On December 15th, 2014 the Dutch website for entrepreneurs “DeOndernemer.nl” published a for publication of the first chapter of the Dutch book Escort Bijbel. The first chapter, which is about founding Society Service and the Virgin Experience, and how Society Service grew out to be the largest escortservice in The Netherlands in ten years time. The original publication is in Dutch, a summary can be found below in English.
“Slightly embarrassed I admitted at the Chamber of Commerce that the main activity of our company would be ‘exploitation of an escortservice’. It was official, from now on I would be the director of an escortservice. The chance of having this on my cv and getting a job as a consultant went down immediately ” Marike van der Velden is owner of Society Service, the largest high class escortservice in The Netherlands. Together with journalist Romke Spierdijk, she offers a peek into the premier league of seduction in the book Escort Bijbel. A For publication.
By the end of my second internship I met a young lady from Rotterdam who was in the newspapers about her idea to start her own high class escortservice, which I found very interesting and exciting. I decided to send her an email with the request to meet. As a Business Administration student, I was more than capable to help her with all of her plans. Until then I hadn’t yet thought about starting my own company, but soon after meeting we decided we would be the Queens of the escort industry. We made a plan, which developed further during the following weeks.
How exactly we would create the best escortservice of The Netherlands wasn’t clear yet, but it was clear that it was going to happen. We would email on a daily basis and I made a businessplan for our company. I would do most of the business and administrative tasks and my new business partner would do the recruitment and promotion. This is how on March 17th of 2006 high class escortservice Society Service was founded. My business partner acted very casual but it was very exciting for me. It was official. As from now I would be the director of an escortservice.
Founding an escortservice was a rather unexpected turn in my life. I had zero experience with entrepreneurship and didn’t even knew if I would like it or be any good at it at all. And then there was the industry; prostitution. An high class escortservice might sound more up class but at the end it’s still prostitution. Chances of me ever working as a consultant slimmed down immediately. The solution was easy; I would just keep it a secret. My business partner would do all promotion after all. I finished my studies but I must say that it helped that a new master raised that year: Entrepreneurship and new business venturing. A master on entrepreneurship, my cup of tea.
I told my parents and promised then to finish my master degree, no matter what, while deciding to continue in this industry or not. Of course they had questions, which I tried to answer. Their main confers where regarding what others would think and the consequences for my future career, which is why I would keep it a secret and was set on finishing my masters. A little over a year later I finished my masters and did indeed keep my work a secret. But after I finished my studies I knew I had to make a choice. I loved being an entrepreneur and all was going well, especially for a startup company. From the start we where making some revenue. Not much, but from the first year our income was higher then our expenses. We didn’t need a lot. A website, phone and laptop where enough to keep our escortservice in business. With our university backgrounds we could do most ourselves, or at least creatively outsource things.
We got a lot of media attention, which lead to lots of applications from ladies who wanted to work as an high class escort, as well as potential clients. We where a golden team with tasks that complemented each other. Founding the Virgin Experience in 2007 helped a lot, where the enormous media attention placed us on the map permanently. The Virgin Experience is a special service for gentlemen of 21 years and older with little to no sexual experience. The idea was created in just a few hours and barely developed when we appeared in the newspaper. All newspapers really, it was almost world news.
Because the Virgin Experience wasn’t more then just an idea, we needed to gain some time. We did so by telling interested clients that there was a waiting list, allowing us to develop the Virgin Experience. We made a deal with the owner of a local sexshop for some amazing goody bags included with every booking as well as a local trendy hotel where it would all take place and we where good to go. The Virgin Experience was, and still is, very popular. Clients enjoyed their experience with us so much they would often become repeat clients of our “regular” escortservice. However, the cooperation between me and my business partner was not going that well. Our vision on how to run the company became more and more conflicting. A long period of negotiation followed, during which we tried to decide who would continue with high class escortservice Society Service.
The negotiations took for ever but finally resulted in my doing a buyout of my business partner. I suddenly became the sole owner of Society Service, a very exciting moment. Until now I could have just quit and become a consultant, but this made that impossible. The choice however was easy. I loved my job, the industry intrigued me and I really liked entrepreneurship. As an entrepreneur I felt like a child in a sandbox who prefers to build her own castle in stead of playing with one built by an other kid. I was convinced this would enable me to pay for my living expenses and decided to go for it. I informed my environment about my choice.
At that time I was still using public transportation a lot and would answer my phone anywhere, including when in a train. At first I felt a bit ashamed about the conversations with clients and was worried about what people might think of me. That all went away. Society Service is opened daily from the late morning until midnight and I can’t just sit around at home all day, waiting for calls. It is inevitable that I answer calls when in the supermarket, a restaurant and so on. I don’t care anymore what others might think, but don’t talk about it that much. If I tell people, that’s all I will be talking about for the rest of the evening, plus I don’t want to use my work to provoke and shock others. The more I cooperated with articles and television shows, the easier it became to tell others, up to the point where I felt no more shame. With pride I would show others the articles that would appear in newspapers and magazines, after which I would publish them on the Society Service website. Hundreds of articles are on there, form The Netherlands but also abroad.
It’s been almost ten years since I entered the world of high class escort and since then Society Service grew out to be the largest high class escortservice of The Netherlands. Despite the enormous amount of interviews that I have already done, the media requests keep on coming in. And at every party where I do talk about my work, people cannot get enough of the subject. Unfortunately only two sides are shown in the media. On the one hand you have the negative image of prostitution due to human trafficking and the association with criminal activities. And right on the other hand you have the mysterious and glamorous world of high class escort. I am an entrepreneur and not just a madam. I happen to do business in the sex industry but could just as well have sold cakes or socks. It makes no difference to me. Entrepreneurship is entrepreneurship.
This vision lies on the basis of the decisions I make for Society Service and I believe it’s also why I’m so successful, combined with a big dose of persistence, ambition and just plain hard work. Contrary to what most people think, I don’t get rich while sleeping. I believe that you will not get rich in this industry at all, but with the right attitude it will allow you to make enough for a comfortable life.
Luckily, getting rich is not my main goal. I don’t need a gigantic car and a closed filled with designer clothing to be happy. Being happy is in the little things of live and sharing those with the people I love. Sounds like a cliche but no less true though. In this industry I am known to be a tough businesswoman. There’s gossip everywhere, also in this industry which consists of very few players. I hear about these gossips and don’t mind. I made the choice to run a professional company, which in my opinion calls for a professional approach with clear rules which count for everybody. This creates transparency for both clients and escorts, which most of them like. There will always be people who like a more soft and emotional approach but in my opinion this will go at the expenses of the service. A sexy approach is not good. The escorts should be sexy and not me. When talking to a client my goal is to be friendly and correct, building a relation of trust. It is not my goal to arouse and excite him with chit chat. There are many other sexlines for that purpose.
Rus Magazine published an article in february of 2011 about sex for persons with a physical disability or handicap. Society Service’s Interact Service was discussed.
Marike, owner of luxury escortservice Society Service, has founded a special package for clients with a disability; the Interact Service. For these packages, her escorts are offered special courses. In this interview, Marike tells us more about the Interact Service.
– SS: Actually, the ladies themselves were the initiators. Our services are designed for people with higher incomes, including people with disabilities. The escorts were often uncertain how to deal with them. So often they came to me with their questions. At first the idea was to consult a sex therapist for advice. But it turned out we had to do something more. Therefore we decided to focus on a special service with trained escorts, the Interact Service. Of course, our normal service is also available for this group of client. But the difference is that for people with physical disabilities we offer a special package by escorts trained to handle the possible extra challenges. Moreover, the girls themselves find it fun and they are willing to work with people with physical limitations.
– RUS: What does “trained escorts” mean? All girls are required to take courses and work with people with disabilities?
– SS: No, every escort has her own preferences, despite the high pay. There are some escorts who complete the courses, we even have an escort who speaks sign language. Every month I try to do something with the escorts, we invite an sexologists, teach etiquette, erotic massage and more. But all this at our own expense. This is our own initiative, in order to offer a better services to out clients.
– SS: We are a commercial company, with the goal to make profits. In the Netherlands are enough alternative foundations that offer a sexual service to persons with disabilities at a minimal price. We focus on a different segment of the market – the upper segment. And that’s not just people with disabilities. Besides, if you compare our normal rates with a special package for people with disabilities, you can see for yourself that such rates are slightly lower. Again – our service is a luxury service. And regardless of their physical condition, individuals who receive social benefits, are unable to pay for our services.
– RUS: Marike, what do you think is the motivation that escorts also enjoy visiting clients with disabilities? Money?
– SS: Well, all people work because they get paid for it. So yes, money is important. But it’s not just about money. The ladies themselves have chosen for this work, it fits into their lifestyle, they find it challenging and exciting, and more. Our escorts consciously choose to work as an high class escort and know what to do and what they can expect. And regarding the choice to work with clients with disabilities: everyone does what she likes. It’s a matter of taste. Some have people disabilities in the family and find it quite normal, others find it fun and do it out of curiosity, or find it a rewarding job. In short, everyone has their own reason, a personal reason to do so.
– RUS: There are rumors that disabled people can pay for (your) sexual services through social benefits. Is this really the case? And what is your opinion on this issue – should these services be reimbursed by the state?
– SS: As I said, our company focuses on people with higher incomes. Disabled or not, all my clients are able to spend at least 1000 euro’s for an evening with one of our escorts. For people who receive benefits, there are many other alternatives for 80-150 euros per hour. I am often asked whether it is possible to tailor our services to be paid with money from the social benefits. These benefits are however far to limited to pay for our services. Of course, I think everyone is entitled to a sex life and I have nothing against the fact that people with disabilities will impose certain fees received from the state. For all, social benefits are intended to provide people with basic necessities such as shelter, food and clothes. Sex can be considered a basic requirement. But everything within reason. I do not think our service, a luxury service, should not be paid by any kind of social benefits or the state. For a persons basic needs no luxury service is required. In my opinion the less expensive alternatives provide a comfortable service for those depending on social benefits alone.
– SS: We do not work with clients with mental disorders, mental disabilities and of course with infectious diseases that are potentially dangerous for our escorts. The minimum age, and therefore also the minimum “intelligence”, for all our clients is 21.
RUS: One last question. Marike what you think: Are the Dutch, where almost anything is possible, open to talk about the sex lives of people, and also about the sex lives of disabled people?
SS: No, I do not think so. We are no different than our European neighbors, with one exception that in the Netherlands escort services are legal. But it is still a taboo in Dutch society to openly discuss the sex lives of disabled people.