Do the boards help or hinder success?

[Hell Puppy]

In the other thread, it was accurately noted that there are still a lot of people making good money in this business who you never really see on the boards or at the shows. Or if you do, you dont know them. This includes some big name companies.

So that got me to thinking, in today's climate do boards help or hinder most people?

Back in the day, they definitely helped. You made valuable contacts, there were lots of business threads, we were all discovering stuff together. Over the years the better boards have migrated into more of a "water cooler" for the business. While others have become the ultimate time sync.

My opinion is they are what you make out of them, but I think for some people they definitely hinder. Guys who have no self discipline will find themselves posting and refreshing all afternoon and find that come dinner time they've accomplished less than half of what they should've for the day. Others are also susceptible to "I read it on the boards, so it must be true." Or "that guy posts a lot, so he must know what the hell he's talking about, he's top notch!". The old "post count" matters school of thought is definitely bad.

Most of you who hang out here kinda know how I work. You typically dont see me on the boards these days until I've accomplished everything I want to for that day in terms of both work and personal stuff. Then I "make my rounds". This ensures I dont waste time on boards that is needed elsewhere. And if I'm out of town or too busy, you just dont seeme on the boards at all.

They can be addictive though, this takes discipline that I'm not sure everyone has.

[gr8expectations]

Originally Posted by Hell Puppy

You typically dont see me on the boards these days until I've accomplished everything I want to for that day

Completely agree. I have wasted a lot of time surfing boards. I do a lot less these days. Pop in as you said, once work is done, when I am having fun.

I have learned a lot from boards, but I think a person hits a point when it becomes less informative and more social. This is not a bad thing, yet dicipline is a must.

I also will turn off icq, skype, etc when I am really trying to work, or at least throw up an away msg.

Distractions can be a real time killer. I don't think boards have hindered my success any, just my own lack of dicipline in the beginning, but you do raise a good point, I'll be curious to see what others offer.

[tony404]

I think its 50-50 , Ive made a bunch of money from the boards and some great friends.On the other hand there are things I should be learning and if given the choice of dry material or fucking off on a board the board usually wins.
I find the mainstream boards I belong to are much more serious than the adult
ones. People either very serious about their craft or their business.

[Hell Puppy]

Originally Posted by tony404

I think its 50-50 , Ive made a bunch of money from the boards and some great friends.On the other hand there are things I should be learning and if given the choice of dry material or fucking off on a board the board usually wins.
I find the mainstream boards I belong to are much more serious than the adult
ones. People either very serious about their craft or their business.

Porn by it's very nature attracts "non-conformists" and "free spirits". I think that is reflected in the overall culture of most of the boards.

I think the porn boards also tend to segregate themselves largely by age and other demographics that produce communities with similar interests.

GFY is mostly the younger guys. However, in the industry today, the under 25 part timer makes up the majority of the business. That's part of why GFY is the largest board by a large margin. The older folks posting over there are typically there because they are working the younger set for business. Though I do realize there are some exceptions who for whatever social defect or psychological shortcoming seek the approval of that community and try to fit in and be "cool".

I'd say JBM is mostly made up of those who are 10 years or so older on average than the GFY crowd, and who have actually enjoyed some success in the business. Everyone wants to measure their success still at those age ranges. On GFY you post your car when you finally make enough money to buy one. JBM'rs are more likely to talk about houses, furnishings, hired help, etc.

Where does Oprano fit? I'd say it's another generation beyond that with a lot of the 35+ set here. I guess our testosterone levels are down, we dont do as many "would you hit it" threads or do as much "look at how big my latest purchase makes my dick look" posts.

[softball]

There is a lot of bad advice on boards. If I had listened to some of the shit that used to be posted on AM, I would not have done as well. Possibly boards work better for traffic guys than small paysite folks. There are not a lot of posters who actually run small paysites who are willing to talk frankly about business when you are new. However, as you settle in for the long haul and have good ideas to exchange, people are more forthcoming. I find that I get more out of private messaging from boards than what is actually out in public. And mostly the resource pages are neglected and kind of useless.

[tony404]

Originally Posted by Hell Puppy

Porn by it's very nature attracts "non-conformists" and "free spirits". I think that is reflected in the overall culture of most of the boards.

I think the porn boards also tend to segregate themselves largely by age and other demographics that produce communities with similar interests.

GFY is mostly the younger guys. However, in the industry today, the under 25 part timer makes up the majority of the business. That's part of why GFY is the largest board by a large margin. The older folks posting over there are typically there because they are working the younger set for business. Though I do realize there are some exceptions who for whatever social defect or psychological shortcoming seek the approval of that community and try to fit in and be "cool".

I'd say JBM is mostly made up of those who are 10 years or so older on average than the GFY crowd, and who have actually enjoyed some success in the business. Everyone wants to measure their success still at those age ranges. On GFY you post your car when you finally make enough money to buy one. JBM'rs are more likely to talk about houses, furnishings, hired help, etc.

Where does Oprano fit? I'd say it's another generation beyond that with a lot of the 35+ set here. I guess our testosterone levels are down, we dont do as many "would you hit it" threads or do as much "look at how big my latest purchase makes my dick look" posts.

Excellent post and I agree.

[TheEnforcer]

Every board can help a wqebmaster if they know how to use it. You gte out of it what you put in it when it comes to doing business generally.