• About
  • About
  • Archives
  • Contact Info
  • Events
  • Gallery
  • Links

Jesse's Happy Hour

Jesse Adams Blog

Inspiration

Obsessed with Sex Products. Let me Explain.

Posted on October 2, 2011 1 Comment

Between designing and manufacturing sex toys and building the World’s first Adult App Store Market, the past two years have been incredibly exciting, scary and rewarding at the same time. Compared to the mobile app world, the manufacturing world can feel very old school sometimes. I deal with raw materials, mechanical components, tangible gadgets and prototypes that I can craft with my hands and tools. Whereas with MiKandi, the entire product is delivered, experienced and enjoyed online. At first the transition from adult retail goods to adult digital goods, seemed like a giant step away from my resume. My friends and family sometimes would ask how I can be so obsessed with two seemingly different businesses and take on the 14 hour days that it takes to keep things moving and not get burned out. But I soon realized that the skills I’ve developed building our sex toy OEM/ODM business has prepared me more than I ever expected in building adult mobile products. That’s because both businesses revolve around the same passion I have for making products that improve your sex life and satisfy our deep need for pleasure. So as I look back on the success of MiKandi’s first two years, the saying “do what you love and you’ll be successful” is exactly what it’s all about.

For over 7 years, I’ve been focusing on making sex toys approachable and more mainstream. I’ve been obsessed with designing these products that are essentially on the edge, that deal with sex, your sexuality and generally things many people are uncomfortable talking about with their partners or even to themselves. How do you design something that helps eliminate some of those barriers, inspires people to open up and explore new sensations? Which designs will deliver a better first time experience and instill confidence in the user, which during such intimate moments, is absolutely critical? What makes this texture or that shape more pleasurable than the other? How do you make this feel more natural, more instinctive? How do we take advantage of the latest technology to deliver these types of experiences in a positive way? What’s the story behind this sex toy design and why does it matter?

These are the fundamental questions that drive our business. And in the process of figuring out the solutions, I’ve learned so much about product design and development, but more importantly how to find the answers. I’ve surrounded myself with an amazing team of engineers, designers, artists, marketing experts and fellow entrepreneurs to aid in our quest to deliver the best products possible.

Our approach to building the MiKandi product complements this in a beautiful way. In a world that constantly censors and considers sex taboo, we decided that the MiKandi brand is a reminder that we’re all adults here. That we all have our deep desires and want to explore our sex lives and be treated like adults along the way. Therefore, in building the MiKandi product, similar questions apply. How do you design the product so that it’s easy to talk about? What matters most when experiencing our services for the first time? What are people finding most pleasurable? What technologies do we focus on to deliver the best experience possible? How should we design the product to adapt to each user and resonate with their unique adult desires?

To find these answers, the MiKandi Team is comprised of software engineers vs mechanical/electrical engineers, but I now see that it all stems from the same passions and dreams.  Being “obsessed with sex products” has done me good.

Cheers!

Posted in: Sex + Design | Tagged: adult apps, entrepreneurship, Inspiration, mikandi, product, product design, sex toy design

Halloween Inspiration

Posted on October 30, 2009 Leave a Comment

Meet Kandee Johnson- Makeup Artist Extraordinaire.  You may have already seen her face since she has a gazillion views on youtube.  She has a variety of awesome tutorials for Halloween costumes on her youtube channel.  Very charming and fun to watch.  I think I’m developing a small crush.

Kandee Johnson

Posted in: Business | Tagged: Inspiration

DuttonArt – One of my inspirations

Posted on October 20, 2009 Leave a Comment

Meet Michael Dutton, an UHH-MAZING illustrator/writer based in Berkeley, CA. We have been family friends since elementary school and it’s been exciting to see all of his awesome accomplishments growing up.   He has a number of projects on his plate now, but you can see some of his past work at his personal blog and his weekly web comic One Swoop Fell. One Swoop Feel is about the great adventures of a cute little bird, named Swoop and his new bear friend Topo.  His brother David (also a talented artist), shot this short film of Mike in the art studio:

Always fun to see an artist at work, don’t you agree?  For your convenience, here’s a small display of some of Mike’s works. Cheers!




Posted in: Piss You Off Good | Tagged: Art, Inspiration

10 Signs That The Matrix Has You

Posted on October 19, 2009 Leave a Comment

I just discovered the TheDumbLittleMan.com, which provides a “handful of tips that will save you money, increase your productivity or simply keep you sane”.   The following article is a good inspiring read for a monday morning. Titled, “10 Signs That The Matrix Has You” by Srinivas Rao.

  1. You’ll believe it when you see it.
    If you operate from the idea that you’ll believe it when you see it, then you’re a long way from unplugging. A core lesson of this movie is that you’ll see exactly what you believe. In fact, I you only did one thing to advance your development, choosing empowering beliefs would be the most valuable thing you could do.

  2. Your purchases are status symbols.
    If you purchase nice cars, designer labels, and other expensive items because you want to have other people complement you, think you are cool or anything along those lines, then you’re really not in control of your life. You’re letting the of others dictate your purchases. There’s nothing at all wrong with having these things but only if you genuinely enjoy them and want them for your own personal fulfillment.

  3. Excessive concern with approval.
    While this is similar to the above it extends beyond what you purchase. Many people take actions in their personal lives solely based on the approval of others. Yet, the ultimate irony is that trying so hard to gain the approval of others is exactly what makes them think less of you.  [Read more…]
Posted in: Business | Tagged: Inspiration

Weekend Inspiration to Take Out Your Sketchpad

Posted on October 16, 2009 2 Comments

I’ve been presented with an incredible opportunity to develop the branding for a new company, but unable to share much because of necessary confidentiality agreements.   In other words, I’m couped up inside for months on end without human contact.  My blood alcohol level is getting low and soon I’ll have to venture out to replenish my supply.   A little design inspiration is in order and today I thought of one my favorite artists, Hyung tae Kim.  His style is more Korean “manhwa” style, but if you’re not familiar with that term it’s similar to anime in Japan.  He’s one of those artists that’s so good that it pisses you off.  Enjoy!






Posted in: Piss You Off Good | Tagged: Art, Hyung Tae Kim, Inspiration, Manhwa

János Starker Performs Kodály Cello Solo Sonata

Posted on October 6, 2009 Leave a Comment

Please welcome the world reknowned cellist, János Starker, playing Sonata for Cello Solo by Hungarian composer, Zoltán Kodály. Fascinating bio at wikipedia:

János Starker (born July 5, 1924) is a Hungarian-born cellist and one of the most famous cellists of the twentieth century. He taught at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music from 1958 until 2009, where he held the title of Distinguished Professor.
Child prodigy

Starker’s two older brothers were violinists, and the young János (named for the hospital in which he was born) was given a cello before his sixth birthday. A child prodigy, Starker made his first public performances at ages six and seven. He entered the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest to study with Adolf Schiffer and made his debut there at age 11. Starker began teaching other children at age eight, and by the time he was 12 he had five pupils. Starker counts among his strongest influences Leo Weiner, a composer who taught chamber music. Zoltán Kodály, Béla Bartók and Ernő Dohnányi were also members of the Liszt Academy faculty.
Starker made his professional debut at age 14 playing the Dvořák concerto with three hours’ notice when the originally scheduled soloist was unable to play. He left the Liszt Academy in 1939 and spent most of the war in Budapest. Because of his youth, Starker escaped the tragic fate of his older brothers, who were pressed into forced labor and eventually murdered by the Nazis. Starker nevertheless spent three months in a Nazi internment camp.

Source:  Wikipedia

Posted in: Musical Guests | Tagged: Cello, Inspiration, janos starker, kodaly, Music, solo

Tonight’s Musical Guest – Oak & Gorski (Formerly known as the Ken Oak Band)

Posted on October 5, 2009 Leave a Comment

Tonight they play a piece from their 2nd album, Vienna to Venice.  Give it up for Oak & Gorski!  http://www.oakandgorski.com/

Posted in: Musical Guests | Tagged: Cello, Inspiration, Music, Oak & Gorski

Categories

  • Business
  • Musical Guests
  • Piss You Off Good
  • Saturday Morning Cartoons
  • Sex + Design

Blogroll

  • It Pleases Me
  • Meet John Song
  • MiKandi Adult App Store

Copyright © 2023 Jesse's Happy Hour.

Theme by ThemeHall.