An escort and stripper who caters to Wall Street clients says she pulls in $34,000 a week during the holiday rush

• Mia Lee is a professional escort and stripper in New York City.
• She makes nearly $68,000 during the first two weeks of December.
• Lee gave a look into one of her busiest and most lucrative weeks leading into the holiday season.

Mia Lee spends most of December entertaining Wall Street bankers during hours-long stints in private rooms at a New York City strip club. Or, she's keeping them company during luxurious weekend getaways in quaint towns north of the city, all before they head home to their families for the holidays.

Lee — who has been a professional escort for five years, and a stripper for a year and a half — said the first two weeks of December tend to be one of the busiest and most lucrative periods for her line of work. In just one of those weeks, Lee can bring in nearly $34,000.

"I think it's a combination of the cold weather and holiday parties that bring out more clients. And a decent number of them don't really like spending time with their families, so they're looking for an escape" Lee said.

Strippers in London, Texas, and even Alaska have also reported increased clientele in December. Some dancers have also said that their clubs tend to have a warmer, more generous-feeling atmosphere leading up to Christmas, Vice previously reported.

Lee spends six days a week stripping on-call, which means she heads to the club when the host calls her saying a VIP client asked specifically for her services, or whenever she feels it'll be busy enough to rake in a few thousand dollars in one night. The club is down the street from her house by design. She moved there when she was hired so she can get from living room to stage within 15 minutes and keep her reputation as one of the club's top earners.

A 5 '2'' Chinese woman with a youthful glow and gleaming smile, Lee's love of financial chit-chat and taste for luxury cars, top-shelf scotch, and imported cigars usually takes her clients by surprise, the 35-year-old told Business Insider.

"Clients often tell me I'm the most interesting woman they've ever met. I traveled to over 60 countries, speak four languages, and have a slew of 'tomboy' hobbies like competitive shooting and racing," Lee told BI.

It also helps, Lee said, that she's a self-identified psychopath who doesn't feel empathy, as BI previously reported. That allows her to be laser-focused on making money and maximizing her time while having fun. She's found both in a career posing as Wall Street executives' witty girlfriend, or as their one-night lingerie-clad fantasy, she said.

Lee knows just what her Wall Street clients like, because a few years ago, she was one of them, working as a forensic accountant who examined detailed financial reports to investigate potential fraud and revenue losses for big banks.

Since leaving that industry and taking on her current roles, Lee has set up her life just how she likes: To make as much money as she possibly can. Right now, that means working almost non-stop, only stopping to eat, sleep, and shower.

The following as-told-to diary is based on conversations with Mia Lee about a typical early-December week in her line of work. This diary has been edited for length and clarity.

Sunday, December 10

I try to reserve most Sundays for rest and relaxation since the strip club is closed and I usually work every other day. But, if a client books me on a Sunday, I find a way to deal with it. Usually, that means a lot of caffeine, and naps when I can fit them in. Fortunately, I have today all to myself.

I get dressed and put on my hooded face mask, a garment that scares onlookers but shields my skin from the sun. Only my eyes are visible, until I add a pair of big sunnies for even more protection. If you couldn't tell yet, I'm a freak about avoiding the sun. I'm trying to preserve my smooth skin and youthful glow for as long as possible, since it's part of my appeal to clients.

My dermatologist said that my face could still get exposed to UV rays even when I wear a wide-brim hat, so I came up with this solution. I even wear it in cars, since windows can't completely block the sun's effects. I may look strange in public, but I don't care because I know it's a good business decision.

I decide to check out a tech-forward wellness spa, since I have a gift card there from an escort client. He's equally as stressed out as I am about work, so I know I can trust his recommendation. I kiss my cat Lucy goodbye and hop in an Uber to the spa, where I try out their infrared sauna and hyperbaric chamber. I put my face mask back on, and walk out feeling like a new person. "You should do this more often," I tell myself.

When I get home, I forget about my plan to relax. Instead, I record some videos for the YouTube channel I recently launched, called Money Talks with Mia. For dinner, I grab a pre-made one, with seared fish and veggies from my fridge and pop it into the microwave. I pay for a chef-designed meal delivery box, since I rarely have the time to think about food, let alone cook.

Monday, December 11

I wake up and decide I need a big breakfast if I'm going to tackle all of the administrative tasks I have. Lately, I've been on a blueberry buttermilk ricotta pancake kick. I make a stack, and eat them while I log my earnings from last week in Excel, where I keep track of cash and payments from apps like Venmo and Zelle.

Then, I track down a bunch of invoices for Petit Mort, the erotic arts and culture magazine where I'm CFO. For my escort business, I email a client to follow up on the extra $3,300 he owes me. He extended our date by a few hours last week, so he needs to pay up for the bonus time.

While I'm typing away, I get a message from my assistant, saying another escort client wants to book two hours of time for dinner. "Tell him that I'm not booking shorter than three hour-sessions on evenings when I'm stripping at high-demand times. Which is right now," I text my assistant. I like to be honest with my clients, because if they want my time and attention, they'll make it work. They can either choose another time, or book a longer date. He tells my assistant he'll take a two-hour slot for lunch next week.

Throughout the year, I usually prioritize bookings from my escort clients, not stripping at the club. With stripping, there's no guarantee I'll make a set amount of money. There are so many factors at play — how many clients book private rooms, how much they tip, and if they pay with cash or a credit card.

But the club is bustling right now. Many of my out-of-town strip-club regulars have returned to the city for pre-Christmas business meetings and company holiday parties. The club's private rooms are in high demand right now, so I can count on them to pay for at least four hours alone with me, which will set them back a minimum of $1,760.

The busy season we're in makes it easier to negotiate with clients, so I'm planning on making even more. I can tell one, "If you're not going to pay me more, I'm walking out of this room and I'll get another room with a paying client." Instant money.

Tonight, I leave my apartment at 8:40, dressed in my light blue Honey Birdette lingerie set with a sweatsuit and winter coat over top. I take the 10-minute stroll to the club, walk in the front door, throw my stuff in a locker, take a final glimpse in the mirror, and head to the floor. By 9, I'm surveying the clientele to see who I should pay the most attention to.

I finish stripping at 3 in the morning, after entertaining three rooms for a few hours each. Strippers like to stay tight-lipped about what we do in private rooms for hours on end, but you can use your imagination. While I'm pulling on my sweatsuit in the locker room, I glance at my phone and see a few tips — $1,500 worth — that came in on Venmo while I was working.

At home, I shower then collapse into my king-sized bed.

Tuesday, December 12

When I wake up around noon, I start on some edits for my YouTube channel.

At 5:30 p.m., I get a call from the VIP host, asking if I could get to the club in the next fifteen minutes. That request might seem impossible, but I've designed my life and my body to make it work. After all, time is money. "I'll be there," I tell the host before hanging up to get ready.

My prep time is minimal, because I invest a lot of my income in cosmetic procedures — $10,000 to have all of my body hair removed, $100 every three weeks for eyelash extensions so I don't have to wear makeup, and $3,900 for a sweat-eliminating procedure called miraDry so I can shower less often than usual. Basically, I want the convenience of a white man.

Before going to the club or spending time with escort clients, I just need to take a quick shower, brush my teeth, and put on an outfit.

I get to the club at 5:45 p.m. and am in a private room with the VIP who requested me by name by 6. We spend five hours together because he keeps tipping me with $100 bills. I end up going home with $3,260, after I count up all of my tips.

At midnight, things seem to be slowing down, so I decide to call it a night. I usually try to see more than one client every night that I'm working at the club. As a stripper, I'm a contractor at the club, so I get to come and go as I wish. Tonight, I feel so burnt out I figure it's best to throw in the towel.

Wednesday, December 13

I sleep until 1 p.m., then get out of bed for fruit and coffee — I take mine black, with no sugar. I check out the bookings my assistant added to my calendar for the rest of the month. Just as I suspected and hoped for, I'll be working pretty much non-stop until January.

Some of my clients book once a week for a few months, then disappear, some book once a year for five years, and others will see me once every couple of months, so it's hard to say how many regulars I have at any given time. But I have a strict system in place for keeping track of them, and making sure they're respectful of my time and talents.

All of my clients book time through my website, since I don't give them unpaid attention, like texting or calls. When my assistant gets their email requests, she slots them into my calendar, avoiding busy strip club times that I tell her about in advance.

At 2 p.m. I hop on a Zoom call for an interview with a national news outlet for a story about my work mentality and financial advice.

As I wrap up, my housekeeper arrives. I hired her three years ago, and it's been life-changing. She comes over once a week at the same time, whether I'm home or not, to tidy my apartment.

She also takes care of my laundry and dry cleaning, so I don't have to worry about it. I put the lingerie set I wore last night, and the three nights prior, in a dry-cleaning bag so she can take it on her way out. I'll wear the same set a bunch before laundering it, since I don't sweat. Thank you, cosmetic surgery. I have four lingerie sets and cycle through them each week. Other dancers have full wardrobes of club attire, but I prefer my method, since it saves money, and time that I'd rather spend with clients.

As my housekeeper cleans and organizes, I get back in bed for another nap and set my alarm for 8 p.m. —I like to give myself at least an hour to wake up and mentally prepare for my shifts.

I arrive at the club at 9 p.m. Five minutes later, I'm in a private room with one of my regulars. I get another girl to join us, and we spend six hours entertaining him with a few breaks in between. He tips us $2,300 in cash, and we split the spoils.

I get home at 3:30 a.m. and go straight to bed.

Thursday, December 14

I wake up at noon, brush my teeth, and do some more administrative work before I head to a client who is waiting for me at midtown Manhattan hotel for a two-hour session.

I take home the car he's called for me. As I get home, I see he's sent a $1,000 tip. The extra cash makes dozing off in bed with Lucy feel extra satisfying.

When I wake up, I put on a white lingerie set and then walk to the club. After a few hours with a private client, another dancer asks if I'll go with her to bring a group of regulars currently partying at the bar down the street back to the club. She promises it will take 15 minutes, so I agree to help her out.

I head over around 10 p.m. and order a glass of red wine that I sip on for five minutes. It's nearing the 15-minute mark when they close the bill and we walk back to the club.

I immediately click with one of the guys, so we head straight to a private room when we get to the club. I spend a half-hour with him, and he gives me a $1,000 tip.

After that, I dance in the center of the club for a half-hour, zoning out the music. Admittedly, I don't really like music. It's all just noise to me.

When I clock out for the night, I get ready to head home and see an email from a regular client. He's planned a last-minute getaway to a cabin about an hour from the city. He asks if I'll accompany him for a two-night trip starting tonight. I agree, but tell him I'll have to leave him for awhile since I have a photoshoot the following afternoon, but I'll be back in time to share dinner with him that night.

He says he's fine with that, so I book it out of the club, pack a quick overnight bag, then hop in an Uber to the cabin. I text my assistant on the way, asking her to find a fellow escort who can entertain my client while I'm at my photoshoot tomorrow. In my email contacts, I keep detailed notes with clients' preferences and fellow escorts' specialties, so my assistant can easily find girls to contact. Within the hour, my assistant confirms we have someone who can help out.

I enjoy a feast with my client at a restaurant near the cabin — nothing on the menu is off limits. Back at the cabin, we smoke cigars and sip on single-malt scotch.

Friday, December 15

After getting to sleep in the wee hours of the morning, my alarm goes off at 10 a.m. I hop out of bed, brush my teeth, pull on my dress from the night before, and tell my client, who is still in bed, that the other escort is on her way. Before I walk out the door, I put my face mask and sunglasses on.

I take an Uber straight to the photoshoot, where they do my hair and makeup. We shoot promotional content for my social media accounts for about two hours, and then I head back to my apartment to regroup.

After some coffee and a bowl of fruit, I head back to my client so we can spend another night together.

Saturday, December 16

My client and I part ways at noon after enjoying lunch at a cozy, high-end restaurant near the cabin. I hop in an Uber he paid for and make my way back to the city. I'm exhausted from the marathon that Thursday and Friday became, so I tell myself I'll focus on resting today.

I eat another microwaveable meal, then pass out in bed.

By the evening, I'm awake, and back at it again, throwing on my lingerie and walking to the club. It proves to be busier than I expected, so I strip from 6 p.m. until midnight or so.

Even though my job is exhausting, I truly love it. I get to be in charge of my schedule and figure out strategies for making even more money with each passing month and year. Having that independence is priceless.