Playpen.com was founded in 2009 by James Johnston and Kathee Claudio, two experienced entrepreneurs with a vision to build a platform for adult entertainment that empowers both performers and consumers.
James has been a leading affiliate marketer for the past 4-years, driving traffic for industry leaders, such as Kink.com and IntenseCash.com. Despite his success as an adult webmaster, James remained uninspired by the trickle-down nature of the adult economy and the monochromatic way that sexuality was represented. There was plenty of scripted sex but a dearth of genuine sexual expression. And the models weren’t earning their fair share of the profits!
Perhaps James felt that way because he had been a former sexual performer himself but as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, James also felt, strongly, that real sexual expression can be a powerful avenue for personal transformation, artistic expression, and social change. In his mind, a true change in the industry had to coincide with a liberation of adult entertainment from control by the porn oligarchy, making it more accessible to both entertainers and their fans.
Recognizing this issue, James decided to develop a user-controlled web platform, structured like a social media site, thereby allowing erotic performers to earn more money while maintaining total control of their creative product.
Kathee Claudio, James’s partner in business and life, was the first to share his vision. Having a past equally checkered with sexual abuse and sexual exploration, Kathee is an advocate of empowerment through sexual liberation. Kathee is also a self-made businesswoman and is passionate that models should be empowered to make their own economy. At the age of 22, Kathee taught herself Excel well enough to become an Inventory Analyst for CNET Networks. Since then she has become a leader in online advertising operations, working for companies like YouTube, Sugar Inc., and more. In 2009, she created her own Ad Operations consulting company where she has consulted for blogging, ad network, in-game advertising, and mobile companies.
Together, James and Kathee have built a strong team of people who have experienced great success in various areas of the online industry, men and women who are just as passionate about creating a web-based platform committed to genuine sexual expression and personal empowerment. This team of business-savvy rockstars believes Playpen.com will not only change the adult industry, but also transform the way people talk about sex, love, entertainment, and intimacy.