Page 54 - AVN Men 2020

“I think to be a really good leader and to actually bring the troops with you, you have to really reach into yourself and
have empathy and understand where people are coming from and what their positions are.”
better known as AEBN, which is NakedSword’s parent
company.
Valenti, who turns 60 on January 8—he shares a
birthday with Elvis Presley—this year is celebrating
NakedSword’s 20th anniversary. He revealed at press
time in December that NakedSword was in the midst
of a complete overhaul of its platform with the grand
unveiling scheduled for the second quarter of 2020.
“We did launch the first version of NakedSword in
1999 as a token-based streaming site, not knowing too
much about the adult business. It was more a streaming
product that we were trying to see if it would work
and it kind of bombed pretty big in that we had a lot
of customers buying huge packets or streams—like a
thousand dollars worth of streams—and then charging
it all back,” Valenti explains. “Because in those days
they could do it. And there was nothing we could do.
There was no recourse because in those days with
credit-card companies and streaming businesses in
porn it was like you’re in the wrong, no matter what.
“So we took down the site and said if we’re going
to be involved in the adult business we better really
understand what it is we’re doing and come up with a
better product. So we re-launched NakedSword in 2000
and it took off.”
Did it ever.
But NakedSword business is only one part of the day
for the busiest man in gay porn. Valenti’s responsibilities
for Falcon Studios Group entail overseeing a vibrant DVD
production and releasing business as well as licensing
content and maintaining a lineup of membership sites for
the studio brands.
Indeed, Valenti wears many hats at the office—which
is located within walking distance of the University of
California at Berkeley. He says that it’s taken most of
the past four years to unite his staff to the point where
“everyone has each other’s backs.”
Valenti learned a lot about leadership along the way. In
particular, he says that understanding the pulse of your
staff is critical. “To be a really good leader and to actually
bring the troops with you, you have to really reach into
yourself and have empathy and understand where people
are coming from and what their positions are. ... You have
to really truly understand and try and walk the walk with
them—if you want them to be walking the walk with you.”
Valenti says another valuable lesson he has learned is to
keep the faith.
“What I’ve noticed from a lot of folks that I’ve worked with
over the years is they give up too soon,” he says. “And a lot
of times I think that comes down to what’s your definition
of faith and what does faith mean to you. It doesn’t mean
religious faith, it just means faith in yourself, faith in your
idea, faith in your vision.”
As Valenti adds yet another accolade to his remarkable
career, he is grateful for the support. He jokes that the
GayVN Hall of Fame tribute “is a nice birthday present”
but he says, “It’s kind of like, geez, now what?”
Valenti supplies his own answer: “I’m just going to have
make better movies and create better streaming products,
that’s all.”
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