I recently had the opportunity to present at the L&D Leadership Summit, Sydney, on a topic that took many by surprise: What OnlyFans can teach us about online learning. Yes, you heard that right - OnlyFans. The platform, launched in 2016, has grown into a global phenomenon with over 220 million registered users and 2 million content creators. With creators in Australia ranking among the platform’s top earners, it's clear there’s a model here that’s worth exploring.

But what does OnlyFans have to do with online learning? Everything. At the heart of its success lie three things we need more of in L&D: empowerment, community building, and personal connection.

Empowerment: Are We Trusting Learners Enough?

OnlyFans is all about empowerment. Creators control what they post, when they post, and how they engage with their audience. Subscribers, in turn, choose what they want to pay for, what level of access they want, and how much they want to engage. This two-way empowerment is a game-changer.

However, when we look at corporate learning programs, we see something different. Learners are typically passive recipients of content - often dictated by top-down requirements and regulations. How often are learners given a true choice in how they engage with the material? Almost never.

Take Jackie Rabbit, an Australian creator who has gained a loyal following by posting what some might consider unusual content - farting videos, of all things. She reportedly makes between $5,000 and $10,000 per month by giving her audience the kind of content they want. It’s niche personal, and it works. So why aren’t we trusting our learners to follow their paths? Why do we still think we need to spoon-feed them every piece of information?

We need to ask ourselves a tough question: Are we underestimating our learners? By giving learners control over what and how they learn, we could empower them in ways we haven’t yet imagined. Empowerment in L&D doesn’t just mean offering courses—it means trusting your learners to take ownership of their learning.

Community Building: Are We Missing the Human Element?

Another key factor in OnlyFans’ success is community building. Creators don’t just push out content - they engage, interact, and cross-promote. It’s about creating a sense of belonging, where subscribers feel like they’re part of an exclusive group. Take Anna Paul, an Australian creator who reportedly earns over $100,000 per month by vlogging her daily life and interacting with her subscribers. She’s not just posting content - she’s building a loyal community.

Yet, in the L&D world, the community aspect is often missing. Online learning platforms tend to be sterile, individual experiences. Learners consume content in isolation, with little opportunity to engage with their peers or even their instructors. Where’s the connection?

Why aren’t we building communities around our learning programs? Why aren’t we giving learners a space to discuss, share insights, and learn from each other? Community building is not just about interaction; it’s about creating a culture of learning where learners feel part of something larger than themselves.

If we want to drive engagement, we need to create learning ecosystems that foster interaction and authentic connection - just like OnlyFans creators do with their audiences.

Personal Connection: Is Our Learning Too Impersonal?

The biggest lesson we can learn from OnlyFans is the importance of personal connection. Creators on the platform maintain direct, intimate relationships with their subscribers, which drives loyalty and engagement. Jem Wolfie, a fitness influencer from Perth, reportedly makes $30,000 per day by doing more than just posting workout videos - she responds to messages, gives personalised feedback, and engages in Q&A sessions with her fans. Her followers aren’t just consuming content - they’re interacting with a real person.

In corporate learning, how often do we create personal connections? How often do learners feel a direct link to the material or the instructors? The answer, sadly, is rarely. Most online learning platforms treat learners like faceless users, reducing the learning experience to a series of tasks that need to be completed.

So here’s the hard truth: Are we making online learning too transactional? Are we forgetting that learning is a deeply personal journey? If we want to foster true engagement, we need to bring back that human touch. Personalisation - whether through feedback, interaction, or even simple gestures like personalised welcome messages - can go a long way in making learners feel seen, valued, and motivated.

What’s the Takeaway?

So, what does OnlyFans have to do with L&D? More than we might want to admit. The platform’s success lies in empowering users, building communities, and creating personal connections - all of which are largely missing from traditional online learning programs.

Here’s the challenge: Are we ready to rethink how we approach learning engagement? Can we stop treating learners as passive consumers of content and start empowering them as active participants in their learning journeys? Can we build communities that foster connection and interaction? And can we inject more personalisation into the learning experience to create loyalty and engagement that lasts?

The answers to these questions could transform the way we think about online learning—and, just like OnlyFans, turn our learners into loyal, engaged followers. Just maybe don’t fart on your mandatory training video!

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