Nearly three million people have started selling adult content in the past year, and MelRose Michaels wants them to know they’re now in business — officially. With her new SexWorkCEO platform, launched in honor of International Sex Worker’s Day 2021,  Michaels is giving them the skills they need to succeed.

“Anyone can open a fan account, but those who succeed have one thing in common,” says Michaels. “They treat it like a business. I’m bringing ten years of experience in the industry to this content, and pulling together some of the best resources available to help these creators become entrepreneurs.”

Sex Work CEO includes video courses on content creation, tools for staying organized, motivational advice, and curated resources to help sex workers grow their business. The site is free, and Michaels is in talks with sponsors that commit to developing “sex work first” products to keep it that way.

“We need to change our mindset,” says Michaels. “We aren’t models, we’re entrepreneurs. We own our businesses, we produce our own content, and we build our own brands. These are skills we carry with us, no matter what we do in the future. My goal is to give people the remaining skills they need to succeed, and to help them reimagine what their business could look like.”

Profiled in both Business Insider and Forbes, Michaels knows of what she speaks. She spent eight years as a top performer on MyFreeCams before leaving to help develop Centro University for FanCentro. Her podcast, Seen Not Heard, has attracted luminaries like former Congresswoman Katie Hill. Her Be ShaMELess vlog has documented the building of her dream home, and passion for luxury automotives. Last month, she launched a clothing line for sex workers, Networthy.

“We can only realize our potential when we recognize our potential,” says Michaels. “Shame and societal stigma have been effective in keeping us down. As Sex Work CEO, I’d like to help others shift those limiting beliefs, becuase I know how much my life changed when I did.”