about us

our story

The number one question CEO Carrie Charlick and President Marcia Negro get asked while introducing Essential Bodywear to a new customer is, "How did you get started in this business?"

The idea generated in January of 2003 while at a national convention. Unfortunately, the show was much less successful than anticipated. Fortunately, this slow convention provided the platform for almost a week of people watching. While people watching, they noticed something interesting: how many women at the convention were dressed in stylish clothes, fantastic makeup, sassy haircuts….and lackluster undergarments.

And they began to ask why.

What they discovered was that most women found buying undergarments to be stressful and not enjoyable.

And they began to ask how they could change that.

A revolutionary thought took shape - to make shopping for undergarments fun!

And they began to ask how to make it fun.

They remembered how much fun they had when they got together with their friends at home parties. They felt a home setting would be a perfect blend of information, compassion, and fun. Women responded immediately and with such enthusiasm that they knew instantly they had a fit.

This led to the incorporation of Essential Bodywear, llc in July, 2003. Carrie and Marcia each contributed $250 to begin the business and each took a portion of the business to their homes to develop. Shipping was conducted out of the basement of Carrie's house and the business was conducted out of Marcia's home office.

That arrangement continued until October 2004 when EBW moved to the office space and warehouse it occupies today. Today, EBW has nearly 300 EBW Representatives in 34 states and 12 Home Office Employees. It continues to be a time of dramatic growth and development with EBW!