I read an article yesterday about a teenager who became suicidal after his classmates learned that his mother had an OnlyFans account. Ironically, I have a 12-year-old son, and I had just created my own account. I shared this news with my son, and his first question was, “Is your face on it?” The second question was, “Is your name on it?” and the last question was, “Why are you doing it?” So, I explained.

In 2021, I opened a medical facility in Houston called Honeycomb Clinic. The clinic grew rapidly, and everything seemed to be going as planned. However, challenges soon emerged. Insurance companies were not paying, patients were not paying, multiple contracts fell through, awarded grants never materialized, and technical issues plagued us. Additionally, we had to contend with unethical employees.

I genuinely love my patients, and I would do my job for free any day. My reviews speak for themselves. However, the sad truth is that many of my patients don’t pay their bills, especially around this time of year when Black Friday takes precedence over medical bills, and Christmas lists come before copays.

In 2022, OnlyFans generated 5.55 billion U.S. dollars in gross revenue. Traditionally, OnlyFans is used by people who want to sell sexual content online. However, at the same time, we have millions of people with diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol who cannot afford access to a doctor or don’t prioritize their health. So, I’ve contemplated starting an OnlyFans for a long time. I’ve always thought it would be a unique way to post workouts and motivate people, especially men, given that many OnlyFans subscribers are men. What if we could reach them where they are and inspire them to be more active?

I have male followers on Instagram who have expressed a willingness to pay for my content. As a businessperson, I thought, why not? It costs roughly $40,000 per month to operate a clinic, and that’s before factoring in any of my personal expenses or loans. If I can use OnlyFans to reach more patients, inspire more people, and pay my bills, I am open to the possibilities.

I believe everything has a price, but integrity should never be compromised. I would never use OnlyFans inappropriately. I’ve always been a very open and liberal poster, and I was one of the original #binikidocs. The only difference now is the monetization. To answer my son’s question, “What would I do with the money?” I would use it to open another clinic. I’ve tried raising money through traditional means.

Crowdfunding: I’ve been denied by multiple platforms for frivolous reasons.

Friends and family: I’ve raised over a million this way, but I still need to raise more.

Venture capital: Unfortunately, startups funded by top VCs are nearly 90 percent male, and seventy-two percent of founders are white. We have not received any venture capital.

We have achieved success in many ways, but we haven’t come close to the 2.5 million dollars we need to expand. I hope more women founders take the chance and use OnlyFans as a new way to raise funds. Let’s work with what we have and make a difference in our lives and the lives of others.

Latisha Rowe is a physician entrepreneur.