Poppy Bilderbeck
A 23-year-old self-made millionaire has opened up about his career change from the Navy to a sock seller and the strangest interactions he's had with feet fetishers.
Zak Blackman joined the Navy when he was 18 and 'traveled a few places around the world,' expecting to be there for potentially a career, a lifetime'.
After three years, however, he'd had 'enough' and something 'just switched'.
The 23-year-old started an OnlyFans account, telling ITV's This Morning he was enticed by 'the money and the freedom' and to be his 'own boss'.
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However, OnlyFans led to Zak being asked to leave the Navy and in 24 hours, he was 'off the ship' - which is exactly when things 'absolutely kicked off'.
Zak frequently traveled to Manchester, UK, with friends who 'had all done the same thing' and 'saw the penthouses they had, the cars, the money'.
It showed him a 'completely different lifestyle' and Zak wanted it.
First starting with typical OnlyFans pictures, Zak then 'moved onto feet' after 'realizing there was such a big market' for them.
He continued: "I think one in seven people have a foot fetish. Which is crazy to me."
"I was making so much money just from selling feet pictures," he said, revealing he'd spent 30 seconds shooting a video of him taking off his socks and getting 'a few hundred pounds for it' - 'almost' his Navy wage.
And people were willing to pay big for their foot fetish too, with Zak selling a pair of socks for $2,000 once.
Although it's not always just as simple as taking a foot picture or sending a sock, with the 23-year-old leaving socks around certain locations - a 'sock drop' - which has seen 'fans swarming'.
And one instance certainly stands out.
"Someone told me they actually left their wife at home and booked the day off work to collect my sock," he added.
Now a self-made millionaire, earning as much as an eye-watering $40,000-a-month, Zak reflected he 'did not think [he'd] be here two years ago'.
Granted, his family certainly questioned his decisions when he left 'such a good career behind' him in the Navy, doing something they viewed as 'short term'.
However, Zak said he now helps his dad with rent and he 'likes to think they're proud'.
He reflected: "I went in a room living with eight different lads, living in an enclosed space [...] and now I live in a beautiful apartment in Manchester, I have my dream car, life has absolutely switched."
Acknowledging the Navy's help in giving him 'discipline' he carries with him to this day, Zak admitted 'money doesn't make you happy' but 'it gives you opportunities and options'.
Can't really argue with that, although it may take a while to convince me to part with my sweaty socks.