Meet the 19-year-old who’s made $100,000
A BRISBANE stripper says she’s seen a 30 per cent surge in her online business now that she can’t dance in her local club during coronavirus-related business closures.
Alice Lauren normally works at Fortitude Valley venue The Grosvenor, but thanks to COVID-19, has been forced to work from home using social media platform OnlyFans.
Alice - who has 17,000 followers on the site - said she only decided to join up after finding people had created fake accounts using her images.
“They were saying ‘subscribe to my OnlyFans’ with my photos, and I was like, what is going on? What is this website?” she said.
“Clearly if they keep making fake accounts then they’re obviously making money off it, so I thought maybe I should suss it out and see what’s going on. That’s how I got into it and I’ve stuck with it ever since.”
Alice started dancing about 18 months ago and has had an OnlyFans account for about as long, and it’s proven to be a lucrative side hustle.
“I’ve easily made $100,000. It is absolutely crazy,” she said.
“And it’s started to really pick up in the last couple of months as well.”
Unlike many businesses, COVID-19 has seen Alice’s online business jump by around 30 per cent.
“With coronavirus, I was expecting it to take a drop, because yes, everyone’s home, but a lot of people have lost their jobs,” she said.
“It’s actually increased though. I think everyone’s home and on their phone.”
Alice’s fan base pays a monthly subscription to get access to everything she posts, with extra content available for a fee.
“I’m pretty open, and I’m confident enough to post everything. The main subscription is just explicit photos but nothing wild. Then in the upsell in videos, I will do more explicit things,” she said.
“You’re in control. It’s whatever you decide to post.”
Alice said her family knows what she does, and her safety is key. “My family is supportive of me no matter what so long as I’m safe and happy,” she said. “You don’t ever post a photo with the location or while you’re still there. Never give out personal information. Just have common sense about it.” Caradoll is another dancer at The Grosvenor who’s managed to maintain a healthy income thanks to OnlyFans during the club’s temporary closure. “I’d seen other girls do it and at first I was a little bit iffy about my body being on the internet rather than in person,” she said. “But it’s really good, especially because now that COVID-19’s happened, dancing’s not really viable at this point in time. I usually make around $4000 a month (online),” she said.
She said OnlyFans also allowed her to keep in touch with her Brisbane-based clients as well.
“With a lot of my regulars that would come and visit me in the club, the only way they can really see me do my thing now is online,” she said.
“I’m itching for The Grosvenor to reopen because dancing is definitely different to OnlyFans. You’re able to have that human interaction, and online you don’t really build that personal relationship.”
Alice added new content providers have flooded the site during COVID-19, but she warned it wasn’t as easy as it seems.
“It’s definitely an amazing thing and can offer a whole new job pretty much, but people need to know it’s not as easy as taking photos and posting them, because it’s not,” she said.
“You have to be consistent, like when you see ads on TV repeating again and again. You have to have a business mindset about it because it is a business.”
The teenager makes enough online without ever needing to set foot in a strip club again, but she can’t wait to get back to work at The Grosvenor.
“I definitely make enough to give up dancing. But virtual is one thing and in person is another,” she said.
“Even though online is convenient, I don’t think in person (work) will ever go away.”
“Some girls want the money and to say ‘I’m a stripper’ but they don’t know how hard it is,” she said.
“As well as physically - you’re on your feet all the time as well as dancing - probably mentally is hardest. You’ve got to be able to accept rejection, it’s not like a 9 to 5 job, but I love it.”
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