In addition to catering to its usual broad swath of adult professionals, this year Cybernet is also aiming to attract more old time webmasters, decision makers and adult professionals on the periphery of the industry.
After going through what Jay Kopita, vice president of marketing for YNOT Masters, called "three levels" since its inception in the late 1990s, Cybernet Expo has fine-tuned its mission to create an atmosphere where people can self-educate on issues facing the industry as well as conduct business in an exclusive environment. YNOT has been an event partner since 2003.
In addition to legal, billing and other hot issues facing webmasters, this year's seminar roundup includes a session on maintaining psychological health in the adult industry, avoiding burnout and learning to strike a balance in life between time, family life and health management.
Founded by Fay Sharp and Dave Gould in the late 1990s, the first few shows started out as real "mom and pop" operations that attracted what Kopita called "the true pioneers of the industry." Taking place in locations in New Jersey, Florida and New Orleans, the show eventually started attracting more webmasters and stirring up competition.
Just around the time YNOT Masters partnered with Sharp and Gould, the show found a temporary home in San Diego and has since been a pet project for Kopita to mold the theme and overall feel of the conference into a networking and educational event webmasters will find as beneficial as possible.
"We wanted to bring some renewed vigor to Cybernet Expo, since no show of this magnitude has ever been done in San Diego," Kopita said. "And since the location is sandwiched in-between Phoenix and Hollywood, we knew we could pull in a large crowd."
Kopita added that there will be an average of twenty booths at the event – by no means the center of attention – in addition to a lineup of seminars, Q&A's and a roster of parties where webmasters can let loose.
Taking place from June 12-15 at Shelter Pointe Hotel – 90 percent of which will be reserved for adult professionals – registrants are expected to be around 800, Kopita said.
"Our attitude is we want to provide an opportunity for webmasters who have a lot of money and those that don't," Kopita said. "We want the event to be as useful as it can be for everyone."
