Mob Deep

Of the many other new clubs recently opened here - none of them stood out.
Each of them failed to create a distinct identity for itself and each diluted the crowds from the others.
The young hustlers were on the verge of going under.
"Thirty percent of something is better than one-hundred percent of nothing.", I said to a group of young club owners and promoters.
"Y'all need to stop cutting each others throats and begin to form alliances which will allow you to buy more in bulk, exchange resources and contacts and limit your liabilities.", I continued.

I again used the Mafia imagery to express that each boss was the head of his own family and that they only came together to ensure a more stable business environment.
A summit was held between rival factions in the Street Money-level club game.
Alliances were formed and investments were secured.
These young guys understood what many other older club owners failed to.
That by structuring the business in a selfishly-cooperative model - each club could help the others grow and prosper.
That by doing so, each club owner and/or promoter was creating an owner class that would feed off of the consumer class without having to constantly battle each other for the consumer class' resources.

Another Dust Bowl ?

I guess we should get used to climate change - whether man made or cyclical.
In my neighborhood, the most noticeable effects of our dwindling water supply are the tree service trucks removing generations old trees from manicured lawns and foundation leveling trucks trying to keep homes from falling apart.

More Poor

To continue a thread found on SeeNew's page...
http://money.cnn.com/interactive/economy/suburban-poverty/
(Discus wouldn't let me comment.)

 But no one told people to feign a lifestyle which was not their own.
What were once thought to be luxury brands can now be seen on even those from the poorest areas.

 What kids needs a pair of $500 Jordans?

 Does everyone in the hood have to drive a C-Class Benz?

Who told people that it is better to watch the lives of others on a television they cannot afford than it is to make their own lives better?

Whatever happened to "Makin' it do what it do"?

Abercrombie Man

It's just the image they're trying to sell - not the reality.
'Sex Symbol' Rock Hudson starred in a movie in which he played a fishing expert who had never even fished.
The thing about the movie that stood out was that Rock played a character who worked at Abercrombie & Finch.
(Their 'Ideal Man' was a gay dude who had to pretend to be straight in order to work?)
They're just trying to sell an image y'all - the reality doesn't matter.

I (Kinda') Understand

 

 They're trying to sell an image closer to this...

NOT this...!!!

King of Clubs ?

I hate running nightclubs - I'm just good at it.

 

I love it when people come to the club after a hard day or week at work - I enjoy their celebrations.

I hate when people come in to pretend that everything is alright for a few hours only to return to lives most of them hate.

To balance the distaste, I fill my personal hours with philanthropy.

After hours spent seeing the worst in many people, I try to help others build lives from which they feel no need to escape.

 

People often assume that the guy behind the bar always knows what's up.

In the end, the guy behind the bar always ends up knowing what's up.

 

 

In the nightclub business there is no need to seek the latest gossip and/or rumours - most people will tell you all of their business on their own.

The better one is at keeping these secrets - the better one does in business.

(Although, sometimes secrets must be relayed to the appropriate parties to ensure that no mess starts over a simple misunderstanding.)

 

Most of my nights at the club are spent connecting people with their desired contacts while giving only vague descriptions of the problems to be solved.

Most of my nights are spent schmoozing, flattering and sometimes lying to guests. (Sorry, but if you look like Precious you're probably not going to be able to hook up with The Rock. But I have to make even the most unattractive women feel as though such a hookup is possible.)

When people come to me with problems, most assume that I have the right business card from the person who can help them solve them.

Most of my nights are spent pretending as though I'm not working and that I'm just having fun.

 

 

But success brings imitation.

Success bring jealousy and envy.

Once one has made the effort to get to the top, the hard work then begins to stay at the top.

 

In the past two months; five new nightclubs have opened up which target many from the same demographics my club relies upon, two of my employees died, we lost our parking lease (The owner of the property said we were making too much money.) and my partners have become upset that I get all of the media coverage.

"Beware the Ides of March", was an apt warning in my case.

 

We're still full most nights but it seems that everyone now thinks that they can run a nightclub these days.

I still host two community oriented benefits a month giving the money to our guest's favorite charities but that is getting tough to do - I have employees who need to be paid and who rely on their jobs here.

I still help younger promoters, club owners and vendors but that is hard to do when they are helping my competition to succeed.

I still pour the best drinks at the lowest possible price points but with so many new clubs now open our liquor reps don't have the same resources dedicated to hooking us up as much as they used to.

 

It's funny, a group of teachers told me that I am still the 'King of Beaumont', it's just that my crown is just a bit smaller than it was before.