Sherlock's competition

Sherlock Holmes was, in effect, a private eye. He worked with the police on many occasions, but he also was employed by private individuals. Had he been a real person, one wonders how the other investigators ever would have gotten any business - unless Sherlock was so expensive that few could afford him. It did seem that he only took cases that interested him, so he might have turned down a great many presented to him; but even at that, it would seem that he would have had a long line of potential clients asking for help.