How'd you get started?

[icey]

As one of the throngs of people around who is just trying to sort things out; I'm kind of curious about how those folks who actually do own clubs got to the point of owning a place.

The reason I ask is because of a bit of cyclical logic that I see when trying to figure out the best way to start up.

I mean, personally, I know it takes a crapload of cash to start up correctly; I've read about 12 books on the subject, and not too many days go by before I find another one that I think I ought to read to cover my bases.

Anyways, here's the impression that I get -

In order to succesfully start and run a club / bar, you already have to be a successful owner. The reason I say this is:
a) Everyone agrees that experience is one of the most important tools you can have in order to successfully own and run an operation.
b) It takes alot of money (commonly, I hear between 200k and 1 million) in order to open a place and have enough capital to fuel the first few months.
c) "Stay away from investors" - definitely a common theme.

Now, let me say that I agree with the concepts behind all of these statements 1000%, as a surviving dot-commer, this is all the stuff that everyone realized too late to survive.

With that being said; here's the problem that I see.

To get industry experience, get a job in a club or a bar. Any job. Soak everything in. Understood. But how can you amass a huge sum of cash (greater than 200k) by doing that? I just don't see it as feasible.

Personally, I'm in a unique situation that will let me end up with the appropriate amount of capital in a few years - maybe not unique; I've got a good day job, and my most recent business venture is growing more quickly than I can keep up with; combined with a monastic lifestyle that I've adopted in the interests of saving cash (goodbye BMW, goodbye business class, goodbye expensive toys). But as soon as I "quit my day job" to focus on gaining experience, those funds will start depleting...

So, how'd you do it?

[happybaboon]

Don't quit your day job ;)

The industry you're talking about is very part-time friendly -

With whatever qualifications you need, you'd hopefully pick up a managers job for 2/3 nights a week, and you'd be able to get that experience, earn some extra cash and keep your current job.

If you really want you could even get a job behind a bar - but I'm not sure how much you'd learn that way.

I'm a doorperson myself, and although I have no aspirations to ever own a bar/club I observe a lot about what makes them successful (or at least I think I do).

[keb3785]

I used to be a bartender years ago, so i gained the "behind the bar" experience already. When we decided to buy the place we own, I just decided to dive into it full force....I quit my job and became full time manager. My partners (one of which is my fiance)continue to work.

As for the start up capitol....funny thing is we had originally planned to buy a business for 215K and had the funding for it, but ended up buying one for 100K, so we lucked out. In our situation, we had the money to do it, we just had to decide what we wanted to buy.

I would say not to do anything that big until you have the money to do it. We didn't have to worry about selling everything we own, or mortgaging things to make it work..so now if something happens, we still have a roof over our head. And in our situation, having another partner softens the blow a lot too. It's not just our problem, it's his too, so every profit or loss is split with him also.....that helped a lot.

Good Luck!

[icey]

Thanks for all the input!

Luckily for me, I'm pretty well practiced at writing business plans =) (I spent a year or so writing them for other companies as part of my consulting work)