Meet Kenny B and JC, two longtime online adult entrepreneurs who last year assembled a collective for all of their respective affiliate and paysite offerings. The network, YourPaysitePartner.com, provides a hub for paysite operators, clip store owners, models, producers and affiliates looking to grow their businesses. The YPP team handles the technical, affiliate and administrative side of the business, while their partners can focus on creating content.
XBIZ World last month wanted to know more about these veterans of the biz and hear how they’ve found success in the online adult biz.
As the industry and economy hit the shits around 2010 we were forced to look at our business model and make some very tough decisions. Do we cash out like many others or re-invest and go all in; it wasn’t a quick or easy decision.
XBIZ: How did each of you find your way into the online adult entertainment business and what are the roots of the company?
KENNY: I was pushed into porn by my parents, well that’s how I like to tell the story. Prior to the adult industry I was in the cellphone business. It was a trip with my father to the Consumer Electronics Show in January of 1999 that started things off. Back then CES and AVN were held at the Sands expo center, something I was unaware of until we ventured downstairs and discovered mecca. We were 15 minutes into walking the AVN show floor, taking pictures with models when my father looked at me and said “this is the business you need to get into” a seed was planted. A couple months later my mother read an article in the newspaper about an online porn show in Montreal; Cybernet Expo.
Doing what most mothers do when they read about a pornography trade show, she immediately called her son. It was there I met Danny Cox, the husband of Carol Cox who at the time was probably the most well-known and successful amateurs on the web. We hit it off right away, he invited me to visit his offices and he made sure to schedule it right before one of Carols live cam shows. He shared a wealth of knowledge with me about the industry, his history, and even offered up the opportunity to jump into the cam show with Carol and Seska, talk about a warm welcome. I declined and remained a spectator.
I wanted in! With limited photography skills and no computer or tech background, I was at a loss of how to get started.
The stars aligned the following week when I was selling a phone to a stripper, we got to talking about websites and it turns out she was extremely interested in starting one.
Long story longer; I hired Angie the stripper, hired a friend of a friend that did graphic design, bought some computers and camera gear, it was time to roll the dice. It took two months to launch her site, within two months of the launch I sold my cellphone business to focus on porn full time. Not two months later I married Angie at ia2000 in Vegas, sticking with the two-month interval, it’s pretty much how long the marriage lasted.
One site led to two sites, which led to many more sites and I’m proud to say this August marked 15 years in this industry.
JC: I found my way into adult in 2001 while working as a pharmaceutical sales rep in the San Fernando Valley. I had gotten to know Stoney Curtis of Lethal Hardcore who at the time was doing his own DVD distribution and he gave me my start with a DVD line called Rectal Rooter.
Soon thereafter I met the guys from TripleXCash who had the hit website CollegeFuckFest.com and we made a deal to take Rectal Rooter to the web. After tasting some online success I wanted to start my own affiliate program, so I reached out to TTBOY, whom I had met several years prior, and was able to secure a content partnership. I then brought in Morgan M — still a partner today — who had also been doing contract work for TripleXCash.com and OCCash.com was born. We later added Jason Quinlan, who was bought out late last year and subsequently Kenny B bought into the company. I am also the co-owner of OCModeling and launched 702Locations.com, which provides location services for the companies that are shooting in Las Vegas.
XBIZ: How many sites do you operate under your umbrella of seven affiliate programs? And do you ever run out of ideas for site content?
KENNY: We operate roughly 250 sites across all of our programs, covering an extremely wide range of niches. That said, a good part of those sites are older legacy sites, we have roughly 55 sites that we update regularly.
There’s never a shortage of quality content or ideas. Among other projects in the works we currently have a new transgender program and network we are very excited about; TransErotica.com should be ready to roll by XBIZ 360 in January. We continuously get approached by very creative producers and models with some of the most outrageous content and concepts; there’s never a shortage of ideas.
JC: While the YPP network has 250 sites across the seven networks, I myself am responsible for OCCash.com, LordsOfPorn.com, PornStarPlatinum.com, FreshChecks.com. So that hasn’t changed.
XBIZ: Your company has survived with the times — acquiring and consolidating and adapting. How has the business changed in the past 15 years?
KENNY: Our business model has changed radically. Like many, we’ve experienced many ups and downs over the past 15 years. It’s hard for me to speak about the industry as a whole, but I can share how our business has changed.
We started with solo model sites in 1999. When the larger PPS programs entered that market we shifted our focus to fetish and micro-niche content. That market served us well for quite a long time and still does. The issue with micro-niche content is the consumer base is somewhat limited.
As the industry and economy hit the shits around 2010 we were forced to look at our business model and make some very tough decisions. Do we cash out like many others or re-invest and go all in; it wasn’t a quick or easy decision.
The risk was huge, but there was nothing I’d rather be doing, I feel like I grew up in this industry and have made some of my best friends through it. I would venture to say the decision to continue was 50 percent head and 50 percent heart.
Once I knew it was an all-or-nothing opportunity, we started to acquire other sites and programs that were hurting but had good content and established brands — all while investing heavily on the technology side of things.
My team and I realized we’re great when it comes to the tech, admin and support side of things, we have 15 years’ worth of connections for traffic, marketing and promotion, but when it came to content we had a big issue. Producing new quality content was a challenge, it was easier to acquire existing businesses.
We prefer to focus on what we do best, and leave the content side of things to those who know that side of the market, which is where the idea of YourPaysitePartner came from.
Last fall everything changed; I was introduced to JC and the opportunity to buy into PornstarPlatinum and OCCash came up. His company had just restructured buying out one of their partners. I immediately booked a flight to meet with JC and Morgan, one of the other founding partners. Our vision and personalities meshed. We shook hands, and I was nervous and excited because I just made the largest and best move of my career.
The last 12 months have been the most exciting of my 15 years in business. Our network of partners and producers couldn’t be better, I’m extremely thankful for the opportunity JC gave me and for everyone that’s been a part of this ride.
JC: I could drone on and on about tubes and free content — blah, blah, blah — but I would rather talk about the positive changes. First the business has become much more professional. I was happy to have been a part of the excesses of the early 2000s but am equally happy to have seen it clean itself up to a degree. Another positive development I think is the level of cooperation with so called “competitors” that didn’t really exist before. I find people are more eager to find a way to work together than to cut each other’s legs out. We like to call it “Coopetition.” There is a caveat though. To work with the top companies who you are and how you represent your business is very important, otherwise you’ll find yourself on the outside looking in.
XBIZ: What elements of paysites are absolutely necessary for success in 2014?
KENNY: Quality, exclusive content along with frequent updates is a necessity. We’ve seen the cost of non-exclusive content hit rock bottom for a reason. The consumer demands more and if we want to keep them rebilling we need to give them more.
NetVideoGirls.com is a perfect example. The site was popular back in 2000 and is not only still relevant today but growing each month. Anthony, the owner of NVG, is one of the smartest people I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know over the years. There aren’t many people who have had consistent success with the same site for 14 years and counting. Quality and consistency matters now more than ever.
With the many devices surfers use to access porn online, having great content isn’t enough, functionality is also extremely important. Having a responsive site that presents your product properly on the variety of phones, tablets, laptop, desktops and big screen TVs that are being used is something that I believe we will see a lot more of in 2015.
Traffic. Which has always been the case but the sources have dramatically changed over the years. The affiliate pool has gotten a lot smaller and paysite owners have had to become their own best affiliates to survive.
JC: High-quality content and live interaction is how we have grown PornstarPlatinum.com through the tough times. Those are the top two elements for me. Also having multiple billing options is very important. It doesn’t matter how great the content is if you can’t capture the revenue.
XBIZ: What’s coming up for the company as we move forward to 2015?
KENNY: One of the projects that I’m excited about is the relaunch of OCCash; we have been working on it for the better part of a year and have big things planned for the program in 2015. The first new exclusive site being added is POVCastingCouch.com shot by award-winning producer Bobby Manilla.
TransErotica.com is another project that I am passionate about. I enjoy exploring and learning about different niches; it presents new challenges and opportunities.
Working with Tyra Scott on her official site has been a great experience, plus her site performs extremely well which makes everyone happy. Entering the transgender market brings new opportunities to collaborate with friends like Steven at Grooby. Up until now we haven’t had any complimentary products.
JC has signed quite a few new starlets, expect some fantastic new sites to be added to PornstarPlatinum.
One of the large projects in 2014 was the development of our new admin and CMS. What this means for YPP in 2015 is a quick and efficient integration of new partners. In addition there will be many more easy-to-use tools to help site partners build their business with us. This past year was somewhat of a beta year for YPP and the response has been overwhelming — in a good way.
JC: Be on the lookout for a new tattoo-focused program in the second quarter of 2015.
XBIZ: What’s a typical work day like for each of you?
KENNY: Lists, lists and more lists. For every item I knock off the to-do list two more get added during any given day. I’m usually at my desk around 8:30 a.m., I check and reply to emails and Skype messages and, of course, check stats — not necessarily in that order. I look at the task manager and go through the active projects with Jim, Erik and Carlo — my team leaders — making sure everything is as on track as possible. This usually takes up the bulk of my morning.
I take a quick lunch with Erik — YPP’s marketing manager — which is more of a meeting while eating.
A typical afternoon will have me touching base with my business partners on the West Coast. We make sure current projects are on track and discuss any new opportunities.
I try to speak to our content partners as often as possible, after all were in this together. I usually speak with each content partner once a week or so.
From 5:30 to 8 p.m. I spend time with my family — no computer, no emails, no texts. Sort of.
I have some rental properties in Phoenix. Any real estate business that needs to be addressed is usually done in the evenings.
JC: I’m actually an early riser but most every day starts with emails then the gym. I have a lot of different things going on and work mainly on the move, so my phone is my most important tool.
Everyone in our company has specific duties, and I basically manage the big picture. Making sure each department is on track to complete whatever it is we may be developing at that moment and then making sure it all comes together in a positive manner. I spend a lot of time consulting with my partner, Sandra McCarthy at OCModeling. That woman is a saint. The things she deals with on a daily basis are incredible. I’m also running around dealing with shoot locations and general real estate matters.
XBIZ: When not thinking about the biz, what do each of you like to do?
KENNY: I’m a do-it-yourself guy, from putting up shelves to a complete bathroom gut. As long as I’m busy and have something to tinker with I’m happy. Our summers in Montreal are all too short, so I try and spend as much time as I can outdoors. I find it relaxing to shut my mind off and do some landscaping and gardening.
I also have two young boys who keep me plenty busy and feeling my age.
JC: I’m constantly thinking about business, unfortunately. But I like it, and I do love the porn industry.
In my spare time I like to travel, and I do it as often as I can. I’m a big Scuba diver so I tend to go on dive excursions. I also train Muay Thai and regular boxing. I’ve been doing that off and on for 20 years. I also like to get out and ride my Harley.
