Think about the most successful businesses that you frequent each day: Starbucks, 24HourFitness, Albertson’s, McDonalds (hopefully not everyday….but I had a 2 yesterday)  One thing I love about my suburban town is that everything is brand spankin’ new.  The SanTan Village Mall is immaculate.  It has every store I could ever shop at: Sunglass Hut, Express, Victoria Secret, Dairy Queen, Cantina Laredo, Blue Wasabi, Kona Grill, Gordon Biersch…

My one complaint is that the restaurants are all chains.  Sure the granite bars are sparkly, the tile grout is still white, and the walls don’t have any scuff marks on them…but they’re exactly the same as the locations in Scottsdale, Vegas, Dallas, or Detroit.  I miss the smaller mom-and-pop restaurants of San Francisco and DC.

Why aren’t there more individually owned restaurants in suburbia?  Profitability.  It takes a lot of money to open a brick and morter business.  My friend wanted to open a tanning salon, and the bank required 1/2 million in personal liquid assets before they would ever consider loaning her the rest.  Then it was another 3-5 years until she could realistically expect a profit.  It is much more cost effective for a budding restaurantuer to invest in a proven franchise system than it is to re-invent the wheel.  Although it puts consumers at a disadvantage by creating lack of choice, it puts the business owner in a more favorable position.

Can this apply to stripping?  I think it can.  Strip Clubs are tapping into it.  Have you noticed that more and more independent clubs are being bought out by national chains like Ricks (ticker symbol RICK) Spearmint Rhino, Deja Vu and regional chains like Delilahs, The Dollhouse, Solid Gold, Pure Platinum, and Christie’s Cabaret.  I expect these corporate chains to absorb more clubs as the recession erodes Average Joe’s spending at the local titty bar.

For entertainers struggling to make ends meet during this economic recession….what is your system?  What methods of persuasion do you you employ when talking to patrons?  Hint: “Wanna Dance” doesn’t cut it.  Neither does babbling about your baby, rent, and luxury car that is about to get re-posessed.

I’ve mentored several new dancers, some in my club, some not.  I have an abundance mentality so I don’t think that if she’s making money then it must be taking some away from me.  Quite the opposite in fact.  The more I help her make, the more the karmic laws of the universe will eventually  return it to me.

5:32 PM - 2 Comments – 4 Kudos – Add Comment – Edit - Remove

ReCap

I originally typed this on my blackberry as Mr V. and I were driving through Wikiup.  Unfortunately, there is no cell phone service, let alone wireless Internet on that stretch of Route 93.

What a phenomenal week in Vegas!  Not only did I pick up some cash at Treasures, have fun with friends and business associates, but I also learned a lot about myself and how to deal with others.

Self improvement should be a part of everyone’s life.  If you are lucky enough to work for a company that provides this type of training: do yourself a favor, take the time, money, and energy to discover your weaknesses, methods to manage them, and how to push yourself to a higher level you didn’t know was possible. 

One quote that resonated loudly to me this weekend was from Marc Accetta, “Whether you are Christian, Jewish, Buddist or Atheist…the universe does not reward those who lie, cheat and steal.  So if you are dishonest in your business practices…is it really any wonder that your business ultimately fails.”

It is such a simple concept, one that we are taught from birth.  Yet, I immediately had a flashback to the CCP meeting last week when my manager was telling us that we would lose customers if we told them we had boyfriends/husbands.  I also have co-workers who disagree with my honest approach.  Rightfully so, as I have watched them receive hundreds of thousands of dollars from “white knights”  Ironically, they are also the ones that ultimately and retire prematurely because they just can’t do it anymore and stripping created too many personal problems.

Really?  Was it the stripping…or the lying?

2:09 PM - 7 Comments – 10 Kudos – Add Comment – Edit - Remove