Jasmin Chief Product Officer Zsolt Theiss-Balazs takes pride in building up Jasmin as a premier cam network, ensuring the brand maintains its stellar reputation for classy cam models of the finest order, not to mention mainstream acclaim.
From his early start as a product manager for the company seven years ago, Theiss-Balazs has risen to an executive position by virtue of his proven track record and the continued success Jasmin experiences.
I am proud because, with the power of Jasmin, we have helped many models earn millions of dollars and raise themselves to celebrity status, proving that there is no life better than a Life In Red!
With a master of science in e-business and informatics, he also brings equal parts tech expertise and commercial savvy to his role.
Now, he proudly reflects on the ascension of Jasmin to one of the top 50 most visited sites in the world, with 30 to 40 million users every single day.
Yet, he vows never to rest on his laurels, instead pushing the network forward with marketing initiatives like “Life in Red,” which promotes camming as a bona fide lifestyle, and partnering with top studios across the globe.
For a deeper glimpse of the artistry behind his business acumen, XBIZ sat down with Theiss-Balazs, for this exclusive interview.
XBIZ: Tell us about your professional background. What led you to join Jasmin?
Theiss-Balazs: I am the chief product officer of Jasmin and its related websites. At the beginning of my career, I was leaning towards a more technical profession, as I received my first degree in computer programming. I had my own business creating websites where I did everything from beginning to end, including understanding the clients ’ requirements, creating the business plans and designs and coding the product itself. Gradually, I turned in the direction of business management and I earned my second degree, a master of science in e-business and informatics. I started working for this company as a project manager seven years ago, but now, I am responsible for managing the development of our streaming products.
XBIZ: What are you most proud of accomplishing at Jasmin in those seven years?
Theiss-Balazs: I’m in love with the product and I’m really proud to work on it. Leading the biggest brand and product of the industry is a huge motivation and a challenge at the same time. I am proud because no matter where I go in the world, I always see people crack a knowing smile when I mention where I work. With over 35 to 40 million users every single day, I honestly believe more people know of Jasmin than don’t, and that’s mighty impressive if you ask me. I am also proud because, how many people can say they work for one of the top 50 most visited websites in the world? Not many, right? Last, but not least, I am proud because, with the power of Jasmin, we have helped many models earn millions of dollars and raise themselves to celebrity status, proving that there is no life better than a Life In Red!
XBIZ: Describe the Life in Red brand, which you launched last year. What’s it all about?
Theiss-Balazs: Life in Red is Jasmin’s new brand, but it’s much more than a simple brand identity or slogan. I believe it represents a way of life — a totally new way to live that also comes with a new mindset. Life in Red is about the models. It embraces everything they do and represent: success, happiness and financial independence. Life in Red is about our models reaching their goals and true fame. Of course, we do everything in our power to help our models along the way. We promote them wherever we can, on our websites and social media, and on unconventional platforms as well, such as contemporary art paintings and TV shows.
XBIZ: How does Jasmin stay competitive as a premium service?
Theiss-Balazs: Jasmin takes high quality content very seriously. We offer high-definition streams on all of our platforms, we request professional photo shoots and videos, our website provides premium quality functions and services and we have hundreds of people working on our 24/7 customer support department. Nothing proves just how high quality our service is than the numerous awards we keep winning year after year at the biggest events in the adult industry. Just to name some of the ones that we won this year: the best camsite of the year, best support of the year, best broadcasting software of the year and our models and studios also won multiple awards in different categories. As the founder said in a recent interview, Jasmin is like the Rolls-Royce of the camming industry. Sure, there may be a bunch of other big, expensive cars on the street too, but people will still be looking at the Rolls-Royce.
XBIZ: Given your high standards for the company, what qualities do you look for in new cam models wanting to join the network?
Theiss-Balazs: The most important thing we require is dedication. If a model has that, they can reach any goal they set their mind to. We have also introduced a new category in the very recent past, called the “amateur” category, which aims to help a model get started in the live camming industry. All of the requirements for that category are lower than for any of our other categories. They don’t need to buy an expensive webcam or upgrade their computer, or even upload studio quality pictures. This way, a model can start working without any actual investment. All they need is an internet connection and a computer with a webcam. Let’s be honest, most households already have those nowadays.
XBIZ: Once a cam model begins performing on Jasmin, how can they establish themselves as a serious player?
Theiss-Balazs: The most important thing that models should focus on is building a member base of loyal fans. We have a wealth of features that help the models with this. When a new model starts, they have a special “promotional period” where we highlight the model as new, and obviously, all of our members like new performers. We also recently released some new features, such as the VIP show and the scheduled show, both of which help a model to reach multiple members at the same time. Both of these new shows are completely under the control of the model, from the duration to the content. It’s extremely important that models truly focus on gaining members and not earning big money in the early periods of their career, since if they succeed in charming someone, that person will be back after the show for more. That’s when the models start to earn larger, more impressive paychecks.
XBIZ: You’ve talked about focusing on gaining fans, but in what ways can the models actually earn money?
Theiss-Balazs: There are a lot. The main way, obviously, is with Private Chats — one-on-one chats between a single member and a model. Of course, the more loyal fans you have, the longer your Private Chats will last, so you see why focusing on building a fan base is important. Our premium members spend thousands of credits on model surprises. They also pay to send a private message to a model, so keeping in contact with loyal members, even when the models are offline, is another way to earn money on the side. We have weekly awards as well, where the top 100 models can earn money prizes of up to $1,000 and we also feature regular Video Contests where the top three get up to $5,000.
XBIZ: How much can a cam model expect to earn with Jasmin, on average?
Theiss-Balazs: Models can choose a per-minute price for their private chat anywhere between $1.99 and $9.99. Above that, models can earn an extra $2 with each minute if the member enables two-way audio. They just need to say they want to hear the member’s voice, and usually, members will turn it on immediately. Our average models may earn up to $8,000 to $10,000 a month, but our best models earn around $50,000 to $60,000 each month!
XBIZ: And how can a cam model reach that upper echelon of earnings?
Theiss-Balazs: Like I said before, always focus on building up your fan base first. They should first find their online persona and then sell that, not their body. Honestly, our top earning models spend the most time in private, sure, but they’re also the ones that spend the most time in their clothes, simply chatting with their members about everyday things. They have an actual relationship with the member, something along the lines of “friends with benefits,” and they know the person’s background and current situation. It is really impressive to see such a strong connection between a member and a model that they virtually sleep with each other for 9 to 10 hours, as in they are both sleeping on webcam. Now, multiply that time with $4.99 per minute. That’s really good money for sleeping, isn’t it? So, tips for models: focus on building strong communication skills and strong relationships with the members. Moreover, time is also an important factor. The more time you spend online, the more members will get to know you, and the more shows you will have.
XBIZ: What does the future hold for Jasmin? Give us a sneak peek at the New Year.
Theiss-Balazs: As the industry leader in live streaming, it’s always challenging to come up with something new and to constantly keep innovating the standards of the industry. However, just like a famous Roman conqueror, we don’t wish to rest on our laurels either. We are currently releasing the newest look of Jasmin and we are continuously improving our brand new mobile website. We have a bunch of new things in the works that will raise the bar for the industry even higher.
