Page 17 - AVN Intimate Summer 2018

“We have an aggressive plan to put in place,” he added. “But it will grow our name
and brand recognition. We have to be the ‘Kleenex’ of adult products.”
Part of controlling the brand, making it more accessible, responding to customer
feedback and doing things differently is an attitude Broms—who has been designing
products since 2005 for the company—is embracing.
“We want every product we create from now on to have a purpose,” he said. “If we
are making a cock ring, we want to know why we are making that cock ring. Is it filling
a gap in the market? Is it offering a new feature? Is there a reason for it?”
It’s a completely different attitude, he admits, from the past. Like most larger
companies, products are released twice a year; in Pipedream’s case the major launches
coincided with the ANME Founders Shows in January and July. And it wasn’t
uncommon for Pipedream Products to unveil upwards of 300 SKUs at each show.
It’s not a sustainable business model, some team members now admit: many times
salespeople struggled to keep buyers interested in product lines that wouldn’t ship
until months after their debut. In some cases, ranges never shipped at all, because it
was time to release a new batch of products.
The focus on specifics, Broms noted, will make it easier not only on employees in
various departments at Pipedream, but also for customers. And it could shake up how
things are done. Broms said he would like to see Pipedream Products make a move to
release products as often as four times a year, perhaps even hosting pop-up events to
announce new ranges.
“It would keep the work flow much more even, and it allows enough time for the
products to get the attention they deserve,” he said.
It’s different from business as usual, not only at Pipedream Products, but also
throughout the industry. But Matsudaira and many members of his team feel it will be
a welcome change.
“It’s a marked shift,” said Brian Sofer, Pipedream’s digital marketing director. “The
common thread in every department here now is the belief we are not doing the same
old thing. The motto has become, ‘It’s not business as usual, but it’s better business.’”
“People are the upside of the business, and I
want to see our people disrupt the way things
have always been done. I know we have the
team to do that.”
—Matthew Matsudaira
Better business is what Matsudaira wants for Pipedream Products and the industry.
“I love building businesses and products that are coveted by people all over the
world. I enjoy working hard, delivering results, competing, and being a servant leader
to my team. Over the past few years, Pipedream has struggled. I believe Pipedream
has a tremendous amount of potential that needs to be nourished. I have led billion-
dollar business units and the framework stays the same, whether I’m selling luxury
retail products, solving tough problems with technology, or selling dog food. It comes
down to people, processes and product. From my Nordstrom days, I took away the
importance of being customer obsessed. At Amazon, I learned logistics and operations.
I was challenged to Think Big to solve big problems for customers. At Chewy, I learned
how to scale a business from startup phase to being a large enterprise, [which] made
history for the largest e-commerce acquisition in history. There is untapped potential at
Pipedream and I’m grateful to be part of this team.
“My focus is building a foundation and culture, where we cultivate the best people,
where we are customer obsessed, and we are working toward our lofty goals that we
have set forth for the company. Our culture is based on collaboration, communication,
integrity and grit,” Matsudaira said. “This is going to be the best place to work,
because we have the best talent and the best potential.”
FEATURE
Kristian Broms Named
Chief Design Officer at
Pipedream Products
In other news about Pipedream Products, Kristian
Broms has been named the chief design officer for the
pleasure products manufacturer.
Broms joined Pipedream in 2005 as senior designer
and was promoted to vice president of design in 2011,
where he led the product development and design
team. In his new role, he will oversee all design and
innovation aspects of Pipedream’s products.
“We deeply value all our employees and we are
pleased to watch them meeting such great challenges
and reaching toward an array of newer and higher
responsibilities. Kristian has been a key part in the
success of Pipedream and we are thrilled to promote
him to this important position. This is just one of the
many things that our customers should be excited
about,” said Matthew Matsudaira, chief executive
officer of Pipedream.
“I’m looking forward to working with Matthew and
the Pipedream team,” Broms said. “There has been a
revitalization on how we think about delivering world-
class products to all our customers. Matthew sold
me on his vision for the company and his leadership
is exactly what Pipedream needs. I’m honored and
excited to be part of the team who will take Pipedream
to the next level, and continue to innovate on behalf of
Pipedream’s customers.”
Before joining Pipedream, Broms worked for Phase
One Graphics as a graphic designer. Broms received
a bachelor’s degree in graphic design from Mississippi
State and an MFA in electronic visualization and film
from Florida State University. In his spare time, Broms
can be found spending time with his family, playing
tennis, or hiking trails throughout California.
For more, visit Pipedream Products.com.
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