Industry entrepreneur and otherwise charming fellow Sam Sugar is all about the "next big thing." Always ready to venture down the topsy-turvy avenues of technology, content, and new media, the worldly Sugar has been analyzing and discussing the daily machinations of the adult industry from his perch at SugarBank.com, a slick blog that puts an intellectual yet easygoing spin on the hot topics of the day and the most intriguing issues.
We have a feeling Sugar most likely answered our questionnaire on a flight between Barcelona and New York City, taking time away from his iPod, this month's Fortune magazine, a soon-to-need-a-refill bourbon on the rocks and a legal pad brimming with cool ideas just long enough to give us some insight and opinions on a variety of topics for this edition of Executive Suite.
Obsession:
Music. Although I love books and movies, nothing gets to the core of my emotions faster than a piece of music. Without my iPod, I'm lost.
Best advice:
Never leave the house without an umbrella…well, it works well in the U.K. In the business field, I'd say that committees don't solve problems; people do.
The next big thing in adult Internet entertainment:
People power. I think the days of big studios and big websites are nearly over. Soon the action will be happening on a peer-to-peer level, without the marketing and hype the industry's crowded with now.
What's always by your bed:
A book. I always read before I sleep—normally, a good novel.
Best thing about being in this biz:
The knowledge that, in time, the controversial notion that sex-for-fun is somehow 'bad' will be laughed at.
What content niche do you wish would go away already:
Anything fueled by degradation and lack of wit.
First website visited when you log on to the computer:
My g-mail account. It's the only website I leave open permanently.
Favorite adult entertainment memento:
I travel a lot, so I try to avoid stuff. I have a lot of good memories though—not all of them fit for publication.
Superstitions:
None at all. I'm an atheist and a skeptic. I could bore you with how materialistic my worldview is.
Greatest strength as a businessman:
Ideas and determination. I'm good at looking at things a new way and I'm extremely tenacious.
One thing about the adult biz that annoys you:
The unusually high proportion of poorly educated people with narrow minds and big mouths.
One thing you'd change about the biz:
I'd like to see more professionalism. A performers' union able to provide protection and health insurance would be a great start.
What you do to relax:
I love to travel and usually find myself in a coffee shop with a book watching the world go by and wrapped in a story. It's bliss.
Favorite city:
I feel at home in London and L.A. I love Stockholm and Paris. Riga's where the most beautiful women I've seen are.
Historical figure you'd like to meet:
If there were a Jesus, it'd be interesting to have met him. If he never existed, probably Michelangelo or a young Einstein—I'd like to set him straight on quantum theory and give him more time to answer some questions we're still struggling with.
What you would have done differently if you could start again in adult:
I'd have started blogging sooner. I'd have asked for equity in more of the businesses I've helped thrive.
First thing you do at the office:
Check my email and read my feeds.
Upcoming excitement at SugarBank.com:
There's going to be a redesign and realignment. Some long-promised developments are on their way. It's going to be a very interesting year.
