Cosmopolitan Magazine is curious about the expenses with an escort service

On June 1st 2024, Cosmopolitan Magazine published an article about Society Service. This time, owner Marike was interviewed about her spending pattern and her work as the owner of a high-class escort service for the section 'Spend it like'. You can view the original article below in Dutch, which was also published on the Cosmopolitan website and read an English translation.

Spend it like... escort agency owner Marike

At the age of 21, Marike van der Velden (40) took a career path that she had not had in mind for years. She started the company Society Service, a successful high-class escort service. How much does she earn from this, what does she spend it on and how much money her escorts receive for a booking? Marike reveals all the ins and outs.

Marike's spending pattern fits perfectly within the 50/30/20 rule. According to this budgeting method, you should spend a maximum of 50 percent of your net income on basic necessities, a maximum of 30 percent on fun things, and at least 20 percent on paying off debts, saving, or investing. Of course, this method is not applicable to everyone, but it can provide some guidance. If we look at Marike's cash book through the 50/30/20 lens, you can see that she uses 38 percent of her income to save or invest. Almost twice as much as is recommended! She only spends 35 percent of her income on her fixed costs, which is not surprising since she does not have a mortgage. She can therefore spend the 27 percent that remains on fun things. All in all, a nice financial picture!

How did you come to start a high-class escort service?

"I studied Business Administration at Erasmus University and did not really know what I wanted to choose as a master's degree. At that time I met a lady who had the idea to set up a high-class escort service. She was a glamour model and studied Sociology, and this was a field she came into contact with. We saw potential in setting this up together. I still obtained a master's degree, because at the time I did not know whether this new career path was feasible in the long term. It turned out to be; after a few years I bought out my business partner and continued with Society Service alone.”

What were the reactions from those around you?

“In the beginning I lost quite a few friendships. To my face the reactions are usually positive and curious, but when the alcohol flows at a party, they can sometimes become stigmatizing and rude. In recent years the reactions have fortunately become somewhat more respectful. I think it is important to offer an experience that both the client and the escort enjoy and that offers intimacy on a social, emotional, intellectual and erotic level. Not a purely erotic service, as many people think. A high-class escort tickles the mind and soul just as much as other parts of the body.”

What does an average day in the life look like and how much do you earn from it?

“I don’t work as an escort myself and although most of my work takes place behind the computer, no day is the same for me. There are so many different tasks involved in running a company. One day I have interviews with new escorts, the next day I organize a photo shoot or training day or I have conversations with the accountant or other experts I work with. As an entrepreneur, I can determine my own salary to a certain extent. In my case, that amounts to around 4,000 euros net per month. In addition, I earn a few thousand euros per month in rental income from the properties I own.”

How much do your escorts earn on a date?

“I work with around sixty ladies and gentlemen, who receive an average of 65 percent of my turnover. The vast majority of bookings are set up in consultation with me. I help the client choose an escort and/or fill in the booking. The income per booking can vary greatly, because the duration of the bookings also varies greatly. But on average, an escort earns around 600 euros net for one booking. There is no minimum or maximum number of bookings, the escort can decide for themselves when they want to work. Experience shows that most escorts do one to three bookings per week on average, everyone has a full-time job or study in addition to this.”