I think that there are plenty of men who believe we Providers are only in this line of work for the money.

For me, that couldn't be farther from the truth. So, I gave it a bit of thought today to spell out why I've pridefully taken this up as a career.  

***My Top 7 Reasons for Being a Companion***

1. Every man deserves to be seen & acknowledged
    No, I'm not sucking up here. After I spent 5 years in a committed relationship, I got to see up close the anxieties & pressures of my then-partner that were specific to men. Throughout history, if a man was injured couldn't hunt, his family wouldn't eat. At least in a tribe, his tribesmen would share the wealth. But today, a man who provides is on his own. And with one misstep, he'd lose everything. Being a companion means the opportunity to see a person perhaps buried under his own responsibilities for the people he loves most. Selfish joy is healing.

2. An erotic outlet
     Have you ever been celibate, and in the first few months you're really creative...or frustrated...or both? I once sanded an entire dresser by hand because I hated the color and had gone 4 months w/o being touched. All animals need touch...just ask your dog or cat. I empathize with divorcees, those in sexless marriages, the socially awkward, the depressed, and the disabled.

3. Pulverizing barriers to intimacy
     Southern culture says to fear people we don't know. Women are taught as little girls to beware of strange men. Black culture says to be sexual, but don't utilize it but for a select few. Baptist culture (which I've long denounced) says I'm destined to suffer because Eve was hungry...and that I'm a whore anyways. Being a companion is an exercise in putting the binary code of these originating teachings to the wayside. After a prospect successfully screens, seeming distance melts away and you're only left with...a fellow human. How liberating.

4. Activating all of my life experiences
     I've done a lot of stuff in my life. a LOT! I've completed college and graduate school. Lived in 2 countries and traveled to several others. Used to compete in pageants. Have worked in more industries than the average Joe. Have spoken on stage at the Waldorf Astoria, and also been dirt poor and on food stamps. My parents always taught me to "make more memories, tell more stories". I love to swap stories with clients...especially the long forgotten ones.

5. Entrepreneurial at heart
     My grandfather was an entrepreneur. His son - my father - was an entrepreneur. Of my granddad's 2 daughters, and my dad's 4 daughter, I'm the only one to whom this legacy has passed. I love building and scaling my own business.

6. Cancelling stereotypes
     The "Black girl" fetish is a shame. You know why? Because good sex feels like good sex. And terrible sex...what a shame! Also, the "high end girls are stuck up" trope. Maybe, but not all. There's a big difference between class and looking down on someone. In fact, some people are disrespectful to others because of the false notion that looking down on others IS being high end. Not true...don't get caught up in the hype, my dears.

7. A spiritual experience
    Oh, I'm dead serious with this one. If you've ever look at world religions & mythologies (the Greek & Roman pantheons are an easy place to start), notice that every single one has a goddess of love & sexuality. Oshun from Nigeria is particularly one of my favorites. And if sex is the only way that life is created, then what better way for us to play God for a night...amirite?? With that said, welcome to the temple...let us pray!

I'd love to hear your thoughts, both providers and clients. Money and orgasms aside, why does this culture do it for you?