Life after just immigrating to the United States can inevitably feel lonely due to the unfamiliar environment. Currently, 'Rent a Friend' companionship services are rapidly emerging in the U.S., addressing the new needs of modern individuals. The emergence of companionship services responds to the novel requirements of contemporary people. While the boom in social media helps people stay connected, it cannot provide physical contact, nor can it replace real-life friendships. Against this backdrop, a stranger who can genuinely provide emotional support without bringing any burden appears very attractive.
The U.S.-based 'Rent a Friend' website does not only serve the United States but has also expanded its business globally, with a very large staff. To date, 'Rent a Friend' can provide companionship services through as many as 520,000 people, with an average hourly rate of 23 U.S. dollars.
Many clients of 'Rent a Friend' are business travelers who are tired of dining alone in unfamiliar cities. They hope to have a companion when drinking at a bar in the evening, or even someone to accompany them during a quick business meal so they do not feel lonely. Another important source of clients for 'Rent a Friend' consists of people who have just moved to a new place for work or life; they are unfamiliar with the area and are also in urgent need of emotional support.
Over the past few years, companionship service agencies have sprung up across the United States, some of which are quite profitable. For example, 'Cuddle Comfort,' based in New Jersey, has 125 registered employees who can provide cuddling services. According to its founder, Ivan Kape, 'Cuddle Comfort' has a monthly revenue as high as 16,000 U.S. dollars. Scott Rosenbaum, the founder of 'Rent a Friend,' stated that the website's annual turnover this year will even reach 7 figures.
Cuddling services may sound absurd at first, and might even make some people feel repulsed, but in the United States, there is a large population in need of such services. Two recent surveys found that approximately 40% of American adults say they feel lonely, whereas in a similar survey in the 1980s, only 20% of people felt that way. Other clients suffer from certain physical or mental illnesses, and cuddle therapy can help them recover better. A semi-nude waiter providing massage therapy is already widely accepted in modern society, even if the two parties do not know each other. Compared to that, why would it be so abrupt for fully clothed personnel to provide cuddling services?
Rosenbaum's entrepreneurial inspiration came from Japan, where the proportion of lonely people is even higher than in the United States. In Japan, lonely individuals can enter special cafes where they are accompanied by toy animals. Rosenbaum thought that if related services were improved, there would definitely be a market in the United States, so he founded the 'Rent a Friend' website.
When Hess began working in the cuddling service industry, she expected that most of her clients would be elderly widows or widowers who, unable to bear the loss of a partner who had accompanied them for many years, turned to her for help. However, in her actual work, she found that the backgrounds of her clients vary widely, including both men and women, ranging from elderly people in their 70s to young people in their 20s. Most people also reveal deep, hidden secrets to Hess during the cuddling process.
Becky Rodriguez is an employee of 'Cuddle Comfort.' Her clients are mostly men, primarily married or unmarried men in their 40s or 50s, as well as young men in their 20s who are shy about physical contact due to religious beliefs or other reasons. When talking about why there are fewer female seekers of help, Rodriguez feels that physical contact between close female friends is more easily accepted by society, while the sight of two men cuddling appears much stranger.
To ensure the safety of service personnel, Kape requires employees like Rodriguez to check in before and after providing services, and the 'Cuddle Comfort' database also records client information to prevent any untoward incidents during the service process. Rodriguez claims to be very vigilant during the service process and can quickly detect and stop any inappropriate behavior by customers.
Hess hopes that one day, companionship services can become a formal therapy. Research has found that interpersonal contact can make people feel relaxed, increase oxytocin secretion, and lower blood pressure. Some of the clients Hess has received have suffered significant physical or mental trauma; they may have experienced physical abuse or are struggling with conditions such as autism, cerebral palsy, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which Stephen Hawking suffered from. She hopes that companionship services can help these people live better lives.