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.
Mona Madrigal is a woman on a mission. If you place her at a starting line, she'll race to the finish no matter where it lies—in her sales career, bustling personal life as a new mom, or as a pleasure industry confidant to customers and colleagues all over the globe.
My dad taught me a lot about how to run a brick-and-mortar business, how to advertise to specific consumers, and to always know that the end consumer is the most important customer.
Madrigal is a skilled, tenacious saleswoman, but her best asset is her big heart. Her vibrant, warm and genuine personality keeps customers coming back for Madrigal's friendship just as much as Pipedream's latest releases.
The pleasure industry has shaped Madrigal's entire life trajectory, molding her into a clever businesswoman and presenting countless opportunities for personal growth. The last year has seen Madrigal busier and more empowered than ever as a new, working mom with the constant support of her team at Diamond Products.
As Diamond evolves to embrace the new world of sex toys, Madrigal meets every challenge—much like her devoted customers—with open arms and a focus on the future, and that's why she's more than earned a spot as this month's Woman in Adult.
XBIZ: What was your last gig in mainstream before you crossed over to the pleasure space?
Mona Madrigal: Before this industry, I was the media operations manager for RonCo Inventions. Ron Popeil is the “Set it and forget it!” guy. He was the infomercial king and I worked directly with him. He taught me how to sell, how to get rate reductions, how to counter, how to negotiate. I learned so much from him!
XBIZ: How did you finally land in the adult world?
Madrigal: One of my best friends already worked in the industry for a lubricant company. An opportunity opened up doing data entry at their company. I started to do a little work in sales, and within six months I was promoted to a sales executive.
XBIZ: What caught your attention during those first, formative years of selling lubes and sex toys?
Madrigal: One of my favorite early memories is going to the Venus show and watching real live sex shows for the first time. I was fascinated by how Europeans looked at sex as art, but here in the U.S. we were raised so sheltered and to be afraid of sex and our bodies. That experience in particular is what motivated me to stay in this industry because it was really empowering. At the time, women in our industry weren’t respected the way we are today and there weren’t even that many women here yet. Men really dominated the industry even more than they do now, and especially in sales. Going to that show was the first time I ever felt truly respected as a woman sales exec in this industry. It made me feel a lot stronger and capable of taking on the sales role I have with Pipedream and selling products that others may think are taboo.
XBIZ: What roles did you go on to fill throughout your career?
Madrigal: Once I started in sales, I held positions like account executive and senior salesperson. I’ve stayed in these roles because I love what I do! I love the challenge of working with different types of customers, building relationships and finding the right products to fit my customers’ needs. I think my broad background in the industry has enabled me to do this. First, I got my feet wet by learning the products in a boutique line, then I learned the way a small company operates, and now I’m at the company that I’ve always looked up to, Pipedream. The reason that I looked up to Pipedream is that the company is a pioneer in the adult pleasure space and I always admired their innovative products and strong sales acumen.
XBIZ: Who helped mold you into the businesswoman you are today?
Madrigal: My biggest mentor wasn’t actually from the industry — it was my dad. He was in the retail business and taught me that customer service is always key. No matter what job you do — you’ve got to make people happy. My dad taught me a lot about how to run a brick-and-mortar business, how to advertise to specific consumers, and to always know that the end consumer is the most important customer.
XBIZ: Give us a sneak peek behind the scenes as a member of the original Pipedream Dream Team. Is there ever an average day at Diamond Products?
Madrigal: Even though I’ve worked at Pipedream for four years, I still feel like I learn something new every day. No day is ever the same. Our product development team is focused on innovation and I can’t believe how fast technology is advancing in the adult pleasure space. Newness and innovation are what keeps customers coming back to buy our products. We truly have something for every consumer — from sexual wellness products to pleasure products to fantasy play. I think this customer obsession is what has made Pipedream remain a top company in the industry.
XBIZ: We all know Pipedream has a history of throwing show-stopping events. Can you share one of your favorite insider stories?
Madrigal: “The Cave” always had some priceless stories — many people in the industry hear the word “cave” and have their own stories to share — but what happens in the Cave stays in the Cave!
XBIZ: How much has the industry evolved since your start? What's changed the most, and where do you think we're headed?
Madrigal: There are so many new faces! And a lot of new mainstream mentality has been introduced to the way we approach our business, which I used to love to hate, but now I understand and love it. Everyone always said that if the mainstream mentality ever came into the adult pleasure world, it would destroy certain aspects of our industry. Little did we know, mixing some mainstream thought with an established industry is not so bad. Now we’re all crossing over and it’s really only enhancing our business. There’s more accountability, more organization, and more focus on the consumer — all of which leads to increasing sales at the end of the day.
XBIZ: What's keeping you excited and motivated for a successful 2019?
Madrigal: Professionally, this next year is going to be very exciting. I have my “eye on the prize” and I’m looking to partner even further with my accounts. I’m very confident that great things can be accomplished with my customer partners. All of the “ingredients” are there to make this happen. Pipedream has innovative product development, a marketing department working to further connect consumers to our brands, and top salespeople focused on their customers. I’ve got a great support system here at Pipedream. Even personally, Pipedream has been there for me through all of my ups and downs this past year and I’m very grateful to know that such a strong team has my back.
