We at YNOT have been paying attention to Juan Bustos and his work in the Colombian webcam space for a long time now. Case in point: Here’s a peek at his webcam university program from all the way back in 2016.
As luck would have it, we recently had the opportunity to speak with Bustos about cam, education and occupational opportunity and the state of the Colombian industry.
YNOT: Can you tell us a bit about the history of cam in Colombia?
Juan Bustos: Webcam modeling in Colombia is an industry that flourishes. The models are women of age who transmit in front of a webcam on a page of tokens or private to an audience with whom they chat and who provide entertainment. In recent years, Lalexpo, one of the largest [industry] events with two thousand people attending from all over the world, has strengthened the industry and the good name of webcam modeling and adult entertainment in the country.
In the country, at least twenty years ago the industry was born, however, it is not until now when people talk about it. The taboo that you can see around it is due to the strong moralistic and religious influence of the country, which in many cases also consumes this type of entertainment.
What do you do in the context of Colombian webcam?
In my case, I knew about the industry when I was studying philosophy and psychoanalysis at Antioquia University. I was a friend of a model that worked on one of these pages, and I was very interested because I saw the opportunity to create a microenterprise in Medellin. When I started working, I understood that this job was not easy, so I began to investigate and realize that the most professional models made money in ways that were not only sexual. I began to fall in love with work and, as I studied philosophy, I invented the academic strategies that would allow me to explain to the models how to work.
We created a university to teach Colombian models to do better. We started two years ago with classes every Thursday at 2 pm in a virtual way. We gave courses on seduction, psychology of a chat room, how to handle the angles of the camera, the best lighting for a room and more related to this type of webcam activity. After a year, we decided to celebrate the anniversary byt launching a physical university, developed with Linda Suarez who is a professional in eroticism and seduction, in addition to being a professional pole dancer. The first thing I had, however, was a webcam studio.
How would you describe the webcam culture in Colombia today?
Colombia is the Latin American leader in the webcam industry and the second in the world. The country had a vertiginous growth in the sector, and this is due to several factors, [including] the beauty of the Colombian woman, who makes her a reference in the world, for her voluptuousness and warmth with the users. They have the necessary discipline to compete in the adult entertainment environment. They are women who prepare physically and professionally to speak other languages and perform professional shows.
Also, the media has played a significant role in making the industry known outside the borders. This gave firsthand knowledge of the life of the models, how is the work of the industry, as well as its benefits, which helped to change the perception of the career.
But this is not all. There is a socioeconomic reality that the country is experiencing. The labor field for traditional professions is overwhelmed and leaves out a large population of men and women who see in modeling an opportunity to achieve economic independence and better quality of life for themselves and their families.
In fact, it is estimated that the industry in the country has grown by 400 percent compared to 2015, and nowadays the Colombian market represents more or less 25 percent of the world market share.
By cities and regions, Medellin has a 30 percent share, Cali 25 percent, Bogotá 15 percent, Eje Cafetalero 10 percent and Costa 10 percent. 90 percent are women, 5 percent couples, 3 percent men and 2 percent transsexuals. A model could earn about $300 per week according to the performance and time spent on a webcam page — salary well above what a professional with experience in another industry in the country could earn.
Some describe Colombia as the up-and-coming center of cam, competing directly with Romania. What do you think about that?
The webcam industry has managed to develop exponentially in recent years, and, although now it remains second in webcam models worldwide after Romania, there are still some challenges. The main one for the models is the language barrier, but for the industry in general it is the recognition by the Colombian State. Overcoming these obstacles could perhaps speak of a true hegemony on the part of Colombia.
We still have a long way to go. The sector has substantially improved its tools — not only with significant technological capacity, but also with professional work teams and a trajectory that dictates the direction we must travel to ensure the quality and positioning of Colombia in the world.
What are some specific challenges the Colombian cam spaces faces?
The main challenge currently facing webcam modeling in Colombia is the lack of regulations on the trade. I mean, there is no legislation that regulates the activities of the sector. This puts those who work in the industry at a disadvantage, as they do not have the protection and benefits that a common worker could enjoy.
Lack of a rule affects not only workers, but also the state. The state [does not] receive the corresponding taxes of the business year, which differentiates us from countries like Romania where there are regulations and webcam modeling is a commercial activity like any other that pays taxes and is respectable.
What do others in the industry need to know about your work overall?
We have JuanBustos.com, a news center developed so that the models can obtain information, advise, tips and even audiovisual material that allows them to keep updated on the news of the sector or, if they are not [already models], they can obtain accurate information about the webcam industry.
Thanks to this initiative and in view of the professionalization of webcam modeling, we managed to create the first university for webcam models, a place where specific classes and workshops are provided to develop the capabilities of the models. Some of them work sensuality, creativity, psychology, persuasion and corporal expression by the hand of a team of professionals. The intention of this university is that women and men who opt for a career in the industry get the necessary tools to compete in this hard-fought labor field.
Thanks to the reception we received with the webcam university, and with the support of representatives of the webcam industry, Camgirl magazine was born. It is the only magazine in Latin America dedicated to take a deep look at webcam modeling. In its pages, we gather the best stories, anecdotes and information from the hand of specialists to make it an informative and entertaining space.
Everything is a continuous effort to change the paradigm that people have about the profession and make others understand that webcam modeling is a dignified and respectable career that can be done with professionalism.
Juan Bustos’ Insta is on point — @juanbustos.cam. Grabs by YNOT.
https://twitter.com/juanbustosvip/status/1037783195566186501
