Before I start, I would like to clarify that these are my personal opinions.
It makes sense for some girls to work independently. You have your own timetable, you set the schedule, you don't have to pay commission to an agency, you cherry pick your clients.
It makes sense for others to work with an agency. You don't have to worry about screening clients. You don't have to pay for advertising (being on our calendar is a very effective way to get Boston clients, and we take care of posting etc). You don't have to spend any time answering emails or phone calls or exploring ways to promote yourself. 70% of an indie girl's communications don't lead to conversion whereas with an agency it's just a matter of checking into a hotel, seeing your clients, and then leaving. You keep your lives separate.
Most importantly, we maintain long relationships with the right kind of clients. If a client pulls anything negative, we take care of it immediately. I hear stories from many indie provider friends about clients canceling at the last minute or flaking or making really disrespectful requests. The same clients are also with us and would never try anything of the sort because if they did they would get banned not by one provider but by an entire agency. Similarly, we go out of our way to reward good clients with discounts, exclusive pics and intel, etc. Sure, if you want to work with an agency, you pay a fair percentage. But providers seem to like the deal. We had 504 applications this year as of yesterday. We hired maybe 30 of them. Many of the girls we did not hire are working for other agencies or independently. In some cases they weren't a good match for us and we gave them advice on how best to set up as indie free of charge, because a healthier hobby ecosystem benefits all of us.
We have girls who used to work for us and are now indie, or girls who work for us AND do indie stuff in other cities. Bella, Blair Deerheart, Tabitha, Holly Bourne, Riley Morgan, Elise Noel, Candice Carter, Mariana the Muse, the list goes on. Some of these providers still work with us. Some don't. They are all beautiful and provide exceptional service. Some of the indie girls ask us to take care of their advertising and emails--they have more control over who they see but we provide logistical backup.
I will say that, having been a hobbyist for close to two decades before I started to work for Maya, I really do think we at Boston International have the most beautiful girls. I think they provide truly magical experiences. And we work our asses off to make sure they make money in a safe and nurturing environment. This is why girls who are indie in other cities work with us when they are in Boston. And why we always do we'll even during seasonal slumps like now, when indie providers may not be doing so great.