A friend of mine, Male Stripper Zane, gives some helpful advice for those exploring the possibility of entering the industry:
Don't Quit Your Day Job - by Zane
I repeat, do not quit your day job! In fact, ideally, you should have a day job and also strip. That's what I do, and it works. I'll tell you why. Have you ever heard the phrase "Don't put all your eggs in one basket?" That's my mentality when it comes to job(s) and making money.
I currently have, I don't know how many different part time ventures that make money. I haven't counted. But stripping is one of those gigs and it's worked out very well for me.
I hear about all these new guys trying to break into the stripper world, who think they can quit their job and get rich taking their clothes off for women. Now, while anything is possible, lemme tell you that is extremely unlikely unless you're talking about touring with Chippendales or something.
Trust me, don't put all your eggs in one basket. Not in your 40 hour a week job, and not in stripping. For a few reasons...
First of all, variety is the spice of life, and you owe it to yourself not to limit yourself to being a one-trick pony. Secondly, whether you are a professional stripper or not, I found it's always better to have multiple streams of income as an independent contractor. Which means that you work when you want, and have the flexibility to take or turn down gigs as you see fit, and set your schedule accordingly. That's entrepreneurship.
Here's an example as it applies to my life...
I am a professional male stripper, operating with over 30 different companies who book male dancers in and around the Nashville area. I also DJ and bartend at a venue in Madison, Tn. I also sell beer and build the stages for events at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. I'm also a pyro technician, working thru a company based out of LaFollette, Tn. I'm also a musician, and make electronic / industrial music as a completely different persona outside of being Zane, the male dancer. On top of that, I also contract gigs thru a couple of talent casting agencies. Hell I am literally on set for the t.v. show, "Nashville."
There are several other ventures, gigs, streams of income I haven't even mentioned here. I've got a resume as long as a horse's dick. Hell, in about 2 weeks I'm doing a stand up comedy gig where for about half the set I'm talking about stripping, that'll be fun. I tell you all this, not because I'm trying to make myself look like a big shot or anything, but because I'm reiterating that I am not a one trick pony as a male dancer and you shouldn't be either. Let's say, for whatever reason, that I fucked up one day and the manager of a booking company or someone else decides they don't wanna work with me anymore. That would only be one basket gone. One stream of income soured, one bridge burned. It would suck, but it would not ruin you the way that losing your only job could ruin you...
This gig doesn't last a lifetime. |
Empower yourself. Fuck a 9-5. Live life on your own terms. But whatever you do, however you tread, don't quit your day job. Have several day job hustles that kick ass, and don't burn your bridges with anyone. Ever.
Dion says:
Zane makes a very excellent point.
I'd like to add that your stripping income relies solely on customer flow. No customers means no work, which means no money.
Furthermore, putting all of your eggs into the stripping basket hurts you in the long run. If you do nothing but strip in your 20's and 30's, you are failing to build your professional work resume and other marketable job skills. Therefore, when you become too old to strip, you'll have to look for another job. And trust me: starting an entry-level position at the age of 40 due to a lack of professional skills isn't pretty.
For most men, stripping should be a side gig, a part-time job. Not a career.