Skip to main content
McMaster University
DeGroote School of Business
McMaster University

DSB Main Website Search

McMaster Menu
DeGroote Menu
  • Home
  • Programs
  • About
    • About DeGroote
    • Our Leadership
    • Dean’s Corner
    • Our Faculty & Research  
    • McLean Centre for Collaborative Discovery
    • Strategic Plan 
    • Annual Report 
  • Events
  • Students
    • Student Resources
    • Student Clubs
    • Submit a Student Bulletin
  • Alumni
    • Alumni Resources
    • Wayne C. Fox Distinguished Alumni Award 
    • DeGroote Alumni Social Impact Award
  • Staff
  • Give
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
    • DeGroote Directory
Search McMaster Menu
  • Home
  • Programs
  • About
    About DeGrooteOur LeadershipDean’s CornerOur Faculty & Research  McLean Centre for Collaborative DiscoveryStrategic Plan Annual Report 
  • Events
  • Students
    Student ResourcesStudent ClubsSubmit a Student Bulletin
  • Alumni
    Alumni ResourcesWayne C. Fox Distinguished Alumni Award DeGroote Alumni Social Impact Award
  • Staff
  • Give
  • Contact
    Contact UsDeGroote Directory

HUMAN RESOURCES AND MANAGEMENT   RESEARCH  

How entrepreneurship is changing the sex industry

August 27, 2021 ·

Contributed by: Dr. Trish Ruebottom, Associate Professor, Human Resources & Management

Share

Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Mail Copy Link
Cyan, white, and lime logo of Knowledge Labs.

Trish Ruebottom smiles beside the Knowledge Labs logo.

Could entrepreneurship be used as a social innovation tool?

The short answer is yes. But, of course, entrepreneurship is a challenging and imperfect mechanism for social innovation. Still, in my research on entrepreneurship and social change, I have seen the positive impacts.

I recently completed a seven-year study of the sex industry where I saw firsthand the impact of entrepreneurship as a form of social innovation for women and transgender sex workers. I first started researching the sex industry back in 2013 with my colleague, Madeline Toubiana. This was when the laws in Canada were changing, and there were social movements on both sides trying to influence the new laws. After many interviews with activists, we discovered a pattern that contradicted our naïve understanding of the sex industry. We determined that all of the women and transgender sex workers we talked to were running their own businesses and creating innovative new business models. They were doing things differently, changing practices, challenging norms, and creating social change.

Entrepreneurial emancipation in the sex industry

The social innovations created by these sex workers created new spaces where they had control over their work in an industry that typically gave them little power.

For example, escort collectives were created by sex workers to solve a fundamental problem in the industry facing new escorts. Unfortunately, two options available for new escorts are problematic.

The first option is to work for a traditional escort agency. In this option, the escort is an employee of the agency. The agency provides all of the business support the escort needs to provide the service. But the agency schedules escorts with back-to-back appointments and takes away their choice in clients. We heard over and over again this was not an ideal option for escorts. It provided support but no autonomy or control.

The second option is to work independently. Being an independent escort means being responsible for all marketing, client screening, location rentals, and other required activities. This can give the escort control, but many people we talked to explained that, at best, it was overwhelming. At worst, it could lead to dangerous situations in an industry that operates underground. It provides autonomy but not much support.

Independent escort collective

Another option is to join an escort collective. In an escort collective, the escort is the customer. The collective provides business services to support the escorts’ independent business. For example, the escort might purchase marketing or location rentals, whatever they need to run their independent business. Escort collectives allow escorts to have support and autonomy. To have control over their work. As one founder told us: to “own their own sexuality.”

This third option is a supportive space for new escorts to make decisions and build independent businesses. And in taking up this space in the industry, escort collectives are also pressuring traditional agencies to change their practices.

Entrepreneurs work in socially accepted and valued domains and in highly contested, stigmatized industries. Yet, despite the extreme constraints of working in stigmatized environments, entrepreneurs manage to thrive. Entrepreneurs in these industries appear to overcome stigma by applying social innovation to create new solutions and processes to solve challenges.


About Dr. Trish Ruebottom

Dr. Trish Ruebottom is an associate professor of Human Resources & Management at the DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University. She specializes in organizations and social change, exploring how social entrepreneurship builds legitimacy for social change and how stigmatized entrepreneurs carve out safe space for themselves and others. Her work has been published in journals such as the Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, Journal of Management Studies, Organization Studies, Human Relations, and Journal of Business Venturing.

Tags:   ENTREPRENEURSHIP KNOWLEDGE LABS RESEARCH SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP SOCIAL INNOVATION

Related Stories

From research to impact: DeGroote undergraduate student research day  
August 20, 2025 · RESEARCH · STRATEGIC PLAN | RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP · STUDENT

From research to impact: DeGroote undergraduate student research day  

Breaking financial barriers: New learning hub explores solutions to address financial exclusion
July 25, 2025 · MCCD · SOCIETAL IMPACT · STRATEGIC PLAN | ENGAGING COMMUNITIES

Breaking financial barriers: New learning hub explores solutions to address financial exclusion

Youth entrepreneurship in action
July 23, 2025 · MCCD

Youth entrepreneurship in action

DeGroote welcomes Tej Sandhu as Entrepreneur in Residence for the Marinucci Entrepreneurial Bridge 
July 22, 2025 · MCCD

DeGroote welcomes Tej Sandhu as Entrepreneur in Residence for the Marinucci Entrepreneurial Bridge 

Whelen Fellowship connects grad students with McMaster startups to drive real-world impact
June 27, 2025 · ALUMNI · DEVELOPMENT

Whelen Fellowship connects grad students with McMaster startups to drive real-world impact

Leading with style: Fatima Babakura’s entrepreneurial journey
June 12, 2025 · ALUMNI

Leading with style: Fatima Babakura’s entrepreneurial journey

Lonely no more: A new app is redefining friendship for Gen Z
April 3, 2025 · SOCIETAL IMPACT · STUDENT · STRATEGIC PLAN | ENGAGING COMMUNITIES

Lonely no more: A new app is redefining friendship for Gen Z

McMaster grad and Boardball founder shares advice for aspiring entrepreneurs
November 21, 2024 · ALUMNI

McMaster grad and Boardball founder shares advice for aspiring entrepreneurs

Embracing an entrepreneurial mindset
November 19, 2024 · ALUMNI · DEVELOPMENT · GIVE · MCCD · STRATEGIC PLAN | TEACHING AND LEARNING · STUDENT

Embracing an entrepreneurial mindset

In the news: Government officers told to skip fraud prevention steps when vetting temporary foreign worker applications, Star investigation finds
September 3, 2024 · RESEARCH · HUMAN RESOURCES AND MANAGEMENT · STAFF

In the news: Government officers told to skip fraud prevention steps when vetting temporary foreign worker applications, Star investigation finds

In the news: The Musk problem: Why are businesses leaving X?
September 3, 2024 · RESEARCH · STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT · STAFF

In the news: The Musk problem: Why are businesses leaving X?

Bridging the digital divide
August 9, 2024 · INFORMATION SYSTEMS · RESEARCH · STRATEGIC PLAN | RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP

Bridging the digital divide

2023 Annual Report: Impacting our Communities Through Connection
August 9, 2024 · RESEARCH · STRATEGIC PLAN | ENGAGING COMMUNITIES · STUDENT

2023 Annual Report: Impacting our Communities Through Connection

Hidden Gatekeepers: How Hiring Bias Affects Workers in the Food Service Industry
July 31, 2024 · RESEARCH · STAFF · HUMAN RESOURCES AND MANAGEMENT

Hidden Gatekeepers: How Hiring Bias Affects Workers in the Food Service Industry

Four Professors Named 2024 University Scholars
July 23, 2024 · STAFF · STRATEGIC PLAN | RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP · RESEARCH · HUMAN RESOURCES AND MANAGEMENT

Four Professors Named 2024 University Scholars

DeGroote School of Business DeGroote School of Business Logo
DeGroote Instagram logo DeGroote Linkedin logo DeGroote Facebook logo DeGroote YouTube Logo DeGroote TikTok Logo
DeGroote Menu

  • Programs
  • About DeGroote
  • Events
  • Student Resources
  • Staff Resources
  • Alumni Resources
  • Give
  • DeGroote Directory
  • Contact Us
  • Faculty & Research  
Hamilton Campus

DeGroote School of Business
McMaster University

1280 Main Street West

Hamilton, Ontario
L8S 4M4
Burlington Campus

DeGroote School of Business
Ron Joyce Centre

4350 South Service Road

Burlington, Ontario
L7L 5R8
AACSB Logo

McMaster University is committed to providing websites that are accessible to the widest possible audience.  

If you require any content on this website in an alternate format, please contact dsbweb@mcmaster.ca and we will respond promptly.

DeGroote Online Privacy Policy

McMaster Brighter World Logo McMaster University - Brighter World Logo
Contact McMaster McMaster Terms & Conditions McMaster Privacy Policy
Secret Link