I mean really make?

It seems this is a question a lot of laid off women are googling, as I get several hits a day from search engines on this topic alone.

My answer: anywhere from -$100 to +$2000.  It all depends on your skill level.  In my career, I have walked out negative $27 once.  That was because I started to get a migraine about 30 minutes into my shift.  I did two or three dances, and then had to leave.  My best night EVER was roughly $6600 (3 hours @ $400/hr plus a $5k chip from Ceasars) in 2004.  I haven’t come close to that ever again.

If you are new to dancing, or have been thinking about trying it for the first time.  Here is an assortment of old blogs that address this topic.

How long until I become a SuperStripper?

Comparative Salary Statistics-of Stripping vs a Normal Job

My own personal salary statistics from 1999-2007 before/after DancerWealth

And this post for all the women who are wondering “Am I thin/pretty/busty enough to be a stripper?”

Strippers and Self-Image

Flashback:The Beginning was originally posted in August 2007

I was asked the other night, “How on earth, did someone like you: a minister’s daughter, straight as an arrow A+ student…end up dancing.”

Well, it certainly wasn’t something that I planned. Nor was it a career highlighted by my high school guidance counselor. Although in my opinion, it should be.

Simple, I wanted to afford to eat.

Not kidding.

It was October 1999. I had just moved 3300 miles across the country to be with Mr Wrong. Six weeks after arriving in the armpit town of San Bernardino, CA I found out just how WRONG Mr Wrong was for me.

My whopping teacher’s salary just barely covered the necessities of rent, car, insurance. Even worse, my district paid me in one lump sum on the 1st of the month. Now what 23 year old actually knows how to budget??

So I began browsing the classifieds for a bartending job. I had worked in bars since I was 18. It had been the only way I knew to circumnavigate the 21 to enter rule. Never made sense to me: 18 to serve alcohol, 21 to drink it? Unfortunately, it’s tough to walk into an established place and tell them that you can only work the good weekend shifts because you have a “real” job.

Then I came across a well written ad: No nudity. Bikini Dancers needed. Spearmint Rhino Upland, CA.

Ok, what’s this about? For anyone not familiar with California liquor licensing, “topless” bars are topless onstage only. The topless zone is 6 feet from the tip rail for the 2nd song only. Most clubs even have this line marked out on the floor to avoid tickets from the contact police. All table dances are done fully clothed in bikinis. Sweet! I can do that! Topless for 3 minutes, the rest of the time fully clothed? I’m in!

So I drove 60 miles to Upland, CA. I figured an hour was a good enough buffer from the elementary school where I taught 5th grade Monday-Friday. I didn’t want to run into any parents or the creepy vice-principal for that matter.

“Hi,” I said to the doorgirl, “I think I’d like to work here. Who do I talk to about auditioning?”

She gave me the once over, turned around to the short redheaded guy behind her. “John, you wanna take this one, she passes.”

I pass? Pass what?

Two seconds later, I was looking down at the short redheaded guy in the foyer of the club. “Hi, I’m John, the general manager, have you ever danced before?”

“Honestly….ummmm….no I haven’t. But I do have a college degree.” I replied.

“Good for you! We need a smart one!” He smiled looking me up and down. I had seen more than one bad porno about the strip club manager “auditioning” new girls in the office and was ready to bolt out the door at the first sign of a scandal. To my relief, John was very professional. It was NOTHING like that.

“Do I need to audition?” I asked. “I brought a bikini, but it’s a regular beach bikini, not a stripper one.” OMG, did I actually say that sentence out loud?

“No, don’t worry about it. You don’t need to audition, I can tell that you’re fit just from your street clothes.” He said, handing me two business cards. “Go three stores down to the bikini shop, this card will get you 20% off your first purchase there. This is my card. Call me if you have any questions. You can start whenever you want.”

Wow…it was that easy?

So I went to the bikini shop and started trying on stripper clothes. The fitting rooms had a black light inside, so we could see just how florescent that neon pink gstring was.

I hate to admit it, but my first stripper costume was HIDEOUS! In the late 90s I was on a yellow kick. I drove a yellow Jeep Wrangler, I had a yellow cellphone, and of course, my yellow Lab. So, of course, I chose a neon yellow string bikini with butterfly appliques on the triangle top and the front of the gstring. For some reason I thought a short sleeve black robe would look good over top.

Wait, it gets worse…Unable to balance on standard issue 6 inch platform stilettos. I decided to instead wear 5 inch clunky chunky glittery black mary jane shoes from Hot Topic. What was I thinking?

My first night. God I was nervous!

Due to lovely SoCal traffic I showed up 30 minutes late. John wasn’t working that night, instead a big black guy named Manny was the manager on duty.

“Um, hi! Remember me from Wednesday?” I said to the door girl. She rolled her eyes, “Manny! New girl!”

“Can’t you see I’m busy ho!” He looks up from the solitaire screen. Then he turns his attention to me. “Girl, go get dressed and meet me here in costume in 10 minutes ok?”

“OK, where is the dressing room?” I asked.

“There ain’t no dressing room in this hole. The baf-room is over there.” He said motioning for me to walk around the corner.

OK. I walk into the bathroom. There were about 8 girls in various stages of undress. Some doing their makeup, others counting their cash. Suitcases and duffle bags were stacked up against the only available wall and under the dual sinks.

I put on my (ugh) neon yellow butterfly bikini, black robe, and hideous black glitter shoes and go out to meet Manny at the office.

“OK, here is your paperwork. Read it. Sign it. What’s your stage name going to be?” he asks.

Stage name. I had fun toying with names all week. Being a stripper is soooo cool, you can totally invent a new personality for yourself, which can be personified through various stage names. Samantha brings to mind a sultry vixen. Barbie, of course a bubbly blonde. Mercedes, a high maintenance bitch.

“Bailey” I decided, after my favorite spirit.

“Taken.”

“Ohhh…ummm…” my mind went blank. I was so set on Bailey that the other names just flew outta my head.

“I think you should be Angel since you’re so innocent.” Manny said. Angel. I like that. And I can tell guys my real name is Angela. They’ll never know!

“Angel it is.”

“All right then. Paperwork is done, you can go work now.” Manny said, turning back to the office.

Ummm, what? Go work. How. What? What do I do? Manny must have sensed my panic. He took one look at ashen face and gave me a pitiful smile. “How about I get one of the girls to show you around? OK?”

“Thank you.” I managed to squeek.

He grabbed the first girl who walked by. ”Mariah, will show you around.” he said.

“Uh, Mariah will show new girl around if Mariah gets a free house fee for doing Manny’s job so Manny can get back to playing solitaire.” the petite hispanic brunette quipped back. She winked at me. Phew, the last thing I want to do is end up on someone shit list my first night.

Manny nodded. Mariah took my hand and walked me into the showroom. She rattled off the dos and don’t of lap dances. She introduced me to Pam the bartender, who became my SoCal hairdresser.

Then she took me to the DJ booth to sign in. DJ Geeno’s eyes lit up. “Fresh meat for ya Geeno.” Mariah joked slipping him a $20. “Geeno counts your dances. On the books, he gets $1 per dance, the house gets $1 per dance, and the unwritten rule is that the manager get 50 cents per dance. But if you take care of him, he takes care of you.”

So I’m really only making $7.50 per lap dance. Plus the house fee, plus the security tip out. And the club runs 2- for-1 and 3-for-1 specials every half hour. Thats a lot of dances. I’m glad my clunky Hot Topic shoes are comfy.

At the end of the shift, I waited in line to pay the house the necessary fees.  “Do I have to do any sidework before I can leave?” I asked Manny.  He looked confused.  I had bartended and cocktail waitressed all through college and was accustomed to 45 minutes worth of sidework after the bar closed.  “Nope.”  He said with a grin.

I had about $120 left over….and I was psyched!  That was easy! I really only worked about 4 hours after getting over my initial jitteryness…and I didn’t have to carry 20 lb trays of sizzling fajitas for an 8 hour shift!

This new part time gig was going to work out just fine!  I can teach Monday-Friday, dance whenever I want…and it’s just until I pay off Visa…..

Blast Off!

StripandGrowRich is at 100% functionality today. In addition to the DancerWealth, DancerWise and DancerVictory programs, we also have an affiliate and mentoring program in the works!

I know a lot of my readers and friends are veteran dancers who are awaiting our referral program.  The official StripandGrowRich Affilitate Program will launch next week, which will allow you to earn a 25% commission just for telling those new dancers at the club (who are always asking you for free advice) about us.  Stay tuned for details!

For all you newbies and relative newbies who have less than 3 years experience, we are developing a mentor program.  It will allow you to take the online DancerWealth course, and have additional one on one mentoring with Avalon, Donovan, Adam, or one of our StripandGrowRich Coaches.   Then once you have finished the program, you can become a certifed StripandGrowRich Coach and Affiliate and earn money mentoring and refering new students.

If you are just thinking about dancing, but not sure if you want to take the plunge…. be sure to check out our Free Video area.    Veterans….this is not for you, but you can still watch Dancer101.

Only ONE more day to save 10% on Dancerwealth 2.0 Coupon code: 05CA11BA

I am VERY pleased with the feedback from my BetaTesters!  It is so fulfilling to know that I’m helping!

From Luvbuniz in Las Vegas via www.stripperweb.com “I’ve bought the new Dancerwealth and it’s good. It’s not a rehash of the old course and much more sales based. I pretty much banked the first few days after watching the videos.”

From Vanessa in Australia:

And From Kristine in Las Vegas

Cue the music:

My evening started with the  guys from West Virginia at the bar.  I was sipping my Diet Coke when one of the middle aged white guys in a golf shirt stumbled over his own foot and plowed into the barstool next to me.  “I’ve been drinkin’ since noon…” he mumbles.  I have been actively working on my bar-hustle because  I usually  gravitate towards the guys sitting at a table before the guys sitting at the bar.  After a bit of chit-chat I begin to set up my test-close, “The only problem with hanging out here at the bar is that you don’t have a lap!”  The test close is NOT asking directly for a dance, but rather leading the conversation in that direction to gauge how ready he  is to be closed.  West Virginia was ready, he basically sold himself  “Yeah, I need a lap for you to give me a lapdance.  Lets go over there.”

During the first wave of the rush, Cami and I did a double dance  for an Amish kid from Pennsylvania.  He totally played it up “We don’t have nothin like this out on the farm!”  So in turn I had to ask,  “So did you ride your horse and buggy all the way out here to Arizona?”

It must still be REALLY cold in Canada.  I think every other table was from Saskatchewan or Ontario.  There was also a large group of about twenty five German pilots.  I was pleasantly surprised since tourist season is winding down here in the desert as the temperatures begin to approach the mid-90s.  Locals were in attendance as well, I gave my new favorite godaddy.com rep a few dances…great contact when you are launching an online business

Party crowd, high energy, cat calls, and lots of singles flowing through the air.  I knew what DJ Billy was going to play for my Power Hour Stage Set before the first chord of the Beastie Boys pumped through the speakers.  It’s nights like this that I will always remember fondly, and commemorate in this blog.

At the end of the night, the sound of cash dominated the locker room.  You know…that brisk sound of paper-on-paper as it is being counted.  Love that sound.

Jobless To Topless
Shana Franklin,
The 33News April 22, 2009

Adult entertainment is a business that has long been considered nearly recession-proof. And today in Dallas, there was more proof in the pole. Hundreds attended a job fair called Jobless to Topless. Applicant David Ward says, “Definitely more of a bonus than a negative.” It’s was the first annual event by Burch Management, which is looking to fill about 200 jobs in its 9 gentlemen’s clubs throughout North Texas. Burch V.P. Steve Craft says, “We do a lot of advertising we do a lot for the community and I think you’re really starting to see that. And people are getting more comfortable coming out.” The turnout ranged from college students to those in investment banking. Men and women applying not just for entertainer openings, but chefs, bartenders, hair, makeup and nail techs and clerical staff. Applicant Jessica Waggoner says, “I need some experience and administrativApril 22, 2009 Adult entertainment is a business that has long been considered nearly recession-proof.

And today in Dallas, there was more proof in the pole. Hundreds attended a job fair called Jobless to Topless. Applicant David Ward says, “Definitely more of a bonus than a negative.” It’s was the first annual event by Burch Management, which is looking to fill about 200 jobs in its 9 gentlemen’s clubs throughout North Texas. Burch V.P. Steve Craft says, “We do a lot of advertising we do a lot for the community and I think you’re really starting to see that. And people are getting more comfortable coming out.” The turnout ranged from college students to those in investment banking. Men and women applying not just for entertainer openings, but chefs, bartenders, hair, makeup and nail techs and clerical staff.

Applicant Jessica Waggoner says, “I need some experience and administrative and clerical work to help further my education while I’m in school, and to open my own business.” Some, like Tasha Ross, have worked in the business before. She was offered a dancing job on the spot. She says, “With me going to school and all, I think it’s a good opportunity because I get out at like 4:30, and I could come here and work and then go home.” Bartender and hostess Quintessa Chavez thinks people would be surprised to know how normal it is. Quintessa Chavez says, “The employees are more normal than people think, the customers are more normal than you think.” No one we talked to had any hesitation with the industry, saying in these economic times, a job is a job. Cody Sharp says, “It doesn’t really faze me at all.” Apparently a lot of people felt the same way. Jobless to Topless got about 300 applicants today, and more could be coming in.e and clerical work to help further my education while I’m in school, and to open my own business.”

Some, like Tasha Ross, have worked in the business before. She was offered a dancing job on the spot. She says, “With me going to school and all, I think it’s a good opportunity because I get out at like 4:30, and I could come here and work and then go home.” Bartender and hostess Quintessa Chavez thinks people would be surprised to know how normal it is. Quintessa Chavez says, “The employees are more normal than people think, the customers are more normal than you think.” No one we talked to had any hesitation with the industry, saying in these economic times, a job is a job. Cody Sharp says, “It doesn’t really faze me at all.” Apparently a lot of people felt the same way. Jobless to Topless got about 300 applicants today, and more could be coming in.

Over the past few months, people have said to me “Why are you doing this website if you make so much money dancing.”   In all fairness I feel  it is a valid question.

I have a few answers:

1. Stripping has a shelf life.  This year will mark a decade for me.  I  made some fabulous SuperStripperFriends,  great money,  and  memories to last my lifetime.  But I know that I cannot do this forever.

2. There are lots of different exit strategies from dancing.  Some involve going to school, getting a degree, and starting a new career.  If you are not scholarly, this exit strategy may not work for you, but that doesn’t mean that you have to settle.

3. My exit strategy is to create streams of passive income that will replace dancing income.  It does not require years of collegiate study.  There is no discrimination or glass ceiling.  Anyone can do it regardless of age, race, gender, or sexual orientation.

4.  I want to give back to the community that has empowered me.  I am an educator at heart, and  I want to teach my exit strategy for this business to those who are interested.  I hope to become a  beacon to show you how to make income outside of the club doing the things that you love.

I sent my check off this morning. But that’s just part of what you have to do in order to run a legitimate business. Stripping IS a legal and legitimate business. If you want to reap the benefits of being able to make SuperStripper money, you have to be responsible and claim your SuperStripper money! Only then can you begin to invest and grow your SuperStripper Money.

The main benefit of filing a tax return is having proof of income. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard in the dressing room “I need a new car, and I can afford $500/month payment…but I can’t get a loan because I have no proof of income. I hope my customer will co-sign for me.” It is extremely liberating to be able to do these things on your own, without having to ask for favors or owe anyone for doing you a favor. Proof of income will also enable you to buy your own home, open and fund a retirement account, NOT have to pay extra deposit fees when you open a cell phone account or utility account.

If you are new to stripping, have never filed a tax return, or maybe your parents are still claiming you as a dependent…DON’T just let it go and do nothing. DancerWise is here to help. I have been selling a tax planner in the StripandGrowRich merchandise store for over a year now. Here is 2009 version of the planner.

As for all the Tax Day Tea Parties going on around the county, no I don’t agree with how the government is spending our tax dollars….but it doesn’t mean that I’m not going to pay them.

“You’re too tall” was my first response of the night. “Not to be rude or anything…but you’re not my type.”

I had two choices, smile and walk on by or try again. There was no one else and Mr Objection was my target client:early 40s wearing a golf shirt, his own 6 foot 2 frame sprawled across two straight backed chairs.

“Well, it all lines up when I straddle you, doesn’t it?” I replied with my best come-back.

It worked he smiled, leaned back opening up his body language and I sat in the empty chair.

“You’re good” he says. I pegged him as a limited buyer, but there weren’t any other prospects in the club. I recalled Friday’s blog, the strip club is a great place to network your side business. Turns out Mr Objection is an entrepreneur like myself: owns three different businesses and travels extensively. I picked up some nuggets, and he is intrigued with the passive income I generate from www.destinationavalon.biz

After chatting for a few minutes, I went for the close, “So did I change your mind about that dance?”

“Of course, lets go back here…” he said motioning to the couches.