Breaking into the adult industry wasn’t an easy road, and my journey definitely came with some speed bumps. I’d like to share a little bit of my experience, and I’m hopeful that the advice that helped me can help someone else. Doing what you love is never easy, you have to be dedicated, motivated and ready to work, but if you put in the effort it will pay out in the end.
So, let’s talk about my beginnings! To start, I came from Canada, which meant that I had to cut through all kinds of red tape in order to even get started on my career in the U.S. At the time, I thought it was a mess, but looking back, it was really a blessing in disguise. That delay did more than just get my paperwork in order, it also helped me grow as a person, and by the time things started to pick up, I had a much better sense of myself. Which is great, because there was another hurdle waiting for me!
They say it’s important to be comfortable in your own skin, but for me it was my skin that was holding me back — I was seriously inked, and that made me hard to market. That was nothing I’d really thought about, but when I started getting feedback from companies that didn’t know whether to place me in a teen or tattooed category, I knew it was going to be a problem. I had to commit, so in order to brand myself the way I felt was best I went in and had those tattoos removed. Clean slate! And companies started to notice. All of a sudden I had work coming in, and the craziest part is, I feel like I’m still rising. Have I reached the peak of what I can do? Absolutely not! I feel like I’ve got so much to offer and despite being wiser now that I’m no longer in my younger years, there’s still so much to learn.
I’m a firm believer in being true to yourself. You should be your own biggest fan, so being who you are is so important. Once you start to let that slide, it opens the door for people to start taking advantage of you, and that’s a very dangerous slope. Be firm in your beliefs, be your own advocate and never let anyone do something you’re uncomfortable with.
Speaking of, I think an important piece of advice to people who are trying to get their foot in the door is to listen to their gut and speak up about uncomfortable situations. So many performers don’t want to be seen as difficult or a “diva,” so they keep their mouths shut instead of speaking out for their own benefit. Not only are you helping yourself by making your feelings known, you could also be helping another performer avoid a bad situation in the future. In this industry, it’s so important that you’re comfortable, and keeping quiet when you’re not is a huge mistake. Trust yourself, and help your fellow performers out — always speak up!
Also? Save money! It can be very tempting to start spending once money starts rolling in, but things can change when you least expect it. Start saving, keep a close eye on your finances and be as responsible with your money as you can. One piece of advice that I received (that might be hard to hear) is that working in the adult industry is a job like any other, and in order to do well, you have to put in the work. Work hard, and keep working. Stay determined. Giving up is the quickest way to fail, so if you stay motivated it will pay off. For every performer that’s given up, there’s another one right behind to take their place. Show up, work hard and you’ll make yourself impossible to replace. This industry can tear apart even the thickest skin, so don’t feel bad about having an off day or feeling like you aren’t making progress. Keep your head in the game, stay motivated and keep working!
A personal success that I’m particularly proud of is being part of FanCentro’s Unikorn Squad. I’d wanted to be a part of it ever since it became the success it is today, so having achieved that goal is something I’m so proud of. Being on the Squad is a constant reminder that my hard work did pay off, and I have something wonderful to show for it. Working with the other members is great, we’re like family and it’s an honor to work with such talented people. We help each other out, it’s a great form of support, and it’s so much fun.
Finally, I think there’s a lot of value to staying humble. I’m goofy and fun on social media, I keep true to my real personality and I never think of myself as better than anyone else. I think that it really helps fans to see the true you and that helps you always remember to be authentic and real for them. Fans helped me get to where I am today, and they deserve to see the best of me (without a big head)!
Emma Hix is an adult star and content creator who can be followed @EMMAHIXOFFICIAL on Twitter, YourEmmaHix.com and EmmaHixFans.com.
