MIAMI — Last week, international adult retail buyers and vendors once again descended upon Miami to indulge in the city’s lush beauty while making invaluable connections throughout XBIZ Retreat’s daily mix of business and pleasure.
With premier pleasure products company Satisfyer coming onboard as the first-ever sponsor of the exclusive event for qualified adult retail market leaders, participants were treated to a VIP experience that included a variety of memorable special events.
XBIZ Retreat kicked off with its Welcome Reception, which received a major upgrade from its typical low-key setting to a Satisfyer-sponsored suite-party rager complete with a DJ, professional airbrush artist, signature drinks and a full assortment of appetizers.
“It's really hard to choose a favorite event when I found each of the experiences equally remarkable, “ Clandestine Devices’ Operations Manager Jade Leon said of the full XBIZ Retreat experience. “Being able to experience art in the making by Avi Ram from the TV show ‘Skin Wars’ right before our eyes at Alec's suite party, eating at Barton G., where you couldn't wait to see what extravagant food would light up our night, to acting like a kid again playing games at the beach.”
On the evening before the first full day of XBIZ Retreat meetings, XBIZ founder and publisher Alec Helmy welcomed XBIZ Retreat participants to a luxury suite at the Mondrian hotel that offered a dazzling view of Biscayne Bay.
The photo opps were unbound with attendees rushing to the balcony to capture the colorful sunset, posing with colleagues from around the world, as well as alongside a freshly body-painted beauty that was created before attendees’ eyes by Avi Ram, a professional airbrush artist who has appeared as a contestant on “Skin Wars,” “Global Beauty Masters” and “Fresh Paint.” He gave attendees a live presentation of his impressive skills during the party, turning a semi-nude model into a mesmerizing iridescent piece of art.
“Both Kathryn from TAF Distributing and I were geeking out,” Leon said. “While everyone was taking pictures of the model, we walked up to him and were like, ‘I know everyone is wanting to take pictures of your work, but do you think we can take a picture with you?’ ... and then we slipped in that we thought he should've won,” she said with a laugh.
The memorable encounter was just one of many that XBIZ Retreat offers — and the bonds that are formed often develop into fruitful business relationships.
“Each of those phenomenal events brought everyone together, where we were able to create new and exciting experiences to cherish forever,” Leon continued. “Where my clients didn't feel pressured in a meeting environment and relaxed enough to share fun facts randomly about their businesses and I was able to gain understanding on how we can build and flourish our relationships better together.”
With approximately 100 guests packed into the suite, the welcome party literally brought people closer together. Guillermo, a buyer from South America retailer Eroshop, said he thought it was “excellent because it promoted interaction and integration from the very first day. In spite of shortage of space, the outcome was that it created the closeness that later on facilitated business discussions.”
He added, “I think that most of us people of this industry share a belief on well-being and having fun in life. Personally, I have been involved in other fields and people are not so communicative and easy-going.”
Night two of the XBIZ Retreat offered attendees two back-to-back special events following a full schedule of one-on-one in-suite meetings. The first stop was a quirky decadent dinner at Barton G. that served up a menu of Instagrammable food such as lobster Pop-Tarts presented in classic toasters and the Dolla Dolla Bills Y’all! dessert, which arrived with a giant crumpled $100 bill, among a plethora of other displays.
“Dinner at Barton G. and karaoke were my favorite,” said Jonathan Davis, mail order catalog manager for AdultEmpire. “The food and display at dinner was fun and delicious, and it was great that we could all switch off from work-mode and enjoy a night out on the town. I am pretty sure I saw every single person having fun.
“All work and no play really does make Jack a dull boy,” Davis added. “In such a fast paced industry, it means a lot to me that we have this time set aside to just switch off, recharge and have fun.”
Calling the dinner at Barton G. “a really cool experience,” Pipedream Products senior sales executive said that the extracurricular events at XBIZ Retreat provide a needed break from business dealings.
“As far as attaining business goals, I try to keep social events social,” he said. “We have our meetings to talk business, and no one likes to be bombarded during ‘fun time’ with a sales pitch, especially with so many vendors.”
Noting that the latest edition of XBIZ Retreat provided “the most solid meetings of all time,” Cousins Group CEO Dennis D. said that not only was he very happy with the business opportunities at the event, but the special events also added a level of fun. “I think Barton G. was very cool,” he said. “It’s my sixth time there and it’s always good.”
XBIZ Retreat first-time attendee Lily Wang, Entrenue’s director of sales and marketing, called the event “educational, productive and fun.” She went to the Barton G. dinner with a strategy.
“Barton G. was lovely outside — we lucked out with great weather and felt like we were sitting in a tropical oasis,” she said. “The foods’ presentations were photo-worthy, as well as tasty! And as I challenged myself to sit next to no one I knew — I met nice, fun people, who I enjoyed and am glad to call colleagues and new friends. I look forward to working with more familiar faces!”
Among the new friends that Wang made, she said she especially loved meeting industry vet Michelle Liss, who is the national sales manager of Paradise Marketing.
“I’ve been in the industry for three years and I never met her before as we don’t cross over much, however, we discovered in our conversations, that we went to the same elementary school decades ago — small world,” she said.
Efren Mendez of Love Store Mexicali captured much of the bonding that was going on at each table with a series of fun photos posted on his Facebook account. During the dinner, he said he was able to connect with new vendors and build relationships.
“The dinner at Barton G. was best dinner I have had in years,” Mendez said. “The detail of every dish and how they serve the food was amazing. I am from Mexico so I have never had a dinner with so much decorations and the way they present the food it was out-of-this-world.”
Following the over-the-top dinner experience at Barton G., XBIZ Retreat attendees walked a short distance to enjoy an evening of karaoke at Ricky’s. Now a staple event of XBIZ Retreat Miami, returning participants came ready to put on a show, leaving their inhibitions at the door with energetic performances of timeless hits backed by a live band.
In the audience, industry colleagues cheered, sang along and danced the night away. A caricature artist was also on hand, sketching portraits of those willing to poke fun at themselves with silly drawings of their exaggerated facial features.
“Karaoke was a blast,” said Lisa Strong, the head buyer for Tokyo Valentino boutiques. “Barton G. was amazing — the food and atmosphere were on point. Loved it — it was definitely a high-energy place.
“I think the events are very helpful to be able to socialize on a different level,” she said. “It is hard to meet colleagues while running all around but at the events you get to relax and meet more new people. All these things help to build relationships because, while yes, we are all there to get our jobs done — but too much work and not enough enjoyment and relaxation is not good for the soul.”
Pleasure Chest Purchasing Director Phoebe Grott said that hands down, the best XBIZ Retreat Miami event was karaoke night.
“The energy that evening was so positive and we were cheering on everyone who sang whether they were competitors or close business partners,” she said. “It’s events such as these that make XBIZ Retreat an exceptional foundation for doing business.”
Recognizing participants’ need for leisurely time during the fast-paced event, XBIZ Retreat organizers included a beach day sponsored by Voodoo Toys on day three of the event. While in the past, a visit to the beach for XBIZ Retreat participants meant Olympics-style competitions between vendors and buyers, Voodoo Toys provided a much more relaxing experience complete with alcoholic beverages, branded swag giveaways and fun games like Jumbo Jenga, beer pong, corn hole and more. With hip hop tunes in the background, some attendees even had a dance-off on the beach, while others lounged on beach chairs or went for dips in the ocean.
“I may be biased, but I truly loved the beach day,” Voodoo Toys senior sales executive Danielle Seerley said. “It was so nice to be able to sit and relax with everyone without it being work! After a few days of solid meetings, it was the perfect outlet to sit and chill a minute and enjoy the beach. The games were fun; we had booze and snacks ... what was there not to love?”
It wasn’t just Voodoo Toys staff that appreciated spending the afternoon on the beach — XBIZ Retreat attendees unanimously agreed that it was a major highlight of the show.
“I have to say the beach day format this year was awesome,” said John Marinello, senior sales manager for pjur Group. “It was great because we were able to spend more time with customers in addition to the scheduled meetings in a very relaxed environment. It didn’t feel rushed and got to know some of them better. The option of playing games, swimming or just laying on the beach was great!”
Kathryn from TAF Distributing, who participated in an intense game of Jumbo Jenga with a group of fellow XBIZ Retreat attendees, appreciated the freedom that the day at the beach provided.
“It was nice because there were a good amount of activities that everyone could participate in if they wanted to, or not,” she said. “I got to speak to quite a few people — vendors and buyers, which was awesome. Also, I don't think I would have been able to make it to the beach without this event planned.”
Hot Octopuss global head of sales April Lampert was down for fun in the sun after two full days of meetings. The blond boss babe rocked her bikini while making the rounds chatting with her colleagues.
“You get a chance to chill out with people and laugh, compete with them in some fun beach activities, go swimming and check out their singing abilities rather than a typical tradeshow environment where you’re pitching new products and discussing strategies and all business,” she said. “It’s a great way to bond and connect to people you normally only see in a business environment. People are more relaxed and you get to know them on a deeper level rather than just on a typical business level where it’s more serious and you’re always on a schedule.”
Calling the latest edition of XBIZ Retreat “one of the best XBIZ events that I have attended,” M.D. Science Lab’s Margaux O’Donaghue thanked the event hosts profusely for the chance to spend a few hours swimming and snorkeling in Miami Beach’s warm waters.
“My favorite special event was of course the beach,” she said. “There is something to be said about hanging around in the ocean (and the pool on the last day) with our clients. The atmosphere could not have been more relaxed and the friendships forged and deepened is priceless. In both those places I was able not only address business, but to laugh and splash around with what are now my friends!”
Right after beach day, XBIZ Retreat attendees headed to Miami’s classic hotspot Mango’s for dinner and drinks. With a private area to themselves, the party continued with some attendees practicing their salsa-dancing skills while others left it to the professionals, admiring Mango’s lineup of gorgeous dancers from afar.
Charles from LSMT said that Mango’s was the perfect ending to a productive and fun beach day. “After all the timed meetings, it was perfect for forming new business ventures — I absolutely loved this part. Everyone was able to relax and just hang out without it being all about business for that time period. Mango’s’ buffet and atmosphere will make anyone want to move to Miami.”
On the final evening of XBIZ Retreat, attendees experienced another first — a night off from mandatory events.
“The scheduled free time allowed me to walk through the city and enjoy the lifestyle, it also allowed me to purchase souvenirs for my kids and wife,” said Daniel Charbonneau, who handles sales and customer service at Ozze Creations. “With the pace of the meetings and the events it was great to freely roam the town.”
Ozze Creations attended XBIZ Retreat for the first time with a suite that showcased the company’s wide assortment of bachelorette party favors, games, erotic plush toys and many other fun novelties.
Charbonneau said that while the extracurricular events at XBIZ Retreat were reserved for relaxing and socializing, they allowed attendees to break the ice with new potential buyers.
“Lots of the people there were expressing their vision of the market and the tendencies the market was aiming towards,” he said.
As has become typical with XBIZ Retreat, attendees walked away happy about the full experience.
“These retreats always offer a great way to have some personalized one-on-one time with customers,” Seerley said. “You don't have all the distractions you get on a typical tradeshow floor and people aren't split in a lot of different directions. The informality of our events makes them easy to attend, fun, and you have real time with your customers. Everyone relaxes and you really get to see this awesome side to people that we may not have had a chance to see if karaoke didn't call their name — for example. I personally feel like I can really be myself at these events and enjoy them regardless of whether I'm a vendor or customer — we are all family.”
Mara Epstein, ZALO USA’s senior executive of sales and marketing, says it’s the one-on-one connections that are so seamlessly made throughout XBIZ Retreat that makes it worth attending.
“It is refreshing to work lots of meetings and finish your day with great dinners and networking,” she said. “This format allows each of us to strengthen our relationships with our customers. They get to know us — the vendors — and can express all of their needs in person to ensure that we meet them.”
As the sun set on the latest edition of XBIZ Retreat Miami, some vendors and buyers were already inquiring about the next one — which although not set in a tropical location, guarantees the same upscale experience in the historic city of Berlin. The highly anticipated event is set for Sept. 9-12.
