Everyone in the adult industry knows that our careers are on borrowed time. Before I catch a bunch of hate for that statement, let me clarify. Maintaining a career in this industry can be compared to working as a pro athlete or fashion model — it revolves around either your ability to perform, or your looks. That, in and of itself, means it’s generally a young person’s game. But it doesn’t have to be.
The average person in our industry doesn’t last. They burn out, they leave after making a quick buck or they put all of their “eggs,” so to speak, in one basket. That is the wrong thing to do. If I could take the hand of every model and teach them how to be financially savvy with their earnings while they’re in this industry, I would — it’s that important.
We have endless information at our fingertips and endless potential to create, build and grow.
My first year in the webcam industry, I made a huge splash. I had gone from earning 30k a year working at a bank to a six-figure income overnight. That first year, I didn’t save a penny. I spent lavishly on clothes I hardly wore, ate at fancy restaurants to get rooftop selfies and spent an insane amount of money on gifts, many for people who never deserved my time or attention in the first place. I spent like the money would never become harder to make. And then it did.
I learned very quickly that I had to adapt or die, as eventually everyone does. The most important thing to understand is that while you’re already working smarter, the extra money is useless unless you’re spending smarter too. Most of our careers don’t come with healthcare or benefits, so that has to be a number one priority. Set yourself up with a great health plan because your health is a non-renewable resource and the single most important thing to your existence.
Then, set aside money in a savings account. Start with a $1,000 emergency fund that you let sit and don’t touch. This is for unforeseen events, such as what happened to me in 2015; I was in a car accident and found myself upside down in a ditch. Moments like that happen in everyone’s life, and you can’t plan for them. But you can create a safety net, understanding that one emergency can completely put you out of work, and you need to be ready should that happen. When you’re in a better position, expand that safety net to a $10k or $50k emergency fund that you don’t touch. My rule of thumb is to know what your monthly living expenses are and aim to have enough saved up to last you six months in case of a rainy day.
Next, I like to diversify. I divide my time, like many of us in this industry do, between multiple sources of income. I do camming, but I also sell my Snapchat on FanCentro, sell sexting and texting, sell videos on clip sites and have brand deals across my social media. Likewise, I try to diversify into things that don’t depend on my physical looks. So I built a marketing company, started a merch store, launched my podcast, grew my YouTube channel, sell shoutouts on social media and am working on developing a few apps in the tech domain. I live my life in this weird paranoid state of “what happens if…” and I like to try and be prepared for absolutely everything. If I got in another car accident tomorrow and became completely disfigured or paralyzed, at least half of my income would still be generated because it doesn’t revolve around my appearance. That’s something that gives me a lot of peace of mind at the end of the day.
Furthermore, I think it’s important to invest. If you don’t know a lot about investing, there are apps that allow you to “pretend” to day trade or invest. If you’re not a great saver, apps like Acorns or Stash can help you get started and guide you into places to invest those savings in order to grow them. Once you get comfortable, I would suggest actually doing the research in areas that are meaningful to you or you have passion for, and invest in those. It’s really fulfilling to fund a product, service or project that has importance to you, and it’s even more fun when it pays out dividends.
Lastly, let me leave you with this: It’s never a bad idea to do something mainstream —whether it be a YouTube channel, monetizing your Instagram, a merch line or a podcast. If you can bridge the gap from the adult industry to the mainstream in any way, it will open up endless doors and opportunities. Despite all the censorship, hate and divisiveness we hear about on a daily basis, we really are living in the best time to be alive. The adult industry has never crossed over more easily to the mainstream as it does now. There are huge fashion lines, such as Fashion Nova, doing sponsorships with adult stars.
You have to be fearless in your lifetime, so remind yourself not to be afraid to reach out for brand or sponsorship deals that you may not have been given 10 years ago, when being a part of this industry meant you walked around wearing a scarlet letter. We have endless information at our fingertips and endless potential to create, build and grow. Just keep in mind that none of us are young forever, so plan for a long, profitable, sustainable and fulfilling future.
MelRose is a cam model, content creator and entrepreneur who can be followed on Twitter @MelRoseTV and FanCentro.com/MelRose, as well as MelRose.TV.
