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. Women like Sarah Mallie, who is the North American sales manager for EroAdvertising.
Sarah Mallie has been working in the adult industry for five years predominately specializing in all aspects of adult traffic.
The real challenge is the pace of which the online business evolves. It’s amazing to be part of such an innovative and constantly changing industry.
Joining the EroAdvertising team in early 2014, Sarah is currently focused on bringing EroAdvertising’s quality traffic and highly sophisticated platform to advertisers to support them in optimizing and maximizing revenues.
How did you get into the business?
I applied for an online sales role to be told in my interview that some of the work involved adult. Being as naive as I was about the industry at the time I thought of Playboy and nude magazines. After my first day on the job, after being asked how it went by a friend I bewilderedly answered, “Um, I think I work in porn.” I’ve never looked back. I’ve been working in the adult industry for almost five years now — the past year as the North American sales manager for EroAdvertising.
What in your background prepared you for what you are doing now?
I studied marketing at college, long enough ago that nothing I learned is relevant anymore! However the best thing they teach you in college besides how to master flip cup, is how to teach yourself. Which in an industry that is constantly changing is a great skill to have. I don’t think anything can really prepare you for working in the adult industry. You need to be very open-minded and have a sense of humor. That’s the key to staying sane!
What do you see as the challenges of working in the adult online business? How do you overcome them?
The real challenge is the pace of which the online business evolves. It’s amazing to be part of such an innovative and constantly changing industry. In saying that you need to be extremely diligent with staying on top of industry trends. Networking, asking questions, trade shows. I do get asked all the time if being a woman working in adult is one of the biggest challenges. I’ve never encountered that. The woman in this industry are extremely smart, dedicated, empowering and supportive of each other. It’s an honor to be a part of that.
Does your work life affect your personal life?
Well, naturally my guy friends are extremely jealous and think I look at porn all day long. I don’t have the heart to tell them that’s not true. It’s hard to explain to people what really happens behind closed office doors ... work.
The biggest way it affected my personal life is that I met my husband in the industry. It’s great to have a partner that understands the adult industry and legitimacy of what you do.
