Agency vs. Independent

Entry for May 19, 2006

Agency vs. Independent. It seems like this isn’t so much a decision that an escort makes but the natural course of the business. First you decide that this is the path you want to take. The next step? You call an agency. You work for that agency for some amount of time then (assuming you have the means) you become an independent. For some that may be a little more difficult or time consuming than expected and they return to an agency but for the most part that is the course of business.

It wasn’t really a tough decision for me although an intimidating one. With an agency you have the bookings and the driving taken care of for you. I didn’t realize just how much “weeding out” there was to be done. But I like having that control. While the agencies may weed out a few drunken characters they don’t deny/accept calls based on an escorts’ preferences. When I say that I mean there are just certain personalities that I prefer not to spend time with.

To them, almost everything is “normal” in this business. They are used to the strange requests and assume that to be in this business all ladies are willing to do what the others do. My agency was the best in the area to work with and I did a lot of research before deciding just which agency to work for. I wish to say that even still I would choose them over any agency in the area, the problem was not with them at all but just agencies as a whole.

Most owners have not worked in this business so I think that they do not have the understanding to know just what it’s like to stand at a door and place yourself in what may be an unsafe situation. Perhaps they become desensitized by the business as doctors do. I like being able to decide whom I will see. I can talk with them, read their posts on the review boards and get a feel for the type of experience they are looking for. I am always honest with them and will say if I feel that they may not enjoy our time together because their idea of a fun experience is not the same as mine.

I like knowing who I am seeing and when. With an agency you book on at a certain time and you have to be dressed and ready, waiting for a call to come in. You have to stop your personal life in order to take a call. To me, that is more like a “job”. As an independent I can go about my life as normal. I know when my prebooks are and when a call comes in I can set it up to take place within the hour to have time to be ready.

Because I have always spent a fair amount of time posting on the boards, chatting and booking my own appointments it only made sense to go independent as I was already taking care of my own advertising in a big way. While the agencies have a website and a yellow pages ad, the one on one advertising, to me, is so much more effective. Yes, a website is a great tool for an agency but I think more effective for an Independent to have her own. It’s fairly inexpensive and advertises you and not 30 others like you! You can be specific about your personality, preferences, rates, schedule etc. It is all about what works best for you.

It is nice not to have to deal with a third party. I no longer have to work my days/weeks around checking in with an agency to see what they have planned for me. With a busy life and an outside job, this was very difficult for me. But with this also comes a greater sense of responsibility. The independent route isn’t for everyone. You must be held accountable for any mix-ups when booking appointments. If you are shorted money for an appt. it is up to you to collect. If you must end an appt early for safety reasons, you are alone to deal with it. Thankfully I have a reliable driver that eliminates any problems here as I do not drive myself to my appointments but many independents do.

Being an independent is also very time consuming. Emails, voice mails and pm’s take up a lot of time. This is where you have to keep the business fun and learn quickly the ones to weed out. There are several gents I have never seen before and likely never will but I chat with them most every day. I enjoy their conversations, their advice and their support. When I say weed out, I mean the ones that just want sexy pics of you for no purpose other than to get off while sitting at their computer. I won’t go into detail as I have in other blog entries but just to say that this isn’t just “sex” for me. It’s an erotic encounter that goes so much deeper than just sexual gratification. Anything but that experience is something I try to weed out when booking an appointment. Not something an agency would do.

All in all there are pros and cons to an escort using an agency or going independent. Unfortunately for independents though agencies provide a certain security for the gents. If the appt goes bad or if the escort does a dine and dash, the agency is accountable and will likely reimburse a gent. This is where reviews, reputation and trust come in to play. A mature and honest escort who truly loves what she does can only do well in this business, with an agency or as an independent!