I had many enjoyable, enlightening (and occasionally naughty) conversations in Vegas; discussing the current state of the industry and its likely paths into the future, along with some of the challenges and opportunities that it entails — and I found many of the stories I heard inspiring.

What struck me most was the fierce determination of some of these players to not give in to the mounting pressures of today's marketplace and the escalating demands on both company and personal resources that can eat profitability — and destroy the very nature of the business that drew many of us to the industry in the first place.

These guys aren't just looking to be survivors; they have a plan for success and are using it: one old friend used the phrase "entrenchment" to describe his current operation — staying focused on core strengths and optimizing his infrastructure rather than starting new ventures.

This attitude of "riding out the storm" was expressed by a few folks; many of whom are now looking at renewing existing projects in an attempt to improve the profitability of their previous efforts while providing new opportunities for future sales.

Things aren't over for part-time operators and the lone webmaster / affiliate, either.

Personally, I just received an email notification of a $40 PPS sale that fell out of the sky from a TGP text link that I posted more than three years ago; so I know that there's still a few dollars left to be made in adult — And with today's rising gas prices, a few more dollars here and there can make a big difference at the end of the month; so expect to see some old faces returning to the biz — something that we already see happening on our message boards.

At the end of the day, competing today is all about creativity and refocusing proven techniques into much more profitable consumer-driven products — and for some of us this will mean "teaching an old dog new tricks..."

Stay tuned for more…