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Mo Show Biz
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—DJ Nick Stracener
2021 has been the year of OnlyFans. For anyone who remains stuck in 2019, OnlyFans is a site where fans pay a monthly fee to receive exclusive media from their favorite content creators. Creators post exclusive behind the scenes footage and some even o er chances to chat one-on-one, for a price. A Facetime call with model Blac Chyna is available for $950.
The pandemic helped OnlyFans to grow exponentially as out-of-work adults began posting personal material (often sexually explicit) to the site as a way to pay their mortgage or supplement their income. Some, like Miami-based Reno Gold, have even made their fortunes from the site. He earns $100,000 a month from OnlyFans. Not bad for a 25-year-old.
Rick and Gri , a married couple who rst shot to fame on Instagram with their popular page, The Adventures of Rick and the Gri opotumus, report between $35,000-$40,000/month. They also maintain a JustforFans account (a similar website) that brings in an additional $4,000-$5000/month.
All are quick to point out that a lot of work goes into maintaining their social pages. “I post a new professional image every day and a 15-minute video scene every week,” Reno Gold explains. “On top of that, every month I release two scenes with other models that I charge extra for.” He also keeps certain photos and videos on hand for tippers (the bigger the tip, the more salacious the content).
“Like any job, successful creators have to put time and e ort into creating quality content,” says Rick. “And they have to be savvy marketers. These sites are consumer-driven, so keeping the viewers happy and wanting to re-subscribe month to month is key.”
Nick Stracener, a popular gay circuit DJ who launched his OnlyFans page at the start of the pandemic, says he is practically glued to his computer. “I check my DM's every morning and night and reply to all of them. I send out personal messages to all of my fans a couple times a week just to keep them engaged.” Promotion is key and the men all agree they are marketing their personalities as much as they are their bodies. “I make funny videos on YouTube,” Reno Gold continues. “I nd if you give a little bit of content out for free, you make it back ten-fold on OnlyFans.” Another e ective marketing tool is working with popular adult companies. Travis Stevens is a Helix Studios exclusive who uses his adult lm fame to attract followers to his OnlyFans page. “I o er “People come to my OnlyFans page knowing they'll get a more personal side of Travis.” di erent content on each. On Helix, you’ll see me having clean-cut sex with other t twinks and jocks. On my OnlyFans, I feature boyfriend content, when I have one, plus a lot of interracial sex and crazy raw Grindr hookups with all kinds of di erent guys. People come to my OnlyFans page knowing they’ll get a more personal side of Travis.” Helix allows its models to have OnlyFans pages as doesn’t view the site as competition. “Helix will remain relevant and in demand as long as we keep doing what we do best: producing compelling productions,” says Keith Miller, founder of Helix Studios. “We cannot simply lm the same thing an individual can do alone. We must continue to go above and beyond.” OnlyFans o ers Helix fans an inti—Travis Stevens mate, private look at his talent. However, there are a few rules. Helix talent are not allowed to lm OnlyFans content with a Helix model they have not yet lmed with for the studio. The studio works with the models to help curate their OnlyFans o erings so they don’t interfere with Helix productions or pairings. Miller believes it’s an exciting time to be a performer and a studio. As with any new trend, there are lessons to be learned. “Since launching my page, one thing I’ve learned is that you cannot please everyone,” says DJ Nick Stracener. “Some content that you think is going to work will fall at.” Rick and Gri agree. “We went through a lot of trial-and-error to gure out the right vibe that appealed to the most people. What works for our fan base may not work for someone else
Married couple Rick and Gri earn tens of thousands per month from their Instagram and JustForFans pages.
—Reno Gold
so everyone needs to discover their own groove over time, and listen to their fan feedback.”
And disregard the naysayers. “I've received a lot of criticism about having an OnlyFans page,” admits Stracener. “And less people take me seriously as a music producer but to me that's a challenge that I can overcome. I know that I make good music. I also know how passionate I am about music and that people will see that if they get the chance to hear me play. I stay in my lane and focus on myself. The year is 2021, I think you should be able to do whatever you want to do as long as you aren't hurting anyone else.” “This has become more than about making a lot of money,” Gold says. “I aspire to educate people, change preconceptions about sex workers and use my platforms to uplift the LGBTQ community.” He recently donated a week’s worth of earnings — $27,000 — to the Elton John AIDS foundation. He is also thinking about his future, investing in stocks and properties. He recently purchased ve condominiums in South Florida, all in cash. While the pandemic has been a boost to OnlyFans, the men aren’t worried that the end of COVID will mean the demise of their digital platforms. “Guys consumed porn before the pandemic and they will after,” says Rick. “They will always want content to jerk o to, and we’re happy to keep providing it.” He and his husband recently launched an online store selling Rick and Gri merchandise at TwoKingsUnlimited.com.
“This is my entire life right now,” re ects Gold. “Producing content has become my passion and I still have many more stories to share.” He, too, plans to expand his brand and is currently developing his own collection of Reno Gold™ merchandise.
