Damsel in Defense was founded in 2011 by Mindy Lin and Bethany Hughes to provide non-lethal self-defense products to empower women. Their product line includes stun guns and pepper sprays. They have experienced rapid growth, reaching $1.7 million in annual sales by the end of 2012. Lin and Hughes were recently named the 2013 National Association of Women Business Owners Up & Coming Business Woman of the Year for creating a company with a mission of educating and protecting women.

1. 2013
Media Kit

2. Our Mission
Damsel in Defense®
is about Equipping,
Empowering and
Educating women
to protect themselves.
Co-founders Mindy Lin & Bethany Hughes
damselindefense.net

3. about
Damsel In Defense was founded in September of 2011 by two Idaho women with a passion for
safety. Being moms, non-lethal defense was their main objective. Moms will do anything to
protect themselves and their kids, but guns were not an option in their homes. If there were
other options made available that were just as effective in disabling an attacker and non-lethal
they wanted them.
Looking at the US National Statistics of crimes against women these friends knew they needed
to make them available to their friends and other safety conscious women as well. Appreciating
safety just as much as a great accessory, they set out and formed a line of safe and sassy products
that women could feel fashionable carrying, as well as empowered.
These products quickly received an overwhelming response in Idaho, but being busy moms of
little ones they knew that they could not get this necessary product to the rest of the country on
their own. In October of 2011, Damsel in Defense signed up their first Independent Damsel Pro.
growth
co-founded
9/13/11
1st show
9/29/11
signed 1st rep
10/23/11
500 pros
within 6 months
1,000 pros
within 1 year
2,000 pros in less
than 18 months
damselindefense.net

4. products
Stun Guns
Stun guns use high voltage and low amperage to temporarily stun an attacker. The energy stored in
the stun gun is released into the attacker’s muscles causing the muscle group in that area to do a great
deal of work rapidly. When the attacker’s neuromuscular system is overwhelmed and controlled by the
voltage, he loses his balance. Should the attacker be touching you, the current will NOT pass to your
body! Damsel in Defense stun guns are fantastic deterrents. The intimidating spark and sound of our
stun guns will make any potential attacker think twice.
Pepper Sprays
Pepper spray enables you to defend yourself while keeping a safe distance from an attacker. A single
second burst to the face will cause temporary blindness, choking, coughing, and nausea; bringing the
attacker to his knees. At 18% OC and two million scoville heat units, Damsel in Defense pepper spray is
one of the hottest on the market! The potency of this spray enables it to bring down the most aggressive
of assailants; even those under the influence of drugs or alcohol. All of our pepper sprays feature a UV
identifying dye, quick-release/one-hand operation, and a water-based formula that is non-toxic and
non-flammable. They cause no permanent injury and have safety features to prevent accidental discharge.
damselindefense.net

5. products
Security on the Go
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IN
DEFENSE
damselindefense.net

6. our executives
Jimmy Lin - CPA
Mindy Lin - CMO/Co-founder Johnna Johnson - V.P. of Field Development
Bethany Hughes - COO/Co-founder Chris Hughes - CEO
Contact: Mindy Lin | 208-288-2989 | mindy@damselindefense.net for questions
1 in 5
women will be
sexually assaulted in
their lifetimes.
Every 2 minutes
someone in the US
is sexually assaulted.
College age women are
4 times more likely
to be assaulted.
1 aggravated assault
occurs every
35 seconds.
damselindefense.net

7. in the news
click the images below to view the news clips
damselindefense.net

8. recognition
Co-founders of Damsel in Defense Named NAWBO’s
Business Woman of the Year.
Business: The co-founders of a Meridian, Idaho-based direct-selling
company, Damsel in Defense, have been named the 2013 National
Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Business Woman
of the Year Up & Coming Winners. The nominees, Mindy Lin and
Bethany Hughes, founded Damsel in Defense in September of 2011 to
help equip, empower and educate women about personal protection.
The nominees were named as winners at the 2013 NAWBO Gala on
Saturday, May 5.
The mission of Damsel in Defense is extremely personal to Mindy Lin
and Bethany Hughes.
“1 in 5 women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetimes.
College age women are 4 times more likely to be assaulted.
Every 2 minutes someone in the US is sexually assaulted.
One aggravated assault occurs every 35 seconds.”
Recognizing the staggering US National Statistics of crimes against
women, these friends knew they needed to create and offer solutions
to their friends and other safety-conscious women as well.
Appreciating safety, just as much as a great accessory, they set out
and formed a line of safe and sassy personal protection products that
women could feel fashionable carrying, but more importantly, feel
empowered to protect themselves and their children.
Lin and Hughes have a heart and purpose bigger than themselves.
The duo created a Choice Charity
program to be able to give generously to multiple charitable donations monthly. Damsel in Defense holds a monthly Choice Charity
nomination on their corporate Facebook page. Each month, Damsel
in Defense asks for their Facebook “likers” to nominate one charity
that Damsel in Defense will donate to. To date, Damsel in Defense
has donated thousands of dollars to: Wipe Every Tear; Women’s &
Children’s Alliance (WCA); Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network
(RAINN); Cancer.org and Children’s Hope Residential
Services Inc, Restore Innocence and Project Night Light.
Damsel in Defense celebrated a fiscal year end (December 31, 2012)
of $1.7 million in sales along with the largest month of sales for the
2012 fiscal year at $286k in April. On pace with the company’s rapid
growth they saw a 158% increase and surpassed their 2012 record
with a record breaking $451k in March of this year and closed out
their first quarter at $1.1 million in sales. In order to accommodate
their rapidly-growing company (including staff that has tripled in
size), Damsel also moved into their second location in 2012 and
recently doubled their footprint at their Meridian, Idaho location.
damselindefense.net