Each month, 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.
Mentor. Mother. Maven of the sale. That’s Christina Williams and her career in a nutshell, and after eight years — both in the pleasure space and with NS Novelties — she’s fulfilled her original adult life goal of becoming an independent woman with the world at her feet.
When I hear I contributed to someone’s world, it fills me with pride and happiness.
Williams holds the role of account executive at NS Novelties, a job she initially accepted in search of some temporary excitement after a longstanding career in mainstream product and service sales. Just a little less than a decade later, she knows she’ll happily sell sex toys for life, working alongside a bevy of colleagues she feels lucky to call true friends.
Twenty years ago, Williams was a single mother of three in California, with her eyes on the humbler prize of just supporting her family. When she answered an ad for a job opportunity with NS Novelties, she assumed she’d only last a couple of years.
Today, as a mentor to new, younger NS sales execs, Willams’ opinion on product design is valued and her voice can be heard in NS’s marketing messages. She has earned her pleasure wings.
In celebration of her passionate spirit and drive to be a role model for the industry’s next-up women on top, we’re featuring Christina Williams as this month’s Woman in Adult.
XBIZ: As some readers may be totally new to your career in the pleasure space, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do at NS Novelties?
Williams: I am now a mother of three grown children. I was a young single mother and having young children to support, I investigated a career path where I could afford to live in California and raise my children. After obtaining my bachelor’s degree in psychology, I embarked on a career in sales, as it offered opportunities for growth and good income potential. In the last 20 years, I sold everything from security systems to advertising space to life insurance. Always looking for new opportunities, I saw an ad for a sales position at NS Novelties. It promised something new and exciting. I applied, got the job, and have been at it ever since. I was hired on as an account executive for NS Novelties to promote and grow our amazing brand. Today I work with distributors, brick-and-mortar retail and online stores all over the U.S. and Canada, doing exactly that. My goal is not only promoting NS Novelties, but also providing knowledge about the industry, how to help a store be successful, the elements of the psychology of sales, what a consumer is looking for, and sharing the knowledge that I have accumulated over the years.
XBIZ: What has your journey been like since then?
Williams: I was new to the industry when I started at NS Novelties. I have been here for eight years as an account executive. I was hired to help grow the brand and as my knowledge grew, so did my ability to contribute to our growth. I now have a voice in product development, packaging, marketing and more. Having eight years under my belt placed me in a position where I am now able to mentor new account executives and help them grow within the company.
XBIZ: What do you enjoy the most about being a “woman in adult?” What does this industry uniquely offer to women?
Williams: Knowing that in the early days of the industry, this has been a male-dominated industry, and over the years it has evolved into an industry where females are treated and accepted as equals is an important achievement. Being a part of this group of women that carries the torch, becoming an integral and important part of the chain of education, sales and acceptance feels special. It gives me a chance to be a part of something meaningful. I am constantly being given the opportunity to work with strong, successful women who paved the way for us to all take part in this amazing journey. In the eight years I have been in this industry, I have seen such a positive change in the role of sexual wellness and its integration into our everyday life. From being taboo to being accepted into the mainstream, being a part of normalizing the sexual revolution gives us a sense of purpose and a sense of accomplishment.
XBIZ: Tell us about one of your proudest career moments with NS Novelties. For example, how did you contribute to your team or help a customer in a way that ended as a really positive experience for you?
Williams: An important part of my career is training. Educating everyone that encounters our products is extremely important — from buyers to distributors, store personnel to consumers, education is key. My proudest moments are when customers who attend one of my training seminars say they learned something new from me. I have received compliments from distributors and stores regarding my trainings and how much they learn about NS Novelties and the basics of our industry. When I hear I contributed to someone’s world, it fills me with pride and happiness. Those are the moments I realize I am in the right place.
XBIZ: What’s special to you about working at NS Novelties? What values and ethics align with your own perspective on sexual wellness products?
Williams: I have had incredible mentors like Janet Rini and Lavi Yedid, who possess many years of industry knowledge and whose teachings contributed to the success I have had. NS Novelties is truly a team effort. We all work together, from product development, packaging, and marketing to everything that makes the company function. Everyone has a voice and with different perspectives going into the products we create; the end results are the manifestation of everyone’s involvement and contribution.
Scott Taylor and Lavi Yedid are the heart of this company, and they are both caring and family-oriented. They care about each of us as if we are family and having an environment like that to work in is everything to me.
Sexual wellness encompasses so much: fun, excitement, knowledge, growth, acceptance, inclusivity and more. Sexual wellness products have become a central component of the movement. They should offer the highest quality possible at an affordable price and that is how we create our brands. We offer what the end consumer is looking for: a properly designed, elegant, high-quality product that is affordable.
XBIZ: Now that most COVID regulations have lifted, where can the industry find you this year? What are your career plans for the remainder of 2022?
Williams: I am so happy the world is returning to normal. I am so excited to see all my customers in person at shows and during my travels. I am going to focus on mentoring our newer account executives and traveling everywhere I can, making up for lost time. My goal is to keep helping people be successful, teaching stores and distributors about our amazing products. I am here to help make NS Novelties the best we can be, and enjoy being a part of its growth.
XBIZ: What advice would you give to women who want to start a career in the pleasure industry?
Williams: I would warn them that they will fall in love with it. Your customers will become family and your competitors will become your best friends. I have worked in many industries and never experienced anything like this one. People don’t leave this industry; they may move around but they rarely leave. I was planning to stay in this industry for a year or two and here I am eight years later. COVID was a huge wake-up call for us to realize the best part about this industry is the people. The manufacturers, the distributors, the stores, the educators, the clerks, we are all part of this amazing family. Everyone helping and leading by example and cheering for the success we have all had, it’s an amazing place to be!
