Community Profile:
12 Questions from DonMike of MaxPixels

 1. How long have you been in the adult industry?

DonMike: Since April of 2001.

2. Can you give our readers a little background about yourself. What did you do before you got in this business?

DonMike: I've always been drawn to the adult community, I think. My first full-time job out of college was at a company that did phone sex. This was back in Pittsburgh. I was the audio production person who recorded all the intros and outros to the 900 lines, plus I had to edit the recorded phone personals messages for content we were not allowed to use. You'd be amazed at the stuff people would say to an anonymous recording.

I worked there until the company closed and then sold tickets to the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball games for a summer. From there I worked in a customer service call center for about two years.

Then I came to Los Angeles, totally on a whim, and the first job I could find here was at a swanky Hollywood hotel. I hated it. I had to wear a uniform for the first time in my life, keep my hair a certain length and no earrings. I got to meet a lot of celebs, though, and that was fun. But I started really itching for a job back in the adult industry so I could just be myself again.

3. How did your previous job/profession help you in what you do today?

DonMike: Well, I got quite an education at the phone sex company. And not just in the workings of an adult business, but also about sexuality in general and the way people deal with thier own and others. And at the call center, I was able to really hone my people skills. Our clients were very high maintenance, so I got over my shyness very quickly and learned how to work with everyone regardless if they were happy and content or angry over an issue. And the hotel job made me take those people skills and apply them to situations that were face to face, not just over the phone.

4. What is your daily routine - of and with the maintenance of your website?

DonMike: This is a bad time to ask that question, heh heh. I started at MaxPixels on the first of December, and the fourth I was rushed to the Emergency Room because of my appendix. I was very sick and off of work for about two weeks. Then I ran off to Internext and some other things I had to do. So I'm actually still in training, learning the system, working on some back end things that I need to do before really getting into a regular schedule. At the moment, every day is totally different, but it's very exciting, and a lot of work.

5. What is the most important thing you have learned over the years in this industry?

DonMike: The importance of industry friendships. The people I started joking around with on the boards four years ago have become friends in real time as well as people who have been a huge asset to me in my professional life. People like The Legacy from WebmasterParadise, Gary-Alan and Lee from GayWideWebmasters, Dzinerbear from Mancheck, Jasun from Fratmen, Harlan and the gang from Pridebucks, Twinkley and Jay from Ynot, Rochard from Yanks... well, I could take up a whole page. You all know who you are. All these people have been so important in helping me get where I am today. I just don't know what I would have done without them. Oh, and Andy Mike from JustUsBoys (who is not really related to me, contrary to popular belief) has been my rock in the industry all these years. He's always gone to bat for me and taught me a lot about the industry when I was just starting out.

Another thing I've learned is to just be as real and genuine as you can be. I've never tried to play someone, or put on a phony face to get somewhere. Sure, we all have our work persona and our home one, but I still treat all of my clients and colleagues like friends. The funny thing is that I started out doing that simply because I didn't know any other way to act, and it's really worked well for me. I've had clients follow me through three different companies because they know they can talk to me and I will always treat them with respect and do my best to help them.

6. Can you tell us about your website – what it is and what it offers?

DonMike: MaxPixels specializes in high quality gay content. We provide the most unique and high grade content along with excellent service. Our Instant Download feature makes it easy and convenient to receive your content immediately. We also supply the sets on CD with each order and provide FTP services. And all of our content is 2257 compliant.

We carry a wide array of content in many niches, including Southern Twinks, South American Boys, UK Twinks, East Euro, and Asian. And our Signature series delivers print quality, professionally shot photos. We also offer high quality video clips. Each one is at least 10 minutes long and broken down into 1 minute clips and come in Quick Time, Real Player and Windows Media formats with optimum compression for High and Low Bandwidth.

7. What is your favorite part about working in this business?

DonMike: My favorite part is the people. I look forward to the shows because they always feel like family reunions to me. I get to catch up with old friends and make new ones. And I don't have to censor myself around them, which you usually have to do in less liberal jobs.

The other thing I love is that I can look the way I want. I was sporting a mohawk for a while and used a photo of me with it as my board avatar. Well, I shaved it off and went to a convention and many people told me they never saw me there because they didn't see anyone with a mohawk! If you had told me years ago that I would work somewhere where having a mohawk would be beneficial to my job, I would have laughed.

8. What is your least favorite part about working in this business?

DonMike: The drama. Sometimes one company will do something to directly harm another company and I just don't get that. I mean, there's nothing wrong with a little friendly competition, but to set out to bring harm to another person, a person's reputation or a business is against everything I believe in. I think we are all in this together. Things are hard enough with the battles we have from the government and the organizations that want to shut us down, fighting amongst ourselves will only help those who are against us.

9. If you were starting all over today, would you do anything differently? And if so what would that be?

DonMike: This may sound cheesy, but I would do it all the same. To say you would change any one part of your life means that you are not happy with how your life is now, and even with the ups and downs I've had, I've never been happier.

10. What piece of advice would you give yourself if you were just starting out in this industry?

DonMike: I just had a conversation at Internext with someone who is just starting out, so this is really fresh in my mind. I told him to learn all he could before jumping into anything. So many people sign up to the first program they see because the offer looks attractive, or they set up a bunch of sites that they personally think are great, only to find out that the design is really old looking. Keep in mind that something one person gets off on might not work for others and just because you like something does not mean it will get members or retain them.

Also, and I've said this many times before, if you are going to do niche sites for God's sake KNOW YOUR NICHE! People with specific sexual interests know when you are trying to put one over on them. If you toss up a bunch of fetish content with no context you may as well just kiss it all goodbye. Hey, I want you to make money from my content so you'll be back for more, so I'm willing to give all the advice I can.

11. What are three things would you like to see changed (be it positive or negative) in this industry, tomorrow, a week from now, or a year down the road?

DonMike: a) I would like to see an end to all the 2257 hysteria and government fear mongering. Leave us alone! We are taxpayers running businesses here. If they are really so big on fighting for the rights of children, there are ways it could be done that don't involve making an entire industry suffer.

b) See question 8. Stop the bullshit, people. We will only be able to keep this industry strong by working together and not trying to ruin each other.

c) A health care plan for the adult industry. I'm so fortunate that I have full health care here. The guys at Randy Blue and MaxPixels are a class act. Many people just don't have any health care at all. That's just crazy.

12. Any new projects in the near future you would like to share with our readers?

DonMike: Well, MaxPixels is my newest project, and I'm focusing all my attention on that. I've been around and know what people are looking for in a content provider. I'm really looking forward to adding my experience and input and taking MaxPixels to the next level.