Tracy thought she knew how to make money as a model. Her beauty got her lots of attention, and she could’ve monetized it easily. But how did she use it to make money as a model?
Want your looks to earn up to ten times more money than they currently are? Well, models like Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid found ways to keep leveling up their income from the day they started modeling until now, and I’ll help you do the same.
To make more money as a model, learn to turn your flaws into strengths, get enough attention to attract others, and leverage multiple revenue streams.
You must learn different approaches to modeling than the average person. So ask yourself “have the approaches I’ve been using so far, worked well enough for me?”
It’s safe to assume that if they were working for you, you wouldn’t be here reading this.
So together let’s explore some different approaches to increasing your income as a model.
By the end of this article, you’re going to learn:
Sound good? I hope so, because these 7 ways are so rarely taught to models that…
And these secrets apply to all forms of modeling.
So whether you want to learn:
This page will help you.
(Though if you don’t know how to make even one sale, you’ll want to read our masterclass “How To Make Money On OnlyFans (8 Easy Steps For 2022!)” first, because it digs into the tiny details of going from zero followers to your first sale and beyond.
Anyway, exploring the seven tips outlined above will teach you how to make money as a model, but before we get into them…
…see if you can spot some of Tracy’s mistakes.
Ready? Here’s her story.
But it’s not nearly enough to thrive.
It’s not the supermodel’s salary she’s dreamed of. And it’s certainly not the huge model legacy she’d love to leave.
In fact, Tracy’s just barely getting by. She still has to work a job & squeeze her modeling in on the side. It was heart-wrenching to feel so far from the life she wanted.
Deep down, Tracy felt her life was meant to be glamorous…
…but she spent more time hiding dark circles under her eyes than she did basking in the Maldives.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Because Tracy’s already done the hardest part. She actually has a decent-sized fanbase, she has a few thousand already watching her.
Well, to many models it can seem like serving up a few pretty photos and having fans ‘like’ them doesn’t accomplish much.
It can seem like society isn’t too interested in Tracy’s views on politics, the economy, or even her rants about ‘creepers’ in her DMs.
It can feel like everyone on her social platforms just “likes,” her photos, then bounces.
Tracy can’t help but think:
And the answer is: Instagram models make money in so many ways. But Tracy can’t see them.
She can’t see them because she doesn’t understand the value of attention, or what to do with it once she has it.
For example Tracy doesn’t have a website, email list, ‘clickfunnel,’ or any other way to capture leads.
She also doesn’t know how to use “call-to-actions” to inspire folks to act.
She fails to get fans to subscribe to her OnlyFans, and despite having a few thousand followers, she rarely works with anyone noteworthy.
Tracy squanders most of the attention her modeling gets her, and it breaks my heart because…
Attention is the ‘gas’ for the rest of your career. It’s the foundation of your cash flow.
Attention leads to money.
And it doesn’t just lead to more money, it’s a valuable currency by itself. And models often get lots of it, Tracy included.
And it makes sense
Because human attention has always flowed towards beauty. And beauty itself isn’t a shallow thing in its own right, either.
There’s beauty everywhere.
Sunsets. Flowers. And yes, models.
These are all examples of beauty. And each of them compel people’s attention. We can’t help but pay attention to them. And someone like myself –who doesn’t really chase the spotlight– may be eager to partner up with attention-getting models.
In fact, there was a time in my past when I’d have jumped at the chance to work with Tracy despite her non-abundant mindset, but ‘current’ me knows that she doesn’t have the ambition to #ryze up as a model. (At least for now.)
So when she recently asked “How come J-Ryze isn’t my social media manager?”
I just smiled and added her to the list of models I’ve had to turn down.
Why? Because I prefer to be around models who realize their value, are aware of their potential, and are focused on fulfilling it.
Basically, models who apply my advice, and are open to monetizing well, at least. Models who treat their fans with appreciation.
It may sound crazy but…
…gimme models who wanna change the world.
There’s beauty everywhere.
Sunsets. Flowers. And yes, models.
These are all examples of beauty. And each of them compel people’s attention. We can’t help but pay attention to them. And someone like myself –who doesn’t really chase the spotlight– may be eager to partner up with attention-getting models.
In fact, there was a time in my past when I’d have jumped at the chance to work with Tracy despite her non-abundant mindset, but ‘current’ me knows that she doesn’t have the ambition to #ryze up as a model. (At least for now.)
So when she recently asked “How come J-Ryze isn’t my social media manager?”
I just smiled and added her to the list of models I’ve had to turn down.
Why? Because I prefer to be around models who realize their value, are aware of their potential, and are focused on fulfilling it.
Basically, models who apply my advice, and are open to monetizing well, at least. Models who treat their fans with appreciation.
It may sound crazy but…
…gimme models who wanna change the world.
For example, many models post on Instagram, right?
They build their ‘grid’ as their portfolio. They practice makeup. They invest in fashion.
And these are all great things to do, but they’re the bare minimum. They’re common. They’re what average models do.
Average beauties, doing average things, get average results.
We have a beauty-filled world where everyone’s feeds are filled with aesthetically pleasing curves, so your beauty must be backed up with generosity, focus, and discipline.
And Tracy disqualified herself from those things ages ago by not showing love to fans.
She thought she was showing love to her fans, but her focus was on getting money for herself, not bettering the lives of thirsty guys.
Specifically one fan… me.
For years I’d posted kind things on Tracy’s page.
I’m talking about deep, engaging insights, far beyond the standard “uhh, you’re hot” stuff, and got no response.
I asked heartfelt, interesting questions, but received no response. I purchased one of her Etsy sets, and left glowing praise in the purchase notes — Still no response.
I created beautiful artwork inspired by one of her photos, she said “I’d love to see it!” I said “What’s your email?” — Again, I got no response.
Tracy’s actions sent the message that she didn’t value me properly, so I moved on.
About a year later, Tracy found an advice-piece for models I’d written over on SuicideGirls.
She was impressed by it, and asked to hire me.
Yes, you read that right.
After ignoring all my contributions as a fan for years, she suddenly wanted me as her ‘social media manager.’
And even that proposal felt disrespectful to me.
Because if she looked into me at all, she’d realize that I’m so much more valuable than a social media manager. Tracy would’ve known that if she’d engaged with me more, paid more attention. Treating me even remotely better would’ve ensured her a loyal fan for years, volunteering his services for free.
All she had to do was show me a bit of ‘common courtesy’, but now Tracy was too late.
The takeaway is that Tracy’s beauty attracted thirsty guys, sure, but it also attracted valuable people making heartfelt contributions.
Tracy had value basically thrown at her feet.
But she either didn’t see it, didn’t know how to handle it, or was too self-absorbed to bother.
If she was more focused on turning her beauty into a value-creation system, she’d be soaring right now.
Where are the models who aim higher, create better, and (gasp!) make plenty of money?
I looked all over.
I went back to Model Mayhem, swung by Suicide Girls, and explored Instagram.
Most of the models there, despite having decent followings, were so, well… low-impact.
So few models were turning up. Few gave society something really special. Few asked ‘What am I not doing well? What can I do better to improve my sales?’
Most of them were more concerned with questions like:
Which are important questions, sure, but if you want to make boatloads of money, you need to ask better questions. You need to think more critically about your career and your brand. You need to be more intentional.
Ambitious, prosperity-focused models are who this article is for.
So let’s get into the tips on making money.
The first step to answering the question: “How to make money as a model?” is…
She pours her heart into a bangin’ wardrobe, great concept, and ‘fire’ poses for her latest shoot. Her photog goes the extra-mile with lighting, make-up, and editing.
They invest so much into the shoot, eager to share Tracy’s beauty with the world.
Tracy posts the set and it gets almost zero traction.
Ouch.
I feel her pain.
Why did this happen?
Because if you want money, then…
Most creative people over-focus on their creative output, when they should be focusing much more on marketing.
Promoting and getting eyeballs on each piece of content is absolutely key.
Tracy needed to spend less time on ‘nice photos’ and more time on persuading people to engage with her art.
Here’s a helpful analogy.
Being a model is like being chef.
You can spend all your time cooking up a gourmet meal, but that won’t magically bring diners over to buy it.
Even great chefs need persuasive invitations, compelling appetizers, and mouth-watering menus.
You’ve got to be willing to pitch your beauty to people who otherwise wouldn’t see it. Instagram only shows your posts to 10% of your followers, for example.
And when strangers visit you, they need to see an on-brand, value-packed, profile photo and bio.
You’ve got to dive into the market, and connect with people who matter.
Be a guest on podcasts, get featured in various places, and so on.
Create a signature hook for your brand, a style people can instantly recognize as ‘you’ when it pops into their feed.
How?
Maybe you become the model known for contests or giveaways. Maybe most of your shots feature neon clothing. Maybe you post reels that always feature music from undiscovered artists. Maybe you have a controversial tattoo.
Whatever you do, find some way to make things easy, fun, & memorable for your fans.
Yes, serve up gorgeous photos, but make sure they stand out in my feed full of other women’s gorgeous photos.
Even go so far as to learn a bit of copywriting so you can write captions that compel me to interact with you.
If you don’t put in this effort, your photos become cold, disconnected shots or fluff that blends in with social media’s noise. An uninviting experience.
And uninviting experiences get ignored and passed over.
So here’s three ideas to make your brand more inviting:
Create a hub. Whether you run a website, FB group, OnlyFans, etc...
Do something to gather scattered traffic into a hub fans can rely on. What fan wouldn’t love a monthly email, Zoom, or perk from a pretty model?
A hub lets you send reminders of upcoming events, content, or sales, but it takes work and focus to build. You must invest. You must direct traffic back to your hub, and spend time engaging there, instead of hopping from platform to platform.
Build a place where your fans can connect, engage, and give feedback.
Practice the power of words.
Collab with a copywriter, or get a photog who 'gets' storytelling, or simply evolve your 'caption game.'
Inject more meaning into your posts, or dedicate your images to a meaningful charity.
Followers may only ‘like’ your sexy photo, but they connect and engage with emotional stories— this applies to visual storytelling, videos, and more.
Just like photogs need models, models need writers.
At the very least, apply some easy caption writing basics when you post.
Take requests. Post surveys. Hold contests
Do whatever you can to engage the fans who are already following you and already paying you attention. This kind of interaction with a model can truly make a fan’s day, week, or even life!
Connection is one of the most valuable things on earth, and people love to feel ‘included.’ Most fans know you don’t have time to respond to everything, but the smallest gestures can speak volumes. Even a 'smiley' can make a fan feel valued...
...small engagements move fans closer to becoming a sale.
Ask yourself “how inviting is my brand, truly?” and “what can I do to make my offerings more inviting?” Then be creative with your answers, and experiment.
Having a clear, inviting brand is key. It’s a key part of how to get paid modeling. And it’s worth your time and effort.
This stuff matters. It affects the fan experience.
So go beyond the photos, and… go beyond your current wealth.
Think about it, your looks may attract fans, but is that enough to make you attractive to talented collaborators like great photographers, artists, and entrepreneurs?
If not, it may be time to make a few tweaks, because collaborations are insanely valuable.
Collaborations are basically money on the table.
And as soon as you lend your modeling skills to a company, person, or cause, you’re increasing your value / resume / impact, as well as gaining leads from their networks & audiences.
Your collaborators will benefit from your contributions, and in return, they’ll often brag about your involvement and their ‘people’ are gonna have eyes on you.
Usually, the bigger the player you collaborate with, the bigger results you’ll have, but you may have to start small and work your way up to the big leagues.
Consider partnering up with:
Or get more creative and partner with:
Whatever you’re aiming for, the trick to attracting talent is to offer persuasive value.
It’s a universal law — bring value to your relationships & they blossom.
A beautiful model can easily get volunteers & helpers on her team if she approaches it properly.
In Tracy’s story above, she wanted to collab with me, but…
…she approached me like this:
Yikes.
I appreciate the thought, but “how come J-Ryze isn’t my social media manager?” is a single throwaway line with no effort put into it.
It’s the same thing as a guy hitting up your DMs and writing “Will you marry me?”
Compare it to how she could’ve approached me:
“Hi J-Ryze! I found you through your How To Make Money On OnlyFans article, which I loved! I’m offering an opportunity I feel would help us both. It’s part of my upcoming #BeautysNotASize campaign. I have 9,000 followers to expose your work to… and although proceeds are going to charity, I’ve set aside a small budget, in the hopes we can work something out. Please let me know, and here’s a high-res photo from my portfolio to use for whatever you want. Looking forward to talking with you.”
Now that’s a respectful, sincere, appealing offer loaded with value.
It has a lot of persuasive elements to it.
You get people on board by writing well, from the heart, and packing in the value.
Put love into it.
Aim to really help the potential collaborator you’re writing to. The above example shows that the writer:
A. Stands for something. (“#BeautysNotASize”)
B. Offers something. (“I have 9,000 followers to expose your work to.”)
C. Shows respect. (“I have a small budget for you.”)
D. Includes a gift. (“Here’s a high-res photo from my portfolio to use.”)
Pitching to collaborators is a skill worth practicing.
So learn how to set up collabs. Practice reaching out to people. Make friends. Help people with no expectations. This will help you earn and grow your modeling empire.
But if you want to be a talent-magnet, then knowing how to approach and reach out isn’t enough…
Be a bright light on influencers radars.
What do I mean? Well, let’s say you want to work with a big name photographer, get into a prominent magazine, or collab with another successful model.
The first step connecting with them is making them aware of you.
But how do you make them aware of you?
Simple, make a difference in their lives.
People don’t notice one comment in a sea of comments, but they do notice things that impact their lives and make a difference.
So put in the ‘sweat.’ Be a noticeable benefit to their lives.
Do things that make you highly visible, open, or ‘exposed.’ (And I don’t mean do porn.) People notice visible, beneficial, significant things…
…especially if they happen repeatedly.
So go to some influencer’s channels, engage well with their community, and help their assistants, interns, or secretaries. Be of value to their friends and families. Answer questions, or give helpful advice. Make art or tributes to them.
And don’t just do it once, do it repeatedly, until you make an impact.
Most people avoid this because it’s not an instant-fix, it takes significant energy, commitment, and love. You have to care. But you get out of life, what you put into it, so put in the work.
Mike’s a huge glamour photog, he gets tons of comments.
So he likely won’t notice you if you contribute a single, solitary comment.
But…
Don’t be a timid or lazy model who says “Hey Mike, let’s work together” and that’s it.
He gets hundreds of those a day.
Instead, commit, get involved, and make an impact. Challenge yourself to leave 50-100 truly helpful comments for your targeted influencer.
Light up their channels and get on their radar.
And to do this, you really gotta bring your A-game, which means…
…but it takes real courage.
It takes courage to show off your scars or tats, but a model with a marking can become easily known and recognized in every photo she takes.
(Winnie Harlow is a famous, high-earning model who has vitiligo, an extremely noticeable skin-condition.)
It takes courage to stand up for simps, but a model who stands up for simps, becomes a recognizable champion in a sea of blandness.
It takes courage to vajazzle your princess parts, but a model who glitters literally shines in people’s feeds.
And especially it takes courage to put all this stuff “in people’s faces” enough to be noticed.
Turn your uniqueness up, make it loud, show it proud.
So whatever flaws, quirks, hobbies, or fetishes you have, be bold enough to own them. And don’t just stop at owning them, but turn them into a regular, essential feature of your brand. Include them in the majority of content you put out.
If you don’t know what those are, you may have to ask your friends what makes you unique, or do some soul-searching, or experimenting.
Experiment until you find things that make you stand out.
Once you find them, don’t abandon them, emphasize them.
Practice highlighting them and showing them off.
It may take courage to be the model who swears. Or the contortionist model. Or the urban-explorer model.
But whatever the case, you have to be bold willing to say and do things the average person won’t.
In a noisy world filled with so many models, any clear difference is powerful. Not fitting in is powerful. It’s how you stand out from the crowd & create your own audience. Polarize people, shock them, wake them up, stand for something.
Being unique is easy, but can seem scary.
Yes, discovering ourselves is a ‘big’, life-long journey, but showing off your uniqueness —even a little bit— brings clear results.
Think about the bands, movies, and clothes you enjoy— chances are they have some very unique traits. They don’t blend in with the boring noise. They are clear and focused in their content, their offerings, their style.
It just makes sense. People like unique stuff. They connect with brands bold enough to own their shit. When we embrace our uniqueness and turn up the volume on it, we become more magnetic, easier to love.
Here’s 8 models who made their uniqueness work for them.
(Hint: It’s often something you tend to downplay or consider ‘too easy’ or ‘natural.’)
To the right is one more bonus model I was sparked to include.
Mariah is the first hijab model to be featured in an H&M ad, and got ‘discovered’ in part through her active, high-quality instagram account. Most people would avoid modeling with a hijab, but Mariah owned it.
Ashley, Kanya, Maddy and the others above all owned their so-called ‘flaws’, and turned them into features, that propelled them to fame.
Now, you don’t have to be as extreme as all that, but you are unique.
You are.
Maybe you’re a model who loves mullets & ghillie suits. Fine… show ‘em off. Maybe you love Aztec culture, ok then, use that. Maybe you’re well-traveled, leverage it. Maybe you love all three, so be…
It’ll get attention and attract an audience who appreciates those things as well. It gives people an easy hook to share you. And once your buzz really starts, it’ll spread outside your core group of loyal fans.
So don’t blend in as yet another fashionably-dressed (or undressed) body in a sea of beauty. Stand out. Yes, it’s scary and always comes with a few haters, but it’s also…
…easy.
It’s easy to share what you love and who you are. You just have to own it. Show off your quirks, flaws, and loves. Embrace the life you’ve been given, no matter how weird.
And hey, even if you’re already doing all this, there’s still ways to turn up the volume.
So go for it.
Really you do. And all these streams come down to one thing…
…consistently, passionately, providing value.
Let’s look at Boston-native, Ashley Alexiss.
I don’t know her actual earnings (she recently bought her Mom a car), but it’s easy to spot her revenue streams. Ashley:
And she has even more revenue streams than that, with even more planned.
Maybe she’ll experiment with content-subscription platforms like Patreon or OnlyFans, or become a spokesmodel for The Black Tape Project.
And the best part?
She’s indie. She’s her own boss, an entrepreneur. She’s not even signed to an agency, but she still makes a mark, helps people enjoy life more, and monetizes her work in multiple ways.
And she’s intentional and choosy about it, as far as I know.
As time goes on Ash may expand into music videos, live performance, or merch, like figurines.
Surprisingly, Ms. Alexiss doesn’t have a website, newsletter, or fan club, which runs against my earlier suggestions (update: she has those things now!)… but she does have her own Alexiss Swimwear Line, reps her #BeautyIsNotASize message, funnels her audience onto her Facebook/Instagram, and got a lot of traffic for #CleavageForTheCure.
Compare that to models who sporadically pop onto facebook and share an empty, meaningless “pls buy my prints” post.
You may argue that Ashley gets results even with a simple “pls like my FB xoxo” line, and that’s true for her…now.
But it wasn’t early on.
It’s only effective now because she’s already given tons of value over the years. She’s earned the easy-sell after all her hard work building her brand.
Her fans know and love her brand and what she stands for, and are honored to be involved with her.
Such a fluff one-liner won’t sell for models who are just starting to build their brand.
The timing of your ‘ask’ matters. You ask for sales after you’ve built up a history of valuable interactions with each fan, each potential customer.
The phrasing of your ‘ask’ matters too. Even subtle things like ‘power words’ or clear links in your calls-to-action can impact results.
Anyway, Ashley’s already kicked up enough noise to get successful Toronto-Playmate, Khloe Terae‘s attention.
See, Ash is on Khloe’s radar, and she suggested a collab by sharing audiences and reaching goals together!
Ash can connect with major players like Khloe because she has a long history of offering tons of value.
Not surprisingly, cash, attention, and opportunities are flowing to match, and it all began with her focusing on creating one successful revenue stream at a time.
You can do this too.
It’ll take you from someone who wonders “how do models make money” to someone who wonders “how can models *not* make money?”
Just make sure you master one stream at a time, rather than hop from one to another because it ‘seems easier.’
And once you have your revenue streams working smoothly…
The section above shows how models can offer so much, in so many ways, and make so much money.
You may even have some of these streams started already. The next step is to polish and refine them.
Take stock of your streams, and improve the ones that feel right to you.
Make the ones that are working for you better.
Build campaigns and teams around them. Turn them into opportunities to show off your best work. Build systems around anything that’s worked even slightly for you.
If you clearly stand out in the modeling world, team up with quality people, and deliver clear value to a specific fanbase, all while standing for something you believe is right…
…it’s hard not to grow your cash flow.
They didn’t teach this stuff when I was in school.
They taught ‘balance sheets.’
I had to learn it through hard knocks, studying legends, and learning from mentors like my friend, Evan Carmichael.
He helped me realize that all successful people provide huge value. Non-stop, all day, ‘erry day.
And they go way beyond “I sell my photos.”
Entertaining people is value. Compelling their attention is value. Strong personal branding is value. Even ‘distraction’ can be value if done intentionally.
Hell, even being worth gossiping about is value.
This is because it gives people ‘something to do.’ It makes journalist’s lives easier too.
So increase the value of your revenue streams by making them easier to buy, with less friction.
Make what you shoot, write, & record more compelling.
Create a nice balance of familiar relatability and eye-catching novelty in your content.
Test & experiment.
Partner up with someone who’s audience appreciates your offering. Build something you’re proud of. Offer value to fans.
Grow your ‘model empire,’ you’ve got this.
And you can uplift many others with your beauty along the way.
How?
And I’m not suggesting you champion a cause with ulterior motives or for self-promotion or benefit.
I’m suggesting you contribute your value as a model from a place of helpfulness.
Tyra Banks, Audrey Hepburn, Linda Taylor and more have all gone this route, and because of how karma and reciprocity works, there’s wealth magic in it.
The magic is simple:
Support something you believe in, and watch people love you, buzz about you, and flock to you for it.
(Again though, that’s not why you should be doing it, but it is a nice side-effect.)
This is best done by looking to truly help society, not out of desperation, manipulation, or wealth-seeking.
And it needs to be personal.
You can’t just wake up one day and start helping a charity. It has to be organic. And if there’s no cause you’re passionate about, don’t force it. One will crop up when the time’s right.
Or if you really want to think of one, examine all your traumas throughout life, and then support an organization that deals with one of those.
Ultimately, if you or your family has been involved in something that speaks to you, then by all means get involved and (assuming it’s tasteful) watch the positive reaction from your audience.
You really do.
Our society blesses us with more resources than ever. There’s an avalanche of free modeling resources out there now, that prior generations didn’t have access to. They had to get known through knocking on doors, cold-calling, or getting scouted.
But today, so many resources are just sitting there, waiting for you to leverage them.
And it’s not even about how many resources you have available, but how resource-full you are.
People are resource-full.
And success is partially luck, sure, but the lion’s share of it lies in your passion, creativity, and what you do with whatever resources you have.
So here’s a quick look at some resources that may get you started.
Ah yes, many models are on a constant hunt for a modeling agency.
I start typing ‘modellng agency’ into google and the autocomplete form was filled with ‘modeling agencies in new york’, ‘modeling agencies in los angeles’, etc. — even though I live in Toronto!
The agency-thirst is real.
But in this day and age, you’re usually better off investing in yourself, and building a big enough audience that agencies are thirsting after you.
I’d focus on kicking up noise, making an impact, and in doing that you’ll attract an agency to you. Believe it.
But hey, if you really wanna hunt for an agency, these links may help:
New York
Toronto
Los Angeles
Portland
Miami
Paris
London
Milan
I found some amazing resources shared models giving back in Model Mayhem Forums.
I discovered Dekilah’s Model Advice site, and I found Mike Sunderland’s “A Big Brother For Your First 3 Months In The Modelling World” (removed) post. Both offer quite a bit of value, check ’em out. Or you know… hook up with an brilliant teacher, like me.
And try reading The Frugal Model, by Ashley Stetts. Personally I’m not big on thrift and watching every financial detail, but she might be just what you’re looking for.
See what Models With Minds has to offer which is an organization that supports and develops models’ professional interests and passions outside the world of modeling.
Check out Model Liberation, founded by Nikia Phoenix, part model, part freedom-fighter, all awesome.
Or if you’re looking for advice and mentoring, try The Modeling Mentor, founded by former model Jill Johnson.
Perhaps even set your sites on brand management and PR from a major Idea House like The Door Online, who helps models like Sara Sampaio, Ali Larter, and Gigi Hadid.
A community of women sharing all kinds of powerful, natural, body-shaping and breast-enhancing resources.
Let’s say you enjoy being a little more daring, glam, or… well… naked than most models.
In that case you have even more options.
Arousing viewers can be lucrative, and you may do well for yourself by showing off on sites that aren’t so PG-13.
You can check out /r/GoneWild, Fansly, Fancentro, & OnlyFans and more if you’re in the adult content creation game. More impressively, check out our article “86+ OnlyFans Support Resources (Complete List 2022)”
If none of the above options are for you, you’ll have to get more creative: explore new arenas that may need some modeling.
Maybe start your own agency like Emily Lyons did with Femme Fatale Media. Or try different resources out and see which excite you and where you can make an impact.
Get out there and do what feels good.
And that brings to the final, but most important tip.
You may not believe it.
It may even sound silly.
But you’re shooting your income in the foot if you don’t give gratitude an honest, sincere, try.
Not just once, but as a habit.
Be thankful. Be grateful. Be appreciative.
For a lot of my life, I didn’t really know what this meant.
I had to learn appreciation the hard way. A tear-jerkingly hard way (which I won’t get into here), and I’d still love to be better at appreciating all I have.
Hopefully you can learn to appreciate modeling (& life!) through the wisdom I’m sharing here, instead of through major pain and loneliness.
So here goes:
Realize that every inch of modeling life, that you may even take for granted, are other people’s dreams.
All of these things have value in them, believe it or not.
Maybe you’re not appreciating your body enough, but many people dream of being as thin as you or as curvy as you.
Maybe you don’t appreciate your looks, but many dream of being as fashionable, as beautiful, as sexy, as riveting, as enchanting, as confident, as free.
You’re an inspiration to people out there, and you may not even know it.
Maybe they’re lurking and watching you from the wings, maybe it’s not obvious how much you inspire people, but they’re out there.
They look up to you.
Anyone who likes, shares, or comments is helping you.
They’re pouring attention on you, and your career can use all the attention it can get.
Straight up, even haters are helping you.
Even if they’re engaging with you in a way you don’t really enjoy or prefer, that engagement is still valuable.
Anyone giving you attention is still helping you build the buzz, awareness, and numbers that impress.
They get you noticed, discovered, and hooked up.
You could argue that ‘anyone would feel blessed to have 1.5M fans’, but if you study Ash’s early years…
…you’ll see she felt blessed to have 100, 10, or even a single fan.
She adopted an appreciative attitude early and used it often.
Sincere appreciation is an attitude you cultivate early, then life delivers more and more to you. Just try it.
It’s an hour or two out of your life, and every smiley or like you give sends a huge message.
If you work with a photographer you enjoy, give them a shoutout on insta.
Refer another model to them.
If you have a web designer or media manager you love, give them the the spotlight.
Take a selfie with them.
Tag them in a reel.
Do whatever you can think of to show love.
Try making a post or a page dedicated to fam or friends who encourage you, or share a personal story and tag them.
Many people never get mentioned anywhere for anything, and when you do stuff like this, they brag about you, show you off, and it all comes back to you somehow.
Collect any positive comments or testimonials on their behalf, and share them with your team.
Life’s an intense ride, and no one does it completely alone, so thank your team for being there.
It’s easy. Just start small, and take action. Because actions speak louder than words, and reciprocity always wins in the end.
Too hard? Fine, go even more general.
Appreciate the blessings of air, water, sun, and ground. These things are why you have tools, resources, & energy each day.
Many of them you didn’t even have to lift a finger to earn.
It’s all beautiful nature, just given to us.
It all came from nature, and it’s a huge blessing to have any of these things.
In fact, there are many who don’t have nearly as much of them as you do.
So please understand there’s a lot in life to appreciate, and though they may not be exactly what we want, they’re a start.
This may sound like hippie-bullshit, but I highly, highly recommend you TRY it. Commit to it for a while. Be consistent, and adjust yourself to an attitude of appreciation.
At the most your wealth will blossom, at the least you’ll be a better person.
They will work, yes, to whatever degree you’re able to execute.
Freelance models will have the easiest time executing these tips, whereas being at an agency under contract (or having a full schedule of modeling jobs) may prevent you from applying some.
Either way, most are still doable.
The point is, your situation can change how effective these tips are, but there’s value to be found in many of them, and most can be done with a bit of determination.
Yes, they will help you make money as a foot model, and much more than that.
Below is a chart with some ball-park figures for the average yearly salaries of different types of models.
If you’re wondering “how much do [x] models earn?” this will offer some insight.
Just keep in mind earnings can vary based on where you’re located, your skills/experience, outside revenue streams, work ethic, and more.
Now, these are the average salaries for various types of models.
Let’s say they range from about $30,000 a year to about $70,000 a year.
And since these are average folks, they’re likely applying few, if any, of the above tips, right?
So imagine how much more they’d make if they applied them.
If they were all applied with decent skill, it wouldn’t be hard to go from $70k a year, to $700,000 a year.
It doesn’t matter if you want to make money as a fashion model, makeup model, plus-size model, promotional model, parts model, or whatever.
A ten-fold increase is reasonable, if a model gets serious about their income.
“OK, great, but how to get started as a model?”
Well, that’s outside the scope of this guide, but basically you’ll need to:
Even if you’re aiming to join an agency, these days agencies are looking for models who already have a following.
I explain the process of building an audience from scratch in much more detail in my How To Make Money (OnlyFans Mega-Guide).
I explained this above in sections #4 and #6, but here’s a few more.
And on and on. Be creative, and focus less on opportunities and more on building your audience, because once you have an audience of people paying attention to, opportunities flow like water.
Once you have an audience, a model even has good leverage to approach investors.
Hey, if you’re here, looking to earn more as a model, you probably already know, but just in case, here’s a taste:
Models often get products gifted to them. They have high earning potential. They often live glamorously. They get attention and fame more easily than most. They travel often.
You know what’s up. 🙂
Early in this article I wrote that this type of question is super-basic and covered by everybody else on the net, but for convenience, consider the following before collaborating with anyone:
If you’re extra paranoid you can bring a can of mace of something, but most don’t find this necessary.
Yes, many models start with ‘no money’, in fact, but you’ll want to use our audience-building how to succeed guide.
It’s targeted towards OnlyFans models but the steps are the same for any model who wants to get started with no money.
Modeling keeps moving forward.
I wrote this because there were so many models like Tracy who could be way better, and wherever I looked, no one was giving advice that matters.
Forums were filled with the same repetitive questions. My feeds were filled with the same beautiful-but-boring posts.
It was all weak sauce.
I want to help, so hopefully this post remains relevant in our ever-changing world, because modeling, like everything, continues to evolve.
And I don’t mean it ‘ages.’ Though on that note, it’s worth checking out Yasmina Rossi, 61-year old model for Marks & Spencer, Macy’s, and Hermes.
I mean the industry moves forward.
Apps like Instagram & TikTok change the details of he game, but the truth is, if you focus on bigger things —like the ones I’ve covered here— most of those details sort themselves out.
So, to wrap up…
Anyone can easily google loads of help with posing, fashion, lighting, how to deal with creeps, model release forms, etc.
Those are important. Just like creating great photos is important. But those tips aren’t the ones that have real impact. They’re surface level stuff.
If you really want to dig deep as how to make money, from scratch with zero followers, read my insanely clear, step-by-step tutorial “How To Make Money On OnlyFans (8 Easy Steps For 2022!)”
(It says it’s for OnlyFans but it teaches how to make money on *any* social media platform, and it starts from getting your first follower.)
Anyway, the seven tips I shared here are game-changers. They’ll help you be a high-value, money-making model. They’ll gain you followers & fanbase. And when you get 100—, 200—, even 300,000 followers on social media for all the lives you’ve touched…
…it almost doesn’t matter what you look like, people will be hungry to work with you.
And many drafts and re-drafts.
I did it because I want you to succeed in your modeling career.
I love models, and I appreciate every beautiful image they deliver to my feeds, and this post is one way I can pay it forward and give back.
Thanks so much for reading.
#TogetherWeRyze.
Note: Most of the images here are ‘found’, and they make this piece more readable and enjoyable. My whole intention is to help models, but if for some reason you want an image removed, contact me and I’ll take care of it. Much love!
If I missed anything, please forgive me, and be so kind as to just ask, and if it’s a sincere question, I’ll happily explain.
Wishing you tons of success, joy, and wealth.
Prosperously yours,
J-Ryze
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P.S. I know it sounds cliche, but sustainable wealth is created through passion, self-honesty, and love.
A CEO serving customers…
A band hyping audiences…
A model enticing viewers…
It’s all love.
It’s all passionate people giving a great experience to their fans.
It’s people serving people.
Models serve up beauty, attract attention, and spread messages. They can arouse, soothe, or anything in between.
The more love a model puts into her art & her community, the better she’ll do.
