Back in 2021 — before I knew much about the creator economy — I flew a group of news reporters out to Las Vegas to cover a tradeshow.

After hours of interviewing booths and walking halls, I found myself having dinner with a member of the reporting crew. She dropped a surprisingly casual line: “I’m also earning money as an OnlyFans creator.”

W all subscribed. Watched. And observed.

That conversation was the entirety of my direct experience with the creator-subscription world.

...Until it became so much more.


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From Tulum, Mexico — A Pivot in Perspective

Fast forward to 2024... I’m in Tulum, Mexico. I meet a man named Evan Seinfeld — a musician, adult-industry veteran, and founder of a men’s mentoring program called Mantorship. Over conversation I suggest: “Why not launch a digital magazine for your mentors — give them a platform to self-promote and grow your program.”

That moment planted a seed in my mind:
If someone running a mentoring network didn’t have a media platform, then surely entire creator communities were underserved.


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Guatemala to Tijuana — Birth of Only Fans Insider

By early 2025 I was in Guatemala City when the idea hit:
“Is there a magazine dedicated to only-fans content creators?”

A search revealed: none. Not in the way I envisioned — creator-first, user-generated, community driven.

So on May 14, 2025, while in Tijuana, I launched the website of Only Fans Insider Magazine (OFI).

Here’s what I discovered and built:

Who OFI is
OFI is “the digital magazine built to showcase the real stories of OnlyFans creators, agencies, and brands”.

We emphasize creator-first: “We help OnlyFans models and creators own their story, and their spotlight.”

Our metrics: “Organic reach 6.1M in our first 5 months, viewable in 65+ countries.”

Product features include: user submissions of articles and photos, a topic-tagged blog section, an affiliate program offering commissions for referrals.

We have an advisory-board program inviting creators, agencies, entrepreneurs to shape the direction of the magazine.


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Metrics That Prove the Model Works

Two early features (May 31 & June 1) drove ~78,000 views.

As of October 23, 2025:
• 18,564,848 article reads
• Avg. read time: 11 min 13 sec
• Avg. pages per session: 4.2

Instagram rolling 30-day views:

• 2.4 million

Marketing spend: $0.00

This is near-pure organic growth — and it shows the power of the platform model when you build for the customer, not the brand.


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Why This Is a Masterclass in Customer-Centric Marketing

1. Identify an underserved customer
While I had almost no direct experience, I saw a massive gap: millions of creators had no press, no platform, mostly ignored by mainstream or adult-industry media.

OFI filled that gap with a platform built for them.

2. Empower the customer to promote themselves
Creators submit their stories → OFI publishes → creators share → OFI grows.

This creates a “customer-as-marketer” dynamic.

3. Build a platform rather than run campaigns
Instead of launching one article and hoping for reach, each story becomes an asset that lives on, drives traffic via SEO, links, shares.

The platform becomes the marketing engine.

4. Generate cross-pollination and network effects
One creator’s audience discovers another via OFI → traffic spills over → the entire network rises.

OFI isn’t just serving creators — it’s building community, and that community promotes itself.

5. Monetize through value, not interruption
OFI’s model includes affiliate programs (30% commission), listing directory, ads, sponsorships.

But revenue flows because the magazine offers visibility and legitimacy, not just ad space.


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The Narrative Arc I Didn’t Plan — But Embraced

2021: I meet one OnlyFans creator at dinner.

2024: I suggest a magazine idea for Mentorship.

2025: I launch a magazine for 4.5 + million creators.


I went from knowing one creator to building a platform for millions.
And the connection is clear: I didn’t start with expertise — I started with insight + empathy + platform thinking.


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Lessons for Any Industry

If you’re reading this and thinking: “I’m not in adult content, so this doesn’t apply to me.” — think again.

Every industry has underserved communities, neglected voices, or people that need a platform. When you identify that community and build a system that amplifies them, you end up amplifying your brand too.

Are you a real-estate agent? Build a magazine for local neighborhood businesses.

Are you in fitness? Launch a platform for trainers and their stories.

Manufacturing? Create a hub for engineers, product story-makers, distributors.


The mechanics of storytelling, platform-building, user-generated content are the same.


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Key Tactical Takeaways for YOU

Create your submission funnel: minimal questions, allow user uploads.

Provide ready-to-share social assets for your contributors.

Use referral/affiliate programs to incentivize sharing.

Design your platform for “evergreen” content — articles that keep working over time.

Track metrics like pages per session, read time, referral share.

Monetize not just via ads, but via value (features, listings, directory, affiliate network).

Keep marketing spend low — let your customers do the marketing for you.


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Launching Only Fans Insider Magazine taught me that you don’t need to be the expert in the space to build the dominant platform. You just need to find the gap, value the community, and build a system where your customer becomes your marketer.

If you’re in a business or industry where the people you serve feel unheard, unseen, or underserved — this could be your moment to build the platform they deserve.

Let’s talk strategy. Let’s talk platform. Let’s talk how Customer-Centric Marketing can work for YOU.


Joseph Haecker
Fractional CMO | Platform Builder | Author of Building Customer-Centric Brands