Psychology and neuroscience graduate Isla Moon turned down a PhD offer and left academia after making her annual salary in just two days on an adult content platform.
Before entering the adult industry, Moon worked as a research assistant in a neuroscience lab earning $15,000 (£11,000) a year while building experience for a clinical psychology career. After completing her undergraduate degree with straight As, she was on track for a PhD.
Discovering adult content
While finishing her degree, Moon read about adult content creator Bella Thorne making $1 million in 24 hours. Curious, she explored the platform. “I had no followers. My personal Instagram had, I think, 18 followers,” she said.
She discussed starting adult content with her long-term boyfriend. “Then he was like, yeah. We should do it,” she recalled.
Quick success
The day after her final exam, Moon posted her first nude online. After initial attempts on Reddit, she found success on TikTok. “My [adult content platform] blew up,” she said. “And the same day I blew up, I got my offer to do my PhD.”
Seeing the financial potential, she made a decision. “I made my salary in two days,” she said. “I figured, if all fails and I make no more, I’d have a couple years to figure it out and get a job and all that. So it’s, like, I had to.” She called the university to decline the PhD offer.
Rapid earnings growth
Within months, Moon’s earnings climbed from five to six figures. “My first month, I made $30,000 (about £23,500). Then the next was like $50,000 (about £39,000). After that was like $100,000 (about £78,000). It just kept going.” She reached the top 0.1% of creators after three months and has remained there.
As her profile grew, Moon discovered she had been removed from her university’s alumni listings. Despite this, she has no regrets. “I love it. I kinda love it a little too much,” she said.
