The Molly-Mae Effect: How She Built an Unstoppable Personal Brand

Molly-Mae’s impact on the fashion and beauty world is unrivalled as she transitions from influencer to business mogul.

The Molly-Mae Effect is very much real.

Since leaving the Love Island villa in 2019, Molly-Mae has gone from strength to strength. Her impact on the fashion and beauty world is unrivalled as her influence continues to sway the styles and beauty choices of today, provoking thousands of sales worldwide.

Now, the recent release of her Amazon Prime docuseries ‘Molly-Mae: Behind It All’ has brought her incredible career success back into the spotlight and has everybody talking.

From becoming the Creative Director of Pretty Little Thing to running two of her own businesses and now juggling motherhood, Molly-Mae continues to prove her sticking power as well as her vulnerability. Whether she’s showcasing her latest outfit, sharing her favourite products, or simply chatting about her life, Molly-Mae’s personal brand has an influence that exceeds the efforts of anyone else in the game.

The question is: how?

As marketers, there is a lot we can learn and take away from Miss Hague. She has perfected the art of building a personal brand and demonstrated the power of unwavering consistency and a strong work ethic.

So, what are the secrets to her success?

1. Entrepreneurial Spirit & Business Mindset

Molly-Mae's rise to success is no mere coincidence. Even before her breakthrough on prime-time television, Molly has always had an intuitive business spirit.

After starting her Instagram and YouTube channel at just 15 years old, Molly-Mae continued to post consistently and began building herself a community of followers. Like she says herself, she knows how to make a good Instagram feed. Luckily, the influencer market at this time was also much less saturated, so growing on Instagram was significantly more manageable compared to the competitive landscape we see today. By the time she entered the Love Island villa in 2019, she had already amassed 10,000 YouTube subscribers and 100,000 Instagram followers.

Upon leaving the show, Molly-Mae’s Instagram had reached an astonishing 2 million followers. As she began living her life post-Love Island, Molly-Mae was well-equipped with a strong social media presence, prior influencing experience, and a strong business mindset.

In essence, this was a recipe that was bound to skyrocket her to success.

Images: Instagram @mollymae

2. Relatability & Authentic Connection

Molly-Mae is our favourite girl-next-door.

She talks to her followers as if she’s on FaceTime with her best friends, delving into details of her luxurious, yet relatable, life. Whether it’s about her relationship or the difficulties of motherhood, Molly isn’t afraid to share her vulnerability and authenticity in a way that resonates with so many.

While authenticity is so often defined by simply wearing no makeup and comfy PJ’s in front of the camera, Molly-Mae transcends this with her down-to-earth humour and normal, everyday struggles. She doesn’t hide who she is, but rather uses her platform to show the ups and downs of her life that many can relate to. By offering a genuine glimpse into her world, whether that’s candid moments of self-doubt or the pressures of balancing work and home life, Molly-Mae redefines authenticity - not as perfection, but as honesty, resilience, and relatability.

In terms of her brand, what really resonates with Molly-Mae’s audience is its sense of attainability. She projects an image that is high-end yet familiar. Of course, she has an eye for designer items, but she also loves a good haul from Zara. This fusion of reality and attainability resonates with people from all kinds of backgrounds, solidifying her status as a powerful role model for so many.

Images: Instagram @mollymae

3. Brand Expansion - From PLT to Business Empire

Molly-Mae didn’t just stop at product promotion and brand deals. She instead became the Creative Director of Pretty Little Thing at just age 22, a brand that embodied Molly’s look and vibe so effortlessly. This was such a defining step in Molly-Mae’s career, but we now know that this was only the beginning.

Remember that entrepreneurial spirit of hers? Well, Molly-Mae truly embodied this by putting her own stamp on the industry and launching two of her own businesses - her self-tanning brand, 'Filter by Molly-Mae,' and her clothing line, 'Maebe.' Both ventures have been massive successes - (her clothing launch sold out in just 24 minutes!) - and have since become recognisable names in the industry.

Her ‘what next?’ attitude is admirable and her passion is evident in every venture she puts her mind to. Nothing is half-attempted or used as a simple money grab; every move is intentional and aligns with the brand that she has meticulously built over the years.

Yes, her business journey hasn’t been without its mistakes, but let’s not forget she’s only human, navigating her career in front of an enormous audience. Who wouldn’t stumble every now and then with 8 million eyes watching?

Images: Instagram @filterbymollymae @maebestore

We can learn a thing or two from Molly-Mae, whether that’s her can-do attitude, strong work-ethic, or her ability to embrace her vulnerabilities. As she continues to forge a unique path that no one has yet replicated or followed, there is no questioning that she has redefined what it is to be an influencer

Is Molly-Mae one of the last defining influencers of the decade? In such a saturated and busy market, it’s hard to say. Her internet virality and fame has snowballed her into becoming one of the most successful influencers - and businesswomen - of our generation.

In other words, it’s Molly-Mae’s world. We just happen to be living in it.