If you’ve called upon NETbilling to help provide flexible solutions to process credit cards as well as other financial instruments, you may have had the pleasant opportunity to have some kind of dialogue with NETbilling’s vice president of sales, Wendy Nelson.
Nelson holds a key position at NETbilling as rainmaker for the company. Her primary job function is to help steer potential and existing merchants into more profitable spaces.
Industry trade shows are valuable because they provide an excellent opportunity to access many vendors, partners, clients and prospective clients, while learning about new technology in the industry that can benefit NETbilling.
XBIZ World asked Nelson a few questions last month about her ascension at the Valencia, Calif.-based processor over six years, as well as what it’s like to work for the company and more.
XBIZ: What do you do at NETbilling?
NELSON: My primary job function is to establish new merchant banking setups worldwide as well as merchant relations. I spend a tremendous amount of time building and maintaining these relationships so we are able to offer our merchants a wide array of merchant accounts, both domestically and abroad. I also oversee new account acquisitions and maintenance in both the online and retail spaces including merchant account and gateway services. Along with my co-workers in management, we assist with marketing, promotion, public relations and trade show preparation as well.
XBIZ: How did you get into the adult industry? And how long have you been in the biz?
NELSON: In 2007, I took a leave of absence from the working world to be home for a while to enjoy the birth and my daughter. After fulfilling my need to bond with the new dynamics of my growing family, I became eager to get back to work. At that time, a good friend of mine was working for NETbilling and shared with me an amazing opportunity to change my line of work. There had become an available opening for a sales assistant, with my name all over it. I have been working in the industry for NETbilling since 2008 and have worked my way up from sales assistant to sales person and now to vice president of sales.
XBIZ: What is the work culture like at NETbilling?
NELSON: For a small company, we have a fairly unique culture here at NETbilling. Even though our owner/CEO is very involved in the operations and success of the company and has been since we started in 1998, he trusts in his department managers such as myself to work hard, present ideas to help improve and expand the business, and to be bottom up managers. This means that ideas and suggestions come from all employees at the company regardless of their position or tenure, and filter up to the department managers.
We have a history of retaining employees for many years which makes our clients very comfortable knowing that they are able to count on the same staff to take care of them when they need help or guidance.
NETbilling definitely is a fast-paced working environment that is no place for people who are too laid back. We do get some very nice perks at NETbilling that many other businesses don’t typically provide and the owner includes us in many family functions hosted in his home. However, it is the overall experience at NETbilling that keeps us happy and motivated.
XBIZ: How valuable is it to attend industry shows and meet clientele?
NELSON: Industry trade shows are valuable because they provide an excellent opportunity to access many vendors, partners, clients and prospective clients, while learning about new technology in the industry that can benefit NETbilling. Face to-face time and meetings with clients is important because in today’s cyberworld, we rarely get the one on one time that our clients deserve. Trade shows and other networking events provide a perfect venue to do so.
XBIZ: What sector of the online adult business is driving the market these days?
NELSON: As the popularity of paysites with memberships has declined in recent years, our merchants have seen huge growth in dating and especially, live cams. Obviously, mobile content is seeing huge growth as more than 50 percent of those looking for adult related content use a mobile phone or tablet to do so. We believe that content optimization for mobile will be the main focus for several years as more and more users continue to spend more time on these portable devices.
XBIZ: When not thinking about the biz, what do you like to do?
NELSON: Most of my free time is spent watching my kids play sports and volunteering at their school. I also enjoy entertaining at my home, cooking and barbecue for my family and friends.