When I originally entered the industry I knew nothing more than craigslist. I worked with a woman under the umbrella of an 'agency' for maybe a week before I determined she was some pimp's bottom and I didn't want to be tangled up in that. Over the course of time I have collaborated with others, but nothing has been more fulfilling than independence. When I lived in GA, I really wanted to be a part of an agency. I didn't know the city, I didn't have a car, I didn't have funding to advertise but as I began to explore the few agencies that accepted African-American women, they never did any more for me than I was able to do for myself. The photos they took were crappy if they took any at all (one in particular was bait and switch), they wanted to keep posting me on backpage and they knew very little about boards! To me pimps/agencies are one in the same. I prefer a partnership, where we BOTH work. I worked for a while alongside my girlfriend and aside from a few arguments it was the best arrangement. I enjoyed the companionship, I didnt feel like I was carrying a burden alone and I felt safer knowing someone was aware of my location, but wasnt on payroll.