What do nightclub promoters do?

Nightclub promoters bring people to clubs, mainly women, to create a lively and attractive environment.

How do promoters get paid?

Promoters earn money based on the number of people they bring in and sometimes receive a portion of bar revenue.

Why are women important for nightclubs?

Women attract men, who are likely to spend more money, making the club profitable.

What strategies do promoters use to attract people?

Promoters use personal networks, social media, special events, and entertainment to attract guests.

How does Derek create value for nightclubs?

Derek brings women to the club to create an exciting atmosphere and boost customer interest.

What makes Eric’s parties unique?

Eric’s parties are inclusive, offering interactive and fun experiences without a focus on wealth.

How does Jay build his network?

Jay uses dating apps and social media, managed by a friend, to expand his network efficiently.

What challenges do promoters face?

Promoters deal with strict club entry requirements, competition, and the need to constantly build connections.

Are promoters employed by the clubs?

No, promoters work independently but in collaboration with club staff.

What motivations do promoters have beyond money?

Promoters like Eric are motivated by creating unique experiences and energizing nightlife.

The Secret Business of Nightclubs

00:34:08

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qr1Ddn3INFE

Summary

TLDRNightclub promoters play a crucial role in the nightlife industry by creating energetic and attractive club environments. Famous in places like Chicago, they utilize networks, social media, and strategic techniques to fill venues with people, particularly focusing on bringing women to attract men and increase spending. Promoters such as Derek, Jay, and Eric demonstrate unique strategies to ensure clubs remain lively even on non-headline nights. While Derek focuses on developing personal relations and ensuring a vibrant atmosphere, Jay leverages a systematic approach to recruit through dating apps and social connections. Eric, on the other hand, reinvents traditional promotions by hosting inclusive, themed parties that offer unique experiences without focusing on guest appearance or status. Promoters are not traditional employees but operate independently, earning based on their ability to fill venues with paying men and a lively crowd. Despite the party-like image, the role is demanding, operating mainly during late hours, and requires strong networking and organizational skills to succeed.

Takeaways

💃 Nightclub promoters are key to vibrant nightlife scenes, especially in cities like Chicago.
🎉 Promoters use strategic methods to fill clubs, such as leveraging social media and network connections.
👩‍💼 Women play a crucial role in attracting spenders to nightclubs.
💰 Promoters like Derek earn by creating desirable club atmospheres that draw in paying customers.
📈 Jay efficiently grows networks using dating apps managed by a partner, categorizing contacts by criteria.
🌟 Eric crafts unique, inclusive party experiences using engaging effects and entertainment.
👥 Successful promotion hinges on building strong relationships with nightclub staff and clientele.
🎧 Promoters are not on the club's payroll; they work independently but closely with club management.
🕺 Effective promoters help turn quiet nights into profitable, lively evenings for clubs.
🚀 Eric plans to expand his innovative party concepts beyond Chicago, enhancing nightlife elsewhere.

Timeline

00:00:00 - 00:05:00
Nightclubs face weekly challenges to appear attractive to patrons, relying on promoters to hype up regular nights without famous artists. Promoters, the key players, fill venues with energy and excitement. This video explores their secret world, particularly in Chicago, and how they create appealing experiences.
00:05:00 - 00:10:00
Promoters are central in filling clubs, predominantly with women, as their presence makes the venue more attractive and vibrant. This draws more men, especially spenders, enhancing sales. The example of Derek illustrates promoters' strategies to create initial energy to enticement, reflecting a calculated approach in venue arrangement.
00:10:00 - 00:15:00
Derek's expert handling of social dynamics enhances the club's environment, positioning women strategically to set a lively first impression. This aims to populate clubs gradually, ready to adjust based on crowd responses. Derrick showcases promoters' relational skills and their untangled familiarity with club operations and management.
00:15:00 - 00:20:00
Jay's promotion style, less about a single venue, but maximizing female appeal through broader network strategies, reflects adaptability. By intelligently navigating local social dynamics and prioritizer nuanced guest experiences, he creates momentum and recurring patronage.
00:20:00 - 00:25:00
Diverse platform utilization aids promoters, like Jay, in expanding their reach to attract women, handling interactions efficiently through networks and technological systems. Central to success is maintaining key relations with club staff, understanding nightlife priorities, and tactfully ensuring guest enjoyment and safety despite restrictions and challenges.
00:25:00 - 00:34:08
Eric's distinct approach focuses on interactive and memorable experiences, extending beyond typical nightlife criteria. By instilling non-traditional elements into his events, he enhances guest engagement and fosters unique, inclusive atmospheres, supporting clubs on typically less busy nights. His efforts showcase creative promoter strategies, proving economic and social benefits to venue owners.

Mind Map

Video Q&A

What do nightclub promoters do?
Nightclub promoters bring people to clubs, mainly women, to create a lively and attractive environment.
How do promoters get paid?
Promoters earn money based on the number of people they bring in and sometimes receive a portion of bar revenue.
Why are women important for nightclubs?
Women attract men, who are likely to spend more money, making the club profitable.
What strategies do promoters use to attract people?
Promoters use personal networks, social media, special events, and entertainment to attract guests.
How does Derek create value for nightclubs?
Derek brings women to the club to create an exciting atmosphere and boost customer interest.
What makes Eric’s parties unique?
Eric’s parties are inclusive, offering interactive and fun experiences without a focus on wealth.
How does Jay build his network?
Jay uses dating apps and social media, managed by a friend, to expand his network efficiently.
What challenges do promoters face?
Promoters deal with strict club entry requirements, competition, and the need to constantly build connections.
Are promoters employed by the clubs?
No, promoters work independently but in collaboration with club staff.
What motivations do promoters have beyond money?
Promoters like Eric are motivated by creating unique experiences and energizing nightlife.

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Subtitles

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00:00:11
every city has nightclubs social venues
00:00:13
where people can mingle with strangers
00:00:15
dance with friends and escape the
00:00:16
monotony of life in an environment of
00:00:18
Darkness music and Chaos as businesses
00:00:21
all nightclubs face the same challenge
00:00:23
every week they have to convince you
00:00:24
that their Club is the place to be where
00:00:26
you'll have the most fun on a Thursday
00:00:28
Friday or Saturday night people who go
00:00:30
out want to have a good time if a club
00:00:33
is empty people will just turn around
00:00:34
and go somewhere else if you're a club
00:00:36
owner the question is how do you make
00:00:38
your nightclub a desirable place to be
00:00:40
how do you pack your nightclub with
00:00:41
bodies and energy so that more people
00:00:43
will come you can book a famous artist
00:00:45
to perform at your Venue but that's not
00:00:47
necessarily sustainable and doesn't take
00:00:49
into account just how much money the
00:00:51
biggest artists charge per show how can
00:00:53
you make your nightclub pop on a regular
00:00:55
run-of-the-mill Thursday Friday or
00:00:57
Saturday night when you don't have any
00:00:58
Headliners the answer is promoters where
00:01:01
there are nightclubs there are promoters
00:01:03
promoters are a trade as old as the
00:01:05
clubs themselves promoters are the
00:01:07
invisible men and women who work to turn
00:01:09
clubs from slow empty venues into packed
00:01:11
exciting desirable destinations every
00:01:13
weekend cities are defined by their
00:01:16
night life and Chicago is home to some
00:01:17
of the best clubs in the world in this
00:01:20
modern NBA exclusive we're diving deep
00:01:22
into the secret world of nightclubs and
00:01:23
Club promoters we right along with three
00:01:25
of Chicago's leading promoters in Derek
00:01:27
Jay and Eric observe their hustle and
00:01:29
and learn the strategies that they use
00:01:31
to throw the hottest parties in
00:01:39
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entrepreneurs who have made over 6
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billion in the simplest terms the job of
00:03:29
a promoter is to bring people primarily
00:03:31
women into a nightclub and make the club
00:03:33
look desirable exciting and attractive
00:03:36
at all times nightclubs are businesses
00:03:38
built on psychology as much as function
00:03:40
to comprehend what they do we have to
00:03:42
accept two realities of Life the first
00:03:44
is the law of physical attraction there
00:03:46
are objective measures of attractiveness
00:03:48
and humans by extension are attractive
00:03:51
unattractive or somewhere in between
00:03:53
people who are good-looking get better
00:03:55
results in the professional dating and
00:03:56
social markets and the same law applies
00:03:58
in night life it's a fundamental truth
00:04:01
of nightlife that when people go out to
00:04:02
a club a concert a festival or a bar and
00:04:05
they see good-looking men and women
00:04:07
they'll stay for longer especially if
00:04:09
they're single the second reality is the
00:04:11
gender division of labor and pay through
00:04:14
history men are expected to be
00:04:15
Breadwinners and in most cases do indeed
00:04:17
get paid more than women in the same
00:04:19
roles while this all might sound like
00:04:21
off-topic tangential pseudo science it's
00:04:24
essential to understanding The Core
00:04:25
Business of nightclubs like any animal
00:04:28
human males will go to great lengths to
00:04:30
pursue their mates where there's women
00:04:32
there will be men and where there's
00:04:34
attractive women there will be men with
00:04:35
money and men with money will peacock to
00:04:38
get the attention of attractive women
00:04:40
nightclubs give men who are looking to
00:04:41
impress or chase clout a brief yet
00:04:43
material platform for that attention and
00:04:46
exclusivity for a couple thousand dollar
00:04:48
you can Flex by buying a private table
00:04:50
at a club men go where women are and
00:04:52
nightclubs make money off of men who are
00:04:54
looking to make a statement as a result
00:04:56
women are essential to a successful
00:04:58
nightclub in the simplest abstraction
00:05:00
without women there's no one to flex on
00:05:02
which in turn means no men and no
00:05:04
Spenders if a club is empty slow has too
00:05:07
many dudes not enough women or not
00:05:10
enough attractive women the Spenders
00:05:11
won't come if the Spenders do come they
00:05:14
won't stay for long with these bad vibes
00:05:15
and they'll take their dollars elsewhere
00:05:17
and as the night progresses it becomes
00:05:19
that much harder for a club to sell
00:05:21
those thousand private tables and $100
00:05:23
bottles we can see this Dynamic play out
00:05:26
with Derek on this Saturday night the
00:05:28
club has just opened and the venue is
00:05:30
understandably empty there's a few
00:05:32
people trickling in the music is playing
00:05:34
the lights are on but the dance floor is
00:05:36
empty all you have at the club is Derek
00:05:38
and his group of ladies at two tables at
00:05:41
this venue there are eight tables these
00:05:43
private Tables by Design are clearly
00:05:45
segregated away from the public areas
00:05:47
and the dance floor there's a bouncer at
00:05:49
the entrance to make sure that only the
00:05:51
right people are allowed into these
00:05:52
private tables if you don't have a table
00:05:55
your only option is to stand or lean
00:05:57
against the bar even though the club is
00:05:59
just open they can't afford to look
00:06:00
completely dead with empty floors and
00:06:02
empty tables there has to be some energy
00:06:05
to liven things up and it can't be
00:06:06
coming from the staff promoters are
00:06:09
generally assigned to fill one or more
00:06:10
tables and on this night Derek has
00:06:12
filled two the club has kept the other
00:06:14
six tables vacant so it can readily sell
00:06:16
this inventory as the night progresses
00:06:19
in the scenario where the club takes off
00:06:21
and sells all its tables Derek would be
00:06:23
bumped and he would need to give up his
00:06:24
two tables to the paying customers but
00:06:26
this isn't a big deal because promoters
00:06:28
like Derek work partnership with the
00:06:30
clubs Derek would simply bring his
00:06:32
Entourage down the street to fill a
00:06:34
different Club but for now none of this
00:06:36
is a concern the only people in energy
00:06:38
at the club in this very moment is all
00:06:40
coming from Derrick's tables and all the
00:06:43
people that you see right now at
00:06:44
Derrick's tables are the women that he's
00:06:46
brought in to help fill the room and
00:06:48
breathe energy into this venue it's no
00:06:51
coincidence that Derrik and his ladies
00:06:53
are seated right in front of the
00:06:54
entrance to the club the first thing
00:06:56
that you see when you enter the venue
00:06:58
and you turn the corner from from the
00:06:59
bar are all the women dancing talking
00:07:01
and having fun at Derrick's table this
00:07:03
is the exact value that promoters create
00:07:05
for clubs to give people that strong
00:07:07
first impression that the club is
00:07:09
popping or in this case it's about to
00:07:10
pop soon and that it's worth staying
00:07:12
around for while everything is natural
00:07:14
in reality the existence of women and
00:07:17
the placement of them at these exact
00:07:18
tables are all deliberate strategic and
00:07:21
pre-planned but these ladies aren't paid
00:07:23
actresses they're not pretending to have
00:07:25
fun or under contract with Derek or the
00:07:27
nightclub they're real people in Chicago
00:07:29
local who have the freedom to do what
00:07:31
they want if they want to leave this
00:07:32
club if they want to visit friends at a
00:07:34
different venue if they want to go home
00:07:35
they can do so at any time we know
00:07:37
what's in it for clubs to have women but
00:07:39
what's in it for the women themselves
00:07:42
ladies who come in with promoters like
00:07:43
Derek get to sit and drink at his
00:07:45
private tables for free promoters bring
00:07:47
in the women and the clubs Supply the
00:07:49
complimentary drinks and tables that
00:07:51
will make these women comfortable happy
00:07:53
and want to stay in the venue for longer
00:07:55
thus Derrik is not paying out of pocket
00:07:57
for these tables or drinks by having
00:07:59
these women present the club by
00:08:00
extension looks good the place looks
00:08:02
busy the more people will come the
00:08:04
longer they stay and the better the
00:08:06
sales will be for the night good
00:08:08
promoters like Derek build relationships
00:08:10
with every lady at their table and are
00:08:12
constantly growing their networks
00:08:13
through Word of Mouth the same way that
00:08:14
a good sales rep assembles a Rolodex of
00:08:17
business contacts and just like how a
00:08:18
sales rep is only as good as their last
00:08:20
deal a promoter is only as good as their
00:08:23
last night Derrick's professionalism is
00:08:25
how he's built up his credibility and
00:08:26
name over the years in spite of what his
00:08:28
face tattoos and appearance might
00:08:30
suggest his name is his brand and his
00:08:33
standards are what elevates him above
00:08:34
other promoters and his power is in the
00:08:36
results which are all things that he
00:08:38
can't jeopardize even as he scales his
00:08:40
tables get priority service he gets to
00:08:42
keep his tables when a big artist
00:08:44
performs he's the last to get bumped on
00:08:46
a busy night and he enjoys a deeper
00:08:48
rapport with the club staff as a
00:08:49
familiar respected and trusted face
00:08:51
who's rolling up his sleeves every
00:08:53
weekend to help make the club successful
00:08:56
Derek tonight is even elevating the
00:08:57
experience by surprising the ladies at
00:08:59
his table with bottle service that he's
00:09:01
paying for out of his own pocket It's
00:09:03
relatively unorthodox for promoters to
00:09:05
buy bottles for their own tables but
00:09:07
these are all ways in which drik invests
00:09:09
for the future that way after tonight
00:09:11
these same ladies who were blown away by
00:09:13
this experience will hit up Derrik first
00:09:15
when they want to go out again and will
00:09:17
even recommend him to their friends it's
00:09:19
important to note that these ladies are
00:09:21
not getting high-end bottles like class
00:09:23
aul Dom and Ace of Spades for free what
00:09:26
they get are standard everyday
00:09:27
inexpensive drinks and mixers and free
00:09:29
is better than nothing at all yet for an
00:09:32
expert promoter like Derek filling his
00:09:34
tables with ladies is just the beginning
00:09:36
of his night so there's a 100 different
00:09:39
promotion companies in the city what do
00:09:40
I offer that they don't I mean
00:09:42
everybody's got bottles everybody's got
00:09:44
this everybody's got that the end of the
00:09:46
day who gave them the best experience is
00:09:50
what's really going to sell them and
00:09:51
bring them to you and keep them coming
00:09:53
back out with your company Dereck serves
00:09:56
as an all-in-one chaperon Club liaison
00:09:58
and bodyguard of sorts for the women
00:10:00
that he's brought in his job is to make
00:10:02
sure that they're all comfortable have a
00:10:04
great time and get home safe once the
00:10:06
night ends he strategically positions
00:10:08
himself like an additional barrier
00:10:09
between the public areas and his tables
00:10:12
and he maintains this position through
00:10:13
the night from this elevated position
00:10:15
Derek can see everything happening at
00:10:17
his tables right in front of him but
00:10:19
also make himself available for anyone
00:10:20
that's looking for him he monitors The
00:10:22
Vibes of his tables entertains any
00:10:24
ladies who seem bored and makes the
00:10:26
effort to make a personal connection
00:10:28
with each guest from open to close
00:10:30
Derrick is watching closely to make sure
00:10:32
that no one whether it's strangers from
00:10:33
the floor or neighboring tables is
00:10:35
messing with the drinks stealing purses
00:10:37
or harassing his ladies some of the
00:10:40
women will naturally flow from the table
00:10:41
to the dance floor even as the club is
00:10:43
filling up as the table is getting
00:10:45
crowded and the people around him are
00:10:47
partying he's not joining in dancing
00:10:49
goofing around or pounding drinks when
00:10:51
Derrick's not watching his tables he's
00:10:53
on his phone coordinating with the next
00:10:55
wave of ladies coming in keeping track
00:10:57
of the arrivals and departures posting
00:10:59
Instagram stories to build his brand
00:11:01
managing his team and remotely checking
00:11:03
in with male clients at other clubs that
00:11:05
his company is managing around Chicago
00:11:07
that same night Chicago nlife is an
00:11:09
opaque connection-based world where
00:11:11
you'll find everyone on Instagram and
00:11:13
next to no one on LinkedIn word travels
00:11:16
fast and reputation is everything
00:11:18
basically promoters come and go and the
00:11:21
main reason of that is because they get
00:11:23
to fool themselves and they just they
00:11:26
crash out then they disrespect women
00:11:29
which just like you're in Hospitality
00:11:30
that's the main that's the last thing
00:11:32
you should do by developing close
00:11:34
relationships with club Owners he can
00:11:36
create the best possible experience for
00:11:37
the ladies that he brings in by midnight
00:11:40
the club is popping and Derrick's tables
00:11:42
are the life of this party the women at
00:11:44
his tables from opening have generated
00:11:46
this momentum and energy that is now
00:11:48
Spilled Out onto the dance floor you
00:11:50
have guys buying tables and Bottles all
00:11:52
around Derek to join in on the fun in
00:11:54
this exclusive section at opening the
00:11:56
only area with life was Derrick's tables
00:11:58
and now two hour hours later the whole
00:12:00
place is vibing on its own everywhere
00:12:02
you look people are having fun and
00:12:04
dancing no one would have suspected that
00:12:06
dererk is a promoter and the women at
00:12:08
his tables were technically planted but
00:12:10
at the same time no one would have
00:12:12
really cared when people go to clubs
00:12:14
they want to go to a place where they'll
00:12:15
have the most fun meet the most people
00:12:17
and experience the best energy this is
00:12:20
the power of expert promoters like Derek
00:12:22
who can jumpstart a party breathe life
00:12:24
into a venue and energize a club without
00:12:26
any Headliners on a random Saturday
00:12:28
night and even as the club is getting
00:12:30
more lit Derek is sitting in the exact
00:12:32
same spot doing the same things as he
00:12:34
was at opening watching working
00:12:36
messaging and planning based on the
00:12:39
number of women that he brought in and
00:12:40
the number of tables that he sold for
00:12:42
his male clients Derek earned between
00:12:44
400 to $800 from this club
00:12:50
tonight this is only what's happening at
00:12:52
just one of many clubs in Chicago on
00:12:55
Saturday night a few blocks ahead of
00:12:57
where dererk is we find j a fourth grade
00:13:00
math teacher who moonlights as one of
00:13:01
Chicago's best promoters Jay is working
00:13:04
at a different club that has
00:13:05
significantly fewer tables but a much
00:13:07
larger dance floor and while every Club
00:13:09
has its own layout the principles Remain
00:13:11
the Same by tagging along with Jay we
00:13:13
can understand and see some of the
00:13:15
nuances of what it takes to be a great
00:13:17
promoter there's actually a famous
00:13:18
artist coming to perform tonight at this
00:13:20
club and the event has been well
00:13:22
advertised all over social media this is
00:13:24
not the first time that this artist has
00:13:26
performed here and every time the lines
00:13:27
to get in have wrapped around on the
00:13:29
Block as a result there's no need for a
00:13:31
promoter like Jay to fill space for
00:13:33
tonight as the headliner is guaranteed
00:13:35
to energize the venue and to draw on the
00:13:37
crowd but instead of saying they don't
00:13:39
need promoters at all tonight the club
00:13:40
has put out requirements the club
00:13:43
doesn't want to just be busy they want
00:13:44
to look like they're the best place in
00:13:46
town to the hundreds that come through
00:13:47
the door tonight and to the thousands
00:13:49
tomorrow on social media so tonight's
00:13:52
body was you know it's sumeray a lot of
00:13:54
people wants to see suay of course um
00:13:57
when it comes to me promoting and
00:13:58
everything they want to sell tables of
00:14:00
course they want to sell big tables um
00:14:03
kind of like the the minimum for a table
00:14:04
tonight is like 1,500 to 2,000 usually
00:14:06
if it was like a night where was just uh
00:14:09
a local artist it would be kind of
00:14:10
between 800 maybe 12200 um but when it
00:14:14
when it comes to Big artist is it's like
00:14:16
really between, 1500 and 2,000 and then
00:14:18
when it comes to like girls which is my
00:14:20
job like you know just invite girls to
00:14:21
the table make sure the place is popping
00:14:24
um they have kind of like expectations
00:14:26
so they want to the Bates 10 out of 10
00:14:29
the 12 out of 10 the top quality the the
00:14:32
the top of the batch pretty much want
00:14:33
the best looking girls for today to make
00:14:35
the V you know look like it's popping
00:14:37
for house clients to come out buy tables
00:14:39
you know that that plays a big part on
00:14:41
the club itself Jay's MMO is to keep the
00:14:43
ladies flowing into this venue and he
00:14:45
doesn't have to do much to sell the
00:14:46
opportunity to his Network for these
00:14:49
women the opportunity to watch this
00:14:50
artist perform live to skip the line to
00:14:53
drink and sit at a private table all for
00:14:55
free is too good to pass up but to
00:14:57
maximize earnings the club has made Jay
00:14:59
and all the promoters fit all their
00:15:01
ladies into this one table so that they
00:15:03
can keep the rest to sell to paying
00:15:05
customers the table is small and there's
00:15:07
not enough room or much value for Jay to
00:15:09
stand there the whole night once the
00:15:11
venue gets packed especially at his
00:15:12
height as the night unfolds Jay gives up
00:15:15
his spot at the table to his ladies and
00:15:16
moves around the venue all while working
00:15:18
on his phone he's messaging the next
00:15:20
wave of women answering questions
00:15:22
providing directions monitoring etas and
00:15:25
selling tables to the men in his Network
00:15:27
Jay's magic is in his numbers most
00:15:30
promoters rely on Instagram posts flyers
00:15:32
and Facebook groups and Word of Mouth to
00:15:34
build up their networks this organic
00:15:36
approach to growth is effective But
00:15:37
ultimately slow with the help of a
00:15:39
childhood friend Jay has built a system
00:15:41
in which his Rolodex of men and women
00:15:43
grow every hour every day even when he's
00:15:45
at his day job and not just on the
00:15:47
nights that he's working in business
00:15:49
knowing what you're good at is 80% of
00:15:51
the battle and Jay strengths are as in
00:15:52
person skills his friend in contrast is
00:15:55
great with computers has a killer
00:15:57
texting game but doesn't drink and has
00:15:59
weaker interpersonal skills what Jay and
00:16:01
his friend have done is they've combined
00:16:02
their strengths and they've built a
00:16:04
system that Aggregates all the potential
00:16:05
sources of where Define women and men
00:16:08
who want to go clubbing Jay has profiles
00:16:10
on Tinder hinge and Bumble where he
00:16:12
writes in his bio that he's a promoter
00:16:14
the clubs that he works at what women
00:16:16
can expect when they match and all of
00:16:17
these accounts are actually managed by
00:16:19
his friend his friend swipes right on
00:16:21
everyone handles every conversation
00:16:23
answers questions directs every match to
00:16:25
Jay's Instagram and Records where each
00:16:27
woman wants to go clubbing their
00:16:29
availability requests and musical
00:16:31
interests the last part is especially
00:16:33
key since every nightclub specializes in
00:16:35
a certain type of music by the time
00:16:37
Friday rolls around Jay's friend has
00:16:39
already organized for him all the
00:16:41
contacts based on their likelihood of
00:16:42
response and where the criteria of the
00:16:44
club matches the preference of the
00:16:46
individual then it's off to Jay like
00:16:48
tonight to do the rest in person the
00:16:51
ladies that Jay brought in tonight
00:16:52
thought they were talking to Jay but in
00:16:54
most cases they were actually talking to
00:16:55
his friend behind the scenes the entire
00:16:57
time profile right we just pretty much
00:17:00
um we show like who I am we explain like
00:17:04
what what I'm doing um what I'm into my
00:17:06
interest is like and I would say like I
00:17:08
would never sh about clubbing I'm known
00:17:09
for DJing of course I'm a big I'm big DJ
00:17:12
here um and pretty much I'm go here the
00:17:15
tender you know we just kind of explain
00:17:17
what I'm doing what's my job um what
00:17:20
what ladies can do when they come to the
00:17:22
club when they come in and say my name
00:17:23
that's to tell you on everything so
00:17:25
pretty much with that being said um they
00:17:28
they can come in
00:17:29
um depending on the artist depending on
00:17:30
the night depending on how big the night
00:17:32
is when they come in they will say you
00:17:34
know they'll say my name they'll say J
00:17:35
all access of course um and pretty much
00:17:37
they they come in I would come and get
00:17:38
them um we just walk them to the table
00:17:40
and then from there they just pretty
00:17:42
much they sit down drink have fun you
00:17:43
know just typical things that the the
00:17:46
you know ladies we do at the club and
00:17:47
then from there you know it just goes on
00:17:49
rest of the night you see on Instagram
00:17:51
there's a lot of messages to the point
00:17:52
where like I can't even scroll down to
00:17:54
the point where like they have to load
00:17:56
it's just a lot of messages usually we
00:17:58
keep certain girls in our primary
00:18:00
messages and then in general right now
00:18:02
okay so he did move so in general we we
00:18:04
change up throughout the day so pretty
00:18:06
much in general um we have our top
00:18:08
quality girls and then in our private
00:18:09
messages we have the girls that kind of
00:18:11
want to go to similar places but like oh
00:18:14
kind of like at the level of like okay
00:18:16
yeah they can go to this club they can
00:18:17
go to this club but we kind of usually
00:18:19
separate them in our general messages we
00:18:20
usually have the top-notch quality girls
00:18:22
10 out of 10 the clubs that we know that
00:18:24
they can get into no matter how they
00:18:26
look or what they like cuz just fact
00:18:28
just like that quality that's how
00:18:30
quality that the club want and then in
00:18:32
our primary messages we really have the
00:18:33
girls that just want to go anywhere you
00:18:35
just want to party and everything um but
00:18:37
they're not like Top Notch their system
00:18:40
and network has gotten so expansive that
00:18:42
they get inquiries from people out of
00:18:44
state who are coming to Chicago for a
00:18:45
weekend and want to go clubbing and
00:18:47
there are just so many messages every
00:18:49
week that they have to regularly clear
00:18:50
out the backlog on every single app just
00:18:52
to separate the new from the old backed
00:18:55
by this system Jay brings in roughly 150
00:18:57
to 250 women every weekend across
00:19:00
multiple clubs in Chicago as the lines
00:19:02
start to wrap around the block it
00:19:04
becomes harder for Jay to bring women in
00:19:06
with the venue almost at capacity the
00:19:08
bouncers outside are getting a lot more
00:19:10
selective about who they led into the
00:19:11
club they're taking measure of how each
00:19:13
person is dressed how they look if they
00:19:15
seem like Spenders and what they'll add
00:19:17
to the crowd the only people that are
00:19:19
getting to skip the line and aren't
00:19:20
having a hard time getting in in this
00:19:22
freezing cold are the ones buying tables
00:19:24
not even Jay's ladies are getting a pass
00:19:26
and Jay has to personally vouch for them
00:19:28
to get them into the venue how Jay
00:19:30
handles this scenario is a great example
00:19:32
of how important connections and
00:19:34
etiquette are in Nightlife promoters are
00:19:36
ultimately Outsiders in the org chart of
00:19:38
a nightclub they simply don't exist
00:19:40
promoters are not employees of the club
00:19:42
they work alongside the venue staff but
00:19:44
they're not co-workers in the Controlled
00:19:47
Chaos of a nightclub name dropping gets
00:19:49
you nowhere and even a longtime promoter
00:19:51
as respected as Jay still ranks Below in
00:19:54
priority to a paying customer good
00:19:56
promoters understand this hierarchy and
00:19:58
when liquidate their political Capital
00:20:00
to make things happen in this part of
00:20:02
the venue what the bouncer says goes
00:20:04
bouncers are more than just security
00:20:06
they're how the club enforces its
00:20:07
preferences and hold the promoters
00:20:09
accountable it's bouncers who protect
00:20:11
the club's interests and unilaterally
00:20:13
decide if any individual fits the club's
00:20:15
requirements of attractiveness and this
00:20:17
applies even to the people that the
00:20:18
promoters are bringing in bouncers can
00:20:20
find any reason to deny entry to anyone
00:20:23
and a good promoter needs to Advocate to
00:20:25
get their ladies in Jay has to exercise
00:20:28
patience and only once the balancer has
00:20:30
shown that he's ready to listen can Jay
00:20:31
make a case for why his women should be
00:20:33
led in despite his long-standing
00:20:35
reputation at this venue Jay ultimately
00:20:37
doesn't get any special treatment after
00:20:39
a quick back and forth Jay reaches a
00:20:41
deal with the bouncer so so kind of like
00:20:44
What's happen right now pretty much like
00:20:46
I said like when girls come on this I
00:20:48
have to negotiate something pretty much
00:20:51
so like for today there's a group right
00:20:53
here that's behind me um pretty much um
00:20:56
the only good negotiation was to pay $20
00:20:58
that was the only negoti if not then
00:21:00
they couldn't come in so that's pretty
00:21:02
much what they're doing right now
00:21:03
they're just pretty much charging them $
00:21:05
for most of the women that Jay is
00:21:06
bringing in tonight this is actually
00:21:08
their first time meeting him in person
00:21:10
Jay takes the extra step to make these
00:21:12
women feel at ease by waiting for them
00:21:13
outside before they arrive introducing
00:21:16
himself escorting them through security
00:21:18
and walking them into the venue once the
00:21:20
group is inside the club he points out
00:21:21
where the table is how to get in how to
00:21:24
reach out to him if they have a problem
00:21:26
but for the ladies that Jay's bringing
00:21:27
in he explains to them that they can go
00:21:29
to the table and get their free drinks
00:21:31
but they can only sit and stay there
00:21:32
once they see someone else leave the
00:21:34
small table has complicated Logistics
00:21:36
and that it's not easy for Jay to keep
00:21:38
track of who's where his ladies are
00:21:40
spread all over the venue some are at
00:21:42
the table others are at the bar and a
00:21:44
few more are downstairs at coach Jay
00:21:46
makes himself tall and walks through the
00:21:48
entire venue regularly so it's easy for
00:21:50
his ladies to spot him if they need
00:21:52
anything and sure enough another
00:21:53
unforeseen issue occurs one of his
00:21:55
ladies calls over to him and points out
00:21:57
a man who's been harassed her friends on
00:21:59
the Dance Floor Jay immediately tails
00:22:01
the culprit reports the problem to the
00:22:03
nearest staff member points out the man
00:22:04
in question explains the situation to
00:22:06
security and make certain with
00:22:08
management that the man is never allowed
00:22:10
back into the venue this is something
00:22:11
that only Jay can pull off given his
00:22:13
familiarity and political Capital at
00:22:15
this venue because the staff know him
00:22:17
and he knows them they can take Jay's
00:22:19
words at face value and instantly act
00:22:22
once the situation is resolved Jay
00:22:24
checks back in with the lady he provides
00:22:26
an update makes sure she and her friends
00:22:27
are okay apologizes for what happened
00:22:30
and thanks her for raising the issue in
00:22:32
an environment as chaotic dark and
00:22:34
crowded as a nightclub communication can
00:22:36
be difficult trust is expensive and
00:22:38
simple messages turn into long-winded
00:22:40
games of telephone as a promoter you
00:22:42
have to use the limited tools you have
00:22:44
at your disposal to provide a good safe
00:22:46
and comfortable experience for all the
00:22:48
people you bring in and for Jay to do
00:22:50
this as an outsider is no small feat on
00:22:53
this Saturday night Jay brought in the
00:22:55
most women out of any promoter at this
00:22:57
venue and earned $150
00:22:59
at a flat rate of $5 per lady but since
00:23:01
Jay also sold tables to the men in his
00:23:03
Network he earned an extra $350 for a
00:23:06
total of $500 and just like Derek before
00:23:09
these are just the numbers from one
00:23:11
venue as a promoter you can take your
00:23:13
entourage to other venues and get paid
00:23:15
multiple times in the same night for
00:23:16
having the same people Jay eventually
00:23:18
brought his group from this club to a
00:23:20
different club and earned a grand total
00:23:22
of $990 for this Saturday
00:23:27
night
00:23:29
as we've seen with Jay and Derek
00:23:30
promoting is ultimately a numbers game
00:23:32
where the more women you bring in the
00:23:34
more you get paid but is it possible to
00:23:36
fill a club on Wednesdays and Thursdays
00:23:39
can a promoter create an experience
00:23:41
that's fun for men and women and along
00:23:43
the way generate even greater business
00:23:45
for a club meet Eric Boss a veteran of
00:23:47
the Chicago nightlife scene who's
00:23:49
redefining the value that promoters can
00:23:51
create it's 900 p.m. on a Thursday and
00:23:54
Eric is at his apartment doing the final
00:23:56
touches for his house and Sushi party
00:23:58
he's coordinating with venue staff on
00:24:00
his phone reviewing his to-do list
00:24:02
texting his team and posting Instagram
00:24:04
stories to Hype up his party no detail
00:24:06
is too small and no part of the
00:24:08
experience can be compromised there's
00:24:10
bubble guns cash cannons sunglasses
00:24:13
megaphones light sticks and even custom
00:24:16
fortune cookies branded with Eric's
00:24:17
Instagram handle all of which will be
00:24:19
given away for free over the course of
00:24:21
the party there's so many props that the
00:24:24
only way to get it all from his
00:24:25
apartment to The Venue is with moving
00:24:27
boxes and in luggage Eric is a one-man
00:24:30
Army he's the planner designer host and
00:24:33
Maestro for each of his parties and this
00:24:35
Thursday is no different nightclubs
00:24:37
generally only operate Fridays to
00:24:39
Sundays unless there's a famous artist
00:24:41
or a major holiday there's typically not
00:24:43
enough customers for a club to justify
00:24:45
opening Monday to Thursday the target
00:24:48
audience for Eric's parties are not
00:24:49
social lights and Wealthy Elites but
00:24:51
rather everyday men and women there's no
00:24:54
ticket no cover at the door no strict
00:24:56
RSVPs and no emphasis on the traditional
00:24:58
nightlife factors of gender
00:25:00
attractiveness or wealth for club Owners
00:25:02
Eric's value proposition is powerful
00:25:05
immediate impact is one is that they
00:25:07
wouldn't have that many people they
00:25:09
wouldn't have that much revenue they
00:25:10
wouldn't have that Allure on a on a
00:25:13
weekday it this wouldn't happen and it
00:25:15
gives them a different demographic too
00:25:18
because automatically when I am with a a
00:25:22
club I do my party you're getting my
00:25:24
network you're getting my social media
00:25:26
Network you're getting my network of
00:25:27
friends have people that come to my
00:25:29
parties that support eyes on the party
00:25:32
eyes on the venue that would not
00:25:35
normally be there automatically now I'm
00:25:37
doing the marketing and I'm also giving
00:25:38
the experience so that when people come
00:25:40
there number one it's different than any
00:25:43
other night of placees open so it's
00:25:46
giving them an experience there that
00:25:49
they're not going to get any other time
00:25:51
and it's definitely something that's you
00:25:54
saw very very fun but something that's
00:25:56
now they're going to remember that place
00:25:57
forever
00:25:58
forever you're going to remember that um
00:26:01
and it's just one of those parties that
00:26:04
it just takes one time because any other
00:26:07
time they go there it's not going to
00:26:08
feel the same it's not going to look the
00:26:09
same it's not going to be the same so
00:26:11
that will be forever etched in your head
00:26:13
why why Ben you bring me on because uh
00:26:16
at least with two of my parties in
00:26:17
particular is because I set the tone for
00:26:19
the rest of the night whereas if some
00:26:22
some parties are only late night and so
00:26:25
if that party was just to start late
00:26:27
night
00:26:28
it would be dead right from the start
00:26:30
but that's why with my parties I set the
00:26:32
tone create the vibe where people could
00:26:35
come in and it's already an environment
00:26:37
where it could Thrive at that point
00:26:39
otherwise it would not on the way to the
00:26:41
club Eric picks up Sushi from a fancy
00:26:43
restaurant which he'll later hand out to
00:26:45
every person at the party and he never
00:26:47
stops responding to the hundreds of
00:26:48
messages blowing up his phone based on
00:26:51
who comes into the venue and when every
00:26:53
party to some degree takes on its own
00:26:55
energy life and Tempo Eric arrives at
00:26:58
the venue he sets up the station he
00:27:00
reviews the game plan with his assistant
00:27:01
and the Party begins shortly after as
00:27:03
the first people trickle in even at
00:27:05
opening Eric is in the thick of it he's
00:27:08
running around thanking people for
00:27:09
coming out reminding his team to
00:27:11
interact with every single guest handing
00:27:13
out fortune cookies making it rain with
00:27:15
a cash Cannon blasting sirens on his
00:27:18
megaphone handing out bubble guns to
00:27:20
anyone who looks bored and giving
00:27:21
pointers to the DJ on what to play and
00:27:23
when Eric doesn't just plan the party
00:27:25
and host it by name he is the party and
00:27:28
is the conductor of this Orchestra
00:27:30
everything that happens has a purpose
00:27:32
and Eric is constantly reading the room
00:27:34
to determine when and how to elevate the
00:27:36
energy every prop snack and Entertainer
00:27:39
are all surprises that Eric
00:27:41
strategically reveals to the crowd as
00:27:43
the night progresses even though Eric
00:27:45
throws these parties every week there's
00:27:47
just no set formula tonight he's handing
00:27:49
out fortune cookies and sushi but on
00:27:51
other nights and at other parties he's
00:27:53
given away fries from McDonald's
00:27:55
frosties from Wendy's sliders from White
00:27:57
Castle and chocolate strawberries before
00:28:00
all this Eric had worked over 10 years
00:28:02
as a traditional promoter for various
00:28:04
clubs around Chicago he had long felt
00:28:06
that the conventional focus on filling
00:28:08
tables with women to be too simplistic
00:28:10
in his mind if a venue is busy if the
00:28:12
space is packed and if people feel like
00:28:14
they're part of the party that's
00:28:16
ultimately all that matters Eric's
00:28:18
parties like tonight Are by Design
00:28:20
inclusive non-pretentious unorthodox
00:28:22
environments where you don't have to be
00:28:24
rich to be a 10 out of 10 or to flex to
00:28:26
have a good time everywhere you look on
00:28:29
this Thursday night something is
00:28:30
happening bubbles are flying in the air
00:28:33
snacks are being handed out for free
00:28:35
there's a body painting show on stage
00:28:36
and bills are raining down from the
00:28:38
ceiling and since people are seeing Eric
00:28:40
Champion embody these Vibes all night
00:28:42
long the energy is contagious Eric gives
00:28:45
and people give back not everyone at
00:28:48
this club is here for Eric's party but
00:28:50
the energy is so Dynamic that they just
00:28:52
end up staying sure enough as the night
00:28:54
unfolds people start buying tables
00:28:56
bottle service and drinks at the far and
00:28:58
Eric makes himself present to connect
00:29:00
with every individual but even as the
00:29:03
party picks up towards midnight Eric
00:29:05
gets even busier he flies around from
00:29:07
the floor to the kitchen to the storage
00:29:09
setting up the lights for the next
00:29:10
Entertainer checking in on attendees
00:29:12
delegating to his team and coordinating
00:29:14
the headline event with his staff the
00:29:17
climax of this party tonight is body
00:29:19
Sushi where attendees can eat sushi off
00:29:21
the body of a woman that Eric Wheels
00:29:23
around on the dance floor and this is
00:29:25
just house and sushi at Eric's other
00:29:27
parties you have pole dancers sword
00:29:29
swallowers fire breathers dominatrixes
00:29:31
and more nothing ever repeats and every
00:29:34
party has its own theme entertainers and
00:29:36
snacks the only time Eric gives himself
00:29:39
a break is to scarf down his dinner
00:29:41
consisting of a single protein bar but
00:29:43
even then he's still wired in he's
00:29:45
responding to messages posting stories
00:29:47
to get more people to come to the party
00:29:49
replenishing props and monitoring The
00:29:51
Vibes as soon as he's done eating Eric
00:29:53
is right back on the Dance Floor
00:29:54
directing coordinating and interacting
00:29:57
Eric's part Parties By Design Peak at
00:29:59
midnight and then conclude at 1:00 a.m.
00:30:01
so The Vibes energy and people carry on
00:30:04
until the Club closes at 4:00 a.m. the
00:30:06
bartenders can barely keep up the
00:30:08
bottles keep flowing the tables are
00:30:10
packed and people keep streaming in no
00:30:13
other club in Chicago is this Lively
00:30:15
animated and crowded on this Thursday
00:30:17
night and for the people that are coming
00:30:18
out this venue is the hottest place to
00:30:21
be this in a nutshell is the valley that
00:30:23
Eric creates by the end of his party
00:30:25
Eric is spent but even as Eric de
00:30:28
compresses he can't ever fully turn off
00:30:30
he's still on his phone catching up on
00:30:32
messages posting highlights of tonight's
00:30:34
party to his followers and pushing this
00:30:35
club for anyone still looking to go out
00:30:37
on this Thursday night in business
00:30:39
greater value creation often translates
00:30:41
to greater value capture and Eric is a
00:30:43
great example of this Eric can fill a
00:30:46
club between 150 to 200 people on a
00:30:48
single night with one of his parties
00:30:50
while clubs pay promotors between $5 to
00:30:53
$7 flat for every woman that they bring
00:30:55
in Eric earns a $500 base and takes 10%
00:30:59
of the bar revenue for each of his
00:31:00
parties on this Thursday night for house
00:31:03
and Sushi Eric earned
00:31:06
$1,875 after paying for the snacks props
00:31:09
DJs and entertainers his take-home was
00:31:13
$1,100 with four parties in Chicago
00:31:15
every week Eric Nets between $3,000 to
00:31:17
$4,000 a week on the low end while the
00:31:21
money is solid it's not his primary
00:31:23
motivation Chicago is his home and these
00:31:25
parties are like Eric's children their
00:31:27
labor of love and that passion is what
00:31:29
keeps him going every Wednesday to
00:31:31
Saturday every week all year long
00:31:33
sometimes during the night I will things
00:31:37
move so fast and I never really get to
00:31:39
stop and smell the roses right and
00:31:42
certain times I will just stop there and
00:31:44
just look around and then I'll see a
00:31:47
person with a bubble gun here I'll see
00:31:48
girls screaming over here I see a person
00:31:50
with eating the food that I gave him
00:31:52
there and I de to myself like this is I
00:31:54
created that you know and it's
00:31:55
validation there cuz it's it's what I do
00:31:57
it's what I live eat and breathe um and
00:32:00
it's experience that you don't get
00:32:01
anywhere else and that's what I try to
00:32:03
do I I'm constantly thriving to do
00:32:05
things that you don't feel or see other
00:32:07
places and I think I do a really good
00:32:08
job at it I mean it's I'm now doing it
00:32:11
four times a week so but it's constantly
00:32:13
just thinking of different things that
00:32:15
are number one able to do in a club um
00:32:19
because there's certain things that you
00:32:20
can't just do in a club uh and I feel
00:32:22
like it's just something that's you
00:32:24
don't get anywhere else I haven't seen
00:32:25
anywhere else so I feel like that's a
00:32:27
pretty good starting point um but I've
00:32:31
also found it too that usually anything
00:32:33
that you play with when you're a toy you
00:32:35
know I mean when you're a kid anything
00:32:36
you play with when you're a kid is
00:32:39
translatable into the club when you're
00:32:41
when you're partying um and I feel
00:32:44
that's another thing I do is I in I
00:32:45
unleash the inner child in people and I
00:32:47
see it constantly when you give a bubble
00:32:49
gun to a girl or to anyone usually the
00:32:52
Elation the the screaming The Joy like
00:32:53
you don't see that anywhere else so I
00:32:56
just feel like maybe it's not that
00:32:58
important there at the moment but it
00:33:00
definitely feels good looks good and I
00:33:03
know that person is feeling good his
00:33:04
long-term strategy is to bring his
00:33:06
parties Beyond Chicago to help Drive
00:33:08
business for other club Owners on their
00:33:10
slow nights and to give people in other
00:33:11
cities an unorthodox inclusive
00:33:14
non-judgmental nightlife experience that
00:33:16
they can't get anywhere
00:33:18
else nightclubs are a secretive business
00:33:21
where information and numbers are rarely
00:33:23
ever shared with Outsiders but through
00:33:25
the grind of Eric Jay and Derek we can
00:33:27
see that Chicago nightlife is ultimately
00:33:29
no different than any other industry
00:33:31
where the Core Business principles of
00:33:32
differentiation professionalism and
00:33:34
value creation still apply from the
00:33:37
outside being a club promoter looks like
00:33:38
a fun and glamorous job where you're
00:33:40
paid to party but in reality there's
00:33:42
nothing easy about it to be great at any
00:33:45
job requires hard work and while most of
00:33:47
the world is in bed sleeping from 10:
00:33:49
p.m. to 4:00 a.m. on a Thursday Friday
00:33:51
or Saturday people like Jay Eric and
00:33:54
Derek are all working making the
00:33:55
nightclubs in their town the hottest
00:33:57
place to
00:34:06
be