You must know Holly Ruprecht, one of the most charismatic marketers in the online space.
For the past 17 years, Ruprecht has helped some of the top blue-chip brands in the business — including NakedSword, Lucas Entertainment and Falcon Studios — find new avenues for revenue.
I am very fortunate to have many great relationships in this industry, which I use to help grow Hustler’s internet business.
In September 2015, Ruprecht was tapped as senior manager of business development for Hustler to bring on new partnerships for the company’s internet group, including HustlerCash.com.
It’s a position that sets well for Ruprecht, and that’s why she jumped at the chance to work for Hustler and its founder, Larry Flynt.
“There is a lot of work to do, and it’s always interesting,” Ruprecht said.
Ruprecht recently sat down with XBIZ for this Q&A interview to learn more about her journey through the adult biz and what she’s doing these days.
XBIZ: What keeps you excited, motivated and on top of your game?
Ruprecht: I absolutely love this industry and the work that we do. Here at Hustler, we provide entertainment and a sense of escape to millions of viewers every day.
When I joined the team, I knew immediately it was the right fit. Hustler is one of the biggest brands in adult and one I have always respected. When the opportunity to work for the company opened up, I jumped at the chance. Right now, we’re literally rebuilding the site from the ground up, and it’s exciting for me to take such a big brand and reshape it to meet the needs and wants of today’s consumers.
I closely watch my competitors. I read up on everything I can to learn about trends in the business, and I set goals for myself. I have goals for next year as far as sales for Hustler, and for myself personally.
XBIZ: What’s a typical day like at Hustler?
Ruprecht: One of the things I love most about Hustler is that each and every day is different. There is a lot of work to do, and it’s always interesting. Working for Mr. Flynt’s internet team at times allows for participation in some of our other divisions’ projects, whether it is one of our casinos or retail. My primary focus is and always will be Hustler.com. Running such a big site takes a full and dedicated team. We make many decisions daily, ranging from what content or star to feature to what promotions we offer. I get involved in as many of the day-to-day decisions as I can!
XBIZ: What are some of the notable differences marketing straight and gay adult content?
Ruprecht: It’s funny — I’m often asked that, as I have had the honor of repping both sides. There really is no difference, other than the product itself. You are marketing a product to a consumer who has many choices — many of which, sadly, are available for free — so how do you make them stop and pick you?
Fans of both gay and straight content are always looking for their favorite performer or a certain niche, so being able to serve the content the consumer wants without having them work too hard makes all the difference.
XBIZ: You’re a veteran adult entertainment marketer who’s helped so many achieve monetary success. Where do you see the best opportunities for adult companies and their affiliates in 2017 and what kind of advice can you give them?
Ruprecht: Content is still king! Given the amount of “free” out there, it’s more important than ever to produce and obtain content that really sells your site. The key is consistency; you have to keep investing in the content, keep making it and keep marketing it! For others in the industry, my best advice is not to lose heart. This business is by nature up and down, but if you stick with it, love what you do and put in the work, you will succeed!
XBIZ: How important is it for industry folk to attend the top adult conventions?
Ruprecht: This is a very important part of our careers. Face time with your affiliates and partners is key to not only staying in the forefront of their mind, but also creating a lasting relationship. You make new deals, pick up new tidbits of information and see what’s new.
Although I have cut back on the number of shows I attend, when I do go to them, I always walk away with new business relationships. I am very fortunate to have many great relationships in this industry, which I use to help grow Hustler’s internet business. If I stayed home instead of networking, there’s no way I would have so many great partnerships!
XBIZ: You’ve brought together peeps through your own industry get-togethers. What motivates you to take on that stewardship?
Ruprecht: Los Angeles is an epicenter of the adult business, and yet we all wait for the next show to get together. A lot of the people in the industry have now become my personal friends, so why not create our own opportunity to gather, talk business and mingle — rather than waiting for a formal event to do so?
When I arranged our first mixer, the response was very positive, and the turnout was pretty impressive; we had many people from the top brands in attendance! Needless to say, it’s my goal to keep these going and eventually find a sponsor so that we can continue to meet, do business and exchange ideas throughout the year, not just at shows.
XBIZ: Who inspires you in business?
Ruprecht: Wow, good question. Besides the obvious answer — Mr. Flynt is my No. 1 inspiration — there are so many others in this business who inspire me. I loved watching the #NoProp60 initiative and seeing our talent come together to fight it! Seeing Prop 60 fail in California reaffirmed to me that the adult industry is a supportive tightly knit community that can do whatever it puts its mind to.
XBIZ: When not thinking about the online adult biz, what do you like to do?
Ruprecht: Well there is really never a time my mind is able to take a complete break from thinking about work, but I do enjoy my down time. I love the ocean, I moved here from Boston, so I try to enjoy it as much as possible. I have a great circle of friends, and we love going out to dinner, dancing, and drinking at my favorite spot The Abbey in West Hollywood. I am also a huge “Game of Thrones” fan, and now “WestWorld.” I could binge watch those all day and, of course, I read XBIZ.
