Aerie Saunders is firmly in her season. When she sits down with XBIZ, a fall-scented WoodWick candle burns in the background, pumpkins decorate her desk and the first signs of spooky season are already on display. Not that Saunders waits until autumn to embrace the macabre.
"Halloween decorations are simply home decor," she declares. "That is year-round."
There are so many special people in this industry. We share a unique understanding of the experience, and it creates a bond you can’t find anywhere else.
This fall, however, she has even more reason to celebrate. Saunders recently stepped into a new role as community manager for YourVids and BranditScan, marking the latest evolution in a career that has taken her from curious cam model to creator, educator, writer and industry advocate.
Her journey began just three days after her 18th birthday, when Saunders ventured onto Chaturbate without fully understanding how the platform worked.
“I didn’t even realize I couldn’t receive tokens yet because I had just started,” she recalls. “On my first stream, I ended up with almost a thousand people in my room and thought, ‘Oh my God, this is so much fun.’”
At the time, Saunders was still in school, working full time and living away from home. Seeing camming as a path to financial independence, she left her job and began streaming every night, soon realizing that this could become a lasting career.
"I just fell in love with the industry and the community," she says. "I decided I was never leaving."
'Why Not Aerie?'
Saunders entered the business side of the industry after writing about her experience testing a new platform for Webcam Startup.
“The owner liked my work, so he brought me on as a regular contributor,” she explains. “Then I took over the company’s social media, then the podcast, and eventually we entered into a 50-50 partnership. When he left, I became the owner.”
A similar progression led Saunders to her latest role. A longtime BranditScan supporter and affiliate, she joined the YourVids beta-testing team at the invitation of friend and fellow creator Destiny Diaz. When Saunders suggested that the platform needed a blog, the team invited her to run it.
"It just kept snowballing," she says. "Every time I made a suggestion, it was taken really well."
When BranditScan and YourVids began searching for a community manager, they initially considered hiring from outside the industry. Then the team posed a more obvious question.
“Everyone on the team said, ‘Why not Aerie? She’s qualified for the position,’” Saunders recalls. “They explained what they were looking for, and I said, ‘I’d love to. This sounds awesome.’”
Now a self-described "jack of all trades" behind the scenes, Saunders works across recruitment, retention, education and marketing while serving as a direct link between the brands and their users.
“I love being that bridge between creators and the platform,” she says. “I understand the creator perspective and can communicate their needs in a way the team will understand.”
That perspective is particularly valuable at BranditScan, where Saunders helps creators approach content protection without feeling powerless.
“You have to be calm but realistic about piracy,” she explains. “Take steps to protect your content, and if it is stolen, work with a DMCA service or learn how to issue takedowns yourself.”
Saunders also reminds creators facing leaks that they are not alone and encourages them to respond proactively. She applies that same educational philosophy to everything from mental health to the fundamentals of running an independent business.
"Some people start camming and don’t know that taxes aren't taken out automatically," she says. "Making that kind of information accessible is a huge part of helping them get the best experience possible."
Good Vibes and Better Rhymes
Saunders' commitment to sharing knowledge was inspired by the women who once did the same for her. When she was new to camming, performer Melody Kush sent her a roughly two-page email filled with career advice.
"Seeing how much time and effort she put into helping me inspired me to do the same for others once I had more experience," Saunders says.
That spirit continues to define the relationships she has built throughout the industry. Saunders counts Diaz among her closest allies and praises her longtime commitment to creator education.
"She's someone I can always turn to who shines positivity on whatever situation I'm in and provides support," she says. “I'm definitely 'Team Destiny' all the way."
Saunders also calls BranditScan's Jessica Hookimaw "the queen of GIFs," while her longtime friend and collaborator Emma Rose Willow seems to share her wavelength completely.
"I swear, we just share the same brain cell," Saunders jokes. "I'll text her something, and she'll text me something almost identical at the same time."
Those bonds are among the reasons Saunders has remained in the industry for more than a decade.
“There are so many special people in this industry,” she marvels. “We share a unique understanding of the experience, and it creates a bond you can’t find anywhere else.”
Saunders also connects with others through poetry. She has published a book on Amazon, appeared in two “best of” collections and is now working on another volume. Whether reading someone else’s work or writing her own, she is drawn to poetry’s emotional honesty.
“I love learning about people’s emotional experiences,” she says. “Writing is almost like meditation for me. I get it all out, and it’s a bonus if it rhymes.”
'Hot Girl Shit'
Away from work, Saunders devotes much of her time — and her home — to animals. In addition to caring for five dogs of her own, she fosters others from overcrowded shelters across the Southeast.
"I foster dogs that are on the euthanasia list, then help find new homes for them," she explains. "Sometimes it's quick. Sometimes it's very slow."
Her longest foster placement lasted six months, and at one point, she had nine dogs under her roof. While her HOA currently limits just how far she can take her rescue efforts, Saunders dreams of eventually establishing a full-scale dog rescue on a homestead.
"There's something so innocent and loving about them," she says. "They don't lie to you. They tell you what they need, and if their needs are being met, they are the sweetest things."
For now, Saunders is focused on settling into her new position, deepening her expertise and finding more ways to serve creators and animals. She hopes to organize a holiday fundraiser for her local shelter, spend more time streaming games on Twitch and return to industry advocacy with renewed confidence.
Newly single for the first time in a decade, Saunders is also embracing her independence, prioritizing her mental health and rediscovering her sassier side.
"I want to throw myself back into the community and work on advocacy a little bit more," she says. "I feel like I'm mentally in a good position to start doing that again. I wasn't there for a little bit, and now we're back."
With a new role and a renewed sense of self, Saunders is heading into an era all her own.
"2027, I'm planning to be back on my hot girl shit officially," she declares. "It'll be Hot Girl 2027. I'm not limiting myself to a season."
