Instagram mannequin who makes £80k a month is doing ‘what makes me joyful’
Cayla Smith was on the verge of completing her university degree and starting a career in communications when she decided to branch out – and has never looked back
A model raking in serious cash each month has spilled the beans on how locals in her tiny hometown chat about her when she’s not around – but she couldn’t care less and is “laughing all the way to the bank”. Cayla Smith was just about to finish her university degree and launch into a communications career when an unexpected chance completely changed everything.
The 23 year old had spent ages watching YouTubers and influencers making it big, which sparked her curiosity to set up her own accounts – though she never expected the incredible success that came next. In her first month on the site, Cayla banked £6,000 and instantly decided to switch career paths.
But her move from communications to racy modelling hasn’t won over everyone in her tiny Illinois hometown across the pond. “I grew up in the country, in a small town where everyone knows everyone’s business,” said Cayla, who has amassed more than 347,000 Instagram followers.
“We didn’t have much money, and I never thought I’d be able to afford my own home or car. When I got my first OnlyFans paycheque, I was amazed.
“I was super broke at the time, so it went straight towards rent, food and normal expenses. People from back home like to gossip about what I do for work, but I really don’t care what they think.
“If anyone isn’t okay with it, that’s their problem. I’m making more money than I ever thought would be possible – and certainly more than most of them will in their lifetime.
“So I’m going to continue doing what makes me happy. I’ve still got all my friends.”
Cayla, who lives in Houston, Texas, has always felt comfortable in her own skin, which made the shift to sharing more of herself online less intimidating. She started by uploading racy pictures, and as the cash began flowing in, her business rapidly took off.
Within six months, she managed to wipe out £12,000 worth of student loan debt. Cayla remembered: “I remember watching a video where another model explained how she does the job and how to start, and I thought, ‘Yeah, I can do that’.
“I wasn’t super nervous because I’m pretty comfortable in my body, so I just started posting pics. “I didn’t really know what I was doing at first, but my fanbase just kept growing.
“Any other big girl or full-time jobs would never pay me this much.”
Since joining OnlyFans in 2020, Cayla now earns anywhere between £30,000 to £80,000 per month. She capitalises on her small-town Illinois girl image on the platform, which has proved a hit with her followers. Cayla said: “It’s almost shocking because sometimes I look around at everything I have now, all the things I dreamed of as a child, and it feels unbelievable.
“But I’ve always been a rule-breaker, so doing this for a living kind of makes sense to me. A lot of people I meet are surprised at where I’m from. Some people from my hometown can be quite shocked at what I do, and maybe they think I’m a ‘rich b***h. But I like putting myself out there, and, obviously, my fans like it too.
“I’m happy and will keep doing this for as long as I want.”
