This week we’ve veering into ‘taboo’ territory, hearing from one of the key voices trying to do away with the controversy surrounding sex.
Oloni, 31, is an influencer that’s been in this unique job for over a decade, working for herself, in collaboration with a range of brands, as well as hosting TV shows and appearing on podcasts.
She’s been described as a ‘megaphone for women’s sexual rights’ and sets out to help women with their sex worries.
Career highlights have included presenting a dating show on BBC3 called My Mate’s A Bad Date and exploring sexuality on her podcast Laid Bare, but her favourite parts of the job are seeing women’s sex lives change for the better.
‘There I heard more than 50 women share their experiences of what made them feel empowered and how they had encountered censorship in discussing their sexuality on social media.
‘That was really inspiring.’
Here’s how Oloni made it to where she is today.
Hey Oloni, how did you get into this job?
Initially I blogged a lot about my own personal sex and relationship experiences and over time people gravitated to my tone of voice, as I found many women were able to relate to the views I shared.
They began sending in dilemmas that they wanted my advice on and that is how I built my platform.
How long have been a sex expert for?
I have been a sex expert for over 10 years and currently work closely with the sexual wellness brand Lovehoney, providing expert comments on sex dilemmas and helping with content on key dates in the sexual calendar.
Is it a hard industry to get into? How did you establish yourself when online it’s so oversaturated?
When I first started there weren’t many people who looked like me talking about sex as it was – and is still – such a taboo topic.
However, I found that if you create content trying to educate people about a topic, no matter what the industry, over time it can become easier.
I also believe it’s best to not think about it as an industry but as something you enjoy, which makes the pursuit much easier.
As far as saturation goes, I feel authenticity is your best friend and is what has allowed me to cut through the noise and establish my online presence.
Did you have to train?
I educated myself along the way over the last 10 years.
I feel like a combination of my own personal life experiences, conversations that I have had with other women regarding their experiences and additional research have been the source of my training.
I am a firm believer that you should never stop trying to educate yourself on a topic you are passionate about – an educator never stops learning.
At what point did you think ‘this is the job for me’? Was there a lightbulb moment that inspired you?
I knew this was the job for me when I saw the impact of my voice, how many people I was helping and how much I enjoyed talking about sexuality.
Have you always done this, or did you career change?
I’ve always spoken about relationships and sexuality as it was something I always wanted to do.
Now I’m exploring new forms of content, as I’ve written a new book called The Big O, which is out in September.
An average day in the working life of Oloni
9am: She begins by planning content for social media, coming up with ideas, and going through emails.
11am: Oloni will go through the topics that come up on her podcast to inform the content she creates.
2pm: She’ll work with brands on their sex content.
The rest of the day will be spent creating content, whether it’s written, for her podcast, or visual.
What do you love most about your job?
The free sex toys!
Plus, genuinely, hearing how women’s sex and dating lives have improved off the back of conversations and advice that I have given.
I enjoy talking about sex toys and how they can help boost sexual happiness.
They are real game changers and it is fab hearing from my followers what a buzz they get from using them after they have acted on my recommendation.
And are there any bad bits about your work?
I really dislike people who are narrow-minded and think that women shouldn’t be able to talk about sex.
This is why I support and feel like initiatives such as Lovehoney’s Masturbation May are important as they encourage women to take ownership of their sexuality.
