This week, we have Quinn Everly in the spotlight, a content creator and entrepreneur who began creating content in OnlyFans and transitioned to establishing a talent management agency for OnlyFans creators, Blue Rose Agency. Originally creating adult content to support her medical research education, she found success on the platform and works with her husband to manage some of Australia’s top creators on the platform.
ISB: Why did you start producing content on OnlyFans?
QE: I saw OnlyFans as an opportunity to make life-changing money, and set myself up for the future. I had seen the success of other creators on the platform and was very inspired by that. Although I had been an in-person sex-worker for several years before I started on OnlyFans, I missed the first wave of OnlyFans’ virality due to concerns about it clashing with my vanilla career ambitions as an academic. When I finally made the decision to do it, I took a very conscious approach to ‘cracking the code’ of how to be successful on OnlyFans.
ISB: What led you to set up a talent agency for OnlyFans creators?
QE: A lot goes into being a successful creator, and there are many moving parts. Most creators don’t know what direction to take, how to brand and advertise themselves, and what kind of content to make – which was how I felt when I started! I made many mistakes and figured it all out the hard way, and then had the knowledge to share. I noticed there was a gap in the market for a creator-positive, female-led agency – most are male-owned and often mercenary in their approach to creators. We wanted to do something different.
ISB: How do you deal with the stigma associated with being in the adult industry?
QE: As a business owner in this space, it can be very difficult. Some banks won’t take payments from OnlyFans. We have been turned away by book-keepers, web developers, and potential employees. The stigma can come from any angle, and is sometimes unexpected. We have learned to navigate around it – we work with sex worker positive businesses and only hire staff who are comfortable with the industry. On a personal level, what helps me is a strong belief in my own self worth and that of other sex-workers, and the understanding that most of the stigma comes from a place of ignorance.
ISB: How do you navigate working with your husband on this project?
QE: I can’t imagine not working with my husband, Alex, as I see him as my partner in everything. It works very well for us, as we have complementary skill sets, and different areas of focus. It can be challenging, as work problems become marital problems and marital problems can become work problems! We’ve found success by compartmentalising what we do and ensuring we have time apart to focus on our own interests. A word of warning… I always tell people I don’t recommend working with your partner. It works for us, but I think generally, it’s a difficult dynamic.
ISB: How do you envision the growth of Blue Rose Talent in the next couple of years?
QE: We have a big secret project in the works, which we think will take the business and our creators to new heights, but can’t say too much about it right now! Because we work so closely with our creators, we tend to grow our core group of creators very slowly so that we can make sure our time is not being divided. We’ve had so many people come to us asking for help with social media that we’re working on a way to deliver our high level advice and guidance in a more approachable and scalable format.
ISB: What advice would you give to someone who wants to start their own business venture?
QE: Don’t expect it to be easy! When it’s your business, the buck stops with you and you’re likely to work a lot more than a regular job, but it’s very rewarding to see your efforts pay off. Every business has ups and downs, don’t be discouraged by temporary downs, and don’t get carried away by temporary ups – a lot of businesses fail by scaling too fast off assumed success. Good staff are worth their weight in gold. It can be hard to find people who you can trust who do their jobs well, so when you do find them, reward them, promote them, and bring them with you as you find success.
