Five Reasons to Choose Independent Companions: Why Autonomy Matters
When I finally gathered the courage to leave agency life and go solo, I didn’t expect to spend quite so much of my time wrangling websites, writing copy, negotiating with my accountant, developing my previously non-existent Excel skills to a barely acceptable minimum, shooting content, “influencing in the wild,” and learning photo-editing software. But independence has a way of expanding you. Charting our own course is not just a career choice, but a paradigm shift; quite the challenge, but also deeply empowering. Here’s what I’ve learned, and why it might matter to anyone who prefers to cut out the middle(wo)man and invest in something singular and real.
1. Independence Paves the Way for Genuine Connection
When you work directly with an independent professional, you’re meeting someone who has chosen you too. There’s no scheduler, no gatekeeper deciding who fits a brief. That element of mutual choice changes the dynamic and creates anticipation built on interest rather than obligation. In a way, the encounter becomes collaborative: a shared project rather than a pre-scripted appointment.
One of the biggest concerns my clients used to have when I worked through an agency was whether or not I was actually happy to see them. And while yes, we’re usually very good at finding something attractive or endearing about whomever we meet, I can’t deny that I wasn’t always equally pleased to walk into a stranger’s hotel room with almost no a priori knowledge. And I can’t even begin to tell you how different that is now. An independent screening process often means we’ve seen your photo, read your message, feel safe, and had the chance to get a sense of who you are.
And I can imagine there’s also a certain reassurance that comes from knowing an independent companion has personally decided to spend time with you. Since taking the leap to work for myself, my compatibility ratio has gone from roughly 50/50 to something closer to 95/5. Chemistry can’t be commanded, but the right conditions for sparks can certainly be cultivated. I’ve been able to get a feel for you before I even meet you, and that matters.
2. Creative Freedom Seriously Upgrades the Experience
And you get a much clearer sense of me, too. Independents make their own creative choices. And, as the saying goes, style is the person. We set our tone, our look, our rhythm. There’s no handbook dictating what an encounter should feel like. That freedom produces something more individual, and usually more memorable.
Agencies, by contrast, often impose a sort of “uniform”: specific outfits, pre-selected photos, even pre-approved conversation topics. If you enjoy that kind of polish, great, but if you value genuine self-expression, you’ll find far more of it with an independent. I can’t tell you how liberating it feels to own the creative process, to wear what makes me comfortable, and to present myself in ways that feel authentic to what I want to show of myself and what I’d like to feel desired and appreciated for.
3. It’s the More Ethical Route
In my experience, contrary to popular belief, the wonderful humans who reach out to me do tend to care deeply about my safety, autonomy, and independence. If that resonates with you, your chances of upholding those values are far higher with an independent companion.
Many are surprised to learn that agencies not only limit a professional’s autonomy in numerous ways but also take an unreasonably large share of her earnings: often between 40 and 60 percent. Compare that with most agents or managers in other industries, who take between 10 and 20 percent, and the imbalance becomes, might I say strikingly, clear.
Really, the only other third parties I can think of who take such a hefty cut are art galleries. And while the comparison to art might not be entirely misplaced (have you seen my colleagues?), galleries at least have tangible overheads to justify their fees. Agencies rarely do. So, if you do decide to book through one, make sure to tip your companion generously (if you’re curious about whether you should indeed tip your companion or simply spoil the hell out of her, this may be an interesting read).
Much of what makes agencies problematic stems from the power imbalance built into the structure. The industry remains highly stigmatised, and agencies hold sensitive information about the professionals they represent. Because it’s hard to find an agency that treats its workers well, scarcity dominates the landscape. Choosing an independent means choosing transparency and personal ownership of time, boundaries, and self. And honestly, what’s more compelling than someone entirely in possession of themselves?
If you’re curious about how that translates into real life, from first contact to communication, expectations, and the small details that make everything run smoothly yet vary from person to person, then you’ll probably find most answers in my FAQ for prospective clients, as well as my page on what to expect when meeting me. They’re a pretty good way to get a sense of how I’m wired, what I like, love and value.
4. You’re Supporting a One-Person Enterprise
A wise and successful friend once told me he holds anyone who works independently in the highest esteem, because it says so much about their capability. I love that perspective, not in the least because it’s true.
Running a one-woman (or one-person) business is no small feat. It means mastering communication, scheduling, branding, photography, design, accounting, the whole spectrum. Every independent you meet is, in essence, a small creative agency wrapped into one gorgeous human being. Supporting that kind of initiative is the most direct form of patronage there is. Which is why I’d like to suggest we retire the word client and replace it with patron of the arts.
5. Collaboration Feels So Natural You’ll Want a Duo-Over
When independents collaborate, it’s never a random pairing on a rota. It’s usually two (or more!) people who already know, respect, and genuinely enjoy working together. Or who’ve been eyeing each other from across the proverbial room and are delighted that you’ve brought them together. Because we choose not only who we see but also who we, ahem, ‘create’ with, the chemistry flows naturally. You can always sense when people love what they do and whom they’re doing it with.
The Final Takeaway
Independent professionals offer something agencies can’t: a direct, self-crafted connection built on autonomy, ethics, and genuine enthusiasm. For me, independence isn’t simply about working alone; it’s about about being fully free and self-posessed.
When you decide to see an independent companion, you’re really helping to create the conditions for authenticity, individuality, and the quiet thrill of mutual anticipation. And perhaps most importantly, you’re choosing someone who chooses you.
(Not at all related, but if you’d like to get in touch directly, I’d love to hear from you!)