Pure Romance, the Cincinnati, Ohio-based direct seller of relationship-enhancement products, reported a 24 percent increase in sales for 2016. The company had $203 million in sales for the past year, up $39 million from 2015.
Pure Romance markets its products, ranging from accessories to beauty products, through a network of more than 30,000 Consultants at in-home parties in six markets: United States, South Africa, Canada, Puerto Rico, New Zealand and Australia.
Patty Brisben founded the party-plan company in 1993. Inspired by a segment on The Phil Donahue Show, she had joined a direct selling company in 1983. Ten years later she launched Pure Romance from the basement of her suburban Cincinnati home.
In 2000, Brisben’s son, Chris Cicchinelli, joined Pure Romance as CEO and President. Later, in 2010, the company began its international expansion, launching operations in Puerto Rico, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa. Not long after, a growth capital investment by private equity firm Craig Capital Corporation enabled Pure Romance to acquire smaller competitors.
Pure Romance focuses on several health education ventures. In 2005, Brisben established the Patty Brisben Foundation for Women’s Sexual Health. To date, the non-profit organization has raised $3 million to support funding for clinical research and education for women’s sexual health.
