Florence French

[MsManda 25910]

2 minutes ago, Coco1 said:

If you're going to Colombia you might as well learn to spell it right lol 😂 

 

Fully agree though, hobbying in this province is at an all time low from when I first dipped my toe in the waters in 2005'ish. 

Ll ain't no BP, that's for sure 😂😭

[Coco1 97]

2 minutes ago, MsManda said:

Ll ain't no BP, that's for sure 😂😭

Damn I almost forgot about BP. Those were the days, back when 98% of the ads weren't fake. 

[MsManda 25910]

Just now, Coco1 said:

Damn I almost forgot about BP. Those were the days, back when 98% of the ads weren't fake. 

It was a different time for us too 

RIP 😭

[navy_suit 72]

11 hours ago, RobertDion said:

Having some pillow talk with a couple different SPs in the recent months and they mention how they shake their heads at the SPs who charge $400, $500, $600 per hour, they don't make extra income, when you have only one client per week because of those high prices, versus those at $250 or $300 and get a client everyday, it's purely made as a power move, a status symbol, to be extra selective, catering for only the ultra rich crowd. Everyone loses out, it's too much for 99% of hobbyists out there to enjoy, and the SPs are far less busy and get far less income as a result. I'm seeing more $500+/hour prices and demanding 20% upfront deposit fees. I don't think all the way to Columbia is necessary, but trips to Montreal tend to do the trick, just do the research in advance to find and select and reserve the one(s) you'd like. But it's getting tougher and tough out here in NS for sure 😞

This is such an insane take. This is a business, and the market has segments. Do you also think that Ferrari "loses out" because you don't buy their cars? 

Pretend you're an SP:

If you could (a) go on a paid vacation for 5 days with a bunch of extra cash in your pocket, (b) go to dinner and sleep over a few nights in a row, or (c) hole yourself up in a motel in Nova Scotia with lineup guys who scour LL for the least expensive options and ask the internet "is she real???" ... which business model would you prefer? 

You said it yourself: it is about being selective (and also a preference for lower volume / longer engagements). The model is clearly working for them and their clients. There is clearly a market for these providers...that market is apparently not you, and that's okay, but to criticize a successful business model because you don't see value the same way (and then say "they lose out") is ridiculous. 

[TheGoodGuy 31]

2 hours ago, navy_suit said:

This is such an insane take. This is a business, and the market has segments. Do you also think that Ferrari "loses out" because you don't buy their cars? 

Pretend you're an SP:

If you could (a) go on a paid vacation for 5 days with a bunch of extra cash in your pocket, (b) go to dinner and sleep over a few nights in a row, or (c) hole yourself up in a motel in Nova Scotia with lineup guys who scour LL for the least expensive options and ask the internet "is she real???" ... which business model would you prefer? 

You said it yourself: it is about being selective (and also a preference for lower volume / longer engagements). The model is clearly working for them and their clients. There is clearly a market for these providers...that market is apparently not you, and that's okay, but to criticize a successful business model because you don't see value the same way (and then say "they lose out") is ridiculous. 

I agree, and I’d like to look at this from a broader economic perspective. Canada’s economic environment today is fundamentally different from 10–15 years ago. At that time, middle-class households could reasonably afford single-family homes without excessive mortgage stress, leaving enough disposable income for leisure and discretionary spending.

Today, income growth has not kept pace with housing, debt servicing, and living costs. Wealth accumulation has become increasingly concentrated, while the middle class faces declining purchasing power. Even basic consumption patterns have shifted, with value-oriented retailers such as Costco becoming the default choice for many families.

On the supply side, service providers have adapted by diversifying income streams rather than relying on a single revenue source. In some cases, this includes transitioning away from traditional transactional models entirely. As a result, middle-income consumers are no longer the core target demographic.

From a market-access perspective, regions with a higher prevalence of cash-based economic activity—such as Quebec and selected cities in Ontario and British Columbia—tend to offer better availability and flexibility. Personally, I travel to Ontario three to four times per year, and gaining deeper insight into the Quebec market would further expand these options.

(My thought, but AI generated)

[ManFromMoncton 2]

I don't understand what we are discusing provider set their price too high find another that within your budget and move on.