XBiz Awards - The state of the industry.
 

On behalf of SplitInfinity Networks, I would like to offer the following in regards to the XBiz Awards, and the State of our industry...

Last year, we won the Web Host of the Year award, I remember how it felt
to win; I was overcome by emotion knowing that we had received such an
awesome award. In fact, it was, in my life, one of my most treasured moments. I will cherish that moment forever.

Following the award presentation, our business grew because of the exposure involved. We received phone calls from magazines both in the
adult sector as well as mainstream. It seems mainstream pays close attention to the adult sector. In fact, we attracted quite a bit of mainstream
business simply because the techs of those companies somehow knew of
the award and respect and appreciate the level of expertise it takes to run
adult based high traffic web servers.

Throught the year, the award brought us well deserved recognition.

As this years Xbiz awards approached, I silently thought to myself about
all the negative words that people have posted on the boards in the past
about the nomination process and how its "fixed". Comments such as that
had left me with an empty feeling. Thinking to myself that theres no way
we can win two times in a row made me sad. I thought this simply because people kept saying to me "Dude, you cant win twice in a row, its not possible".

The affect that peoples words have on others is amazing. I was not even
considering that we would be nominated again. I put the awards aside in my
mind so I could stop worrying about it.

As the nominations grew closer I became increasingly nervous. No matter how hard I tried to shut it out, I just could not do it.

Then it happened: SplitInfinity was nominated for Web Host of the Year along with other friendly competiton. I looked at who was nominated, went over each company and thought to myself, whoa, its gonna be a close one.

Now, there was no way I could put this aside. As the announcement of the winners got closer and closer, my anxiety(sp?) grew in proportion.

I was not planning on attending the WMA show at all, and really just wanted
to focus on work during the time of the show.

Joel and I went to LA to attend a dinner with SmashBucks two days before the award show. I would like to thanks SmashBucks for inviting us. They
had a very nice dinner at Spumanti in an outdoor enviornment which was
very classy.

While at dinner, we saw so many industry friends that it excited us about the awards show. We knew we had to attend just in case we won, so this dinner was a nice pumper upper.

Joel and I drove back to San Diego that night arriving home at 5am.
The following day, I decided we should get ready for the awards.
Since I am a suit junkie and Joel is not, I took him to get a suit.
I said "Joel, in case we win, you gotta represent!". I think this got Joel
excited. I saw him standing there with my tailor getting fitted and
could tell he was anxious and excited to go to the Key Club and find out
the answer.

Jonathan provided the positive vibe. He kept saying to me "Were gonna own it Boss.". He was not in any way even remotely considering that we would *not* win. He just knew we would do it. That is his nature, always positive and always the "YES! MAN".

Pauline was sad she could not attend the show, but was there in spirit.
Her health has not been so well and she was not feeling up to the trip.
However, she too was positive we would win!

Joel was playing it safe and telling himself that theres a big chance we wont win because we won last year.

With all of this going on, I decided to just have fun and look forward to the
XBiz awards to see friends and have fun. Its such a classy event, even if you dont win, its worth attending. Hell, even if we were not nominated, I would want to attend.

My wife Monique went with me. We were having such a good time it was like
a new years eve party and we were on a date but surrounded by friends.
Since we are expecting our 5th child, she was feeling a bit dizzy and needed
to eat something. We were given yellow wristbands with access to the upstairs area where waiters were serving Caviar topped Ahi tuna and other delicious treats. My wife ate and felt better. While we were up there we
sat and enjoyed some time with our good friend Gary Kremen. After a few drinks and watching the girls dance on stage we could see that the time was coming for them to announce the award winners. My wife said we should go downstairs now "just in case we are called" since it would be difficult to make it through the crowd quick enough.

We made our way downstairs and took place center stage on the dance floor.

We waited...
Watched the awards being given.....
Our hearts raced as they got ever so closer to our category.

Everything seemed in slow motion. Someone broke a glass and I can remember seeing each piece of the glass fly around the matrix style.

Then, something I will never forget happened, they announce SplitInfinity
as the winner for "Web Host of the Year". We frantically ran to the stage
and accepted our award. I remember how that trip to the stage was; everything in slow motion even thouh it was moving fast. I remember everyones eyes on me as I made my way to the stage. Warm smiling faces greeting me with eye contact. I remember seeing the Moss sisters, Aimee Sweet, KB and D$ and many others whom I know and love. I was in heaven.

Joel and I made it on stage, Jonathan was stuck behind the wall of people but made it up just in time to share in the award. I had no speech prepared so I winged it, ah what the hell, I was so happy I could have mumbled nonsense, but in that nonsense I was proud.

I thank Alec and all of the Xbiz crew for putting on such a lavish event
to acknoweledge the industry leaders. Your operation is a truly remarkable
one to say the least. Your publication, presentations and business model are
one to be admired. I find you always in my heart.

I further would like to congratulate my collegues who were nominated in our category, for they two gained recognition for their work well done. Simply being nominated is an award in its own right. I am sure they too went through the emotional struggle as I. My hat is off to you.

Jonathan, Joel, Pauline, Lawrence, Steve. My staff, you are the reason
we won this award. We will celebrate in San Diego and recognize our
accomplishments together.

Several customers deserve special mention:
EpicCash, Simon & Joe, Hal (b-unit/chimeratek), Python, Orgasm, Sex Search, AdultShop, CE, InetB, MakingCoin, Titan, mp3rocker, SC, spooky, Chio, Alien (yeah dude, ok ill recognize you) and any others I might have forgotten in this time of emotion, THANK YOU FOR 2005!

To Gary: Thank you for your support. You are someone I consider family.

To my Wife Monique, who is expecting our baby, thank you for your support.
I know it was hard to make the trip feeling all the early part of pregnancy
stuff that you are feeling, however your presence there was the icing on the
cake baby. After all, you *are* Mrs. SplitInfinity, this award goes to you too.
Your efforts with our company must be recognized. All the paperwork you have been doing and originzation has helped our company to become the
well oiled machine it is today. Not to mention, our offices have never looked
better.

I love you.

I would like to mention something rather important:
This industry we are in can go away, just like that! Snap your fingers and it
can be gone. Everything we are today can disappear. Imagine the income you are making to support your lifestyle now, gone for good. It CAN happen.
This is a looming threat. The adult industry is on blast by politicians and those who despise us. I ask of you one thing, SUPPORT THOSE THAT SUPPORT US. Go now and sign up, donate, or whatever it is you can do to
support them BECAUSE its for OUR GREATER GOOD.

ASACP - Joan Irvine http://www.asacp.org
Free Speech Coalition - Michele F. http://www.freespeechcoalition.org/

To all the people on the board: GFY! With Love.

Chris Jester
SplitInfinity Networks
AIM: NJesterIII
ICQ: 64791506
EMAIL: [email protected]
PHONE: 619-227-8845
http://www.splitinfinity.com

Holy shit. That's one long post.

Thats awesome Chris......SI Rocks! and Epic is proud to host with you!

We are looking forward to a HUGE 2006!! :thumbsup :thumbsup

With any luck we will be up there next year!

That was a nice read, congrats on winning the award two times in a row. Best luck to you in 2006 :thumbsup

that was a long read!

well written Chris

:smokin

Thank you all!
Ill post my photos here in this thread when I find my memory stick reader in my luggage somewhere.

If you have any photos of the awards, please post them here.

Note to self: Never use SplitInfinity. They have too much time to make long-ass boring posts on boards, instead of taking care of their clients' servers. :)

Congratulations :thumbsup

Been happy with my Split box...

Nice post and great company. Keep up the good work and hosting :thumbsup

Congrats Chris, you guys Rock!!!

Very nice Chris... very classy ! Congrats on running a great business.

Three-peat!!! Three-peat!!! Three-peat!!!

You raised an interesting issue. There is always a good deal of cynicism about awards, and some of it is well-deserved.

I spent many, many years (too many, lol), in the computer industry, the last 10+ years as a National Sales Manager. It was well known that the easiest way to make the Top 10 lists, get good reviews, and win awards in the industry was to advertise heavily with the companies doing the reviews and bestowing the awards.

Buying ad space in exchange for postive reviews/awards was a part of the marketing strategy of many if not most companies large and small whom I worked with or knew about.

Sure, the reviewers/awarders would always toss in a few spoilers to lend some credibility to their program, but by and large you could add up the ad space and then make pretty spot on guesses as to who would win the most/highest accolades.

What gets lost in all of that, is that quite often the people who win have a good product/service anyway.

Keeping focused on your product/service and most of all your customers is the best way to achieve success. Playing the marketing game is also necessary, but keeping it in perspective is even more important.

ADG Webmaster

Nice to read a totally uninhibited happines post for a change. Congrats on the award. :)

Congrads guys.

It's always nice to be recognized for your work/efforts...congrats guys! It was a good show all around! Can't wait to get back to NYC though =))

On a side note...Daym Chris 5 kids??? sheesh! =)

do you have that post in hardcover?

Congrats on the award :thumbsup

nice read...congrats !!!

Congrats and next year you can accept the longest post on a board award as well:)

Nice read & Congrats.

We all can recognize you for reaching 20K. :thumbsup

.

LOL...

Yay :thumbsup

Congrats Chris and the Spilt team :)

Congratulations to Chris and the SplitInfinity Team!

Than you for your ongoing support and being a member of the ASACP Advisory Council.

I appreciate you mentioning ASACP and FSC:

"I would like to mention something rather important:
This industry we are in can go away, just like that! Snap your fingers and it
can be gone. Everything we are today can disappear. Imagine the income you are making to support your lifestyle now, gone for good. It CAN happen.
This is a looming threat. The adult industry is on blast by politicians and those who despise us. I ask of you one thing, SUPPORT THOSE THAT SUPPORT US. Go now and sign up, donate, or whatever it is you can do to
support them BECAUSE its for OUR GREATER GOOD."

ASACP - Joan Irvine http://www.asacp.org
Free Speech Coalition - Michele F. http://www.freespeechcoalition.org

Nice read Chris!

You just won the XBiz award for best host in 2006 :winkwink:

Shall we celebrate now?

those awards mean fuck all, congrats on nothing.

there's no way in hell im reading that, lol.

holy shit

And gimme a break... XBiz Awards do not reflect the "state of the industry".

That's just Helmy's fantasy. :winkwink:

Little to heavy on the doom and gloom sweet heart...

USA might turn into a facist nation but I seriously doubt Adult Entertainment faces such a rapid demise. It would start a war.

Or maybe you do not really understand how big the adult biz is?

I wonder if Politicians are blasting mainstream as well?

Ahh yeah they do, but guess what. It ends there.

As long as mainstream entertainment is able to express itself, Adult Entertainment will always exhist in the USA. Maybe I am reading into you're words a little to earnestly and maybe I should should take it as a sales pitch.

OK.. I was gotta shut up out of "politeness" :1orglaugh

Folks that come out with doom and gloom always have a "solution". Deliver the bad news/problem and then the magical solution.

Gotta say... I am not one bit impressed by any of the bullshit over "child protection" by ASACP or the US government. The first is a sham and the actual track record of the US government itself is a damned disgrace.

There are good folks caught in the middle of the crap, - in FBI and other agencies, - and trying to do the best they can (and succeeding, tho often no thanks to those who pay em), but as an overall unit - they are pathetic.

I read parts of it. Next time just post a book. hhhehe :)

Congrats, and I hope that feeling never goes away.

Wow I am shocked at this post, chris is spilling his guts like a high school girl, regardless I thank him and the rest of the Industry, because both have a key rule in providing me for my future wife, and my future kids. This award ment alot to me, as I am sure it ment alot to chris, I thank each and everyone of you for making this buisness what it is today

Congrats for wining!

And kudos for having the balls to be excited about it...when you know that there will be haters who try to knock ya down.

Well done!

im sure you really don't give a shit but....

ment = meant
buisness = business
alot = a lot

ps. congrats on the award

Chris and Joel, congrats on your award!


You are so welcome and it was great having you guys at dinner! :thumbsup

LMAO...hahahaha :1orglaugh :1orglaugh