Williamsburg Adventures With the Twin Sisters Behind Thinx and Daybreaker

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Even if you don't yet know Miki and Radha Agrawal by name (emphasis on that "yet") chances are you know their projects — do Thinx, the company that makes "period-proof underwear" (and controversial marketing campaigns) or Daybreaker, the organizers of early-morning sober raves, ring a bell? The twin sisters are looking to change the world at an enthusiastic pace with initiatives like these.

The Agrawals are responsible for a wide range of wellbeing-focused companies and concepts that also include Williamsburg restaurant Wild and healthy eating initiative Super Sprowtz, as well as Miki's upcoming Tushy and Icon undie lines. And they're not slowing down any time soon, either.

It would seem that the Canadian-born Agrawal sisters might have figured out how to add more hours to the day to get this all done, but it became clear over an afternoon of shopping and chatting at their favorite Williamsburg spots that the secret is that none of it feels like work to them. We don't know what was better: enjoying their insider tour of the neighborhood, or experiencing the contagious joy these two have about everything about entrepreneurship, activism, and especially each other.

WILLIAMSBURG BRIDGE

"We love riding our bicycles over the Williamsburg Bridge or walking home from Manhattan," Radha says. "It's such a peaceful experience having the breeze in our hair as we ride or walk."

The sisters are lifelong athletes and attribute large parts of their current success and strong bond to playing sports growing up."Being athletes [helped] teach us so many lessons about discipline, hard work, stamina, and how to pick ourselves up quickly if we lost a game and fight through," Miki says.

It's easy to see how that discipline and stamina, coupled with some intense creativity, led the sisters down an entrepreneurial path with the kinds of ideas that are too big and exciting to not start on your own. "I think neither of us are employable," Miki says. "We always wanted to create our own realities. Steve Jobs said it best, that once you realize that society was created by people no different than you or me, everything changes."

WILD: 340 BEDFORD AVENUE

After an invigorating stroll, we're ready to dig in to something delicious. Luckily, we're close to their restaurant Wild, where we can refuel in a way that feels decadent but is totally fresh and healthy. Miki initially had the idea for the restaurant in 2004, she explains over our shared spread of gluten-free nachos, a bright and refreshing salad with fennel and parmigiano, and a vegan barbecue chicken pizza, and it unintentionally turned out to be a big break for both sisters.

Miki had the concept for a "healthy, farm-to-table, gluten-free, organic pizza place back when nobody was talking about organic, gluten-free, and farm-to-table; the $32 billion pizza industry was stuffing its crusts with more cheese and adding more pepperoni. I opened in 2005 without any experience and made every rookie mistake ever in the beginning. I ran it for seven years until I found the perfect operating partner and then was able to take a more creative role at the restaurant and move into starting and growing Thinx."

When Radha came in to help and noticed that kids didn't order vegetables on their pizzas, she got the idea for Super Sprowtz. She began creating stories, music videos, and puppets, for the healthy eating initiative for five years, launching salad bar programs in schools nationwide and collaborating with Michelle Obama on her Let's Move! campaign along the way.

Eating pure, delicious food in the stylish and welcoming space that's the creation of the sisters sitting across the table from us — having a blast and effortlessly spouting wisdom in both business and life — we have to wonder: how do these two work together so well? A lot of siblings would end up in a screaming match if they tried to collaborate so closely. But Miki and Radha just vibe.

"Miki and I, when we are in flow state, are the best of partners," Radha says. "When I'm dreaming, creating, ideating, designing, and knocking new ideas back and forth, there's no one I would rather be in a room with than Miki. We are unstoppable together."

Along with a seemingly infinite fountain of ideas and the energy to pursue them, that effortless partnership also empowers the Agrawals to wear so many business hats. Radha is known largely for Daybreaker and Miki for Thinx, but Radha points out that they've invested together in 13 start-ups so far, including DJing together as Me2Me2, traveling for speaking engagements, and writing books. "Because everything I do is so interconnected, I'm never juggling. I'm always integrating," she says.

MOTIF LOVER: 240 KENT AVENUE

Full and happy from our meal, we all agree it's time to do some shopping damage. Luckily, Miki and Radha know just the place. "Terresa is everything," Radha gushes of the Motif Lover owner (center in the above photo). "If you want anything vibrant or different, Motif Lover is your jam. I call her my personal shopper since I leave with at least five things whenever I go into her store, and they're all super-reasonably priced — $50 to $150 for most things."

Motif Lover is the stuff of your playing-dress-up dreams, a relaxed spot where you feel free to play with unicorn clutches and try on mesh cat ears, but will also leave with new wardrobe treasures like an easy lace maxi or an iridescent cropped top.

With creative juices flowing as we play with different looks, we get to talking about some of Radha and Miki's biggest ideas. "My co-founder Matt [Brimer] and I were commiserating over falafel about how nightlife had become dark and overrun by drugs, alcohol, and digital divides," Radha recalls about Daybreaker's beginnings. "We wanted to dance our faces off in a positive, happy environment with our friends and a like-minded community."

Daybreaker has really hit the ground running (or dancing, rather) with a rapidly growing fan base. More than a recurring calendar marker, it's starting a whole new lifestyle trend, and Radha's goal is turn that into a global brand and community. "I can't tell you how many people have come up to me after Daybreaker to share that they have never danced sober before or come to a party alone and felt totally safe."

Equal safety, happiness, positivity and health are the overall themes that bring Miki, Radha, and all of their endeavors together. While Thinx might seem like a totally different project than Daybreaker, it still has that Agrawal spirit behind it.

"I think the overarching goal [of Thinx] is to eliminate shame from the period conversation and to provide a healthy, sustainable, comfortable, beautiful way to manage periods of any menstruating humans — inclusive of the trans community — without the dangers of TSS or embarrassing leaks and stains and interruption of our days," Miki says.

"We also want to bring light to the major issues that girls are facing in the developing world, [when they're] missing a week of school when they have their periods," she continues. "We want every single girl to have the same opportunities as their male counterparts."

LANDMARK BICYCLES: 376 BEDFORD AVENUE

As we keep talking business and global outreach, Miki and Radha lead us from Motif Lovers to another one of their favorite stores, Landmark Bicycles. The twins love not only the crazy selection of bikes here, from the sporty to the adorable, but also the very friendly and knowledgeable staff that can provide repairs and parts if you already have a bike of your own.

"Radha and I both love everything on two wheels. Whether it's bicycles [or] scooters, it's the only way to get around. I have been riding my bike around for the past 15 years in NYC. Riding from one restaurant to another, riding to my Thinx office, it's always kept me strong and healthy."

As we try a few on for size and discuss the best bikes for different adventures, the conversation moves to a different kind of adventure: travel. Miki and Radha are serious globetrotters, so we had to ask them what they think the ultimate vacation is.

"One I just had," Radha said. "I took my boyfriend Eli up the West Coast from LA to Big Sur for his birthday in a red convertible — we were super into the corniness of it — and had a beautiful, intimate drive connecting with each other, dancing on the beach and staying at little B&B's."

And for Miki? "Maybe not my ultimate favorite, but the most warm and fuzzy vacation I've had was Nicaragua with all of our friends at Maderas Village. The Maldives was pretty insane, too. And traveling in India with my family. Now, I'm excited for a trip with my love to Portugal."

With all of that jetsetting, we want to know what makes Williamsburg feel like home — aside from all of these great activities, shops and restaurants, of course. "My sister and brother-in-law live down the street, all my friends are within walking distance, I have a huge park right across the street, the buildings in Williamsburg aren't so tall so it feels like a real neighborhood, the deli guy is awesome, the style and vibes are relaxed and fun," Radha quickly lists.

"And almost every social entrepreneur I know lives in Brooklyn," she adds. "I love it."