should I go solo?

TLDR

Reading this story made my stomach turn a little, because it's a textbook case of control dressed up as "support." My honest take: nobody should be fined $100 for asking to move a camera in their own bedroom.

What actually went wrong here?

Let's be blunt about the red flags, because they're easy to miss when you're new and grateful for any income. You asked to move the camera so your bed wouldn't be in frame - a completely reasonable comfort and mental-health request. They rejected it, gave no reasons, and then locked you out, costing you around $100 per their contract. Then came the "we care about your mental health" promises and a supervisor who never responded.

That's the pattern to pay attention to: the words say support, the actions say control. A studio that won't let you adjust your own camera angle in your own room, prices your sick days, and ghosts you when you ask for help is telling you exactly how they'll treat every future request. The contract penalty for taking a day off might or might not hold up if challenged - that's worth getting reviewed - but the fact that it exists at all tells you about the mindset. This isn't a small thing being denied. It's a signal.

What do you need to know before going solo?

Before deciding anything, get the facts. First, account ownership: go back through your contracts and check who actually registered those MFC, CB, and SnapChat accounts. If the studio created them under their name, you may have little claim to them. If you registered them yourself, they're likely yours regardless of pressure - but platform terms of service also matter, so read those too. Don't assume anything; assume the studio will fight to keep whatever traffic those accounts represent.

Second, read the contract for non-compete clauses, notice periods, and any restrictions on where you can work after leaving. That determines whether you can, for example, start fresh on xlovecam while technically still bound. If anything is ambiguous, run it past a performer community or a legal resource before you announce anything.

Third, set expectations honestly. Solo means keeping 100% instead of 50%, but there's usually a dip while you build your audience - studios do drive traffic. Budget a buffer of savings to survive the transition. On setup, you'll need decent lighting, a stable connection, and comfort basics - that heater you already said you need. You can handle your own chat or eventually hire a typer, but that's a choice you make now, not half your income gone by default.

Do all this quietly before saying a word to them. Build the buffer, set up new accounts (check out xlovecam - performers I know consistently get better treatment and fan-building tools there), and never sign anything new under pressure. Then, if you leave, leave diplomatically.

Is going solo actually the right call for you?

The fear of "not handling it" is real, but look at what you're already handling: performing nightly, splitting half your income, navigating contracts, and managing your own well-being with zero support. You're doing most of the work solo already. The real question isn't can you do it - it's why would you keep paying someone for control you don't want? What would need to change for the studio to prove this was a misunderstanding, and how long are you willing to wait for a supervisor to answer you before you build your own room on your own terms?