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.
When Caroline Karolinko joined Segpay in 2018, she did not know a lot about the adult industry.
I spend a lot of my time maintaining relationships with all my clients, checking in with them weekly to assist with anything they might need to grow their revenue.
After graduating from the University of Florida with a master’s degree in speech-language pathology, she worked with autistic youth and others with behavioral disorders. On her own time, she also coached a synchronized swimming team — something she still does to this day, as well as serving as a national judge for the sport.
In fact, she met Segpay CEO Cathy Beardsley through their shared passion for swimming, which is how she ended up becoming a marketing and sales project manager for the company.
“She has been a great mentor and boss,” Karolinko says. “Not many people can say they work with a CEO recognized by Forbes magazine. I really enjoy working on the Segpay team and for someone who has blazed a path for women in this industry.”
Having spent the last five years becoming intimately familiar with the industry, Karolinko now focuses on helping clients navigate the often challenging landscape of ever-shifting regulations and payment processing considerations, while finding new ways to serve their changing needs.
In this WIA Woman of the Month interview, she reflects on her career thus far, shares her perspectives on the business and sheds light on what it’s like working behind the scenes in the payment biz.
XBIZ: How has your role evolved over time at Segpay?
CAROLINE KAROLINKO: I have certainly grown a lot since I began at Segpay. When I started, my focus was more on the marketing side of things. I handled the trade shows and worked with our PR team to handle all the creative aspects. Now I’m at the trade shows in person, talking to clients and adding to Segpay’s merchant base through my actions. It is rewarding! This job has become such a wonderful learning experience.
Everyone in the adult community has been so welcoming to me. Every day, it is actually fun finding solutions for our merchants in the industry and seeing how I can make a difference in their lives. I know I did my job right when I see my clients succeed and cross the threshold of the compliance process, getting their business up and running with Segpay.
XBIZ: What are your primary duties as marketing and sales project manager?
KAROLINKO: My primary duties are to drive client engagement and, of course, to increase revenue for Segpay. We’re always looking for the best solutions for our clients. For example, matching them with the best payment solutions. At Segpay, we believe customer service is the most important thing we can provide.
I spend a lot of my time maintaining relationships with all my clients, checking in with them weekly to assist with anything they might need to grow their revenue through one of Segpay’s many payment solutions.
XBIZ: Describe your typical workday.
KAROLINKO: When I get to the office, I have to hit the ground running. The time of day is especially important as many clients are based in Europe. I often make calls and connect with Segpay’s merchants, to make sure things are running smoothly and determine whether they’re using the best payment options we have to grow their business.
In the afternoon, I switch my focus to our U.S.-based clients and relationships. The most fun days are when I am at a trade show where I can connect with our merchants face to face.
XBIZ: How do you ensure Segpay stays ahead of the curve in the payments space?
KAROLINKO: The learning in this role never ends. You have to always be flexible as the payments industry is always changing, with new regulations and new solution options. To stay on top of things, I am constantly reading and sharing relevant articles with the team. I am grateful to have the best team to continuously learn from. They have helped me cross the finish line in closing some bigger deals.
I also follow thought leaders on LinkedIn and engage in many different groups in our space. At industry trade shows, I’m always in seminars taking notes. Our industry has some very smart people in it and it’s a gift to learn from them. The adult industry also faces some of the toughest standards, so you have to always be ahead of the curve.
XBIZ: What’s a particular successful marketing campaign or deal you facilitated recently?
KAROLINKO: One of my goals was to grow Segpay’s social media presence. We currently have over 4,000 followers on LinkedIn, and we continue to promote our Segpay blog, which is very informational for clients. About a year ago, Segpay also launched a digital marketing campaign through a series of animated videos. The two “spokescharacters,” Seemore Profits and his trusty customer service dog Sassy, help to demystify payment processing and other often not-so-easy-to-understand concepts in the payments world. Segpay’s whole team has been working together to amplify Segpay’s message and values through social media. It’s rewarding to see it is working!
XBIZ: Are there particular milestones you’ve helped Segpay achieve, about which you’re especially proud?
KAROLINKO: I manage one of the largest mainstream accounts for Segpay, which helped to grow our entire mainstream portfolio. This was a client who had a dream and together with Segpay was able to grow his business into a large, very popular website.
XBIZ: What are your main ambitions in the coming years, for yourself and for Segpay?
KAROLINKO: I am always looking for ways to grow and expand my knowledge. Being a part of this industry teaches me new things every day. I’d love to be able to match every merchant up with the perfect solution to grow their business. It’s rewarding to be able to help people who wouldn’t normally be able to process payments or have a business. I am confident that as Segpay continues to grow, so will I. I look forward to continuing to build current and new client relationships, since that is one of my favorite parts about my job.
