Lucy Banks, a former star on OnlyFans, recently shared an emotional moment when her son stumbled upon her controversial career.
At 34, Banks started producing explicit content in 2019 after pivoting from a career in banking. She wanted a different path—one where she didn’t have to send her children to daycare every day.
During a chat with Andrew Bucklow on the podcast “From Newsroom” on news.com.au, she discussed her motivations for venturing into this line of work.
“They had a lot of daycare,” Banks recalled, mentioning how one of her children once asked, “Do I have to go to daycare tomorrow?” It was a heartbreaking moment for her.
Initially, she felt reserved about her new endeavor, but she gradually became more confident as she produced content, saying, “I started off feeling shy, but as I adapted, my content grew more explicit.” She recognized that creating more engaging content allowed her to charge higher fees, which motivated her efforts.
At her peak, Banks dedicated 12 hours a day to her OnlyFans career yet strived to maintain a balance between work and family life. “I’m glad I put in that effort, but I had to juggle it all around my kids,” she reflected.
Over four years, she earned between $1 million and $1.5 million from this venture. However, one significant hurdle arose when her eldest son, at just 11, found out about her job despite her attempts to shield him from it. “Someone told him,” she explained. “I tried my best to protect them.” She was upset that he heard it from another person, but, surprisingly, he took it quite well, saying things like, “People do bad things for money.”
Her son’s curiosity continued as he inquired about her subscription prices, even asking if she thought of raising them. Eventually, Banks decided to leave OnlyFans as she wasn’t deriving joy from it anymore. “I just realized I was entering a new phase of my life and I was finding it hard to stay motivated,” she said.
Walking away was challenging; she described it as being in “golden handcuffs” due to her impressive earnings. “It wasn’t easy, especially with a mortgage and bills, but it felt right. Honestly, I don’t really regret it,” she acknowledged.
Despite stepping back, Banks has set her sights on new opportunities. She noticed gaps in the market and aims to help other creators through her marketing agency.
“I wasn’t heavily followed on social media, but I became known as a creator by leveraging media and news,” she mentioned. Banks now aspires to assist fellow creators in building their brands. “Being a creator is like being an athlete—you have this fleeting popularity and wealth. The question is, how do you create structures that sustain you for the long haul?”
