profile

WIA Profile: Shirley (Punker Barbie)

How did you get into the business?

I was going to college and living in Los Angeles. I needed a part-time job that would pay a full-time salary, and I heard about a position for an adult company that provided feeds to adult sites. They had a system set up where I would type in keywords and adult-related sites would pop up, and I would immediately see their who is information. I’d then email and call them. It was pretty easy; I think most people were surprised to get a young girl on the other end of the phone talking about adult feeds.

I think the adult industry is in somewhat of a crisis. It’s a time for the industry to cleanse itself and get rid of the rift raft.

What in your background prepared you for what you are doing now?

I built my first website when I was 15. At the time I was the only one of my friends with a digital camera and it just became a hassle to distribute certain pictures to certain friends. So one day my dad — a computer programmer — suggested I build a site. From there I started to build galleries. I made my site prettier and made my pages load faster. Knowing these skills has helped me tremendously in my career.

What do you see as the challenges of working in online adult and how do you overcome them?

I think the adult industry is in somewhat of a crisis. It’s a time for the industry to cleanse itself and get rid of the rift raft. I know people who have decided not promote programs that have their own merchant accounts because they are afraid of not getting paid. It’s hard to pinpoint where to put pressure.

Does your work affect your personal life?

Work definitely does not affect my personal life. In fact sometimes I mix the two. I have a lot of friends that don’t mind the line of business we are in. In fact I think most of my girlfriends are fascinated by it.

Do you have a personal motto or slogan that you live by?

Live life to the fullest but play the game smart.

Each month, industry news media organization XBIZ spotlights the career accomplishments and outstanding contributions of Women in Adult. WIA profiles offer an intimate look at the professional lives of the industry's most influential female executives.

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