Maye Musk Couldn't Pay Rent at 50. Now She's a Full-Time Model at 77.

Maye Musk’s story illustrates the critical importance of financial independence for women, particularly in the context of abusive relationships. Her experiences shed light on how financial abuse operates, the obstacles women face in breaking free, and how support and resilience make it possible to rebuild lives after leaving an abuser.

Women Should Establish Separate Accounts for Financial Protection

Financial Abusers Control Assets to Trap Partners; Maye's Ex-husband Removed Her Signing Rights and Took Her Savings After Divorce

Maye Musk details how, during her marriage, her husband, who was an engineer, held signing rights on her bank account. Although she also initially had signing rights on his, once they divorced, he removed her access and took her savings. This act left her financially vulnerable, illustrating how abusers weaponize financial control to trap partners and threaten their security after separation. Musk reveals that her husband tried to use this power to force her return by ensuring she “would be poor.”

Women Should Ensure Accounts in Their Name and Remove Partner's Signing Rights to Navigate Control and Anger

Musk advises that women need to ensure their accounts are in their own names without their partner's signing rights. She acknowledges the challenge, especially in abusive or controlling relationships where a partner's anger or violence is a risk. Musk discusses the difficulty and potential danger in keeping separate or secret accounts but stresses the importance of finding ways to safeguard financial autonomy, even if it requires creative justification or secrecy. Nicole Lapin describes the idea as a "parachute fund"—a safety net for emergencies—which Musk agrees can be crucial, even if it's difficult to set up.

Property Ownership Provides a Safety Net and Financial Foundation

Musk also highlights the significance of property ownership. While her ex-husband kept most properties in his name, she was fortunate to have one property in her name when she left the marriage. Owning a property, even with a mortgage, gave her both a safety net and a financial foundation to start anew.

Women in Toxic Relationships Should Seek Family and Friend Support Instead of Surviving Alone

Family and Friends Regret Not Knowing Maye's Financial Struggles, Emphasizing the Importance Of Asking For Support

Musk admits she hesitated to reach out for support, but after her financial struggles became public, family and friends expressed regret that she hadn’t asked for help sooner. This demonstrates how willing loved ones can be to support women escaping abuse and that asking for help should not be a source of shame.

Financial Struggle Shame Can Deter Women From Seeking Help, Recognizing It's Available and Acceptable Is Crucial For Escaping Abuse

Musk acknowledges that shame about financial hardship kept her from seeking help, but emphasizes that recognizing available support and understanding that it’s acceptable to ask is crucial for escaping abuse. She describes finally calling her son Kimball for financial help when she couldn't cover rent, and he immediately agreed to assist, showing that even unexpected sources of help can play a vital role.

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Maye Musk’s story challenges the notion that career peaks or new opportunities only come to the young. Instead, she demonstrates that aging can be an asset for career success, often providing confidence, perspective, and value that youth cannot match.

Career Transition at 50: Age Is Not a Barrier but a New Beginning

At age 50, after her dietitian practice in San Francisco failed, Maye Musk moved to New York determined to start over. She describes this decision as the beginning of her most successful chapter, despite the surprise of her children who expected her to stay close to them. Her move to New York was inspired by a talk she gave at a dietetics conference as a nutrition entrepreneur, receiving recognition for always running her own business. Starting over at 50 was not something she or others expected, but it led to new opportunities and even book deals.

By age 60, another unexpected chapter began when Musk started modeling. She was invited to walk in major Fashion Week shows, including Paris, New York, Berlin, and Milan—a stark contrast to earlier years when she was never even invited to sit in the back row. The fashion industry actively sought older models, providing her the chance to stand out in a less competitive demographic and underscoring the broader range of opportunities available to those who embrace new beginnings later in life.

Fearlessness and Confidence in Abilities Outweigh Appearance and Youth, Growing With Age and Experience

Musk shares that she never feared aging, a mindset shaped by her mother, who worked until age 96 and lived to 98, exemplifying lifelong fearlessness. Rather than worry about appearance or societal expectations, Musk believes that fearlessness—her willingness to embrace the unknown and face risks—is far better than a facelift. This attitude enabled her to take unconventional paths, like starting over in a new city or entering modeling late in life, and to handle setbacks and rejection with resilience.

Her confidence is firmly grounded in competence and results. As a dietitian, she attributes her long-term success to achieving good outcomes for her patients—“you can’t keep patients unless you have good results.” This sense of professional excellence translated into the ability to give talks as a nutrition entrepreneur across multiple countries, including South Africa, Canada, and America. In just two years in the United States, she spoke in 37 states, proving that persistent competence and self-belief trump the insecurity that often comes with age.

Age Offers Perspective, Experi ...

Maye Musk discusses her approach to parenting, emphasizing the importance of independence, modeling ambition, and supporting children’s unique talents without comparison.

Allow Children Independence to Make Decisions Rather Than Hovering and Controlling Their Lives

Independent Childhood Fostered by Busy Parents

Maye Musk explains that her children’s independence stems from her own upbringing. Her parents worked long hours, so as children, she and her siblings walked and biked themselves to school, handled their own academic responsibilities, and developed self-reliance early on. Maye continued that tradition with her own children. She routinely worked from home, using a bedroom or dining table as her office, which forced her children to bring themselves up and look after their own needs.

Modern Parenting: Helicopter and Bulldozer Trends vs. Maye's Natural Consequences Approach

Musk contrasts her approach to modern parenting trends like helicopter or "bulldozer" parenting, where parents hover, clear obstacles, or even break rules for their children. She believes in letting natural consequences play out and giving her children the freedom to make their own choices and mistakes.

Maye Let Her Children Choose Universities Without Reading Contracts, Requiring Them to Secure Loans and Scholarships, Leaving Them With $100,000 Debt

Musk recalls that when her children chose to attend universities, she did not guide or oversee their applications or decisions, even though she worked at a university where they could have studied medicine for free. She let her children make their own university choices, secure their own loans and scholarships, and assume responsibility for their financial decisions, which resulted in $100,000 of debt among the three siblings. She emphasizes that this was not her problem, reinforcing her philosophy that children should own the outcomes of their decisions.

Model Ambition and Work Ethic Through Actions, Not Lectures

Children Learn More From Parents' Actions Than Words: Show Entrepreneurial Spirit and Work Ethic

Musk believes that children observe and mimic their parents' behavior more than they listen to lectures. Her own dedication to work—whether setting up an office in the house or working late—demonstrated determination and entrepreneurial spirit to her children.

Maye's Work Dedication Inspired Her Children's Business Approaches

Musk’s children internalized her work habits, applying those lessons to their own business endeavors. The entrepreneurial mindset was passed down through daily observation, not formal instruction.

Parenting By Example: Balancing Success and Family

Both Maye and interviewer Nicole Lapin agree that by managing a career and family visibly, mothers and fathers teach their children what’s possible—simply through lived example.

Avoid Comparing Children To Peers

Social Media Fosters Comparison, Pressuring and Stressing Children and Parents

Musk points out that, in the past, lack of social media meant parents and children were free from the pressure of comparing achievements. Now, social media fosters constant comparison, putting stress on children and parents to keep up with others.

Without Social Media, Children and Parents Were Free From Constant Comparison

She notes that without the scrutiny of social platforms, children do not feel they are constantly being measured against their peers.

Focus On Children's Talents Over Sibling and Peer Comparisons

Musk highlights the importance of identifying and nurturing each child’s individual talents instead of comparing them to siblings or friends. She shares a personal story about her mother enrolling her in piano ...

Maye Musk’s professional journey epitomizes career resilience and the ability to reinvent oneself across various stages of life. Her story highlights the critical roles of networking, persistence, diverse skills, and adaptability in maintaining a thriving career despite repeated setbacks, life changes, and industry shifts.

Reinventing a Career Needs Networking, Persistence, and Multiple Income Streams

Maye Musk’s career transformations illustrate how networking and persistent effort can create breakthrough opportunities. Early in her career, Musk’s dietitian practice struggled to gain momentum. She recounts that after visiting 20 doctors to request patient referrals, typically only one would send her a patient. Similarly, when auditioning for modeling jobs, she faced frequent rejection—sometimes standing in lines of 300 women and securing a job only about one in every 20 attempts.

During times of financial struggle, Musk combined income from her dietitian practice with modeling gigs and unconventional advertising jobs, such as car, plane, and teeth ads. She notes that while modeling shows, like those for Nordstrom, only paid $150 (minus agency commission and car rental), every stream of income helped her get by, even if it often amounted to just $50 per week. This diversification was essential to cover expenses and sustain her livelihood.

Education, Credentials, and Diverse Skills Ease Career Transitions

Maye Musk’s credentials as a dietitian and her longstanding experience as a model provided stability and resilience during career shifts. She constantly marketed herself to both doctors and fellow models, even without the aid of social media, demonstrating her adaptability to evolving professional landscapes. Musk’s willingness to take on unconventional jobs—such as modeling well into her 50s and 60s—and her reputation as a nutrition entrepreneur allowed her to create a resilient, unique personal brand by integrating different identities and skills.

She managed to secure weekly columns for an online website, combined speaking engagements and consulting, and was recognized with an award for consistently running her own business. Her ability to pivot and take on new challenges, regardless of age, exemplifies her entrepreneurial spirit and versatility.

Flexibility to Pivot and Leverage Existing Expertise and Platforms

Musk’s adaptability was further tested when her son Elon’s fame rendered her Los Angeles dietitian practice untenable. Clients began booking appointments not for nutrition advice, but to deliver gifts to Elon or spend their hour discussing him. She refused to accept these gifts, citing security reasons, and eventually had to close her practice. However, her broad skillset and diversified work ensured she was not dependent on a single industry for survival.

Modeling and speaking engagements, along with writing and consulting, soon became her primary sources of income. The rise of social media marked another pivotal shift; Musk embraced inbound job requests from platforms like Instagram, which expanded h ...