Female WebStar, Randi Newton, graciously accepted my request to be my first feature interviewee for this site
Meet Randi
Randi Newton is the author of Wall Street Stripper, the book, and owns a website/blog of the same name.
A former Wall Street analyst turned exotic dancer turned media maven, she has been something of an inspiration to chick-a-dees like me.
Alors, imagine my excitement when she agreed and has quite quickly become such a warm, amiable, and friendly new... friend!!!
Yay!
Continue on to see what transpires when two bookish gals meet up for a tete-a-tete:
RANDI NEWTON y SANDRA LONDON : THE TETE A TETE A DEUX
Sandra London: Can you describe in more detail how and why you procured that funeral home job you mentioned on your website/blog:
http://www.wallstreetstripper.com?
Randi Newton:
When I worked at the funeral home, it was when I was in college and only for a short amount of time. I worked in pre-need sales-(buy before you die).
Let's face it, everyone will die someday. If you purchase a funeral beforehand, it ends up being a great deal cheaper than if you wait until someone else takes care of the costs for you...
Then again, once you've "moved on", it really doesn't affect your pocketbook does it? But it's an expensive "purchase" nonetheless.
I was a glorified secretary that was "in training" to do sales, which involved a lot of cold calling, and the sales position wasn't salaried, but comission based-when those sales were made, one could make a "killing"...pun intended, most comissions starting around $2,500.
BUT--- not everyone wants to pre-pay for their funeral.
It was a very somber and morbid feeling working around the profit of death. I was going through depression in college, and eventually left that position because I didn't see it leading to a "lively" future.
I did not take advantage of my half-off employee discount buy before you die funeral...oh well...
Sandra: The nanny job: Were you a carer for a posh family? Did they have any unusual work duties for you or crazy demands or were they really laidback and creative types?
Randi: The family I worked with were posh, yet humble and very sensible with their finances from what I observed.
My work duties weren't crazy, no wild demands.
Although I talked on the phone entirely way too much (which they hated-and this was during my "off hours"), but I was a live in nanny so I was always on call.
The mother is a successful shoe designer, and the father is someone who's had a successful career in television-behind the scenes.
I don't keep in touch with them, but wish them the best.
Their children no longer have a nanny.
 |
| NIGHT MOVES USA 2011 TAMPA AWARDS DANCERS |
Sandra: What parallels did you see in working for a Manhattan nightclub after having worked on Wall Street? How did you apply what you learned from the corporate world to the club? Were there ways in which your experience actually HURT you or made it more difficult compared to dancers with less education or different life experiences?
Randi: The parallels I've seen working in a club, coming out of a corporate office job, or really any other job I've held, is that there are the same issues and problems, but presented in different circumstances.
There will always be peers you may not get along with, and minor disagreements here and there. But other than my co-workers being half naked, there wasn't THAT big of a difference. If anything, going into the job with a "business" mentality helped me:
a) maximize my time and profits and
b) deal better with co-workers by keeping my personal life and drama out of work so I could better focus on my tasks of actually WORKING at work.
It's a lot more than about taking off a dress.
It's about helping the bartenders, waitstaff, and hosts upsell and make money as well. It's teamwork.
A lot of people are under the impression that I had this amazing college education and that I was a straight A student.
I wasn't.
I got a scholarship through the Miss America Organization by winning one of their local pageants (Miss Omaha).
I didn't take advantage of the education that was offered to me. I do regret that.
I wasn't in the right mindset for the responsibilities that came with being a full time college student.
What I've been lucky with, is that I do have great interpersonal skills.
I get along with everyone. I'm willing to learn, and I'm easy to get along with.
Those little skills can get you a long way.
THAT is what has landed me the variety of job opportunities I've had over the years.
I've been extremely fortunate and am grateful about that.
Sandra: Did you meet many women who had similar previous occupations or came from similar educational backgrounds/lifestyles? Did they do better or worse?
Randi: I've met plenty of girls from the Midwest and from similar backgrounds like mine.
Usually their means of working at the club was an "in between" job until something else opened up in their field of choice.
With me, it's been something that's allowed me to pursue my writing aspirations and support myself while living in Manhattan.
Sandra: What do you predict for the strip club industry for 2011? How has it started out so far, in your view? What about finances for New York/LA or the US in general?
Randi: I've said this many times, and I'll say it again. This industry is recession resistant.
When times are tough people love to go out and drink, chat with a beautiful woman, when times are great, they'll do the same thing.
It's an escape to the patron's everyday life.
 |
| SANDRA LONDON/ 2011 NEW JERSEY DURING EXXXOTICA EXPO |
Sandra: What do you think of the adult industry's newest platforms and movements towards pay-per-minute "live girls" ?
Randi: I'm not really familiar with the movement towards pay per minute web cam girls.
I do have friends who work in that field and they enjoy it.
I think that the internet is a great way for social networking and/or surfing to look for a hot chick to look at, but nothing beats sitting down and talking face to face with a live girl in person.
Sandra: Which new projects do you have on the horizon?
Randi: There are plenty.
Two years ago, when I was on the cover of the New York Post, and went on The O'Reilly Factor I was in a very different place, and on a different path.
I had a manuscript, scored and lost a book deal-I thought it was the end of the world.
Being thrown in the spotlight was overwhelming.
It's not that I wasn't ready for it, but there were many aspects of myself from that time that I wish I could re-do, or photoshop, etc...lol.
Since then I've grown up a lot.
Moved onto other projects:
1) I'm working on a new manuscript,
2) Executive Producing a documentary about Rick's Cabaret with an award winning director, and
3) Assistant Directing a production of The Vagina Monologues that is being performed at Rick's Cabaret's Flagship location in New York City.
A lot of girls leave the industry and seem to walk away from it as if they're entering the witness protection program, but that's not how I feel about it at all.
Eventually, when I'm ready to move on, I'll never forget Rick's Cabaret, because really, without them, I wouldn't have gotten to where I'm getting to today.
***End of Interview***
Go to http://www.wallstreetstripper.com to keep up-to-date with Ms. Newton's latest adventures.
Please Note:
If you're a webstar in your own right (male or female webbie) with a site and some cool sexy shtuff goings on....Email me with "Feature Me" in the subject line.
 |
| SIR JACK CANNON (as ELVIS), SANDRA LONDON AND MS PANDORA @ NIGHT MOVES USA TAMPA 2011 |
Send your request to imsandralondon at gmail dot com.
Include your name, website, projects, and what makes you awesome and worthy.
Be my STAR for the day (or several ;) )!
I dare you!!!
(Oh, and same goes for if you'd like to interview me for YOUR space on the web, but please put:
"Sandra, Be Interviewed" in the subject line.)
Featuring You Soon,
Sandra London
