The XCritic Interview: Mindi Mink

In part one of this interview, we learned about how Mindi Mink captured her dreams by means that were her very own. Five years in the adult entertainment industry is more like twenty-five in any other. The travel, the call times, the shoot times. It can be something that makes many people bitter after they have done whatever it is, they came to do when they joined the ranks of the adult world, or not. There are many moments that defined Mindi Mink in not just the fans' eyes but also in her own and the companies and people that she worked with. I can always remember Mindi being a performer who met a close friend of mine and created something amazing with them, no matter if it was in front of the camera or in the ranks of the real world. Now that the lights have turned off and this chapter of her life is complete, I had to know, what is next for Mindi Mink and the woman behind the performer? Is there a possible return in her future? Is there already a plan for life after porn? In part two of this interview, we truly get to find out what is the next step for an adult film superstar.

Don Juan: So, to begin what will likely be part two of this interview. Will you be satisfied with truly ending things when you did?

Mindi Mink: Yes, because dragging things out was something I never saw in my head. I wanted to stay true to myself and my intuition that when I felt like it was time to exit, I would.  And you know Don, one thing I will always remember when I started working outside of being an exclusive contract star with Girlfriends Films and was filming for other production companies was, “I want that.” I wanted to be a Girlsway Girl of the Month so bad and it finally happened. To me, that was a crowning achievement. That was the best way to go out for me personally, on a high and being recognized by one of the companies I did so much work for. You sometimes forget about the things you dream about when you have been doing something you enjoy for a few years. When I was asked to be the July Girl of the Month, I was suddenly taken back to that moment when I first imagined achieving such a thing. Then, I knew it was perfect. It made me realize I did do everything I set out to do. I did not have any idea what I was going to move onto, but I knew it was time for me personally to move into something more in my life. And with turning 50 years young last year that was also part of it. I had said to myself when I first started at age 44 as a webcam model, that by the time I was 50 I would retire and find my new path & purpose in life.

Don Juan: You have always been the best at doing this, walking into the next wonderful question as if you were here in my brain, reading my next thought. That beautiful mind of yours that I will always love forever and ever. You spoke of that last accomplishment, I think what the fans would love to hear most is, what is your greatest accomplishment?

Mindi Mink: Hmmmmmmmm (she keenly snickers in the most beautiful way) Well, there is a business level and a personal level in the adult industry that I see how this question should be answered. On the business side of things, my greatest accomplishment as Mindi Mink is honestly not even about being nominated for awards, being a contract star with Girlfriends or even Girl of the Month that I just spoke of. My greatest business feat was the way that I was able to touch the lives of many, many, many women. No matter if it was a performer or fan. Something that means a lot to me is when a woman would tell me and I still hear to this day, “I never really watched porn before and then I stumbled across you, your scenes are so passionate & unique and I just had to get to know who you were!” These women saw something in me, aside from the sexual being I am, that I had a presence of realness and beauty on the inside they could feel when watching me perform. I’ve had a lot of women tell me, “there is just something about you that touched me”. That spoke to me in ways that I am still trying to describe and define to this day Don. These women would tell me that “something” got them interested in watching porn. Now that was an accomplishment to me. I felt that when I was making films, I was becoming more outgoing and understanding of my own sexuality and with that, I was giving something back to people to show them beauty, and allure. I was putting a part of myself out there for people to be inspired by and to see that these women were now inspired to watch porn when that never had been, that was massive to me. Being able to change someone’s mind, especially someone who judged it, or was against it, then they saw what I was doing, and I was able to reach them on a level that was never known to them. That is because, for me, it was real, I have always loved being intimate with women.

Don Juan: Now, are we talking you felt this even when you were working for a director who wanted all performance and zero improv?

Mindi Mink: Yes, even when I worked for directors who wanted me to perform in a way that was scripted and more planned out, I was always putting that real part of myself into those scenes and those performances. I would look for a way to connect with these women in any way that I could on screen and off in some instances of the production. To me, I always wanted the viewer to see that part of me. That is the part of myself I put out there in every scene and I don’t think most people know how special that is to be able to touch people in a way that makes them think outside the norm. That is a huge achievement for me. Being able to change minds about what the perception of porn was in many people’s minds… that was the biggest accomplishment for me.

Don Juan: My goodness, that is so touching…. I do not know what to say.

Mindi Mink: Then, on a personal level. This may sound a little dumb, but the persona of Mindi Mink taught me how to not give in to the shyness and the fear that exists in the world in so many ways. Becoming Mindi Mink allowed me to express myself to another person in so many ways. Now, what I mean by that is, I had spent a very long part of my life giving into my shyness sexually. Before Mindi Mink, when it came to being intimate with someone, it always went the same way and I am not ashamed to admit this now. I always wanted the lights turned off, I always wanted to be under the covers, and I wanted a pillow over my face when I was having an orgasm. I think that statement will tell you just how shy I was. Then, when I was in the industry, I stepped outside of my shyness & faced my fears. Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? For me, it seems surreal to this day. To go from being a woman who couldn’t stand to have her partner see her orgasm, to this porn star who would have so many people on set watching her orgasm and the world of viewers. That is a huge accomplishment trust me. So, on a personal level, that’s more massive than anything else I could think of Don. I know that people will really find it hard to believe. It took my alter-ego, Mindi Mink to learn how to progress past the sexual shyness barricade that had been in my life as long as I can remember. That is why it’s so meaningful to me. It’s great, now that I am not shooting anymore, I have learned to totally overcome fears in my personal life that I once had because of this experience. Embracing your fears in the interest of growth is what successful people do.

Don Juan: That is a cool story. You have never shared that with me, and I thought I had heard every story that you had to tell when it came to you and the way your alter-ego has changed you in so many good ways. You that I always stand by my belief of how important sexuality is in life. It opens many doors within thyself. So, with all that you have told us now, with getting to speak to us both on a business and personal level, if you could do this all over again, would you? No matter what your answer is, good or bad I would love to know coming from my friend. Someone who I love very much.

Mindi Mink: That is the toughest question I have been asked so far. It is so difficult for me because there are parts of me that would do it all over again and parts of me that would not. I think of the age-old saying, “If I knew then, what I know now……” It would make it that much easier to give you an answer, that’s for sure. So, there is your answer. (We share a laugh again.) As you have always known and I get to tell the fans now, I lost a few family relationships very close to me because of what I did in the industry. When you ask if I would do it all over again from that perspective, I say no. I would not. I lost time Don and there was damage done that some people may never be able to look past. That part is tough to face, and the future is something that may or may not heal those wounds and mindsets. I would not ever want to experience that loss again in life. Now, to talk to from the other view, the side that had this life-changing experience, I was very well received in the industry & admired which obviously feels great. No matter if it were the fan base or my peers that I worked with, I made a lot of great connections and have friendships with some amazing people still to this day, you included Don. You know, I can not honestly say which side would win if I chose to do it all over again.

Don Juan: Honestly, that is the most truthful answer that I have ever heard. Being in this business, like any other line of work, it can take so much from us but if you have a passion and you are in it for the right reasons, it does give back. I have had bad people in the business tell me so many things about what a person must be to enter this business and the truth of it is, you must be the strongest person that there is because what you must go through just to make a name for yourself is so physically exhausting if you do not have a work ethic, good or bad, you will have one after this industry. That is the truth. People have said, “Don, these performers are fucking nuts, that is all they are.” I do not believe that for one second. The truth of performing, you all are creating something that most people do not know how to do to begin with. So, you are looked upon as your characters always. That is how our families see us, that is how “civilians” see us. When you are called Mindi Mink or Don Juan for the first time, it is not always easy, and the most common reaction is anger. One of the biggest things I have always loved about you from day one, you took that with a stride, you never let it change you in that bad way. You showed me that it is a blessing in life to always be growing. That is what every journey we take in life is. It is about growth my friend. I think of all the bad scenarios and I am thinking of how we met as Don and Mindi and now that I think about it, without those bad differentials in this business, or else I would have never met you my friend and I am so glad that I did.

Mindi Mink: Awwwww, I am so glad that I met you too. (My teary eyes sweetheart. Although I can not share why it is we have always been bonded as we are. All I can say is this woman’s heart is so massive. I had always wondered how so many people I knew fell in love with her and I mean deeply fell in love with her. It is because she loves like no other. Her love is something that is as live in words, as it is in her touch.) So, yes and no. I must stick by that answer Don. I would not be telling you or my fans the truth if I were to say otherwise. That is truly the toughest question I have ever been asked.

Don Juan: Now that you are retired from being a performer, I have to ask this, is the playing field level for a Girl/Girl performer? I have always wanted to ask you that and I know that this question can be one that does anger some people within the industry. Or at least that is the stigma to people, me included to see on the surface.

Mindi Mink: The stigma, I do not even know if there truly is a “stigma” in being a girl/girl performer.

Don Juan: Well, what I always hear people say, is that a girl/girl performer is constantly being told by so many people that “you will never make it in this business, or make money if you only shoot girl/girl.” Then after that, they are constantly being bombarded by everyone and anyone to shoot boy/girl. Did you experience things like that?

Mindi Mink: Ok, now that you put it that way, I think I can lend my insight onto this subject or question. It brings me back to this thought. So, when I started, even before I had gotten the contract from Girlfriends Films, I had met Prince Yahshua. I told him that I wanted to just get into the girl/girl market. He was the one who told me that I should check out Girlfriends Films. Once again, I never had watched porn, so I was oblivious on how to proceed in this aspect of my career, even this early stage of it. Before I went to Girlfriends Films, I was trying to find a webmaster to help start a girl/girl site and produce my own content. Then, I went and did some solo stuff for the person/webmaster I was introduced to. I was creating my content to make my amazing website. I knew that I needed a connection to be able to meet other girls within the industry to build content with for my site and I knew he could help me. This person completely dropped the ball, he began ignoring me and would not respond back to phone calls and e-mails. Three months had gone by and I heard nothing, so I got ahold of the person that put me in contact with the webmaster… I wanted to know what was going on and I was told that this webmaster stopped wanting to work with me because he did not think that I was going to make it in the business as a “girl/girl only” performer. I just could not believe what I had heard. I said to this person, “why didn’t he just tell me that instead of leaving me hanging?” We could have just gone our separate ways and I could have found someone else who could have done this project with me. So, obviously, he was wrong! It was about four months later I got the contract from Girlfriends Films and you all know how the rest of the story goes… unfortunately, that was my experience with that type of reaction or “stigma” of being a “girl/girl only” performer in the industry.

Don Juan: You know, now that I think about it, you never had an agent to help with questions and insight, either did you? 

Mindi Mink: Eventually I did find a female-owned agency to help get me more work. But at first, when I ended my contract with Girlfriends Films and I was contacting different agencies, I found that there were more than a few agents who did not want to work with me because I was a girl/girl only performer. They did not even want to discuss taking me on because of that. I did hear this a few times, “now, if you did boy/girl as well, then we would be happy to talk to you.” It was very interesting, and I was shocked to hear this. So, I do see what you mean now. Yes, there is this stigma out there that says if you only do girl/girl, you are not going to do well and there is not enough work. 

Don Juan: Now, I will say this, and this is the man behind the alter ego talking here. I wanted to get your story put down on paper because you have no idea how many of these girls are told, or I should say, conned into doing boy/girl when what they want to do is girl/girl. I have met so many performers who have had success like you and they talk about working two years in the business and then they become girl/girl only and they are so shocked when they are still making a good amount of money and staying busy. Thank you for sharing your views and experiences. You know, lesbian, girl/girl, it is the top searched subject or genre as an algorithm discovered in the entire industry, on google, on Porn Hub, etc. etc. I do not know why that information is never shared with you guys. 

Mindi Mink: Really? That is some amazing information Don I had no idea. As you well know but maybe a lot of fans don’t realize is the money given per scene is not the same if you only do girl/girl.  In my opinion, it is not fair to get less money per scene. We are still providing the same quality scene and give of ourselves completely between acting, sex and the fantasy to the fans.  I do not think that it is too big of a secret to know that some producers/agencies share that information with talent right from the start about how much you get paid per scene which can easily sway a woman to doing scenes she may not desire to do. With all that being said, I was fortunate to have someone amazing like Shy Love and VIP Connect work with me,  and to truly show me that “yes, there are agents in the business that do care enough to take a risk, if you even want to call it that, and show a performer another side of how things can be if you take the time to look. 

Don Juan: Now, back to the fun stuff and this is the old cliché question that we must bring out. What advice would you give to the woman coming into the business for the first time? 

Mindi Mink: Well, my advice would be a couple of things. The first is that you need to have a vision and a goal in mind of what you want to accomplish. It must be something that is all you. You also should always be working on other things in life. Something that is not apart of this industry so that you do not feel stuck if things do not go as planned. You must make those two things a part of your daily life. You do not want to be stuck in a place that you can not get out of. No matter if it is using your money to go to school to learn a trade, getting a degree or starting a business doing something that you are passionate about. Have something else going for you at the same time. So, no matter the time frame, two years into it, five years into it or even ten, you have something else lined up. A lot of times I see girls who get into the business and they want to get out of it but they do not know-how. Or, they do everything that they have wished to ever do in this business, and they do not know what they are going to move onto next in life. That is how you unwillingly develop that feeling of being stuck even when you don’t want to be in this industry any longer. Then things start to creep out of your business life and become a part of your personal life in ways you did not expect or want. I really believe that every lady out there needs to stay true to who they are as well. Do not listen to what other people are saying, or what is the correct thing you should be doing or saying in many situations. They know what is best for them and trusting your heart is the key thing in moments like that in this business and there will be many. Find that inner voice, find a way to tap into it all by yourself and never let anyone influence you to do things that that inner voice does not agree with. Don’t let anyone influence you to think a certain way, act a certain way. 

Don Juan: Pure poetry. So, what does Mindi Mink do now that she is retired? What is this next chapter of life for you? What does it include for one of the most amazing performers this business has ever seen? 

Mindi Mink: Well, the next chapter is something that I want to continue in terms of inspiring and motivating women as I have always done. I want to be able to share a part of me with people that I have experienced throughout my career and now the journey of my retirement. As you know, throughout my life, it has always been important to me to help other women in any way that I possibly can and give them the good impact of the experiences that I have faced in life, that have become beacons of empowerment for me, so that they too can feel empowered in life, no matter what it is they are doing as women. I have moved into being a Life Coach to help women design, define and create a life that they would truly love living with my help and my guidance. No matter what it is that they wish to accomplish, starting a business, going to school, or changing situations in your life that are dragging you down. I want to be able to help them take that next step to get healthy, both mentally, physically and spiritually. It is all about what I can give back. To be able to continue to inspire women has been at the forefront of so many thoughts after I retired from doing porn. 

Don Juan: So, knowing you the way that I do, I am getting the feeling that I am about to be even more proud of you then I have ever been before. I know that you had been wanting to tell the fans something major so what better end to your final industry interview then with this news? 

Mindi Mink: Yes, to answer your first question even further Don, I have taken the time and taken the required training to become a certified Dream Builder Life Coach and I wanted to do this to partly be able to offer other women in the industry, well any woman actually that follow me as Mindi that is interested in creating a life that they would truly love living to attend one of my online Vision Workshops that I will be holding through my new websites blog, which is DreamCoachMindi.com  In the 1 Hour Vision Workshop, I will be teaching 3 of the 10 different repeatable, reliable and proven techniques that it takes to make dreams a reality.  Then, if someone is resonating with the information in the workshop and is wanting to take things a step further, I specialize in a 12 week Dream Builder program as your personal coach along with my mentor Mary Morrissey And Life Mastery Institute.  I get the privilege of taking them on a journey of self-discovery and realization of looking at where their longing and discontent is in life and getting them clear about the life they would love to create.  And then coach them through the process for 12 weeks of changing their awareness by understanding that there are no limits in life as to what you can do, be, have and give.  They will fully understand and learn what it is that successful people do in order to achieve their goals and make their dreams come true. I have discovered Don that there is a language to success and there are certain things that we need to do in order to make sure that we can achieve those goals that we set out for ourselves. The coaching training that I was a part of confirmed to me that I knew I was going to be able to continue to inspire and help women feel their best, but doing it at an even larger scale, helping a wider audience of women. These ten steps are something that means a lot to me Don and have personally changed my life forever.  To all the women who have followed me as fans or other performers that I met, I want my message & real legacy in this world to be one of believing in yourself and knowing that with perseverance & determination that dreams can and will come true!  That is the next chapter for me Don, to continue to touch the lives of as many women as I can and have a positive impact. On my new website, women can see options of days & times to attend one of my workshops and sign up. I’m also a Certified Zumba Dance Fitness Instructor, so I’ll be doing online classes with that as well and teaching the benefits of DNA Nutrition! My new mission for women is all about feeling and looking your best in all aspects ...because when we do, we are able to be a shining light in the world and bless others. We are all part of a presence and power that is in perfect divine order if we just know how to tap into it and be open.

Don Juan: My goodness, taking people’s potential to the next level, that is something I have always seen you doing, since the moment we first said hello to one another. 

Mindi Mink: Women realizing their potential is something that does mean so much to me Don. I think that many women will look at their circumstances or conditions in life as a reason why they are not experiencing true happiness or fulfillment.  I want to be able to show and teach them that no matter what, there is more for you, especially if you dream it. Your dreams, your goals, and your beliefs in life are how you shape your outer world, and it all starts with your inner world also known as your thoughts. Learning to tap into a different side of my being is something I have taken to the next level through this training and certification program. I realized how much after I retired that all the experiences I’ve had in life, the good the bad and the ugly were necessary for me to be able to do this work now.  We can live a life by design or by default, it is our choice. 

Don Juan: My goodness, what a next step in life. This is something I wish you so much success in and I see this going many places. Now, to give you the floor for the final time, what is it that you want to say in closing? To your fans, to your peers, to your soon to be clients and friends? 

Mindi Mink: Yes, I want to say with the utmost gratitude, from my heart to their hearts, I appreciate their amazing love, support and praise. I always have & always will. They have no idea how much they gave me in this wonderful journey I had in this industry through all these years. From the start as a cam model all the way to making films, their feedback and their comments, it meant so much to me and it kept me going in ways that they may never fully know or understand.  They are what made me truly see that my part in the adult industry was something appreciated and good. I can not thank them enough for allowing me to  give them a different perspective on the adult industry. They made me feel admired, unique and special. Even though I always had a good sense of self worth and knew that I mattered in life, that aspect of being Mindi Mink, the fans inspired me to take something from Mindi and continue to grow in life. Because of them, that is how I made this positive impact. That is how special they always will be to me.