A woman who grew up on a council estate is now raking it in as an OnlyFans model.
Sophie Dee went from “rags to riches” after leaving life in a tiny Welsh village to pursue the bright lights of Las Vegas.
The 38-year-old has landed herself on the first-ever Forbes Top 50 content creator list – and lives a life of luxury in Sin City.
She makes an average of £322,000 a month by selling sėxy snaps on the adult subscription site, which she joined in 2017.
This has allowed her to invest in three luxury properties, a £120,000 Porsche, £55,000 on plastic surgery and multiple holidays a year – but life hasn’t always been so sweet.
Sophie said: “We pretty much survived on welfare throughout my childhood.
“My family lived on a rundown council estate.
“We never had name brand products in the house – even a bottle of Coca Cola was a treat reserved for Christmas – and we had to put coins into the back of the TV when we wanted to watch it.
“I went to school in my brother’s hand-me-downs and everyone knew that we were poor.
“I’m from a tiny village – it’s about a mile long – and everyone knows everyone’s business.”
Sophie started working in the porn industry after being introduced by a photographer, who told her to go abroad for work.
But her family “hated” the idea of “their little girl” taking her clothes off for money.
The sėxy model also had to put up with judgement of people from her local village, who branded her a “sl*g” and mocked her career choices.
Sophie said: “My first job was a modelling competition for The Sport, after that I did a bit of nude photography and lap dancing and then a photographer offered me work in the US.
“The whole family – my dad, step-mum and brother – hated it when I started out.
“No father wants this for his daughter but dad has since come around to the idea, and understands that this is a real job.
“Before I left the UK, people in our village would stare and call me names, saying I was a sl*g.
“It was horrible but it actually helped better prepare me today for the challenges of becoming a public figure on social media – people can be really demeaning online.
“Meanwhile, I’m a millionaire.
“I don’t know if they follow my OnlyFans, though I wouldn’t put it past them, but many of them have gotten in touch to congratulate me, which is hilarious.”
Sophie had the last laugh after joining OnlyFans – and says her secret to success is clever marketing.
She said: “The best thing I can tell anyone looking to make it on OnlyFans is do promo, and lots of it.
“I used to spend all day reaching out to more famous stars asking if they wanted to collaborate.
“I’m careful with my cash too, putting a lot of money in stocks, bonds, my pension, crypto and in business ventures.
“I recently launched a website that handles promo for models, called Shoutout Express – it became so big that we are launching a new version, Gig Social, and it has cost me $300,000 (£276,000) to build.
“When you grow up poor, there’s a feeling that sticks with you.
“I have enough money to retire several times over but I never stop stressing about it, and I’ll never stop trying to make more.
“I’m pretty sure I’ll be working until I’m old and grey…
“Now I want for nothing and it feels amazing to be on the Forbes list of top content creators, because it’s a validation of sėx work.
“sėx work is a work, maybe this will finally make people understand that.”
She right it is work.