- Jessica Sunok, 22, from Raleigh, North Carolina, boasts more than 577,000 followers on Instagram, and earns hundreds of thousands from paid-for posts
- She also works as a professional model, and predicts that she will have earned upwards of $1 million this year
- Before her break-up, Jessica was working as a sales manager at a local mall
- After ending her relationship with her boyfriend of seven years, she decided to try her hand at modeling full-time
- She began working as a model at a local car show, and also ramped up the amount and quality of content she was posting on Instagram
An influencer who earns more than $100,000 a month has revealed how a bad break-up motivated her to quit her 9-5 job and become an Instagram model – a lucrative career change that has seen her amass a legion of followers.
Jessica Sunok, 22, from Raleigh, North Carolina, boasts over 577,000 followers on her Instagram page @jessicasunok where she posts sizzling pictures of her curvaceous body in skin-tight lingerie and racy bikinis.
Before turning her attention to Instagram, Jessica was scraping by to make ends meet while working as a sales manager for kiosks at a shopping mall, making just $12-an-hour – however, one thing changed it all.
Jessica was heartbroken after breaking up with her ‘on and off’ boyfriend in 2016. But rather than dwell on her heartache, she chose to channel all of her energy into modeling, in an attempt to distract herself.
The online model started her Instagram page in 2012 and always had a passion for modeling but until her break-up, she had never thought about making a career out of it.
But when she finally decided to give modeling a go full-time, she threw herself into it wholeheartedly, starting out at a local car show near her home. There, she met the owner, and soon began working as a show girl and took part in several bikini contests, and her photoshoots were soon published in magazines.
Over the next few years, Jessica’s Instagram following skyrocketed and she finally had the courage to leave her sales job to work as a full-time Instagram model.
She now makes over $100,000-a-month and expects to earn over $1 million this year from brand sponsorships and modeling work.
Jessica said: ‘I was a hairdresser specializing in hair extensions. I also worked in the mall as a sales manager for multiple kiosks. I made roughly $12-$15 an hour.
‘I loved my job for the passion of seeing how happy and beautiful I could make women feel! I didn’t like how rude sometimes pedestrians in the mall can be to sales reps.
‘I started modeling when I broke up with my boyfriend of seven years, it was my way of distracting myself and put all my energy into myself. It took a lot of time and investing to get to where I am, I wouldn’t change a thing. ‘
Jessica now receives over 50 marriage proposals a week from her adoring fans – and one even sent the model $600 into her bank account just to get her attention.
She said: ‘My favorite comments are when I get complimented on my personality and I’m asked to speak more! I love how my fans can see the real me through just an image! It makes my heart swell.
‘I probably get an average of 50 marriage proposals a week I believe.’
‘I once had a follower send me $600 to get his attention, I definitely saw that transaction!’
The 22-year-old calls herself a devout Christian but said her pictures do not define her relationship with God.
She said: ‘I had struggled my entire life with my faith in God, I went through some pretty traumatic experiences as a child and adult that made me question a loving “God”.
‘I believe tests are not made to be easy and we wouldn’t be put through anything we weren’t made to handle.
‘There is good energy and bad energy, you have to train your mind to see all your blessing. Then your life will become gold! Angels speak to us every day.
‘I recently was baptized for the first time, it was a huge moment for god and me.
‘I wanted to share it with everyone regardless of their own opinions.
‘My relationship with God is between us. I wanted to share that life-changing moment with my fans, hoping it might reach someone who needs hope and love as well.
‘The Bible teaches forgiveness, we all need this.’