Kink.com CEO Peter Acworth

Recently I interviewed Kink.com CEO Peter Acworth.  I think the man is an absolutely kinky genius and I have a huge crush on him.  I watched the documentary on BehindKink.com and I read an extensive article written about my favorite CEO in the New York Times and then I came up with a few questions of my own:

You’ve mentioned that acquiring the Armory was like your idea of a bondage fantasy neverneverland, where the rules of normal society are overridden by the rules of the BDSM society.  After getting all unpacked and moved in, does it still feel like a fantasy neverneverland?  Have you found it restraining or confining that it is a historical site?

The Armory feels like a dream come true.  Bondage literature such as “The Story of O”, “Exit to Eden”, and the “Sleeping Beauty” series by Anne Rice always seem to revolve around a central place where the BDSM rules of dominance and submission preside. This space is usually depicted as a castle, and so when we were looking to relocate Kink.com’s central offices, the fact that there was an affordable castle that had been vacant for 30 years in the middle of fetish capital San Francisco felt like nothing less than divine intervention.

I think people are somewhat surprised by how ‘normal’ things seem.  We have sexual harassment training, executive strategic retreats, benefits like 401K, annual reviews and all-hands presentations just like any company our size. So if you were to come to see us work at the Armory, you might be disappointed by a somewhat corporate feel to the place. However, as we build our various sets, the space is fast becoming an adult playground. This is especially true in the basement which is becoming a myriad of various dungeons and fantasy rooms.

I am very excited by our 4th floor development.  This will be a space that we are calling “Roissy” (from the Story of O), and it will be a 24×7 live reality show set in the Edwardian era, which was a period of decadence following the oppressive reign of Queen Victoria.  The idea is to reproduce the ‘Great House’ structure depicted in films like “Remains of the Day” where masters, mistresses and servants live in a tightly regimented regime. We will invite BDSM lifestyle players to interact in this world, and interact with our customers in this perpetual interactive live show.

The Armory dates from exactly this Edwardian era, so the historical nature of the Armory does nothing but add to the mystique surrounding this idea.  The Armory is not only Kink.com’s home – it also serves as a wonderful branding tool.

In the documentary on BehindKink.com, a lot of the people who work at Kink.com mention that they are inspired to be as creative as they can be and most mention having learned more on the job than they could have ever imagined.  Do you see Kink.com as a revolutionary company where people actually like to go to work?  Was this part of your plan from the beginning, to create an environment where people were encouraged to grow, think, and use their educations?

I think that we provide a work environment which stands by our mission statement and is very all inclusive.  For instance, its absolutely fine to be gay, transgendered, or to paint your hair red or have lots of tattoos, and to really be who you are.  I can’t imagine life any differently, and I sometimes get a rude awakening when friends remind about life inside investment banks, where, heaven forbid, I once considered working.

We also feel passionately that a product line should come from an individual’s actual fantasies.  Since we have an open policy about new product proposals, this encourages employees to be creative and, necessarily, to be open about their sexualities.  This atmosphere sometimes creates some challenges for our HR team, but I think it is very healthy and motivating.

You’ve said that you essentially saw a good idea and ripped it off - the idea to sell porn on the internet from a firefighter and the name Hogtied from the magazine Hogtie.  It seems to me that a lot of other companies are doing the same to Kink.com, at least trying to rip off the Kink.com model.  How do you feel about that?

I find it flattering and it doesn’t bother me (indeed, how could it? That would certainly be hypocritical of me).  Companies have and will copy our basic business model and I hope they continue to do so.  The fact is that all people who produce quality BDSM material generally share a common interest in the subject matter. I can’t speak for everyone in the industry, but I feel an affinity to others in the business. Additionally, a prevalence of good BDSM material indicates a general recognition and acceptance that the BDSM fantasies are healthy, common, and absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.  I.e. I feel that more successful companies like kink.com serve to further demystify alternative sexualities which, in turn, serves all of us.

On a business level, I think we are sufficiently ahead of the competition to be the ‘place to watch’ for innovation for the next decade. While companies may copy our basic style of producing content, I think we are ahead of the game with our fresh content lines and our ideas for community and interactive live shows, such as Roissy.

Obviously Hogtied.com is your “baby” and though you’ve had several guest directors, really it’s been you and then Matt as the visionaries.  How do you see Lochai fitting into your vision for Hogtied.com?  Did you choose him in part because you appreciate the aesthetic of his rope bondage?  It seems to me that you are incorporating the artistic side of bondage with the hardcore domination reputation of Hogtied.com.  How did you come to your decision?

I interviewed Lochai for a different project named “Bondage Trials” about 4 years ago. At that time I was very impressed with his ropework and sense of detail and aesthetic.  I am extremely pleased that he has chosen to join us to take on Hogtied.com!  The beauty of BDSM is that everyone has a different style.  Lochai is a fabulously talented rigger with a unique style, and I think he will be another great addition to the team.

How has Kink weathered the 2257 maelstrom, and do you think a change in administration will loosen things up?

Like many companies, we were caught up in the frenzy of panic that engulfed the industry during the Bush Administration. There was a period when the 2257 law was changing so frequently that it was difficult to keep up, and we had several staff members doing nothing but working on compliance.

Luckily, we had always been diligent and kept our records clean, and we are large enough to have a properly indexed database which could keep up with the changes in the law.  It was very sad to see some BDSM websites close down because the burden of record keeping was too onerous.  Recently though, the 2257 law has been deemed unconstitutional by the 6th circuit. My hope is that the law will get rewritten in a format which is sensible, and that there will be reasonable regulation to ensure minors are not depicted without having a chilling effect on free speech.

Thank you, Peter, for making some time for me!  Best of luck to Lochai, who begins his new job tomorrow at Hogtied.com.

Tags: BDSM, Blogs, Bondage, D/s, Fetish, Hogtied.com, Interviews, Lochai, Politics //