GUYS - How long did it take you to get your first client?

PositiveNRG4U

Help those just starting out to learn that patience pays off.

This needs to be either in Professional Cuddling (where it is being moved to) or the Pros Only section. Please make sure you post your threads in the correct section. Thanks. Also, you will have to put your poll up again since editing this note probably removed it. - Babichev.

CuddleWho

You will surely be disappointed in any answers you receive.

But I have some questions for you I’d love if you could answer, it’s something I’ve really been curious about. How did you hear about pro cuddling and what made you think it was a viable option for you? Why did you think women would pay for cuddles?

Babichev

I don’t think we’ve got enough evidence yet to support the claim that patience pays off. Some people have put in a lot of work, have been very patient, and so far it hasn’t paid off, at least not in terms of getting paying clients. With more time we’ll have more data.

I would strongly suggest you read the existing thread on being a pro and on being a male pro.

I'm not a professional and am solely saying this based on my observations of what other people have said (mostly male professionals in other threads) and related things so please take this with a grain of salt so big it'd parch an elephant, but I agree with @Babichev and the idea that at the very least we can't say that patience does or will pay off for people.

The forums are a wonderfully positive place a lot of the time, but when it comes to things that involve money and potentially the investment of a great deal of time and energy that positivity needs to be tempered by some sometimes harsh facts of the matter.

It's not a perfect analogy but it's like opening a restaurant, you can have great food at good prices with friendly staff and a welcoming atmosphere but that doesn't guarantee that you'll get enough customers to stay in business. Maybe there aren't enough people nearby, maybe there's too much competition, maybe the locals just aren't a fan of the type of food you're serving. Every day a restaurant without enough business stays open is money and time being put in, but getting nothing or not enough out of it. Maybe the restaurant changes things up and gets better results, but maybe not. Apparently 60% of restaurants close within their first year.

You can change things up, advertise more, engage with the community, be patient, but nothing is guaranteed to pay off. In the words of Jean-Luc Picard "It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness; that is life."

Whether the time, energy and money invested is worth what they're getting out of it is going to come down to how people feel personally, but if they're really feeling like their efforts are going nowhere then they should feel comfortable with the idea of investing those things elsewhere if they want to for their own sake at least.

That doesn't mean male pros should just give up, some do find success and that often seems to come as a result of putting in the time and effort, but it's not a guarantee. It's not healthy to just give up due to not getting results fast, but just the same it's not healthy to stick with something forever if it isn't yielding results.

nurturingman

@PositiveNRG4U I have been a “Pro” on Cuddle Comfort and listed as Certified on Cuddlist since June, and I am just about to have my first paid session Sunday morning (knock on wood). I have promoted the hell out of my services all over the Internet. I know of other male pros who are just as credentialed and more experienced who get very little work. I see scores of men showing up here every month as pros — who only cuddle women, which I dislike since a professional cuddler is supposed to cuddle "Everyone" — and I wonder why. As with @CuddleWho , I am curious as to how "you hear[d] about pro cuddling and what made you think it was a viable option for you" and "why you [thought] women would pay for cuddles." Men who are not pros struggle to find women to cuddle with them free of charge. I and others here have been talking about the reality of male professional cuddling for months, yet men continue to join as pros — with no qualifications or experience — all the time. It's not that I mind the competition! I wish there were more of a market for male professional cuddlers; in fact, I wish more people would cuddle with men, period. But that's not the world we live in— YET! I still have hope. I've said it before and I'll say it again: what the world needs now is people to cuddle men, not more men to charge people to cuddle them. Create a market — heck, just build trust in men — and there might be a reason for more men to become professional cuddlers. Until that happens, it doesn't matter how many men go pro, because the reality is that most men can't even give it away.

I suggest you read MALE Pros: How has professional cuddling been for you? (and think critically about the credibility of the one guy who said he made thousands of bucks in a few months and then went silent when confronted by several respondents about how his math didn't add up).

As the new year approaches, I am seriously thinking about giving up my pro account here. But I think I might continue to promote myself as a pro and put even more effort into promoting male professional cuddling— not to encourage men to become pros but to encourage clients to hire men to cuddle them.

P.S. “In the words of Jean-Luc Picard ‘It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness; that is life.’” @Zundar thank you! That is such a comfort to read, since it speaks to exactly what I have done and experienced this year.

Babichev

I would like to put out the possibility that some women might be more comfortable with a male pro simply because they might have the expectation that a male pro is going to be professional and not get pushy about boundaries IF that male pro presented themselves in a very professional way. And if you want to know what professional male looks like, look at @nurturingman’s profile and contributions in these forums. I’m putting this out there as a hypothetical possibility since we have zero data to look at.

On the other hand, we’ve got a ton of guys showing up with pro accounts who clearly think they are going to be dog’s gift to affection starved women and some are thinly veiled wannabe gigolos. Good luck. Check their profile a few months from now and see how long it’s been since they last logged on.

I’m sorry the dedicated guys don’t get a better response. They are real trailblazers.

PositiveNRG4U

@CuddleWho

"How did you hear about pro cuddling and what made you think it was a viable option for you? Why did you think women would pay for cuddles?"

I was attending a weekly meeting for people that are depressed or have bi-polar. While listening to a few of the depressed ladies, there was a common theme. They felt alone. They had nobody to talk to. They had no physical touch from another person. I had such a strong urge to get up and just give them a hug right then and there. I know how that feels. I have been there in the past. And, if I can help take that feeling away from anyone that needs to be comforted, I will gladly do it. Yes, I am sure there are other reasons people need a good cuddle too. I think this is a viable option for me because I can genuinely cuddle with someone without any of the weirdness. I can feel the positive energy forming as we do. It's something every person should have. Due to the previous reasons, and the fact that both men and women need physical touch to be healthy, is why I think women would pay for cuddles. Some women are sad. Some women are happy and want to share. Some women just broke up with their a-hole ex and don't want to think about any sort of relationship but also still want to be held. So many reasons. But yes, there is an ocean of men here that are available with a smaller portion of ladies. Probability says it will take time. But with time, comes referrals. And, that's my dream. (But, no, not quitting my day job either).

CuddleWho

@PositiveNRG4U

Thanks for that response. I've tried to ask other new male pros this question before and haven't gotten an answer.

However, I think you're leaving out part of the answer. It's actually a pretty weird leap to go from "Hmm, there are some lonely women out there" to "Maybe I can make money off women's loneliness by charging them for cuddles" (although of course at some point, women thinking this of men must be what led to the origin of pro cuddling in the first place).

So I'm curious how you knew pro cuddling even existed in the first place? Was it something you had already heard of?

nurturingman

No reply from OP 🧐

Interesting posts. My rationale for putting myself out there as a professional cuddler is that there are people out here who really need the human touch and contact, and as in many "professions" people would rather go to a professional than an amateur. There is a market out there, especially widows and widowers who crave to be held close without being concerned about a "relationship". Unfortunately, think of the people that you personally know that have not even heard of "cuddling" as a thing. I was texting an acquaintance today, female, explaining that I had gone to a "professional cuddler". The first thing that came to her mind was to text "oh, so you went to a prostitute." As we know "cuddling" is taking, and will take, a long long time to become a mainstream activity, especially for men professionals. After reading this I realize it is a bit disjointed, but too lazy to change it.