XBIZ Summer Forum Kicks Off With Speed Networking

LAS VEGAS -- Blistering business is the best way to describe the opening event at this year's XBIZ Summer Forum as the ever-popular Speed Networking session, hosted this year by Adult Webmaster Empire, kicked off the three-day program.

Webmasters braved the early morning call today to be sure they would meet the people who matter in the two-minute meetings.

And from all appearances not one of the 50-plus attendees were short for words and none were disappointed with what was learned in the lightning-fast sessions.

Wasteland Founder and CEO Colin Rowntree told XBIZ that when he first heard that Speed Networking was set for the early morning he was suspicious about who would turn out and how much business would be done.

'It sounded like the time would be a hindrance but was I surprised. The hardcore networkers came out en masse and provided an amazing amount of early morning business sense. I'm never disappointed by these XBIZ sessions," Rowntree said.

Other notable attendees included Dating Gold's A.K., Moose from Girlfriends Films, Intellichat Adult's Billy Thomas and Pure Play Media's Richard Arnold among many more.

Pure Play's Arnold said that he was fairly new to the concept of speed networking but was very surprised at the "non-nonsense' approach the attendees brought to the table.

"I was impressed at how much everyone was prepared with their company line. In just a few minutes I learned more about companies I was curious about than I could have with continuous emails and phone calls. And because I do business in Canada the idea that I can gather so much important B2B stuff in 50 minutes is mind blowing," Arnold said.

OrbitalPay Assistant Vice President Karen Campbell said that Speed Networking was great as usual and added that it's the best place to meet people.

"I came close to making a deal. That's the best part," Campbell said.

The session moderator, XBIZ's Ana Partida noted that by the end of the session attendees were already asking for more and were happy to hear that another program followed.

The next round of Speed Networking is set for tomorrow at 10 a.m. in the Monterey Room of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

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