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Thread: If You Had Only $500 to Spend to Start Your Indy Business...

  1. #1
    Newbie honey_b's Avatar
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    Default If You Had Only $500 to Spend to Start Your Indy Business...

    Hi ladies,

    My question: If you had $500 to start your independent escorting business (from the ground up) how would you spend it? Would you spend it all on a boudoir photographer and build the site yourself, or take diy shots and spend it on the site... etc.

    My backstory: I recently quit my full time salaried job to start my own business. Things are going well however, I underestimated the amount of money that would come from my savings to fund the business. Any way, things for me are very tight financially and I have about $500 that is not accounted for left in my account. I am seriously ready to go into escorting to help fund my business and provide a cushion for my daily life. I have had previous escort experience with an agency earning $600 an hour. I plan to start at $350/hr and build from there. My $500 would easily be recouped but it's a one shot deal.

    If it helps, I'm in my early twenties, fit, college educated and African American living in a big city. I own a car and I have my own place.

    I would really appreciate your advice.

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    God/dess kortneykay's Avatar
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    Default Re: If You Had Only $500 to Spend to Start Your Indy Business...

    This is a tricky one but I feel like you should wait to go indy. It seems that the $500 you have isn't enough for all the things you need starting out. I mean, this is just me guessing but in order to be indy you do need a financial blanket, and that's going indy anywhere. You can bootstrap things, but I don't recommend it unless you can afford to pay your bills, plus bootstrap. For example, I've started two businesses with less and they are still holding up. My adult business is kind of on the backburner but I still make great money with it when I feel like it and I've kept it going for 3 years. My vanilla business already had a low start up costs and has taken off dramatically and is almost at a year. Both were started under $400-500.

    In your case though, you have to do a lot of investing in yourself so that may be tricky If I were an escort and only had $500 (and forgive me lady escorts if I'm wrong) and my only option was to go indy I'd spend $100 or less on building a reasonably priced website. I'd then set up a fake studio myself in my home and take my own pics. I hear that amateur photos tend to go well, but there's a possibility that high end photos get more high end clients? I'm not sure of that last one.

    With $400 left, I would go to a few stores that sold nice looking, but affordable clothing. I know that a lot of escorts prefer to spend high end but on a budget like yours you can buy knock offs or affordable designer pieces that will go a long way. That brings you to $250. I would then buy a prepaid phone (tracphone) ($30?)and I'd also look around to well trafficked escort sites to put up advertisement. That can be expensive and you still have to worry about renting out a place or buying a nice hotel for your clients. Also, screening, not sure what you guys use but it's important. Oh, and I haven't even gotten on hair, make up, etc if you don't have it already. Maybe it's me but that $500 could be ate up in no time at all I personally think you should've waited to quit but that's neither here nor there. I would try and get with an agency and save up more money before going fully indy.

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    Featured Member CanadianRuby's Avatar
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    Default Re: If You Had Only $500 to Spend to Start Your Indy Business...

    You can use websites like Wix.com which are free to create a website temporarily. Once you get started, you can find different companies online that cater to escorts and make fully functional, and very nice websites. For a small fee you can make your wix.com site have your own domain name without the "wix" part in the name.

    Because of your price range, this sets you up as being "high end" ((at least where I live....girls sell their time here for 150 bucks an hr if they're desperate, but that is not really "escorting")). Your price sets the expectation that you will have the whole "package".

    I personally know nothing about designer clothing....but I suppose if you are shooting for specifically "wealthy" men, I guess clothing and your appearance is very important to be "polished".

    You can find "professional clothing" like nice skirts, blouses, etc for relatively cheap in the mean time. Men that are not super materialistic are not going to be looking at the tags on your clothing to see if it is a 300$ outfit.

    If you have a camera, or at least a VERY nice webcam, you can take "DIY" shots in different locations, and use lamps and natural lighting to make the photos look presentable. I have seen DIY photos look very nice. As long as it is not a bathroom mirror with your cellphone photo, or on a hotel mattress butt naked....you can sell yourself with DIY photos.

    Personally, I'd spend it on a variety of condoms,lube, bra/ panties/ garters etc, other necessary sanitary items, a few nice but cheap dresses/blouses/skirts.

    Personally I think requesting 350$ off the bat is asking a lot with no reputation, no forum presence, and being new. But I don't know the prices where you live...normally women start out with an average price, and as they build their reputation and escort business, they raise their hourly rate to cater to more refined clients.

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    Veteran Member Obenta's Avatar
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    Default Re: If You Had Only $500 to Spend to Start Your Indy Business...

    Professional photos and an Eros ad. (or whatever the major ad venue is in your area)

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    Newbie honey_b's Avatar
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    Default Re: If You Had Only $500 to Spend to Start Your Indy Business...

    Double post
    Last edited by honey_b; 04-05-2013 at 02:12 PM.

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    Default Re: If You Had Only $500 to Spend to Start Your Indy Business...

    Thanks ladies. I carefully took and edited professional looking DIYs, already have hair and makeup and a designer wardrobe. I spent a little over $200 on an Eros ad, I also advertised on 3 free sites and a personals site.

    Do you ladies tend to book more appts in incall or outcall?

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    Veteran Member SweetPinkCupcake's Avatar
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    Default Re: If You Had Only $500 to Spend to Start Your Indy Business...

    Also take into effect regular doctor's visits, maybe incall costs, outfits, and more self-maintenance and expenses on beauty and spa services than most non-working girls overall. Guys are either leery of the new girl (especially if you live in a really hot city)...or very excited about the new girl...but if it's the first one...it can take awhile to start getting regular appointments. I am assuming since you are 100% independent you are doing your own screening, so definitely, definitely add your screening tools in your list!!

    Outcalls see to be mostly out of town business guys, they are the best in my opinion . they are usually very nice (and quick! ), they have places they have to be. But incalls are usually local guys and that is where you are more likely to get repeat customers because they are around more often..usually. Although the drawback of checking into and paying for a hotel if you may only have one incall appointment that day b...and the whole jumping around different hotels every week thing...If I had enough incalls to justify the cost of a good priced but nice little apartment used just for work in a good area in the center of the metro, I would be SO on that ASAP.

    edit...I just saw that you said you had your own place, if you are referring you would use that for an incall? Anyway...I think it really depends on your city and how you advertise that will determine whether you get more incall or outcall appointments.
    Last edited by SweetPinkCupcake; 04-06-2013 at 06:52 AM.

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    Newbie honey_b's Avatar
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    Default Re: If You Had Only $500 to Spend to Start Your Indy Business...

    Just an update...

    I had my first client as an indy today and he booked again for next week! It was a lot of fun. I've lined up two more for this week. That's $1000. My goal is to book regulars and stop advertising. If I plan ahead with a cushion they can sustain my income while my vanilla job takes off.

    In regards to our topic, I found an article by Amanda Brooks about starting as indy in an emergency. It answered a lot of the questions I was curious about. For instance, I received a message about an outcall 45mins away from where I live. He offered my two hour rate plus $300 for my travel expenses. I passed on the offer. Had I read Amanda's blog beforehand, I likely would have taken it (he passed screening by the way), but I was so set on only taking incalls that I backed out. She discusses being flexible while being safe.



    I hope this article helps other new ladies.

    Thanks again ladies for your help!

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    Thumbs up Re: If You Had Only $500 to Spend to Start Your Indy Business...

    I didn't read what the other girls posted, forgive me if I step on some toes

    $500
    have a friend take professional looking photos of you. $0 (if you have a camera) --- could go disposable camera if necessary lol.
    bp ad (don't know the cost, don't know the area you're in)
    eros ad (don't know the cost, don't know your area)
    screening website membership (PM me!!) both of the ones i'll suggest cost less than $70 total and will get you 3 months on each site.
    free website --- escortwebsite.com

    that's pretty much what I'd do. Depending on how much ads in your area cost, you'll have some $$ left over.


    Good Luck Hun!!!

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    Default Re: If You Had Only $500 to Spend to Start Your Indy Business...

    Oh and also, place an ad on TER, for free.

    Search google "escort (your area)" and place ads on all of the free sites that pop up on pages 1 & 2

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    Member alexxx12's Avatar
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    Default Re: If You Had Only $500 to Spend to Start Your Indy Business...

    Hahaha ooops, just saw that you've already had your first client
    Congrats!!!

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