djnutz
Been quite some time since I have posted something here. Felt compelled to share an interesting situation I have just gone through.
So I relocated to my home state of South Dakota last year. I found that the game had changed from single op's running the club and bar scene to full production companies handling 99% of the market. These big boys offer lower prices and bigger sound. Rather than going against the grain, I partnered up with probably the best company in town.
I did several DJ shows at multiple locations. Then we landed the gig with the busiest place in town. We actually did a semi-permanent install at this venue. Full DMX lighting rig complete with 6 moving heads. Killer sound as well. We cover Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Soon I found myself as both the Friday and Saturday guy. Great show, great crowd. I took over and the music changed and the few fights they did have came to a complete stop. The only issue was the pay was 1/3 of what I made when I was doing things on my own.
Then the owners of this venue opened a new nightclub across town. They asked me if I would be interested in being THE guy at the new place. The pay was triple what I was currently making. I honestly agonized over what to do because I was loyal to this production company. They assured me that the switch would be smooth and they eventually wanted me to do one night at each place.
I broke the news to the production company and while they were upset about losing me, they understood the situation. So the new place opens in June. Worst possible time of year to open a club. On the upside, slower foot traffic meant working out any kinks would be a little easier.
This place is nice. Problem is, the owners have never run a nightclub. I have over a decade of club experience, from DJ'ing to management. They liked that fact and turned to me for advice. Let the issues begin...
1. They hired a woman to be the "VIP Hostess." This girl has had some work done. I don't need to give much more detail than that. She comes across as one of the most self-centered people I have ever met. In the staff photo, EVERYONE is wearing the uniform black head to toe and right smack in the middle in a very skin tight white dress is this girl. I explained to the owners that she could very easily become a liability due to the fact that everything is about her, not the club.
2. The club started with only a facebook page as marketing. One guess who the admin of said page is? Yes our VIP girl. She is the ONLY admin. Not even the owners have admin rights. I very politely asked her to make me an admin and I would be more than willing to help manage the page. Yep, met a brick wall there. After the opening, people began complaining that the place was too uppity. The drinks were too expensive. One girl even called the club gay and suggest that no one bother going there. I posted a few replies asking what she thought we could do to make the club more appealing. Our "admin" deleted my replies and left the poor review up for everyone to see. WTF?
3. They finally got smart and decided to run some radio ads. We listened to the spots that the station emailed to the owners and at the end was a phone number to call for information. The owner asked me who's number it was. I asked if the bar had a phone number and an answering machine to which he replied yes, but the number on the radio ad was not that number. It was the VIP girl's cell phone. Again, WTF?
4. I took a weekend off and I had fill in DJ's who auditioned for the owner, and the owner himself approved. When I returned, I found I was replaced by another local DJ. I received numerous texts asking why I wasn't there and who was the guy playing all the techno stuff. I replied with the club is trying something different.
5. Now the VIP girl has keys to the joint and will be stepping into the GM position. My last conversation with the owner was about the direction the club is going. He asked what the deal is between myself and the VIP girl. I explained that she WILL be a liability at some point. I also explained that if they wanted to succeed, then they should follow the advice I gave them; the advice they ASKED me for. Otherwise, they stand a better chance of making money playing the lottery than they do on the road they are currently traveling down. I closed with the fact that ultimately, this is their investment, not mine. I will move on and find a place to entertain the masses. I only have a couple zeros to worry about. They have several more.
I have returned to the production company. I am starting at the bottom. I made a mistake and followed the golden goose only to realize that this goose is not golden after all.
The lesson to learn here is not a new one. Nothing is ever as good as it seems. Before you make that big leap, take a good hard look at the road that brought you there and make sure you leave all the bridges in tact. You never know when you will have to retrace your steps...
So I relocated to my home state of South Dakota last year. I found that the game had changed from single op's running the club and bar scene to full production companies handling 99% of the market. These big boys offer lower prices and bigger sound. Rather than going against the grain, I partnered up with probably the best company in town.
I did several DJ shows at multiple locations. Then we landed the gig with the busiest place in town. We actually did a semi-permanent install at this venue. Full DMX lighting rig complete with 6 moving heads. Killer sound as well. We cover Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Soon I found myself as both the Friday and Saturday guy. Great show, great crowd. I took over and the music changed and the few fights they did have came to a complete stop. The only issue was the pay was 1/3 of what I made when I was doing things on my own.
Then the owners of this venue opened a new nightclub across town. They asked me if I would be interested in being THE guy at the new place. The pay was triple what I was currently making. I honestly agonized over what to do because I was loyal to this production company. They assured me that the switch would be smooth and they eventually wanted me to do one night at each place.
I broke the news to the production company and while they were upset about losing me, they understood the situation. So the new place opens in June. Worst possible time of year to open a club. On the upside, slower foot traffic meant working out any kinks would be a little easier.
This place is nice. Problem is, the owners have never run a nightclub. I have over a decade of club experience, from DJ'ing to management. They liked that fact and turned to me for advice. Let the issues begin...
1. They hired a woman to be the "VIP Hostess." This girl has had some work done. I don't need to give much more detail than that. She comes across as one of the most self-centered people I have ever met. In the staff photo, EVERYONE is wearing the uniform black head to toe and right smack in the middle in a very skin tight white dress is this girl. I explained to the owners that she could very easily become a liability due to the fact that everything is about her, not the club.
2. The club started with only a facebook page as marketing. One guess who the admin of said page is? Yes our VIP girl. She is the ONLY admin. Not even the owners have admin rights. I very politely asked her to make me an admin and I would be more than willing to help manage the page. Yep, met a brick wall there. After the opening, people began complaining that the place was too uppity. The drinks were too expensive. One girl even called the club gay and suggest that no one bother going there. I posted a few replies asking what she thought we could do to make the club more appealing. Our "admin" deleted my replies and left the poor review up for everyone to see. WTF?
3. They finally got smart and decided to run some radio ads. We listened to the spots that the station emailed to the owners and at the end was a phone number to call for information. The owner asked me who's number it was. I asked if the bar had a phone number and an answering machine to which he replied yes, but the number on the radio ad was not that number. It was the VIP girl's cell phone. Again, WTF?
4. I took a weekend off and I had fill in DJ's who auditioned for the owner, and the owner himself approved. When I returned, I found I was replaced by another local DJ. I received numerous texts asking why I wasn't there and who was the guy playing all the techno stuff. I replied with the club is trying something different.
5. Now the VIP girl has keys to the joint and will be stepping into the GM position. My last conversation with the owner was about the direction the club is going. He asked what the deal is between myself and the VIP girl. I explained that she WILL be a liability at some point. I also explained that if they wanted to succeed, then they should follow the advice I gave them; the advice they ASKED me for. Otherwise, they stand a better chance of making money playing the lottery than they do on the road they are currently traveling down. I closed with the fact that ultimately, this is their investment, not mine. I will move on and find a place to entertain the masses. I only have a couple zeros to worry about. They have several more.
I have returned to the production company. I am starting at the bottom. I made a mistake and followed the golden goose only to realize that this goose is not golden after all.
The lesson to learn here is not a new one. Nothing is ever as good as it seems. Before you make that big leap, take a good hard look at the road that brought you there and make sure you leave all the bridges in tact. You never know when you will have to retrace your steps...
发表时间 Wed 11 Aug 10 @ 10:42 pm
Charlie Wilson
What makes me laugh is all the nobody’s in the industry like the VIP girl you mentioned, I took time out last year to work for a company which turned out to be a backstreet affair and lost thousands. I now work for myself again and life's great, I'm doing private events.
What you mention is typical club stuff which is why I don't bother anymore.
Good luck in the future
What you mention is typical club stuff which is why I don't bother anymore.
Good luck in the future
发表时间 Thu 12 Aug 10 @ 2:48 am
the SOUND INSURGENT
Chris you'll still be putting on those dance parties you do right? I wish I had money cause I'd buy a spot and hire you in a heartbeat!! You came down to our little spot once but my partner felt threatened by you when all you wanted to do was help. Anyways long story short, he lost the weekend gigs and is on the verge not be able to throw shows there anymore. Well anyways sorry to about that happening and I hope you come to Sioux city and do a gig or 2 down here cause we need it!!
Thanks for your time
Huey
P.S. You still using that badass touch screen setup?
Thanks for your time
Huey
P.S. You still using that badass touch screen setup?
发表时间 Thu 12 Aug 10 @ 10:26 am
i call it WFOP .....
working for other people .....
unfortunately i wfop a lot but i also do my own mobil biz alot ......
so the schmucks only drive me slightly crazy .....
the REST of the crazy i do is just because i'm like that .....
at these clubs there's always a VIP girl or 2 .....
they ARE UNUSUALLY STUPID that the radio phone # is her cell phone ?????????? WOW .....
UUUUHHHH they didn't know she was admin and etc ??? i'm not buyin' that .....
this house of cards will crumble in 6 months or less , probably a lot less ....
then they will start over at square one
my experience with people like this is they will not be learning the obvious lessons and will
quite probably repeat some or all of these mistakes
in my recent past i worked briefly for a big multi
he just did very expensive bar/bat mitzvahs ......
i did learn from it and i am grateful for that but it just was another example of
small thinkers who are penny wise and pound foolish
cheap , unprepared and greedy is no way to treat your customers and staff
amazingly , that's the way it is a lot of places ....
the MBA from Stanford is the GM ??
uhhhh not exactly .....
the chick with the buh zooms or it's the biggest bouncer .........
working for other people .....
unfortunately i wfop a lot but i also do my own mobil biz alot ......
so the schmucks only drive me slightly crazy .....
the REST of the crazy i do is just because i'm like that .....
at these clubs there's always a VIP girl or 2 .....
they ARE UNUSUALLY STUPID that the radio phone # is her cell phone ?????????? WOW .....
UUUUHHHH they didn't know she was admin and etc ??? i'm not buyin' that .....
this house of cards will crumble in 6 months or less , probably a lot less ....
then they will start over at square one
my experience with people like this is they will not be learning the obvious lessons and will
quite probably repeat some or all of these mistakes
in my recent past i worked briefly for a big multi
he just did very expensive bar/bat mitzvahs ......
i did learn from it and i am grateful for that but it just was another example of
small thinkers who are penny wise and pound foolish
cheap , unprepared and greedy is no way to treat your customers and staff
amazingly , that's the way it is a lot of places ....
the MBA from Stanford is the GM ??
uhhhh not exactly .....
the chick with the buh zooms or it's the biggest bouncer .........
发表时间 Thu 12 Aug 10 @ 12:41 pm
djnutz
Huey! How's it hanging man? I do remember that place in Sioux City. It was Red's place or something right? I'd love to do some shows down your way. However, you are the only contact I have there. If you see/hear anything, hit me up on facebook. Just search DJ Nutz. You'll find me ;)
PS... yes I am still using the touchscreens. I have made some improvements ;)
PS... yes I am still using the touchscreens. I have made some improvements ;)
发表时间 Thu 12 Aug 10 @ 9:19 pm
discobrian24
And you sir are my idol when it comes to the Touchscreens man!!! All will work out for you. You have something that alot cant reproduce!!!!
发表时间 Fri 13 Aug 10 @ 4:55 am