Onlyfans Ceo Reveals Hiring Secrets Behind A Small Yet Mighty Team

Inside the Lean Machine: OnlyFans' Success Story

Keily Blair, the dynamic CEO at OnlyFans, recently sat down with Jeff Berman on the Masters of Scale podcast at the Web Summit in Lisbon this November. Blair lifted the curtain on how the subscription-based platform, known for its NSFW content, operates with just 42 full-time employees yet rakes in an astounding $7 billion in annual revenue.

Berman couldn't help but express his amazement at such a powerful achievement with a lean team. Blair echoed his sentiments, praising her team as "a pretty efficient bunch." She credits this success to the company's streamlined structure, intentionally avoiding middle management roles.

A New Approach to Hiring

Blair elaborated on OnlyFans' unique hiring strategy. "We hire incredibly senior talent, and then we hire incredibly hungry junior talent," she shared, noting that they focus on attitude and aptitude rather than just experience. This approach eliminates what Blair refers to as the "squidgy layer" of middle management.

"We've said to our teams, 'You can be a team of one and deliver exceptional results, and that will be so valued,'" Blair emphasized.

She believes that in larger companies, leadership is often gauged by the number of staff under them—an idea she challenges. At OnlyFans, career growth doesn’t follow a traditional "manager track;" instead, each employee is seen as an individual contributor.

OnlyFans: A Platform with a Global Reach

Despite its initial focus on creators monetizing paywalled content, OnlyFans has become a household name, especially known for its adult content. Under Blair's leadership, the platform boasts a staggering 400 million users worldwide and 4 million content creators. Blair's transition to CEO in 2023, following her successful career in law, marks a new era for the company.

Blair's insights offer a fresh perspective on modern business practices, highlighting the power of a lean team driven by talent and innovation.