I'm looking to have my first experience with a provider. So far, I've sent out three e-mails to three different, well-reviewed SPs (I do have VIP membership here). And I am 0-for-3 as far as responses, not surprising I guess since I have no references. To compound the issue, I am self-employed, so standard employment verification is out the window.

Can anyone who was ever in a similar quandary offer some advice? Should I try Date Check, RS2K, something else? I'm in SoCal.

I am a member of RS2K It is a flat fee of $50 forever with no other obligations. Ladies love to here that when Its communicated to them. Plus you will never have to ask other providers to vouch for you, which some discourage.

Have you tried calling?

Both Date-Check and Preferred411 are very good, and a lot of ladies in CA accept it. It's a good way to get started and pretty painless.

can be anywhere from the same day... to a week later...

or just today, I got a reply 17 days after my inital inquiry.  Go figure.  Still trying to decide whether to follow that one up, or just let it go.

My current #1 lady took a week to respond to my first email...

I am still a newbie.  I contacted my first provider by email, but I think that I persuaded her to see me when I talked to her on the telephone.

I saw my second provider today, and had some slight problems with screening, but after talking candidly to the booker, she gave me a chance.

I never received a response from the first email request that I sent out last October.

I am in Southern California, WLA area, so try the telephone and explain your situation.

to join the verification sites. even more than one, my favorite and easiet and fastest to reply when asked about verifying a gentleman is RS2K, by far.
also to let the ladies get to know you, I suggest you join the blog escortblogs.net, if you post on there it will help making a lady feel comfortable.