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.
How did you get into the business?
The greatest challenge I have faced to date is the tread-with-caution approach many adult businesses take when it comes to technology.
While I was working full-time at Dell as a Software Engineer, a friend at Fleshlight approached me asking if I could help them with some software development work. I agreed, and after a few months, I was able to gain insight into some technological hurdles the industry as a whole faces. Having watched the adult industry define the path of technology in many ways, I was surprised to see how technologically underserved they were. I immediately knew I wanted to bridge the gap between mainstream and adult technology, and leverage my experience and connections to offer premium resources and talent to a pioneering industry. Thus came the birth of Red Light Consulting.
What in your background prepared you for what you are doing now?
I graduated with a degree in Computer Science from the University of Texas at Austin. Upon graduation, I’ve worked with high-tech companies ranging from startups to large corporations with the latest being at Dell as a Software Engineer in Cloud Computing. My experience has allowed me to work with a breadth of technologies and people as well as having provided insight into the operations of varied organizations. Between both success and failed processes, I have seen what works, what doesn’t, and why.
What do you see as the challenges of working in the adult online business? How do you overcome them?
This question poses thoughts from several angles. The greatest challenge I have faced to date is the tread-with-caution approach many adult businesses take when it comes to technology. Understandably, between the slew of piracy issues and their unfortunate past experiences, I have found that many businesses are reluctant and tight-gripped when it comes to allowing access to their infrastructure. While this is certainly a high-security area and not exclusive to the adult industry, the dense trust barriers I’ve experienced have been demanding, but a worthwhile battle. As a result, our clients have been able to offer superior service with enhanced features, performance, and ultimately, a better return on their investments. My goal is to show the industry that with our proven abilities and integrity, technology is not something to be feared but should be enabled to better serve customers.
Does your work life affect your personal life?
Yes and no. On a personal level, I tend to choose to surround myself with people who I feel are open-minded, non-judgmental, and intelligent enough to understand that the Adult Industry is just like any other thriving sector in many ways. On the professional level, I have chosen to keep my adult career separate from the realm of my high-tech career. But as Red Light Consulting continues to grow and expand, the two are quickly merging as new partnerships and relationships develop. By bridging the gap between mainstream and adult technology, they will both be able to benefit tremendously from one another in many ways. We’ve already taken a large first step with the support of our new mainstream partner and leader in IaaS cloud computing, Eucalyptus Systems.
