Panelists included Michael Klein of Hustlet, Brad Estes of Video Secrets, Steve Jones of Lightspeed, Mike Price of SilverCash, Tim Valenti of NakedSword and Brad Shaw of JustBlowMe. The seminar was moderated by Lightspeed Bob.
Bob asked a series of refreshingly direct questions, many of which spurred some lively debate and a few equally refreshing responses.
The first question was not particularly controversial but it was direct. “How do you make most of your money and where are you going to invest your profits,” Bob asked.
“After merging with AEBN, we became the largest VoD company,” said Valenti. “We sell streaming video and will be investing in technology and other ways to improve how our customers watch adult content.”
“I put a lot of eggs into a lot of baskets,” Shaw said. “In the future, I will continue to invest in content, websites, branding, and trying new things. If one out of three work, great.”
“We will continue to strengthen all of our products,” Klein said, “especially the casinos, broadcasting and Internet products, which have been very strong for us. We are also looking to acquire companies and people.”
Jones said he will stay tightly focused on his core business of developing solo-girl sites and his accompanying affiliate program, and will remain content-focused for the neat future.
“God makes new 18-year-olds every day,” he said, to audience approval.
Estes echoes Jones’ determination to stay with the main product that brought them to the dance, in Video Secret’s case with live cam offerings.
We will invest in R&D,” he said, “and also continue to develop live adult content for hotel chains.”
“We are also putting our eggs into lots of baskets,” said Jones. “We shoot our own content, produce DVDs through Silver Sinema, and are always looking for new things to do.”
Bob then asked the speakers to divulge how they approach the adult business and what they think is in store for the future.
The panelists seemed to agree that, despite an increasingly competitive business climate, worrying about the other guy was not the best recipe for success.
“Look to your own company first,” Valenti said. “I stay focused because I am determined to be the leader of the pack.”
“I take a long term approach to things,” said Shaw. “I don’t care if I am the biggest or the best. I keep an eye on other people, but I like to spend time on things that will make me money.”
The others concurred, with Price adding that the tight-knit nature of the adult affiliate world has helped him over the years, and that he has already found there to be a lot difference in that regard on the DVD side of the biz.
Bob then asked the panelists what they believed were the biggest threats to the industry, a question that got some surprising responses.
“Rather than the government or 2257, I think the biggest threat may be mediocrity,” Valenti said, a comment that elicited a murmur of approval from both the dais and the audience.
“Everything is a bump in the road to me, even Tubes,” Shaw said, referring to Tube-style sites, many of which contain illegal content.
Klein did not agree.
“Tubes are a big threat to the industry,” he said. “Cable operators are worried about it, too. You can’t rationalize participating in theft. We will go after any site putting up unauthorized VCA or Hustler content.” He also said he supported Vivid in its copyright infringement lawsuit against AEBN.
“You want to steal, you can expect a fight,” Jones said. “I think everyone is getting a little too casual [about theft],” he added, making the point that if there is no reward for taking a stand, no one will stand up.
Bob then asked specifically about how seriously the panelists view current political or governmental threats, a question that received a few more surprising responses.
“I’m for some of the 2257 stuff,” Price said. “It cleans out the riff-raff. I think we should make some of the rules tighter.”
Jones agreed. “2257 does have a place. If you don’t have an I.D., maybe you shouldn’t’ have the girl on your site.”
“The economic situation worries me,” Shaw said. “I think the [decreasing] value of the dollar is more serious than any regulation.”
The discussion then focused on ethics in the industry and how to improve them. All the panelists agreed that being truthful is a good thing and that a good reputation is hard to achieve and easy to lose. A consensus also seemed to emerge that one should do business with people one knows and trusts.
“It’s all about relationships for me,” Jones said, summing up the feelings of the panelists. “It takes time, but it’s everything.”
A Q&A session closed out what was an engaging and lively seminar by some of the younger successes in adult entertainment.