At 42, I quit my job in property management to become a webcam model. Now I earn $1,000 a day and make my own schedule - here's why I love it.

• Ainslee Divine (not her real name) is a 46-year-old webcam model who lives and works in Scottsdale, Arizona.
• She worked for 15 years as a property management company owner and says her new life means more freedom.
• This is her story, as told to freelance writer Jenny Powers.

It all started when I was 42 years old. I'd owned a property management company for 15 years, so I wasn't looking for a career change - just a little fun.

I'd lost a ton of weight and I was feeling pretty good and wanted to show it off, so I started an Instagram account. My husband has always been supportive, and he basically said, "Go ahead, show the rest of the world how beautiful you are," so I began posting sexy pictures. Early on, I posted a pic wearing a Malibu Strings bikini and the brand reposted it on their feed.

The next thing I knew, I went from zero to 20,000 followers in 45 days.

I wound up meeting a guy through Instagram and we got to talking, and he suggested I started webcamming. He said if I wanted to make a name for myself and make money, that was the way to go. I was completely unaware of what webcamming entailed, but he gave me the short and condensed Reader's Digest version - a rundown of what I'd need to get started (laptop, lighting, strong internet connection, camera, toys, etc.) He encouraged me to look at the three main webcam platforms and watch other models which was invaluable.

We also talked about what I'd be willing to do online. The fact is being a webcam model doesn't always equate to getting naked. We also talked about personality and being friendly and not giving trolls any of my time. All of it piqued my interest - and my husband was open to my exploring this new avenue.

On October 4, 2016, I went live for the first time. The combination of excitement and nervousness on my face must have been priceless, but I was so well-received I found myself instantly drawn to it. Due to my age, I suddenly was considered a MILF, a term that - as the mother of a 23-year-old - I was familiar with, but had not embraced.

Now this is my full-time job. I'm at the top end of my industry and making more money than I ever imagined.

I cam on Streamate Friday through Monday beginning at 8:30 a.m., and I don't stop until I hit my minimum daily goal which ranges from $1,000 to $1,800. About eight months ago, I decided to step up my game and began spending Tuesday through Thursday creating subscriber-only content to post on OnlyFans. I bring in five figures a month on each platform and get paid via direct deposit weekly. During my best month to date, I earned dollars shy of $80,000.

The pandemic has definitely caused a spike in the number of cam models.

There used to be anywhere from 1,700 to 2,200 models online, but now with everyone home, it's more like 3,000 models at any given time. There's a crazy amount of content creators now, but since I was on an upward trend before all of this started, I'm not really concerned about the influx. Things are good; I was just nominated for Best MILF Cam Model for the XBiz 2020 Cam Awards happening this month and I recently got new 32G boobs and got a publicist to help me venture into mainstream projects as well.

My set-up is pretty simple.

We live in Scottsdale, Arizona and our guest room doubles as my studio. There's a bed, and as far as equipment goes, I've got a laptop, a 4K webcam for the best picture quality, a big screen I hook it all up to, two big-box lights to light me, and a rack of clothing and a box of toys I use on camera.

Really, I can work from anywhere as long as there's an internet connection. Sometimes if we're on vacation and I feel like making some money, I'll cam or post online for a bit. I've cammed and interacted with fans while vacationing in Hawaii, Mexico, Florida, California, Oregon - even Bora Bora. We're going to buy a boat soon and I'll be able to cam from there too.

This is a 365/24-7 job, but during the day I take lots of breaks.

Finding balance is important. I'll lay by our pool, play with our French bulldog, play golf (I'm a 9 handicap), do laundry, and pick up groceries.

I get over 3,000 direct messages a day on Instagram and selectively answer between 50-100 daily. Since I appeal to people worldwide, 30% of the messages I receive are in a language I don't know. The messages are overwhelmingly complimentary. I'm very proud that all my followers are organic. I've never paid anyone to advertise or buy followers. I run my own accounts and don't use third-party apps, either.

My look, personality, and age niche all make up me and my brand, and most people respond very well to it. You've got to have a thick skin in this business, though, because you can't make everyone happy. Every day a few people will tell me I'm too old or to get a real job. I just tune them out and the platform allows me to block any abusive people from my room.

Camming is ideal for me because I'm a real people pleaser. I have way more freedom than I did in corporate America, because now when I roll out of bed, I'm already at work.