously a real pioneer in, hey.
Kate Northrup:Your pleasure matters. Your desire matters. Like, let's put our money towards that. What do you think it is about our culture that has made it such that even only ten years ago, women were not investing in themselves, especially around sex and desire?
Genevieve Lejeune:Shame. Yeah. Shame. We were just so ashamed of admitting that we enjoyed sex. So even buying a vibrator was taboo.
Genevieve Lejeune:Of course, now you can pick one up in CVS. But, know that the world has changed so much, really. I'm so happy to have been part of that as well.
Kate Northrup:I know. That's the thing. Like, it's like the world has changed so much, and you have been part of that. I mean, you've been at this forefront. I mean, of course, you know, I I took a class with I don't know if you know Betty Dodson.
Kate Northrup:Yes. Yeah. So so there are there have been pioneers all along, right, like in the sixties and the seventies, and I mean, Dodson was like having women circle up in the seventies and and use vibrators together and check out their pussies and you know what mean? But, like, right. So, like, she was, like, major, major trailblazer.
Genevieve Lejeune:I like her.
Kate Northrup:Yeah. Oh my god. She's such a badass. She showed up at this workshop with her, like she was at the time, I think, in her seventies, and she showed up with her boyfriend who was in his thirties, and they taught together. It was amazing.
Kate Northrup:And I was in my twenties at the time, and I was like, wow. Anything is available. You know? But what was required inside you to you talked about creating a pseudonym and an alter ego, or I don't know how you would describe it, which I love so much. There's so much permission in that.
Kate Northrup:There's so much. Is there anything else that you would wanna share about unraveling your own shame patterning to become and step into this pioneer to help change our entire culture. Yeah. It took a second, personality to do that.
Genevieve Lejeune:Because I was very shy growing up and, it was very easy to embarrass me and I didn't speak up. I'm a very quiet, quite introverted person. You know, I'm asking of of Kate to be the complete opposite and become Genevieve. And I tell you the stilettos worked. They they really empowered me.
Genevieve Lejeune:The stilettos worked? Yeah. They really so as they slipped on, I was
Kate Northrup:So you just changed your shoes. Change your shoes. Change your identity. Yeah.
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah. Wow. That worked for me.
Kate Northrup:Costumes.
Genevieve Lejeune:Really? Mhmm. I mean, that's what I was doing. Like an actor would. You know?
Genevieve Lejeune:I was I was becoming a different personality, a different archetype, you know, another side of myself, which was still myself. Yes. But I had never had
Kate Northrup:a chance to shine or or, you know, given being given permission to, as you pointed out earlier. A lot of this is about permission. What I'm fascinated by in what you're describing is that I think so commonly, at least in my world, there it's like, oh, I have this good girl programming. Oh, I have this shame. Oh, I whatever.
Kate Northrup:So in order to explore these new vistas, I need to change this in me. And it sounds like for you, please correct me, you know, extrapolate. No. That's not the word I'm looking for. Expound upon but, what like, it sounds like you weren't putting pressure on yourself to have to change who you are.
Kate Northrup:You decided to just fully, somewhat on command with a new name and different shoes, allow yourself to just go ahead and explore those things without having to wait to unravel some sort of programming, and that's kind of a revolution. Yeah.
Genevieve Lejeune:I guess I stepped right into it. Yeah.
Kate Northrup:I wish you said, how about today? Yes.
Genevieve Lejeune:It was a bit like that. You know, I really just woke up one morning and went, Skirt Club. Yeah. The name came to you. Right.
Genevieve Lejeune:It woke up. It was in a dream. It just came right to me, and immediately the thing just fell together perfectly. It it was I mean, it sounds a bit too easy, but sometimes the best things are. I just knew.
Genevieve Lejeune:It's so great. Yeah. And, nothing seemed difficult to imagine. It was like, yep. It's gonna be like this.
Genevieve Lejeune:Genevieve will run it. It'll be luxurious, and the website will be dark and sexy. And, very quickly the logo came together and I I led and women followed because they needed someone Yeah. To pave the way. And I was very happy to do that.
Genevieve Lejeune:And I enjoyed being a pioneer of what felt like a movement. Yeah. I think it was, you know, continues to be. Yeah. It yes.
Genevieve Lejeune:It's just so widespread now. Bisexuality is not so it's quite normalized, you know, and I've I've had But
Kate Northrup:yes. And I and, you know, I think probably increasingly the communities you're spending time with and, you know, the the conversations you're you're part of. And and even, you know, we we watch this sub somewhat ridiculous show called Virgin River. I don't know if you're familiar with it, but it's it's basically it's it's essentially a soap opera, Mike tolerates it. I'm like Just because there's some, like there's enough, like, medical emergencies and, like, and, like, you know, thriller sort of moments.
Kate Northrup:But in it, there the other day, there was like a there's a sewing circle in it, and there's all these older ladies, and they had an episode where they were all talking about the the best sex that they had ever had. And I was reflecting on it was a it was a cute scene. And I was reflecting on how that kind of conversation, especially being had by older women in a mainstream television show, would not that's new. Like, that's an indicator of a significant cultural shift. Because, you know, when when I was growing up, we had the golden girls.
Kate Northrup:Right? They weren't explicitly talking about sex in any way, and had they been, it would have been like but all these older women were not only talking about the best sex they had ever had in their previous lives when they were young women, they were talking about the best sex they were having of their lives currently, like current day. And I thought that was really, really cool and just an indication of how much we have shifted, how much we have shifted. Okay, So so let's talk about more brass tacks. What is skirt club?
Kate Northrup:What happens at the events for I know, but for folks listening who are like, what the heck are you talking about? What is this? Like, do women just get together and talk about being bisexual? Or what's happening? So this is where
Genevieve Lejeune:you might not need to add the tag explicit on this particular episode. Well, sex is happening. Yeah. And yes, women can have sex with one another and find it pleasurable. In fact, orgasmic.
Genevieve Lejeune:I would say I've witnessed over a thousand orgasms at this point having hosted, you know, a good four to 500 parties. Yeah. It's been great. It's I see women liberated, seeing women just do things because they want to, not stop and question whether they should and and creating that space for them to do it. Like, it's it's been wonderful.
Genevieve Lejeune:And, typically what happens at our signature party, which is the one everyone wants to talk about the most, which is a play party, that means sex party. And women will show up, typically dressed up in the theme. For example, I'm flying to LA next week. We're doing a high priestess theme, so that's the dress code.
Kate Northrup:Like, really I mean, just at the time of this recording, LA is experiencing devastating wildfires. And I just wanna say, I'm sidelining the conversation, but I think it's related
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah.
Kate Northrup:Which is, like, is something really beautifully healing about sexual energy. So timeliness wise, I'm so glad you are bringing not only sexuality, but also high priestess sexuality energy into the devastation that's going on in Los Angeles right now.
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah. Okay. It it it's, you know, it's obviously it's very sad what's happening with the fires. Awful. And I checked in with the team last night.
Genevieve Lejeune:Do we still wanna go ahead? Because because I don't know how how are you feeling over there? And the consensus was we need something. Exactly.
Kate Northrup:Right? Like, we choose life and sexuality is life force. It is. And there's nothing more healing. There's nothing more powerful than women's sexuality.
Kate Northrup:It is literally responsible for all of human life. So I'm just anyway, I just wanted to say, I'm really glad that's happening in Los Angeles next week. That makes me feel better about what's going on there right now. Yeah. Yeah.
Kate Northrup:So high priestess. So like, what might one wear?
Genevieve Lejeune:So a typical evening, you know, we open doors at 8PM. The members will arrive typically alone. Right? That's not not typically an event you bring your best friend to or your sister. It's Totally.
Genevieve Lejeune:Private.
Kate Northrup:Yes. It's not like a book club.
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah. We're gonna do private things. And obviously they're quite nervous because they're doing something they've never done before and they're going to a place they've never been to before, to meet women they've never met before. Know, all the things your mother tells you not to do.
Kate Northrup:Although with women there is like an element of safe. Like, I don't know. Yes. Like, going out to a strange place with all men would feel deeply terrifying. But when it's women, it's like, okay.
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah. There's a there's a safety factor in the women OD club. Yeah. And I'm very strict about that being down to the security person, the barback, you know. All women.
Genevieve Lejeune:All women. And, you know, venue owners are, you know, told not to return until the morning. Like, I'm very strict about that as well. And yes, they feel put out, but, you know
Kate Northrup:It is what it is. It is what it I'm not changing it
Genevieve Lejeune:for you, darling. Yeah. Yeah. So they'll arrive dressed usually to the nines because dressing for women is something else.
Kate Northrup:That is why we dress. Yes.
Genevieve Lejeune:I'm glad I'm glad you see this. Because, you know, women percent.
Kate Northrup:I'm, like, so clear. I get way more dressed up for dates with my girlfriends than for my husband.
Genevieve Lejeune:Right. Yeah. Gonna notice the details. We're gonna compliment and goo and appreciate. And that's just so fulfilling to be seen.
Genevieve Lejeune:Mhmm. And noticed for the effort you put into that evening's, attire, and and they put a lot of effort in there. Mean, the most popular question on our customer service desk is what do I wear?
Kate Northrup:A 100%.
Genevieve Lejeune:Not what's gonna happen It's to
Kate Northrup:you, also but the most important part of the group chat before a before a dinner, before a girls trip. Like, what are we wearing? Yeah. Literally. Yeah.
Kate Northrup:I've been talking about it for a week for a dinner that's happening tonight with with my girlfriends, whose husbands also happen to be coming. But it's really about
Genevieve Lejeune:us. Yeah. Irrelevant
Kate Northrup:about I love that that's your most common customer service question. What do I wear?
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah. And so for that reason, we've always added a Pinterest board to help Oh, fun. You know, to aid with that. Yeah. Which I've noticed now is, other memberships are using as well because it's so helpful to guide and steer
Kate Northrup:A 100%. Where women
Genevieve Lejeune:are concerned. So back to the party. Yeah. They'll show up on time, which is great. Yeah.
Genevieve Lejeune:8PM. And, you know, apart from Miami, that's Miami, it's like they'll show
Kate Northrup:up at eleven. Like, who knows what's happening? Yeah. But I'm sure in, like, London and New York, everyone's on time.
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah. And I should add we're in 36 cities. Right? So we're you know, even Malaysia's up on time for this one, which Love it. Which is great.
Genevieve Lejeune:And, you know, I have hostesses about five or between five and six who are going to be there to greet and quickly help you make new friends. Because we're nervous and we want Yeah. We want to also get that conversation started. There's free flowing champagne and cocktails, of course, usually themed as well. And and so after an hour or so of of meet and greet, we've we've we have a performance.
Genevieve Lejeune:I'll say a few words. We'll talk around consent. Of course, safety is paramount, and so is privacy. I'll remind everyone that what we learn at Skirt Club stays at Skirt Club. And yeah.
Genevieve Lejeune:And then then we play some games. Yeah. Couple of icebreakers. Cool. We'll spin the bottle.
Genevieve Lejeune:Body tequila is my favorite. What is
Kate Northrup:it called? Body tequila. Body tequila. How does that go?
Genevieve Lejeune:Well, typically, the cloves come off in order to Yeah. Be the body. Yeah. Tequila is yeah. There's salt lined up and there's lime in the mouth and I raced three girls up her body down with tequila and And off we go.
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah. Yeah. And then the clothes usually stay off. Fun. Yeah.
Genevieve Lejeune:And then we delve into a little sexual play.
Kate Northrup:Amazing.
Genevieve Lejeune:And it's beautiful to listen to. I'm sure
Kate Northrup:it is. That must be an amazing soundtrack. Now you don't go to all the parties because that would be impossible.
Genevieve Lejeune:Well, yes, it almost killed me in 2020.
Kate Northrup:I did. Just from like a scalability now where it's like we're moving now to scalability. Like, how did you know and when did you know that you could no longer actually be there for everything?
Genevieve Lejeune:Well, thanks to COVID, really. It's sort of the pandemic arrived and I sat down for the first time in what would have been six years then and couldn't get You back had been
Kate Northrup:to every party for six years.
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah. Unbelievable. During that All over time
Kate Northrup:the world.
Genevieve Lejeune:Right. Australia, Shanghai, you know, we we really expanded.
Kate Northrup:Are all the parties I mean, I guess this doesn't really maybe this is a silly question, but, like, if I were to go to a party in Berlin, like, does it matter that they don't speak German? Well, actually,
Genevieve Lejeune:it's mostly Americans in Berlin, our events there. Okay. We really attract the
Kate Northrup:ex pats. Oh, you okay.
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah. Okay. Because our you know, our dress code is very feminine. It's it's it's high fem. Yeah.
Genevieve Lejeune:And Berlin is very much Doc Martens and leather, and so it doesn't fit. So what what happened with with our members there is it attracted all expats really.
Kate Northrup:And is that true in most cities or or or no?
Genevieve Lejeune:Okay. So here's the interesting part. With English speaking cities, we'll call them Western. So Okay. Australia, UK, Europe, and and America and Canada, it's the people who live in the city.
Genevieve Lejeune:Right. It's the locals. But where it comes to any European city or South American, you know, have we're in Buenos Aires now, it is very much the expat community.
Kate Northrup:Okay.
Genevieve Lejeune:Religion plays a role.
Kate Northrup:Yeah. I'm sure.
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah. Makes sense.
Kate Northrup:Okay. Yeah. I mean, well, and therein lies the thread to most of the shame is our religious programming. And I'm a God girl, like I'm very spiritual. However, the shame around any kind of sexuality, but particularly the female body, is largely rooted in the church.
Kate Northrup:And it makes sense that in, you know, a more religious community, this would just be absolutely unthinkable. Yeah. Any any play party, quite frankly, but then particularly women only.
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah. And enjoy and just enjoying pleasure, full stop, whether
Kate Northrup:it's Regardless. With yourself, with another human of any gender. Right? Right. Right.
Kate Northrup:Right. Yeah. So women who are showing up are already there. Right? Like, you're not having to do this deprogramming, unraveling work with them.
Kate Northrup:Like, by the time they show up at a party, like, obviously, they're nervous. They don't know, you know, da da da da, but it's like, you know, they've they've they've worked on their own stuff enough to get there.
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah. They've been looking for us, and then they found us.
Kate Northrup:That's so cool. I found you through Wednesday Martin.
Genevieve Lejeune:Oh yes, of course. We feature in her book. Yes.
Kate Northrup:Yeah yeah yeah. So I had her on for her book, Untrue many years ago. Gosh. I think that book came out maybe in 2017 Yes. 2018, and then somehow from following her on Instagram, I started following Cirque Club.
Kate Northrup:So I've been aware of you for a very long time, and then through my social circle in Miami, somebody mentioned that they knew you, and I was like, oh my god, I wanna meet her. Anyway, down the road. I've aware of you for a very long time, aware of your work, not aware of you. Yeah. And then when it when it came up, because it's been interesting moving to Miami.
Kate Northrup:So I'm from a small town in Maine. Oh. And it is a much more buttoned up community. Maine, all of New England is much more similar to The UK in terms of just being uptight. And, I mean, that's not a personal judgment against you, but, like, just culturally.
Genevieve Lejeune:So that's how The UK is. Yeah. That's how
Kate Northrup:it is. Right? And so when I came to Miami, it was so interesting. This sort of conversation, like the number I don't know anybody in Maine who's having threesomes in their marriage, who's having an open marriage, who's also sleeping with women. Like, nobody.
Kate Northrup:Now it doesn't mean they don't exist. I'm just not aware of them. However, in Miami, it's just a it's it's certainly not everyone, but it's way more common than I ever expected. And so that's been really fun to just have this conversation be more part of the zeitgeist. Like, Skirt Club would not fly in Portland, Maine yet, but I hope someday that Portland, Maine would be able to open up to that.
Kate Northrup:But I but I've just it's interesting just to what you're talking about about, like, cultures and different cities in the world where this would work and would not. Have you had cities open up and then close down because it just didn't have the support culturally or population wise?
Genevieve Lejeune:Love this. Boston and Chicago. Oh. Yeah. I'm sorry, guys.
Kate Northrup:But I'm not surprised about Boston in the least. Yeah. So I grew up two hours from Boston.
Genevieve Lejeune:Right. Yes. Similar vibe. Right. Right.
Kate Northrup:So
Genevieve Lejeune:Exactly. Boston are like, please let us travel to New York for the events. I'm not signing up on the website under Boston. I'm signing up under a different city, but we have lots of women coming through. From Boston.
Kate Northrup:Yeah. But they don't wanna do it in Boston. No. Do you think it's a mostly
Genevieve Lejeune:a privacy issue? It's the shame again. You know, the stigma and shame. And similarly, an issue with DC, which we started, stopped, and then started again. Now that was more careers, people working at the White House or in politics, government.
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah. You know? Do not want to bump into a colleague. Will not take that risk. Happy to get on the train for three hours instead and come to New York.
Kate Northrup:Yeah. So New York is the greatest city of anonymity. Yeah. It just is.
Genevieve Lejeune:No one gets a flying fuck in New York. It's great. I love those women. They have their own money and their their own power, and they do what they like. It's my favorite party Really?
Genevieve Lejeune:In the whole world. Yeah. Yeah. That's so interesting. They strut right in with a strategy.
Genevieve Lejeune:And I watched them beeline for the pretty one at the bar, and, typically, that's how, you know, within the the first rows of passion, it's typically the first person you met Wow. Or connected with. Right? So and they're dressed to the nines. You know?
Genevieve Lejeune:It's au jus proctor lingerie.
Kate Northrup:It's Yes.
Genevieve Lejeune:It's the stilettos are divine. You know, they
Kate Northrup:have attitude. Yeah. The fashion's good there.
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah. Yeah.
Kate Northrup:I took you I'm sure you know Regina Thomas Hauer, Mama Gina, or of her.
Genevieve Lejeune:Yes. Yes. I yes.
Kate Northrup:So I took Regina's mastery program four times in New York. And while it is not at all the same thing as what you do, it's certainly adjacent. Yeah. And she would have courtesan courtesan weekend or night, or I I don't exactly remember. But but and I was I was I was young.
Kate Northrup:I started taking her programs when I was 22. So it was like 22 to 26 was when I was in her her programs, and it was such a cool education because so many of the women were older and so successful just witnessing sexuality through different ages and through different life stages and seeing the way women expressed themselves and what, when she would invite us to dress as a courtesan, the invitation is essentially dress in a way that makes you feel like a goddess, that makes you feel sexy, that turns you on. So dress for your own turn on. And the variety and the diversity of that is astounding.
Genevieve Lejeune:Right.
Kate Northrup:And I would imagine you see that in your parties too because just like every human is so different, our sexuality is gonna be different and and our erotic blueprint, which is like a specific Jaya thing, but I actually mean that in a different context. Like what would turn us on would be very unique. It is. And the quicker you discover what that is, the better for you. Mhmm.
Genevieve Lejeune:Because if you don't know who you are, why are you here? And for me, that is the only goal in life. Self acceptance and love for ourselves and honoring our body is the best way to find that out. And, really, the purpose behind Skirt Club was, yes, sexuality and sexual identity, but also giving your yourself the chance to really tune in to what turns you on. And women never did that for themselves.
Genevieve Lejeune:They were so busy pleasing, taking care of others. And as much as that is beautiful in our nature, we didn't serve ourselves. We served others with an empty cup, and Scott Club really provided that ability to fill your cup, find your own happiness without him. And that was very controversial at first because most of our members are in a long term relationship with a man that partnered or married. And at the beginning, he did not know about skirt club.
Genevieve Lejeune:These days, it's different. He's very supportive. Times have changed. But, you know, she she'd come in secret.
Kate Northrup:Which makes it a little more exciting.
Genevieve Lejeune:Very but also shaking at the dawn. Yes.
Kate Northrup:Also, maybe not. I mean, I'm not saying that's better. I'm just saying, like, it adds an element.
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah. Yeah. So, you know, to my point about finding your own happiness, you know, I was asking women to be selfish. And that that word landed so hard even for me. You know, I was asking myself to be selfish by choosing a career that was about pleasure, that didn't earn me an income, that meant I had to rely on my my now ex husband to support me.
Genevieve Lejeune:You know, was asking favors. I didn't enjoy that. You know, I didn't like being a burden, you know, no woman does.
Kate Northrup:Did you feel like you were a burden when you were being supported as you built your dream? Absolutely. And was that was the dynamic in that relationship, or or was that just a feeling inside you?
Genevieve Lejeune:No. That was made clear.
Kate Northrup:Okay. Alright. I also like
Genevieve Lejeune:to contribute. Yes. I like to play fair. I'm about equality. Yeah.
Genevieve Lejeune:You know, I want women to have pleasure as men have for centuries. And so I'm encouraging her. And think back to 2015, you know, at a time where women's rights were questioned. 2016, we were marching in the streets. You know, feminism was rife.
Genevieve Lejeune:You know, we were demanding equality, yet we had it legally. We just weren't it just in reality, it wasn't playing out. And I found sex a beautiful way for women to really step up to the plate and ask for what they want because it's the hardest thing for women to do in the bedroom. I would like to be pleasured this way. I enjoyed these things.
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah. You know, voicing it was difficult. Yeah. So in a group of women, you feel safe. Yeah.
Genevieve Lejeune:You tune in. You find out what it is you really love because you've never done that before. You listen to your own body, and then you find the vocabulary to express, and then you take that home. Yeah.
Kate Northrup:That's really cool.
Genevieve Lejeune:And then you're empowered.
Kate Northrup:Yeah. I'm sure this is very helpful for monogamous not monogamous, heterosexual marriages.
Genevieve Lejeune:Definitely. Seventy percent of members are married at SCORF.
Kate Northrup:Yeah. Yeah. No. That's really beautiful. What a service.
Kate Northrup:Okay. So I wanna know, you went on this is like, I'm going hard left, but it's related. Because you so okay. So you built this incredible business. I mean, 25,000 members worldwide is astounding.
Kate Northrup:So I used to have a membership. We had over a thousand members, and for my industry, that was, like, pretty big. 25,000 is incredible. And and I I know you I'm sure you know this because is your world. Like, when we have a subscription model, it's a 10 x valuation for a company.
Kate Northrup:So what you've built is not only so powerful from a women's empowerment perspective, from a sexual healing perspective, but also just financially. Like, that's that's an incredible model. Yeah. So I just, like, you're awesome. That's so cool.
Kate Northrup:And how did you find like, has it been mostly word-of-mouth? What has been your primary avenues for marketing?
Genevieve Lejeune:Well, we're deemed an adult business. You know, we're classed 18. We can't advertise.
Kate Northrup:Exactly. Right?
Genevieve Lejeune:So there is no marketing. It's called word-of-mouth, which is extremely organic. And you rely on your members to spread the good word. And by doing and you show them a great time. And they can't help but spread positive vibes about the thing that brought them the most pleasure.
Kate Northrup:But is that tricky because of the I mean, obviously, it's not because you have such a robust business, but have you ever run into it being tricky because of the privacy aspect that there will be some women right? Because they're not bringing their best friends necessarily. They're not bringing their sister. So who are they telling? Because maybe they don't want to tell the moms at drop off.
Genevieve Lejeune:For example. No. Especially that. I mean, we've had an incident when a member bumped into another member at the school gate.
Kate Northrup:She's like, hey.
Genevieve Lejeune:And then we had a and this is so wild. We had a, like, a Daily Mail article in Australia where a a Melbourne mom had started organizing a a hotel romp after the school gate drop off so that they could get together. So, you know, it it can go either way. Amazing. Of course, that made the news.
Kate Northrup:Yeah. Of course, it did.
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah. Sorry. God, remind me where the question was again. The
Kate Northrup:membership was. Asking, like, was has it have you ever run into trickiness around privacy with word-of-mouth because women may not always want to tell people they know? Yes, absolutely. It's secret, you know. But when she does tell someone, they sign up There's because got to be something in that conversation that made her know that this was going to be someone who would want to know.
Kate Northrup:I mean it's actually just brilliant from a marketing because the secrecy is so interesting, it makes us all want to lean in. Right, right? Right. And then when you're sharing that with someone, it's not like your favorite eye cream because whatever, I tell anybody what eye cream I use. It's a golden nugget that you would take so much more seriously in terms of a recommendation, because you would know that they're not posting that on their Instagram.
Kate Northrup:They're not I mean, many people, right? Not everyone, but many people.
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah. And also on that note, a lot of people are afraid to follow our Skirt Club Instagram account in case they see someone they know and they know that they're following. Oh. We're still hung up on this. Yeah.
Genevieve Lejeune:You know, the the privacy is paramount for women, but it prevents us from really doing any kind of marketing.
Kate Northrup:So the women do it for you?
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah. Well, they they do what they can. Right? You know, think about the the amount of press Skirt Club has had. We've we've been in 350 publications.
Genevieve Lejeune:We've never had a a PR person. You know? This is a very talked about topic. Yet that is our only real avenue for spreading the word. Yeah.
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah. So and and with 25,000 members, you could argue there should have been 250,000 by this point. A 100%. Yes. Had we had the ability to market.
Genevieve Lejeune:Right. Yeah.
Kate Northrup:That's a good point. Yes. However, like, growing a membership of any nature to that size is it it's it is quite remarkable, especially when it's it's niche. You know, it's not like a fitness membership where, like, yeah, everyone needs to work out. Like, everyone is going to want to attend this sort of event.
Kate Northrup:I mean, I think she should, but, you
Genevieve Lejeune:know Thank you. Yeah. Well, there's my curiosity and and and there's willingness to to discuss, talk, share, and connect, and then there's going to a sex party.
Kate Northrup:Yes.
Genevieve Lejeune:And that's a whole another step. So we're attracting the brave and the courageous, the ones who've already accepted themselves.
Kate Northrup:Yes. That's a very niche market. It really is. It is quite leading edge because even the women I was with at Mama Gina's, you know, they were in a class that was about using pleasure to have their way with the world. So, like, they were already that far, but I do not think the vast majority of those women, certainly at that time, and we're talking, you know, fifteen years ago now, would have taken this next step.
Kate Northrup:And luckily, it's a different time now, but it's like, you are really working with the brave and the bold.
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah. It's so cool. That badass.
Kate Northrup:What a great like, what a great customer. Because if she's taking ownership of her pleasure, her desire, her sexuality, imagine the other ways in which she's using her power in the world. Those are the women that are going to be the ones at the forefront, I hope, of what the next era is that we're creating as humanity.
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah, well they influence us in their own way. Not on Instagram, but within And their I love that. They've also supported me, encouraged me. You know, when we wanted to build our own website, I needed to raise money. And so I did a very small crowdfunding with the current membership and and raised, you know, a $20.20 ks, which allowed me to build a site.
Genevieve Lejeune:And and I I did presales. I sold future memberships to them. Smart. Yeah. So, you know, that's how I went about it.
Genevieve Lejeune:I I couldn't go to a bank and get a loan. I couldn't even have a bank account. You know? I've I've been now banned from five banks because, you know, sex. Right.
Genevieve Lejeune:Wow.
Kate Northrup:Yeah. And you haven't could you have gone the VC route and done raises that way more in a quote unquote traditional way? So very recently Theoretically.
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah. Very recently, I've been raising capital again now to build an app. Yeah. So I I did go the VC route and and and got a hard no. This was too taboo.
Genevieve Lejeune:But the person I'm talking to is privately interested, you know? It's really that
Kate Northrup:kind So of I way of can't represent this with my fund because publicly I can't be associated with it, but also I'd like to come to one of your parties. Yeah. Is that kinda like
Genevieve Lejeune:the vibe for my wife?
Kate Northrup:Or my wife would like to go.
Genevieve Lejeune:Why can my girlfriend signed up? And and oh, I've heard about you that often it's we've heard about Skirt Club. My girlfriend really wants to go. Can you get her in? I'm like, of course, you just see the search on the website.
Genevieve Lejeune:But
Kate Northrup:I can't find you.
Genevieve Lejeune:Wow. Yeah.
Kate Northrup:What does that feel like for you?
Genevieve Lejeune:Oh, it's a kick in the teeth, you know, it's like being told you're invalid. Yeah. That that sex can't be a business. But everybody has sex. And sex
Kate Northrup:is used to sell everything. Right. So sex is a business. Well, it's also the oldest profession.
Genevieve Lejeune:Isn't it just? So there's that. So it's it's to the test of time. And, you know, when the economy is down, guess what still sells? Yeah.
Genevieve Lejeune:You know, we're session proof. We had our biggest spike in memberships during COVID.
Kate Northrup:Well, I'm so curious about that. What did you do with the parties during that time? Well, we couldn't host any
Genevieve Lejeune:events in person, but we did online. I mean, that's a great way to catch. Wow. We did online and then for the first time we started hosting online events. And we realized we had an opportunity here too.
Genevieve Lejeune:Cool. So it actually sprouted a new
Kate Northrup:And do you still host online events?
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah. It's called Pillow Talk. Join us on Tuesday evenings once a month.
Kate Northrup:Oh, that's great. Yeah. Oh, that's really cool. Yeah. We It can created a whole new arm of offerings.
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah. Yeah.
Kate Northrup:And you can reach women that maybe wouldn't be ready to attend a party, but would go to that.
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah. And there are more of those, quite honestly. Of course,
Kate Northrup:there are.
Genevieve Lejeune:Yes. You know, just looking looking in from the outside at can I attend? And a lot of that's spurned our next venture, which is the app. Yeah. Tell me about it.
Genevieve Lejeune:We realized that women actually wanted to meet socially as well and more so. So those who were just, you know, just curious, probably identifying as straight even. Yeah. They wanted to make friends who are open minded. And, you know, keen to discover, but let's talk about it and let's connect as friends.
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah. So we we we launched a new app. It's called Skirt Society. On the App Store and on Google Play. And it invites the the curious and questioning to to come forward, make friends, and connect in different ways, using archetypes to just explore all their feminine attributes.
Kate Northrup:What kind of archetypes? Well, Carl Jung's,
Genevieve Lejeune:feminine archetypes of which we possess most and sometimes don't get to explore all. So we we pair you with women who have potentially the opposite all the same. You decide.
Kate Northrup:So cool.
Genevieve Lejeune:And then you can explore those growth edges together because femininity is has many aspects. And as you see with Kate and Genevieve, you know, there's two of us, but there are more inside also.
Kate Northrup:I love that. What a great concept. You told me a little bit about how you raised funds to build the app, and I'm really interested to know more about why you chose that avenue. Because with the app, since it's not about sex, you could have gotten the VC route, but you decided not to. Tell me why.
Genevieve Lejeune:Well, I tried the VC route. I just go, hard no. Fantastic. Yeah. But hard no.
Genevieve Lejeune:Not I don't know. It's too taboo. Yeah. I'm still, a
Kate Northrup:Still even It's not even
Genevieve Lejeune:a dating app. It's a community app. You know?
Kate Northrup:And Still women and friends hips and connecting. How is that taboo?
Genevieve Lejeune:Yeah. I I think they just look at yeah. Anyway, I don't So I I also don't need men, it turns out. We I looked to the the women who've supported me until now, and I'm like, let's just let's go the crowdfunding route again. You know?
Genevieve Lejeune:Women should own their future. They should invest in themselves. It's really important also for her to get a head around that because it's women, they're so used to things being paid for, you know, that they need to know that they have no say unless it's their own money on the table.
Kate Northrup:Yes. Money, sex, and power are all interconnected. And the way we interact with one is the way we interact with another. And when we heal and shift the way we're interacting with our sexual energy, it can, if we allow it to, heal and change the way we're interacting with our money and our power. One of my mentors, Barbara Hewson, says that women's ambivalent relationship with money is because of their ambivalent relationship with their power, and I would imagine that the same holds true about
Genevieve Lejeune:sexuality. Absolutely. You've got to own it.
Kate Northrup:You've got to own it. Yeah. A 100%. And one of the things I love to think about is that not only do we need to own it, and I do think that's the first step. For me, the next step has been about actually stewarding it so that I'm relating to money or my power or my sexual energy, not so much as mine, but more as a current that can run through me and increasing my capacity to allow it to run through me and also to guide it and shape it and steward it.
Kate Northrup:And that's really allowed me to turn up the volume on how much I can handle across all aspects of my life. That's interesting. So anyway, for whatever it's worth, which leads me to my question about your recent well, at this point, it's been over a year, but sailing trip. And what I was so interested when I saw this on your Instagram, and you're, like, taking off very spontaneously. What inspired you to do that trip?
Kate Northrup:What happened and and what did you learn about yourself as a result?
Genevieve Lejeune:Okay. Well, the inspiration, came, you know, from a romance, as all good sexual energy does. And, I'm gonna build a business with sexual energy. I can I can sell an ocean? Yeah.
Genevieve Lejeune:I I met a boy, and, he had he had sailed his boat across the Atlantic from Portugal to Brazil, and he was passing through Miami for Loveburn. If you've ever been to that festival
Kate Northrup:I haven't, but I know of it. Great.
Genevieve Lejeune:And we met on a yoga mat. And he said, listen, I'm I'm sailing back, this time Brazil to Cape Town. Would you like to come? And I thought, yes, please. That sounds like the kind of risk I love.
Genevieve Lejeune:High risk. By the way, sort of identify as an HSS, which is a highly sensation seeker.
Kate Northrup:As opposed to an HSS P. Highly sensitive person. I just got an HSA, which is a health savings account. Totally different, but HSS.
Genevieve Lejeune:Got it. Yeah. So, you know, where where there's there's risk, I'm usually found. And, you know, it it keeps life interesting, you
Kate Northrup:know, large.
Genevieve Lejeune:So, you know, I I guess our second date was, a twenty five day Atlantic crossing. And, I was, you know, really intrigued by what it would be like. I'd never been in a sailboat. There were four of us in this 40 foot tiny vessel. It was incredibly uncomfortable.
Kate Northrup:Yes.
Genevieve Lejeune:But I learned so many things about myself because for the first time in probably decades, I was without a phone. And you really need to check-in with your body when you get to you get you get to check-in with your body. You know, there's there's nothing to distract you and especially on night watch, you're very alone while you're with the stars. Yeah. And they are beautiful at night, truly.
Kate Northrup:Yeah. My most favorite thing was night watch. I was sharing that I was on a schooner, a 134 foot schooner crewing for about two months. And night watch on the bow was my most favorite thing. And I would just sing the whole time.
Genevieve Lejeune:So lovely.
Kate Northrup:It was just the greatest and with, like, the phosphorescence sometimes and unbelievable. Okay. So you were without a phone for twenty five days. And then you said when you got to Cape Town, you didn't even wanna get off the boat.
Genevieve Lejeune:Not really because I knew I'd have to go back to the stress of keeping up with everything, call firefighting situations, and, you know, I'd I'd I'd I'd just spent ten years running my own business, which any other entrepreneur will identify with as the hardest job ever, because you never work harder for anyone than yourself. And I'm I'm a hard taskmaster on on me. And I finally hired this team in London who were able to to handle the day to day without me. So I was able to escape for a month and disappear. And they were wonderful holding the fort.
Genevieve Lejeune:Amazing. And when I got back, I just didn't wanna I knew I wanted to change the way things were. I'd I'd felt sick about going back to just twelve hour days, and, it didn't feel like it was worth it anymore. Yeah. So I I chose life, and I have a very different approach now.
Genevieve Lejeune:I turn my phone off at the weekends and, I I I work because I enjoy working. And I don't really see it as work, which is which is beautiful. And I and I get support. I've learned to ask for help. And that that was another one I was definitely struggling with prior to the crossing.
Kate Northrup:Wow. So are you working less would you say or are you just working in a different way? I'm working in
Genevieve Lejeune:a different way with a team of five. Beautiful. Not solo entrepreneur, which is is not a healthy choice, by the way. Yeah.
Kate Northrup:Not as soon as you can make a different choice.
Genevieve Lejeune:Right.
Kate Northrup:Yeah. Yeah. Any any time we're choosing to do things alone when we have an alternative is generally not a healthy choice. Right. Yeah.
Kate Northrup:Yeah. So beautiful. Thank you for being here today. This was an amazing conversation.
Genevieve Lejeune:Oh, my pleasure.
Kate Northrup:I it's it's so bold what you have done with your business, and I know that you have just set thousands and thousands and thousands of women free, and it's just incredible.
Genevieve Lejeune:And that makes me so happy.
Kate Northrup:So where can people find your work, connect with your different businesses, and what you're up to?
Genevieve Lejeune:Okay. Well, if you fancy a sexy event, then come to skirtclub.co.uk. And if you want to connect with other like minded women, then go to Skirt Society app, which is on the App Store and on Google Play.
Kate Northrup:Amazing. Amazing. Thank you for being here. All the links will be in the show notes. I really appreciate you.
Kate Northrup:Thank you so much, Kate. Thanks for listening to this episode of Plenty. If you enjoyed it, make sure you subscribe, leave a rating, leave a review. That's one of the best ways that you can ensure to spread the abundance of plenty with others. You can even text it to a friend and tell them to listen in.
Kate Northrup:And if you want even more support to expand your abundance, head over to katenorthrup.com/breakthroughs where you can grab my free money breakthrough guide that details the biggest money breakthroughs from some of the top earning women I know, plus a mini lesson accompanying it with my own biggest money breakthroughs and a nervous system healing tool for you to expand your abundance. Again, that's over at katenorthwick.com/breakthroughs. See you next time.