LOS ANGELES — XBIZ is pleased to announce Gian Carlo, founder of mobile performance powerhouse BitterStrawberry.com and premier paysite network PornDoe Premium, as Visionary Keynote speaker for XBIZ 2018, set for Jan. 15-19 at the Andaz hotel in Los Angeles.
With a diverse professional background that includes DVD licensing, broadcast, paysites, tubes and affiliate marketing, Gian Carlo knows how to roll with the punches and stay hyper-competitive in adult’s constantly evolving marketplace.
“Success stories always follow the same trend,” Gian Carlo tells XBIZ. “The secret of success is not a secret at all. It’s called ‘always work the extra mile.’ Never waste a good mistake — learn from it — and don’t ever forget to value your people. Because you build your people, and they build your business.”
Serving publishers and advertisers with AI-based performance tracking and data-driven optimization, BitterStrawberry offers a cutting-edge platform that has proven highly popular for those looking to up their digital media game.
Equally innovative is PornDoe.com, which broke tradition with typical tube sites by curating legal, localized content from Europe, South America and North America. Boasting 35 paysites and counting within the PornDoe Premium network, Gian Carlo fuels production of more than 100 exclusive scenes monthly.
And both of these industry-leading platforms have evolved due to “continuous learning, combined efforts and using as much as possible all our experience to reach the best results, in each of the two fields.” He also underscores, “So, even if there’s no proven formula for success, this synergy helped us find a way to add more value to people’s life than others did before.”
His multifaceted venture has succeeded on many levels through the dedicated efforts of a diverse team, overseen by Gian Carlo and his beloved wife and managing director Carmen. They play as hard as they work, from the comfort and colorful splendor of Silicon Valley-esque offices no less vibrant than a Facebook or Google workplace.
“If you are looking at those who are at the top of their field, you will discover they all have one thing in common,” he elucidates. “They are all busy attracting the right people, which can bring value to their projects — creative fresh talents with a great potential to boost the industry’s development as well.
“We all know, the adult industry is facing a period of significant restructuring and this crisis is brought not only by the tube sites and pirated material, but mostly because of its talented individuals,” Gian Carlo adds. “Their creativity can inspire new heights, restoring the whole industry. Thanks to the latest educational content, there are more people joining the industry than ever before, ready to explore this gold mine from the affiliate field. Once again, sustainable products are created by people, not the other way around.”
And for those whose businesses are just beginning to flourish, Gian Carlo offers a glimpse of the sage advice he plans to deliver, for scaling up an operation to major league status. “It is not really a challenge when you have the right people and something valuable to bring to the market in the first place,” he explains. “If you are surrounded with the right team, if you build your strategies to reach your biggest thoughts, then you only need to pull the trigger. The one who dares, wins, if he thinks big and acts bold. The real challenge is to hire the right people and then to focus on the organizational planning.”
He will also delve, at XBIZ 2018, into the difficulties of recruiting and training such a team of qualified, dedicated individuals.
“There is a process in building a good team and these companies wouldn’t become what they are today without a very clear, meaningful vision that every single employee knows, lives and communicates every single day though their work,” he points out. “It is very important to share the same vision and to make sure they all embrace it fully. Secondly, it is important to make sure you keep your team motivated, because their motivation is a direct result of the final success. Always be a part of the project, never stop trying, believe and mostly never give up!”
Attendees can also look forward to his experience in pivoting rapidly when faced with a market in flux. “There is no formula that will guarantee you will be ahead of the curve, especially in the online industry,” Gian Carlo notes. “Growing more successful means going a bit beyond the ordinary, always looking around, figuring out what people aren’t doing and trying new things. Don’t be afraid of failure and take it further than everybody else … and you’ll have a great chance to stay on top of the wave.”
For new players who are ready to bring their creativity to bear upon the marketplace, Gian Carlo outlines, “The adult industry is stagnated. 80 percent of the industry is a fight between five major players. We encourage new players, because adult is not dead if you develop a real product.”
Even established brands can take advantage of the fact that “this market is quite split and there is always an opportunity waiting to be taken.” Most importantly, though, is standing apart from the pack. “Be original,” he states. “Be unique. Stand out. Try new things and don’t be afraid to fail. Whoever found the new trend, failed several times before. Adopt a growth mindset. The best entrepreneurs remain open-minded. Exercise patience, focus on being great at one thing at a time and not good at many. Develop a real product!”
And if there is one core theme he plans to examine during his Visionary Keynote, Gian Carlo unveils, “Think, act, implement out of the box. And you will win, out of the box. Do not be scared in bringing innovation to your product. Be ready to invest. Have a clear long-term strategy and of course … always wear sunscreen.” Much and more will he reveal.
XBIZ 2018 will once again feature an unparalleled lineup of special events, including the annual XBIZ Exec Awards, Winter Wonderland Party, XBIZ Golf Tournament, Cybersocket Awards, Women in Adult’s Roundtable, Mix & Meet Market and the return of last January’s debut special event, Content Matchmaker, which pairs content producers with marketers and broadcasters.
Additionally, the newly introduced XBIZ Talks will offer exclusive perspectives from a wide range of movers and shakers. The event climaxes with the adult industry’s biggest night, the 2018 XBIZ Awards, presented by premier cam community MyFreeCams and hosted by adult superstar Jessica Drake, at the grand JW Marriot in Downtown Los Angeles.
For more information about XBIZ 2018, click here.
For event participation opportunities, contact events@xbiz.com.
