The Business of Visibility: How Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Stars turn fame into fortune
When The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives hit Hulu in 2024, few expected it to explode into one of the year’s most talked-about reality shows. What began as a glimpse into Utah’s “MomTok” influencer scene evolved into a full-blown study of modern fame — one where motherhood, controversy, and content creation intersect with real money.
Now, in 2025, the women at the center of the phenomenon — Mayci Neeley, Whitney Leavitt, Jessi Ngatikaura, Taylor Frankie Paul, and Mikayla Matthews — have turned reality TV notoriety into powerful business platforms. They’re no longer just influencers; they’re entrepreneurs, brand builders, and case studies in how digital visibility converts into profit.
Mayci Neeley: From MomTok to “BabyMama” Empire
Mayci Neeley has become one of the breakout business stars of the Secret Lives cast. What started as relatable motherhood content on TikTok has grown into a multi-platform brand — and now, a physical product empire.
Her wellness and supplement line, BabyMamalaunched in 2024 after a year of development and marketing teasers on the show itself. The niche brand focuses on prenatal vitamins and gummies formulated for mothers and women trying to conceive — a Mayci dominates thanks to her loyal following of millennial moms.
Mayci’s strategy blends authentic storytelling with strategic partnerships. She regularly showcases product development and packaging decisions on TikTok and Instagram, giving followers a behind-the-scenes view that drives trust and sales. The company’s DTC model relies on Shopify and subscription refills, which provide recurring monthly revenue.
In 2025, she also released her first book, “Finding Me After Motherhood,” a hybrid memoir and motivational guide about balancing identity, faith, and entrepreneurship. The book’s release coincided with her BabyMama brand anniversary — a smart example of cross-promotion and brand storytelling.
Mayci Neeley and Mikayla Matthews
Jessi Ngatikaura: The Beauty Mogul Behind JZ Styles
While others chase viral moments, Jessi Ngatikaura builds empires quietly — and profitably. Before Secret LivesJessi was already a successful businesswoman, owning JZ Stylesa high-end hair salon and extension brand based in Utah.
What makes Jessi unique is her vertical integration. JZ Styles includes:
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A salon offering luxury color and extension services
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A hair extensions line sold globally online
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A beauty academyteaching aspiring stylists how to grow their own businesses
Her TikTok and Instagram content drive brand visibility — every styling video doubles as marketing. With over 1.2 million combined followers, she uses her platforms for both sales and education.
Since joining Secret LivesJessi has leaned into female entrepreneurship brandinghosting retreats and business coaching sessions for women in the beauty industry. Her brand values — professionalism, self-made success, and glam grounded in family — have earned her partnerships with haircare and beauty giants.
In 2025, Jessi’s next move includes expanding JZ Styles into Los Angeles, with a flagship salon.
Jessi Ngatikaura and family
Whitney Leavitt: From Controversy to Cash Flow (Now Dancing Too)
Whitney Leavitt is the very image of modern influencer paradox: bold yet constrained by community norms, open yet calculating, controversial yet commercially savvy. With millions of tunes in to her social media, she’s built a brand of unapologetic authenticity — and now she’s taking that persona to the Dancing With the Stars ballroom.
Whitney is competing in DWTS Season 34, paired with longtime pro Mark Ballas. Vulture+1 Her participation isn’t just glamor, it’s a strategic pivot: DWTS amplifies her visibility beyond MomTokopening her to broader brand opportunities and mainstream awareness.
On Secret LivesWhitney stirred buzz when she revealed she was offered $20,000 to promote a sex toy — a deal she weighed heavily because of her Mormon values and audience expectations. That moment underscored the tension she constantly negotiates: monetizing reach while preserving identity.
Whitney Leavitt
Since then, Whitney has leaned into partnerships aligned with her core demographic. In 2025, her Instagram Stories regularly feature fashion, skincare, home decor, and motherhood-related sponsorships. She curates deals that match her “family-forward” narrative, selecting collaborations that feel congruent with her values and resist alienating her base.
Her official DWTS bio notes she brings a combined audience of over 3.1 million+ across TikTok and Instagram to the dance floor. ABC That digital audience gives her leverage: every performance, dress reveal, and behind-the-scenes moment is content fodder — usable across her platforms to maintain and monetize engagement long after the show airs.
Whitney’s business model is thus a hybrid of content-based influence and strategic exposure. DWTS doesn’t just help her “win on the dance floor” — it helps her win in the boardroom by strengthening her brand value, reaching new demographics, and opening doors to premium deals beyond her original niche.
Taylor Frankie Paul: The Monetization of Reinvention
Taylor Frankie Paul has turned controversy into currency, crafting one of TikTok’s most resilient personal brands. Once the face of the “MomTok” (or Montok) collective — known for wholesome motherhood content — Paul became infamous after revealing a “soft swinging” scandal that upended her image. Instead of retreating, she rebuilt.
Her 5.8 million-strong TikTok following became a laboratory for reinvention: transparent posts about therapy, motherhood, and accountability now drive higher engagement than her pre-scandal dances ever did. By narrating her own redemption arc, Paul transformed public scrutiny into parasocial intimacy — a marketing model that converts vulnerability into measurable influence.
Now, her reported casting as The Bachelorette marks a full-circle branding moment. As Vanity Fair noted, her inclusion could be a “franchise-saving move,” injecting a complex, scandal-tested woman into a show long criticized for predictability. For Paul, it’s a strategic platform expansion: television exposure feeds TikTok visibility, which in turn boosts sponsorship leverage.
Within the Montok Group ecosystem, Paul exemplifies a modern creator economy truth, controversy, when owned and narratively managed, is a renewable resource. Her brand thrives on emotional transparency, audience engagement, and strategic cross-platform storytelling.
Taylor Frankie Paul isn’t just surviving the attention economy, she’s mastering it. Each pivot, scandal, and collaboration adds to a self-sustaining feedback loop where personal reinvention fuels cultural relevance, and cultural relevance fuels business.
Taylor Frankie Paul
Dancing With the Stars & Beyond: Turning TV Fame into Brand Equity
Two of the Secret Lives women, Jenifer Affleck and Whitney Leavitt — are currently competing on Dancing With the Stars 2025, a casting decision that underscores the show’s crossover appeal. For ABC, it’s ratings gold. For the women, it’s brand elevation: a way to appeal to mainstream audiences and attract higher-end sponsorships.
DWTS exposure translates into immediate follower spikes, higher brand rates, and broader press coverage — all of which directly boost their marketing value.
Jennifer Affleck on DWTS
The Business Model Behind the “MomTok to Mogul” Pipeline
Across the cast, the strategy is consistent:
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TikTok: The launchpad for viral exposure
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Instagram: The storefront for aesthetics and brand deals
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Podcasts/YouTube: Long-form storytelling for credibility
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Products & Books: Conversion channels for real income
What they’ve built isn’t just personal fame — it’s a new form of female entrepreneurshipwhere authenticity is the currency and visibility of the asset.
The Lesson: Influence Is the New Industry
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives cast demonstrates how 21st-century entrepreneurs use storytelling, relatability, and data-driven content to build brands worth millions.
They are not traditional CEOs, but in a world where attention equals equity, they’re running some of the most powerful micro-media empires online. From Mayci’s product launches to Jessi’s salon empire, these women prove one thing — visibility is the new venture capital.
