Katie Kush: Working At A School, Modern Adult Entertainment & How To Actually Survive The Industry

Send us Fan Mail Most people see the finished product of adult entertainment. They don't see the business decisions, long hours, rejection, boundaries, social media restrictions, relationships, mentorship, and discipline required to build a career that lasts. This week on Ava Devine's Bad Advice, I sit down with adult performer and entrepreneur Katie Kush for a conversation about what it really takes to build a career in the modern adult entertainment industry. Before becoming Katie Kush, she worked at a school supporting children with special needs and behavioural challenges. After a relationship ended and she found herself financially responsible for a home on her own, Katie began camming while continuing to work at the school. Eventually, she faced a decision: continue pursuing a career she loved or take a chance on adult entertainment. Her mother gave her one piece of advice that would shape the way she approached her career: treat it like a business. And that's exactly what Katie did. We talk about her transition from amateur content into professional films, why it took her more than a year to fully commit to the industry, what happened when her school discovered her adult work, and how veteran performers helped teach her how to navigate the business. Katie also explains the massive shift she has witnessed from the traditional studio system to today's creator economy, and why she believes performers now have more control over their careers than previous generations. This is a conversation about adult entertainment, the creator economy, consent, social media, work ethic, mentorship, confidence, burnout, and what building a sustainable career actually looks like behind the scenes. Chapters 00:00 Meet Katie Kush 00:00:51 Why Ava Wanted A Gen Z Performer On The Show 00:01:35 Katie Kush's Business Approach To Adult Entertainment 00:02:16 Who Was Katie Kush Before Adult Entertainment? 00:02:57 From Special-Needs Assistant To Camming 00:04:12 Trying To Keep Her Two Lives Separate 00:05:25 Choosing Between A Traditional Career & Adult Entertainment 00:05:59 What Happened When Katie's School Found Out 00:08:00 Katie Kush's First Adult Film Experience 00:09:27 How Veteran Performers Helped Katie Build Her Career 00:10:47 Learning From Adult Entertainment Veterans 00:11:24 Studios vs. Creator Platforms 00:12:06 How Creator Platforms Changed Adult Entertainment 00:13:46 Why Katie Still Works With Studios 00:15:03 Katie Kush Tries Exotic Dancing 00:15:47 Her First Day At A Strip Club Went Very Wrong 00:16:54 The Reality Of Rejection In Feature Dancing 00:18:11 What Katie's Feature Shows Are Really Like 00:19:31 How Competitive Dance Shaped Her Adult Career 00:20:52 How Katie Plans Creator Collaborations 00:22:08 Being A Switch & Understanding Power Dynamics 00:23:34 What Katie's Fans Request Most 00:25:44 Why Katie Loves Performing At Clubs 00:27:05 Social Media's Impact On Her Career 00:27:50 Why Adult Performers Get Flagged Online 00:29:58 The Mental Gymnastics Of Social Media Censorship 00:30:35 Losing Access To Payment Platforms 00:31:16 How Katie Deals With Hate Comments 00:32:37 Why Online Criticism Kept Katie Away From Podcasts 00:33:43 Mental Health In Adult Entertainment 00:35:10 How Katie Protects Her Sanity 00:35:47 Burnout & Learning To Say No 00:36:30 The Unexpected Hobbies That Keep Katie Grounded 00:37:11 Separating Adult Entertainment From Real Life 00:38:32 Does Katie Mentor New Performers? 00:40:02 Katie's Advice For Anyone Entering Adult Entertainment 00:40:41 Creator First vs. Traditional Studio Career 00:41:27 How To Find The Right Adult Industry Agent 00:42:53 Why New Performers May Need Representation 00:44:13 Finding Your Niche In An Oversaturated Industry 00:45:35 What Makes Katie Kush Successful? 00:46:14 Consent & Knowing When To Speak Up 00:46:48 How Katie Learned Her Personal Boundaries 00:47:23 Studio Shoots vs. Creator Content 00:48:10 Katie's Biggest Turn-On & Turn-Off 00:48:59 Katie Talks Sexuality & Relationships 00:50:53 The Best Career Advice Katie Ever Received 00:51:35 Is Adult Entertainment Empowering? 00:52:26 What Fans Would Be Surprised To Learn About Katie 00:53:51 Separating Work From Private Intimacy 00:57:01 Katie Kush's Final Bad Advice 00:57:46 Where To Follow Katie Kush Follow Ava Devine Instagram: @theoneandonlyavadevine TikTok: @1avadevine Follow Ava Devine's Bad Advice Podcast Instagram: @avadevinesbadadvice TikTok: @avadevinesbadadvice X: @avadevinespod Follow Katie Kush X: @Katiekushxx2 IG: @katiekushxx2