
Conan talks to Sam in Chicago about designing cryptid-themed adult toys and accessories. Wanna get a chance to talk to Conan? Submit here: teamcoco.com/apply
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Conan O'Brien
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Sona Movsesian
Yeah.
Conan O'Brien
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Sona Movsesian
No.
Conan O'Brien
Got to get this thing right.
Sona Movsesian
Not for V Day.
Conan O'Brien
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Sona Movsesian
Oh, you still have to think about what to get.
Conan O'Brien
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Sona Movsesian
Conan O'Brien needs a fan. Want to talk to Conan? Visit teamcoco.com call Conan. Okay, let's get started.
Matt Gourley
Hi, Sam. Welcome to Conan O'Brien needs a fan.
Sam
Hey, how are you there?
Conan O'Brien
Hey, Sam, how are you?
Sam
I'm doing really good. How are you doing?
Conan O'Brien
Doing great. First of all, loving the hair, Sam. You got the.
Sam
I felt inspired.
Conan O'Brien
I love. I. I'm not egotistical enough to say it's the Conan swoop because, you know, I didn't invent it. I think Bob's big boy invented it. But looks very cool, so I'm loving that. Tell us a little bit about yourself, Sam.
Sam
So my name's Sam and I live in Chicago and you know, been a big fan of yours since, you know, forever. Actually, with my first paychecks, I actually bought a TV. It was like back in 2003, a little tiny LCD TV that I could watch Conan, like the show, like your guys show in my room right before I went to bed so I wouldn't Keep everyone else in the house up.
Conan O'Brien
Wow. So you have excellent comedy taste, and you're considerate. That's a great combination.
Sam
Yeah, I try to be. And my brother, whose name is also Matt, also loves. Has always loved you, too. He's about as tall as you two.
Conan O'Brien
Oh, wow.
Sam
Okay. I would have been as tall as you if I had. If I had a. If I had a Y chromosome. But I am a trans guy.
Conan O'Brien
Okay.
Sam
Which means that I started life as a girl, and when I was 33, I transitioned to being a guy.
Conan O'Brien
Okay.
Sam
Yeah.
Conan O'Brien
And tell us, so how old are you now? How long ago did you transition?
Sam
So I. I transitioned when I was 33 years old. I started, and I'm going to be 39 next month, so.
Conan O'Brien
You look fantastic, by the way. I was gonna say you look like you're, like, 22 years old.
Sam
Yeah, I know. Well, that's kind of like one of the perks of, like, you know, transitioning a little bit later is, you know, you look. You always look a little bit younger, like, when you're transitioning from female to male. But, like, for me, like, for some people, like, in their early 20s, like, that's not so great. But, like, when you're in your 30s, you know, I'll take it. I'll look younger.
Conan O'Brien
I was going to say I was thinking, I want to transition from a man my age to a man who's much younger. Someone figured out.
Sam
We all, though. Yeah, yeah, I got to figure. I got to figure that one out, too. If I could figure out how to transition my joints and all of my problems.
Conan O'Brien
Oh, they're going to figure it all out. Have you watched the substance they're working out?
Sam
Yeah.
Conan O'Brien
Demi Moore is working very hard on this.
Sona Movsesian
It worked out great for her, too.
Sam
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Conan O'Brien
It looked like it did to me. So, Sam, what do you. What's your. What's your. What's your gig? What's your job? What do you do?
Sam
So, pretty much I run my own business. I actually make adult toys.
Conan O'Brien
Okay.
Sam
And we. When I. I've actually been in the industry since 2008. But when I started transitioning, which was. I think it was. That was, like, 2019, I kind of noticed that there wasn't toys on the market that, like, were super compatible with, like, trans anatomy and, like, the changes that your.
Conan O'Brien
That would be true.
Sam
Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I was like, hey, I've got these skills from working in the industry. Can I translate that into something that works good for, you know, for a variety of different body types? So and that's what I've been doing pretty much since then. It's. It's mostly just been me, my designer who lives in Denmark. And then just recently, one of my partners started helping me make toys, like just, you know, to keep up on orders.
Conan O'Brien
Now I'm curious. So you were in the adult toy business before you transitioned, is that right? I see. Okay. That. Okay. And then realized that, hey, wait a minute. There needs. There's a market here that's not being taken care of.
Sam
Yeah, exactly. And it was like, I mean, there was definitely stuff out there. And I swear I probably bought like one of everything just to see. And then it's taken, you know, it's taken a while, but like, we've. We've, like one of our toys took like four years to finally design, so it would be combat compatible. And then another thing we completely came up with that nobody else has done is we came up what's called a grindable, which is like halfway between like a, like a, like a sleeve and like a grind pad, which is something that like some people use, like, you know, like CIS women you'll generally use to like grind up against. So we kind of invented something that was halfway between that, me and my designer.
Conan O'Brien
And then when it's. When it's ready for market. How do you get the word out?
Sam
So one of the things like. So our toys are Cryptid themed. So they're. They're basically like fantasy toys themed. So that was like what my old business did. So I kind of just kept going with that. But mine are cryptid based, so.
Matt Gourley
Meaning, like monsters and stuff like that?
Sam
Yeah, so they're based on like, monsters and, you know, folklore. We have like a Mothman, we have Minotaur. You know, we've got the Jersey Devil. You know, we're trying to come up with more stuff.
Matt Gourley
What's the Mothman one like?
Conan O'Brien
I think you have a customer.
Sam
I'm going to show you. Yeah, so this is our Mothman.
Conan O'Brien
Oh, wait a minute.
Sam
Yeah, so this is our. Yeah, this is our medium. No, we have two sizes.
Conan O'Brien
That's a medium.
Matt Gourley
What's the big deal?
Sam
And two sizes bigger, but yeah, and then these are all made of platinum, pure medical grade silicone. So these are not like the toys that you just buy, like, you know, online that are just made of unknown materials, you know.
Conan O'Brien
Right, right. You want to make sure you're using medical grade safe.
Sam
Yeah, yeah. So, yeah, we, you know, that. And then we, and then we make these. We. We can fake. I. I like one of the cool things that I can do is I can fade the silicone to.
Matt Gourley
Yeah.
Sam
Like, this is. This is. You start with one. It's one bucket, and you fade all the way down to a different color. So it's. It's fun. I mean, like, I have a background in art, too, so that's. Oh, that helps.
Sona Movsesian
It is beautiful.
Sam
Art and comedy. So, I mean, you have to have.
Conan O'Brien
A. Oh, you do comedy as well?
Sam
Yeah. So, you know, all throughout high school, I did improv and theater and all of that. And then when I got out of high school, I was like, man, I really miss this. So I ended up starting a. We go to furry conventions, which is another way that we market. Because there's a big market for, like.
Conan O'Brien
For anyone who's listening, who doesn't know, including me. Exactly. The fur. What is the furry world is.
Sam
So the furry fandom is just like a group of people that enjoy anthropomorphic animals. So we're talking stuff like, you know, as, you know, like. Like. Like Bugs Bunny all the way up to, like, Zootopia.
Conan O'Brien
Sure.
Sam
Things like that. People just enjoy that. And for the most part, it's, you know, it's. It's very. Just like family friendly. But there is a, like, a not safe for work kind of side of the fandom.
Conan O'Brien
There's a not safe for work echelon version of everything of every fandom.
Matt Gourley
Yeah.
Conan O'Brien
Including probably Team Coco.
Matt Gourley
His work is not.
Sam
Well, I did hear those. Someone was reading those fan. I think it was Sona had the fan fictions that.
Conan O'Brien
Yes. Yeah. No, no. There's that echelon of. In every world, you can't go if you're a geologist. There's a not safe for work fandom.
Sam
Oh, yeah. 100%. And the same goes for, like, the cryptozoology stuff. And that's why there's like a whole monster lover community. Things like. But when I do comedy.
Conan O'Brien
Cause you have all these different worlds that you're exploring or that you're part of. And you said that you're also in the comedy world, but in the furry world as well. So do those crossover. Do you do comedy in the furry.
Sam
At furry conventions?
Conan O'Brien
At furry conventions, yeah.
Sam
So I really missed doing. I really miss doing improv specifically. So one year I asked a convention if I could host like an improv panel. And we just called it who's Lying? So it was like an animal pun on Whose Line is It Anyway?
Conan O'Brien
I don't know why, but I think that's a very marketable idea. Who's Lying. It's really funny.
Sam
It was.
Conan O'Brien
I like that.
Sam
And we ended up. Our first show had, like, 60 people. And, like, what we ended up doing was we just kind of let the audience come up and participate. Like, I would, you know, work and play the games. I was just basically like, run. Like, hey, we're playing this game now. And, you know, we've had, like, up to 500 people at one show. I mean, obviously, not everybody can participate at that point when there's, like, that many people. But we do try to get as many people up as possible to play in these games so we can just share and they're.
Conan O'Brien
Everyone's dressed as animals.
Sam
Not everybody. So I would say, like, 10% of a furry convention actually, like, actually has, like, costumes. But then these are just people who are. You know, we're coming to hang out and we have, like, a common interest, and they, you know, they want to come up on stage and, you know, have a good time. And some of them are in suit. Like, I've done it in suit. Like, when we do a charity version of who's Lying? I'll generally be in my fursuit.
Conan O'Brien
And what's your fursuit?
Sam
So my fursuit's an African wild dog. I've had, like, a bunch of different fur suits throughout the years, but my current one is an African wild dog.
Conan O'Brien
So you're on stage doing comedy dressed as an African wild dog?
Sam
Yes.
Conan O'Brien
Okay. There's so many. I mean, my mind is expanding in so many amazing ways.
Matt Gourley
I'm still on that Mothman schlong.
Conan O'Brien
Yeah.
Sam
The Mosh Man Shlong.
Conan O'Brien
This episode of Conan O'Brien needs a friend is brought to you by McDonald's, an up and coming concern. It's a new restaurant, I suppose. So many tiny but special moments that McDonald's makes possible. This is, in my opinion, like, when you think you're out of fries, then you discover one at the bottom. Wow. I love that feeling. Oh, that feels good. Sometimes I find one in the seat cushion.
Sona Movsesian
Oh, that's weird.
Conan O'Brien
Nope. Like that, too.
Sona Movsesian
Okay.
Conan O'Brien
That's how good the fry is. I'll eat it that way, too. And waiting for the perfect moment to ask a friend for One of their McNuggets is always thrilling. I always get a no, you've never given me a McNugget Sona.
Sona Movsesian
I never will.
Conan O'Brien
And of course, when you're at McDonald's and you spot your fries being scooped into the carton, man, time just slows down. Beautiful. Yeah. Isn't that a great thing, art? Yes. It defies the laws of physics. Get your favorite McDonald's meal today. Do it. The all new Nissan Armada Pro 4X is an unshakable fortress, powered by a twin turbo V6 engine, ready to propel your adventures to new heights.
Sona Movsesian
Yeah, your voice changes when you do a car.
Conan O'Brien
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That's crazy.
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Sona Movsesian
Yeah, it is.
Conan O'Brien
You know what I like about wintertime? I'm going to tell you anyway. I like sitting around with my pals, my good buddies, my posse. And I like cracking open a cold one. You know, whether it's a holiday gathering, office parties or a fireside conversation. Football Sundays. Oh, I love football Sundays with the gang.
Sam
Sure.
Sona Movsesian
Dude, you're such a jock.
Conan O'Brien
I am a jock. The old jockaroo they used to call me. Winter means more moments with the coolest people in your life. It really does. And making these moments even better with Miller Light. The great tasting light beer for people who love beer. If you like love beer, it's gotta be Miller Lite.
Sona Movsesian
You gotta do that one.
Conan O'Brien
I'll tell you why I like Miller Lite. It's brewed for taste, okay. It hits different than the other light beers. It's made with simple ingredients. Let me list em for you. Oh. Malted barley for rich balanced toffee note flavors and the iconic golden color, you know, And I like that it's 96 calories and I actually wanted to know how many carbs it was, so I did this myself in a lab.
Sona Movsesian
Oh.
Conan O'Brien
It's 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.
Sona Movsesian
Oh, that's interesting.
Conan O'Brien
Yeah.
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How did you do that?
Conan O'Brien
It's take. It's very complicated. I Can't describe it all to you now, Sonny. You'd never understand. But it involves.
Sona Movsesian
All right.
Conan O'Brien
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Sona Movsesian
Yeah, you are. I've been trying to get rid of you for years.
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Sona Movsesian
Yeah, I will.
Conan O'Brien
I'm so toxic on it.
Matt Gourley
You just had that ready to go. That was right off camera.
Conan O'Brien
Yeah.
Matt Gourley
What else do you do?
Sam
I have a ton right off camera.
Matt Gourley
Do a parade.
Sam
Come on, let's do a parade. So, first of all, remember I talked about, like, the grindable.
Matt Gourley
Whoa.
Sam
So this is like, our invention. We actually have the provisional patent on these. We have two of them. Oh, we have the serpent interface.
Conan O'Brien
That must have been a fun day at the patent office. I can just picturing a really nerdy guy and tell me what you have. I have these. Me.
Sam
Well, thankfully, my business lawyer is a patent lawyer. And he's just like. He's so cool about it. He's like, whatever. And then, you know, another thing that we did was we actually ended up scaling it up.
Conan O'Brien
Oh.
Sam
So. So CIS men could use it as, like a masturbatory.
Matt Gourley
Wait, is that just friction based or you. Is it electronic?
Sam
No, you. So you do. Yeah, it's all silicone.
Conan O'Brien
I've never seen you this involved in the engineering of anything.
Sam
Yeah, you use it like you would a flashlight.
Conan O'Brien
Yeah.
Sona Movsesian
Fleshlight.
Sam
And it's all textured on the inside and everything.
Sona Movsesian
Like, it's like a tube that you.
Matt Gourley
Stick your dick into flashlight that you.
Sona Movsesian
Yeah. So you fly you a flashlight.
Sam
Yeah.
Conan O'Brien
Oh.
Sona Movsesian
But it's like.
Conan O'Brien
Yeah.
Sona Movsesian
Inside is not like a.
Conan O'Brien
That's what a paper towel tube is for. My wife's always like, where's the tube? Why isn't paper towels just everywhere?
Sam
That lasts a little bit longer than that, though.
Conan O'Brien
I can make them last. You just gotta shellack them first and bake them in the sun. God, my wife. Why. Why are all these towels just all over the place? Oh, God. Sorry, dear. I was fashioning a Fleshlight.
Sona Movsesian
Oh, my God.
Patrick Adams
Wow.
Conan O'Brien
My marriage is over. Now you're gonna see me walking alone down the highway with a suitcase and a paper towel. No, no, no. You open the suitcase and 15p paper towel holders fall out. Oh, my God. This thing is broken. This thing is broken. So, all right. I'm picturing you doing improv or stand up on stage dressed as an African wild dog. That must be a little challenging because it's hard enough to do improv, but when you're dressed as a furry animal, that's gotta be really challenging.
Sam
Yeah, I mean, like, we have microphones on stage. So one of the funny things about it is that, like, when you do have, like, a fursuit and you are on stage, and especially, like, even if it's like a smaller crowd, like, we still have to get the microphones on the. On the fursuiters. Yep. You know, normally I have no problem projecting, but even in suit, like, I have issues with it. So you have to, like, put the microphone, like, all the way in the fursuit mouth, so it's up against your mouth in the head. So it kind of just like looks like you're, well, deep throating a microphone when you're doing that. But.
Conan O'Brien
Well, I'd hate for something untoward to happen.
Sam
Yeah, so. But, yeah, no, we always have, like, a really good time.
Conan O'Brien
I love how delicate you were about. Oh, and it's. I don't know how else to say this. You just showed us nine different products that would get me arrested in any airport.
Matt Gourley
I just saw a purple spiked clam that was a sex toy.
Sam
Yeah, well, I mean, like, I go through the airports all the time with these in my carry on.
Conan O'Brien
Right.
Sam
Well, they don't, because I want to have. I want to make sure that they don't get lost because we've had, like. Because we go to conventions to sell, and I've had, like, packages get lost. Like, there's In. In. In. In Boston specifically, there are two boxes of my toys that just never showed up to a convention in Boston that we were at, because those are just somewhere. Yeah, no, they got delivered to the hotel, and someone signed for them, but nobody could find them.
Conan O'Brien
Right.
Sam
So I don't know where they are. They knew what they had, so now we put air tags in all of our boxes.
Conan O'Brien
They probably think they're staplers or something. Exotic staplers. Kachinka. Kachinka. Kachinka.
Matt Gourley
Hey, I got this new paperweight. Yeah, you mean the moth.
Conan O'Brien
I have a paperweight, and look, I have a stapler that looks like.
Sam
As.
Conan O'Brien
You would call it, a clam.
Sam
Yes, a clam.
Conan O'Brien
Listen, I. You've expanded my mind in wonderful ways, and this is an impressive. This is an impressive business that you've got going here. Thank you.
Sam
It means a lot.
Conan O'Brien
Do you have a factory? Where is that? Where's the actual production done?
Sam
So it's done right here at my house. My entire basement is finished. And, like, it's a finished basement that we've, like, completely set up to do. All the. We have. We have seven 3D printers. Wow. We have. We have a couple of vacuum chambers, you know, because we have to take all the air out of the silicone before we pour it so there's no bubbles in the toy. And. Yeah, we just do everything here, like, just locally, you know, And I get all my stuff, and there's no, like.
Conan O'Brien
I mean, I'm thinking there's chemicals then in your basement. You would hate there for there to be. There's never could be an explosion or anything because you don't want these things raining down in the neighborhood. Look out.
Sona Movsesian
Put up your umbrellas like a meth lab.
Conan O'Brien
We do have a kablam, and I'm just picturing them coming down like missiles.
Sam
All the dildos just raining from the sky.
Conan O'Brien
But no, there's someone looks up and goes, oh, no. Gloop. Out of control. This is an out of control interview. I blame you, Sam. This is your fault, you know, you took a very serious sober podcast and it's become.
Sam
Oh yeah, uh huh.
Sona Movsesian
Very serious. We're a very dramatic serious podcast.
Conan O'Brien
Did Sam have a question?
Matt Gourley
Do you have a question, Sam?
Sam
Yeah. So one of the things that I always wondered is, do you ever wish that they still made the O Taco at Taco Bell?
Conan O'Brien
Oh, oh, that's right. I didn't. I think I did a remote once. Did I do a remote once?
Sam
Yeah, you did a remote. It's one of my favorites.
Conan O'Brien
And it's. I went with. Who did I have?
Sona Movsesian
Hayes.
Conan O'Brien
I went with. Yeah, I went with Chris Hayes. Yeah, that was a fun remote.
Sona Movsesian
Yeah, it was.
Conan O'Brien
I have to say, and I'm not. We are not sponsored by Taco Bell or anything, but man, that was delicious.
Matt Gourley
What was in it?
Conan O'Brien
Do you remember? I'm trying to remember. It was delicious.
Sam
It was like corned beef hash potatoes.
Matt Gourley
Yeah.
Sam
And then I believe you dumped it. You dumped a Guinness on it.
Conan O'Brien
Yes. Well, you can't go wrong dumping a Guinness on anything. But yes, I remember Taco Bell, they asked me to design something and so I went all Irish on them and I think I had one bite and then had a massive heart attack.
Sona Movsesian
Yeah, I'm shocked. It's not like in every Taco Bell.
Conan O'Brien
I guess Taco Bell decided not to go wide with it. But if you're ever at the Dublin Taco Bell, it's their biggest seller, the O Taco.
Sam
But yeah, like ever since then, anytime I can get potatoes and tacos, like, there's like a couple places, I mean, like, Taco Bell does do that, but like, there's like other places that like sell mashed potatoes and tacos and stuff like that. I always have to get it because I always think of the.
Conan O'Brien
Well, they rip me off, man. They rip me off. You've got to make sure no one's ripping you off too. Hey, that's a good question because I'm sure it sounds like you're onto a market. There might be people out there that are like, hey, wait a minute, I'm glad you got the patents. That's the important thing. Especially on the moth.
Sam
Yeah, for the, for that one. Yeah, especially. Yeah, yeah, it's still, yeah, it's still provisional patents. So it's, you know, rest assured that's sitting on some government office somewhere waiting to get approved.
Conan O'Brien
So it's right on their Desk.
Sam
Yeah, it's right in there. Yeah.
Conan O'Brien
Sam, it was very cool talking to you. You're very funny and best of luck with your business. And we're very lucky to have you as a fan.
Sam
Yeah, I'm lucky to have you guys to listen to because you guys are always on when I'm working on stuff. So I say always save the podcast for when I have, like, you know, days to. To get through orders.
Sona Movsesian
So inspire the dildos.
Conan O'Brien
We do.
Sona Movsesian
Yeah, you do.
Matt Gourley
There's a little bit of us in that thing.
Sam
Yes, in every single toy. And then my. My one partner wanted me to show you this. He made a team. Cocoa colored.
Conan O'Brien
Look at that.
Sam
This is a biomech.
Conan O'Brien
Actually, that's exactly what mine looks like.
Sam
Oh, my God.
Conan O'Brien
Well, I'm sorry, but I was in an industrial accident when I was 9. I was in a pumpkin patch. That expl. All right, Sam, we're gonna take off, but thank you so much. Take care.
Sam
Yeah, it was nice meeting you all.
Conan O'Brien
Really cool meeting you, Sam. Bye bye.
Sam
Bye bye.
Matt Gourley
Conan O'Brien needs a fan with Conan O'Brien Sonam of Session and Matt Gourley produced by me, Matt Gourley executive produced by Adam Sachs, Jeff Ross and Nick Leow Incidental music by Jimmy Vivino Take it away, Jimmy. Supervisor producer Aaron Blair Associate talent producer Jennifer Samples Associate producers Sean Doherty and Lisa Berm Engineering by eduardo Perez get three free months of SiriusXM when you sign up@siriusxm.com Conan Please rate, review and subscribe to Conan O'Brien needs a fan Wherever fine podcasts are down.
Sarah Rafferty
Hi, my name is Patrick Adams. You may know me as Mike Ross on the TV series Suits.
Patrick Adams
And I'm Sarah Rafferty and I play Donna Paulson on Suits.
Sarah Rafferty
And we have a podcast called Sidebar where every week we watch and discuss an episode of the show.
Patrick Adams
Because here's the thing, neither of us have really watched it.
Sarah Rafferty
That's true. At least until now.
Patrick Adams
So we're going to cover all nine.
Sarah Rafferty
Seasons, share behind the scenes stories, and.
Patrick Adams
Talk to our co stars and friends like Gina Torres and Aaron Korsh.
Sarah Rafferty
So look, if you love Suits Amazing, this podcast is for you.
Patrick Adams
And if you've never watched Suits, also Amazing, you can join us and we'll watch it together.
Sarah Rafferty
I think we're gonna have a lot of fun.
Patrick Adams
Listen to sidebar wherever you get your.
Sarah Rafferty
Podcasts and don't forget to follow the show so you never miss an episode.
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Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend – Episode: "The Mothman Cometh"
Release Date: February 13, 2025
Host: Conan O’Brien
Guest: Sam (Entrepreneur and Trans Man)
Produced by: Team Coco & Earwolf
In the episode titled "The Mothman Cometh," Conan O’Brien welcomes Sam, a Chicago-based entrepreneur and trans man, to discuss his unique journey and innovative business in the adult toy industry. The conversation delves into Sam’s personal experiences, the inception and growth of his business, and the intersection of his interests in comedy and the furry fandom.
Sam begins by sharing his personal story, highlighting his transition from female to male at the age of 33. As he approaches his 39th birthday, Sam reflects on the positive aspects of transitioning later in life, including the youthful appearance it affords.
Sam [03:09]: "Which means that I started life as a girl, and when I was 33, I transitioned to being a guy."
Conan O’Brien [03:17]: "You look fantastic, by the way. I was gonna say you look like you're 22 years old."
Sam acknowledges the challenges and perks of transitioning, emphasizing how it has influenced his entrepreneurial ventures and personal identity.
Sam discusses his business, which specializes in creating adult toys designed to accommodate a variety of body types, including those of transgender individuals. He identifies a gap in the market for products that cater specifically to trans anatomy, leading him to innovate and develop unique solutions.
Sam [04:34]: "And we can fake...This is our Mothman...These are all made of platinum, pure medical grade silicone."
Sam elaborates on the meticulous process involved in designing and producing his products, which include the use of medical-grade silicone and innovative textures to enhance user experience.
A significant portion of the discussion centers around Sam's creative process and product innovations. He highlights the development of the "grindable," a hybrid between a sleeve and a grind pad, tailored to diverse anatomical needs.
Sam [05:37]: "And that's why there's like a whole monster lover community...we came up with what's called a grindable, which is like halfway between a sleeve and like a grind pad."
Sam emphasizes the importance of research and patenting to protect his unique product designs, ensuring exclusivity in the market.
Sam integrates his passion for cryptozoology and the furry fandom into his marketing strategy, creating cryptid-themed adult toys inspired by legendary creatures like the Mothman, Minotaur, and Jersey Devil.
Sam [06:44]: "So our toys are Cryptid themed...like monsters and stuff like that?"
This thematic approach not only differentiates his products but also taps into niche markets, fostering a dedicated customer base within the furry community. Sam shares his experiences hosting improv panels at furry conventions, blending his comedy background with his entrepreneurial endeavors.
Sam [09:47]: "At furry conventions, yeah...we just kind of let the audience come up and participate."
His active participation in these communities enhances brand visibility and engagement, showcasing the versatility of his products.
Sam candidly discusses the challenges involved in product development, including the lengthy design process and the technical intricacies of manufacturing adult toys.
Sam [04:54]: "One of our toys took like four years to finally design, so it would be combat compatible."
He also touches on logistical hurdles such as shipping and inventory management, revealing the practical side of running a specialized business.
Sam [20:05]: "We've had, like, packages get lost...So now we put air tags in all of our boxes."
Sam’s commitment to quality and customer satisfaction is evident in his detailed approach to production and distribution.
Throughout the episode, Conan and Sam engage in humorous exchanges that add levity to the conversation. From playful remarks about product designs to jokes about navigating the complexities of business and personal life, their chemistry brings a light-hearted tone to the discussion.
Conan O’Brien [18:06]: "I can make them last. You just gotta shellack them first and bake them in the sun."
Sam [16:54]: "Yes, a clam."
These moments of humor not only entertain but also humanize the entrepreneurial journey, making the episode relatable and enjoyable.
As the episode wraps up, Conan commends Sam for his innovative spirit and the impressive scope of his business. Sam expresses gratitude for being a fan and highlights how the podcast serves as a source of motivation during busy periods.
Conan O’Brien [24:37]: "Sam, it was very cool talking to you. You're very funny and best of luck with your business. And we're very lucky to have you as a fan."
The conversation concludes on a positive note, celebrating the intersection of creativity, entrepreneurship, and personal authenticity.
Innovation in Niche Markets: Sam identified a specific need within the adult toy industry, particularly for products catering to transgender individuals, and developed unique solutions to address this gap.
Integration of Personal Interests: By incorporating themes from cryptozoology and the furry fandom, Sam effectively bridges his personal passions with his business, creating a distinctive brand identity.
Challenges of Entrepreneurship: The episode sheds light on the complexities of product development, patenting, and logistical management in a specialized market.
Humor and Authenticity: Conan and Sam's engaging and humorous dialogue underscores the importance of authenticity and relatability in building meaningful connections, both personally and professionally.
Sam [03:09]: "Which means that I started life as a girl, and when I was 33, I transitioned to being a guy."
Conan O’Brien [04:16]: "And tell us, so how old are you now? How long ago did you transition?"
Sam [05:37]: "And that's why there's like a whole monster lover community...we came up with what's called a grindable."
Sam [06:44]: "So our toys are Cryptid themed...like monsters and stuff like that?"
Conan O’Brien [18:06]: "I can make them last. You just gotta shellack them first and bake them in the sun."
Conan O’Brien [24:37]: "Sam, it was very cool talking to you. You're very funny and best of luck with your business. And we're very lucky to have you as a fan."
This episode of Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend offers a fascinating glimpse into the entrepreneurial spirit of Sam, his dedication to creating inclusive and innovative products, and the seamless blending of personal passions with professional endeavors. Through engaging conversation and shared humor, listeners gain insight into the challenges and triumphs of building a unique business in a niche market.