profile

All About Discipline

When most people talk about personal and professional standards, those standards are often adjusted accordingly when money comes into the equation. Isabella Sinclaire is not one of those people. The GwenMedia owner got where she is today by sticking to her principles and forsaking financial offers — some significant — that might hinder her career in the long run. That's why after 15 years in the bondage business she's still a rising star — and jumping ship like most of her contemporaries.

She's a do-it-yourselfer who has only appeared in a handful of movies that she didn't produce herself. She was one of the first webmistresses, even offering streaming video for members as early as 1997. It is this big-picture thinking, combined with her dedication to detail, that secured her ownership of GwenMedia — but it wasn't as simple as it might seem.

The company was formed in 2000 by John Fitzgerald and Bob Zak, created as an extension of Zak's fetish clothing business. Sinclaire, the beautiful and established fetish model, had been releasing her own movies for years. She was brought in, and the trio formed a partnership that created the 10-part video series "The Ivy Manor," based on Sinclaire's dungeon.

The series proved popular with both critics and fans, and it provided the income to make it possible for GwenMedia to expand into other lines. But the relationship soured when, as Sinclaire put it, they "lessened the quality" for volumes five and six. She sued the company, and just before their court date, Zak died. Since there was no money and no heirs interested in taking over the company, Sinclaire was awarded GwenMedia. She started rebuilding the company in 2006 and re-launched it in February 2007.

Part of the rebuilding included pulling volumes five and six of "The Ivy Manor" and reshooting them the way she had originally envisioned them. The company will soon be releasing two titles a month, and though Sinclaire still does plenty of the work herself, she has put together a staff of two. And of course, she is still starring in the company's productions.

"I am pretty much everything," Sinclaire said. "Sometimes I'm in front of the camera, sometimes I'm behind the camera. Some of the best-selling GwenMedia films are films I have starred in, so I know that to make the company big, I have to continue to act in the films. I am my best talent. I also do wardrobe, catering, rigging — pretty much everything."

GwenMedia product is often referred to as "high-end bondage." Sinclaire said the company caters "to a certain level of fantasy, which is more sci-fi, less realistic, more elaborate. We use tight scenarios with loose scripting."

Sinclaire said she tries to keep a certain level of professionalism and quality in everything she does, from events to DVDs to her websites. This attention to detail and dedication to her principles has helped build her reputation. After all, how many adult stars can say they turned down 20 grand to strip for Playboy? Years ago, when the magazine was looking to shoot a dominatrix, they approached Sinclaire — who shot them down.

"They wanted me to be nude and on my knees," she said. "I was trying to build this image as a pro dominatrix, someone who is kind of like a queen, and the idea of that is I would never be on my knees, I would never be bent over with my ass looking like it was about to be spanked. I am probably the most famous adult star who has never taken off her clothes."

Sinclaire is keenly aware that many see the DVD market as dying fast. That she deals in fetish buys her some extra time, as many customers are less willing to take on new technology, but changes are no less on the horizon.

"I think fetish sticks around better than most adult product just because it has a very niche market," she said. "Until last year, I was still selling VHS. I was trying not to sell them, I was trying to take them off my website, but people kept asking for them. I don't know if people who watch fetish, maybe they aren't as technologically savvy, I don't know. The DVDs still sell pretty well, but I'm prepared for that transition into just online sales. I've had an active website since the late '90s, so I'm hoping I'm prepared for it. Any time there's a more convenient technology, of course people are going to do it. As long as they're being watched and people are enjoying them and it brings pleasure to their lives, then I'm for that."

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More Articles

opinion

Building Seamless Checkout Flows for High-Risk Merchants

For high-risk merchants such as adult businesses, crypto payments are no longer just a backup plan — they’re fast becoming a first choice. More and more businesses are embracing Bitcoin and other digital currencies for consumer transactions.

Jonathan Corona ·
opinion

What the New SCOTUS Ruling Means for AV Laws and Free Speech

On June 27, 2025, the United States Supreme Court handed down its landmark decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, upholding Texas’ age verification law in the face of a constitutional challenge and setting a new precedent that bolsters similar laws around the country.

Lawrence G. Walters ·
opinion

What You Need to Know Before Relocating Your Adult Business Abroad

Over the last several months, a noticeable trend has emerged: several of our U.S.-based merchants have decided to “pick up shop” and relocate to European countries. On the surface, this sounds idyllic. I imagine some of my favorite clients sipping coffee or wine at sidewalk cafés, embracing a slower pace of life.

Cathy Beardsley ·
profile

Andi Avalon Talks Wifey Life and the Joys of Suburban Chaos

Fans crave authenticity. For most adult content creators, this has become gospel. Everybody is looking for “the real deal” — and as it happens, you can’t get much more real than MILF creator-performer Andi Avalon.

Jackie Backman ·
profile

WIA Profile: Salima

When Salima first entered the adult space in her mid-20s, becoming a power player wasn’t even on her radar. She was simply looking to learn. Over the years, however, her instinct for strategy, trust in her teams and commitment to creator-first innovation led her from the trade show floor to the executive suite.

Women in Adult ·
opinion

How the Interstate Obscenity Definition Act Could Impact Adult Businesses

Congress is considering a bill that would change the well-settled definition of obscenity and create extensive new risks for the adult industry. The Interstate Obscenity Definition Act, introduced by Sen. Mike Lee, makes a mockery of the First Amendment and should be roundly rejected.

Lawrence G. Walters ·
opinion

What US Sites Need to Know About UK's Online Safety Act

In a high-risk space like the adult industry, overlooking or ignoring ever-changing rules and regulations can cost you dearly. In the United Kingdom, significant change has now arrived in the form of the Online Safety Act — and failure to comply with its requirements could cost merchants millions of dollars in fines.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

Understanding the MATCH List and How to Avoid Getting Blacklisted

Business is booming, sales are steady and your customer base is growing. Everything seems to be running smoothly — until suddenly, Stripe pulls the plug. With one cold, automated email, your payment processing is shut down. No warning, no explanation.

Jonathan Corona ·
profile

Sophia Locke Talks Second Acts and Self-Love

Sophia Locke has the kind of presence that instantly makes you want to lean in. She’s confident, effortlessly glamorous and exudes sincerity. Chatting with her feels like catching up over lattes with your best friend — who happens to casually drop that she’s filming three Adult Time features next month.

Jackie Backman ·
profile

WIA Profile: Leah Koons

If you’ve been to an industry event lately, odds are you’ve heard Leah Koons even before you’ve seen her. As Fansly’s director of marketing, Koons helps steer one of the fastest-growing creator platforms on the web.

Women in Adult ·
Show More