Good topic!
I put my mission statement *so to speak* in my siggy line:
The hobby is an investment in your time & money and my time & reputation.
I've enjoyed 3.5 yrs of wonderful encounters and have about a 60% return client base. My initial success stemmed from responsiveness in my TCB skills, genuine manner, and a very good staple product. *ahem - bbbj's* Over time, fellas who were more adventurous discovered & shared my fuller menu which brought a different set of clients. I maintained a consistent level of TCB and quality in my sessions as well as being a regular and thoughtful board contributor *not "look at me!"*. Integrity is very important to me in everything I do and this engenders long-term relationships.
Had I not run off w/ that guitar player my senior year I would have used my voice scholarships and become a psychologist. In a roundabout way, I made that goal. Just not the "official" kind w/ the fancy certificate on the wall.
I'm told I'm "comfortable" to be around so people are quickly at ease & tend to open up to me. I do truly enjoy people and getting to know what makes them tick. Like Fawn, I believe everyone has something special to offer. This is a very intimate business, so you have to be even more tolerant, compassionate and respectful of your clients to allow for comfort levels and trust to develop. You can't be about the cover, either. It's about the man inside.
The only thoughts I have about leaving the community are what would I possibly do that I enjoy as much? NOTHING I simply can't imagine myself in any other role - at least not at this time in my life. I haven't ever felt burn-out, although when biz is slower, the workaholic in me starts worrying that I'm not wanted anymore. *pout*sniff* That's when I reach out & get some support from the community & end up saying something silly like "I need to spank myself!!* and everything's ok.
Happy Hobbying!!
Kat