Panels & Seminars 2017
There are more reasons than ever for you as a club owner to not only attend the 2017 Gentlemen’s Club Expo but to also bring key personnel from your club to this year’s August 27-30 show at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. EXPO 2017 will again feature panels and seminars tailored to club owners as well as club personnel, from GMs to security to bartenders. Check back as we announce specific panel topics and speakers in the coming months. Below is a look at the panels and seminars from the 2016 EXPO.
“I got to put something from EXPO to use already. A customer came in and I escorted him to the bar to take his admission fee. He says, ‘Where have you been? I was here earlier and you weren’t.’ I ask when he was here, and he says a half hour ago. I tell him I have been in the club for hours. The customer says, ‘No, I was here for like 20 minutes just sitting here.’ Now my instinct is to continue explaining that he is mistaken, but I recall from one of the EXPO panels that being right isn’t as important as having a happy customer. So I apologized for the inconvenience and bought him a drink. Now my happy customer is buying private dances instead of complaining about the club. Thanks to whichever speaker got through to me."
— Stephen Dick, Nite Moves Gentlemen’s Club, Latham, NY
Survey Says ...
EXPO 2017 Panels and Speakers:
Monday: WELCOME TO THE FUTURE!
 Smartphones & the future of five-inch marketing11:30 am - 12:30 pm, Monday, Aug. 28 “The only way you’re going to reach a Millennial is through their phone. If you can’t get to a person’s phone, you’re not getting to them, period.” So says Dennis DeGori, owner of the incredibly successful E11EVEN Miami club. The future of adult club marketing measures a mere five inches—the standard size of a smart phone’s display. Look around. Young people don’t wear watches, use GPS systems, or use desktop computers. They access information and entertainment via their smartphone. Our smartphone marketing experts will explain how to get your club’s brand and marketing message directly in the hands of potential customers via their smartphone on such platforms as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and others. Speakers: |
 Developing your exit strategy—NOW!1-2 pm, Monday, Aug. 28 If you’re considering selling your club and moving on into retirement—or even if you’re not ready to sell—there are things you can do to today to increase the overall value of your club. If you do sell, chances are your club will be purchased by an existing adult nightclub owner. Our panel of experts will include Jim St. John of Spearmint Rhino, Eric Langan of Rick’s Cabaret and Jerry Westlund of the Pony Clubs, club owners and chain operators who have purchased dozens of the adult clubs sold over the past 20 years. They will tell owners exactly what they’re looking for when evaluating a club for potential purchase. This advice will also help those owners who are not necessarily looking to sell just yet, but are looking for ways to increase the financial stature of their business and increase its value. This critical area of information will be covered by Realtor Winston Hines, who has specialized in the purchase and sale of adult nightclubs for over 15 years. |
 The future of your DJ softwareBreak-Out DJ Seminar, presented by Dennis Shaw of Virtual DJ 1-2 pm, Monday, Aug. 28 It’s been estimated that 80%, maybe 90%, of adult nightclubs and their DJs utilize the Virtual DJ software for playing and mixing music. But how many of these clubs and DJs are getting the most out of this software? At EXPO 2017, Dennis Shaw of Virtual DJ will be presenting the “The future of your DJ software” break-out seminar. The main thrust of Shaw’s presentation will revolve around the latest updates to the Virtual DJ software which, according to Shaw, many clubs have been hesitant to update to. “We’re hearing that DJs and clubs aren’t updating the software because they feel, ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,’ or they simply don’t want to have to ‘learn’ a whole new program,” says Shaw. “But the truth is, it isn’t a ‘whole new program’ and it’s really easy to update the software — and it’s free!”
|
Tuesday: WELCOME TO THE FUTURE!
 Crisis Control: Remedies NOW for future events10:30-11:30 am, Tuesday, Aug. 29 Nothing beats on-the-job training and learn-by-example work experience. But some situations need to be addressed and contingency plans implemented before a crisis occurs. The mantra of the TV show Big Brother is “Expect the unexpected,” and it’s an excellent idea for club operators to also train their staff to be prepared for the unexpected. Our panel of seasoned club operators and industry pros—including attorney Luke Lirot, Nightclub & Security Consultants’ Robert Smith and Rick’s Cabaret Entertainment Director DJ Platypus—will share interesting and frightening stories of unexpected crises they have dealt with and the remedies they came up with in those situations. Their trial-by-fire experiences could save you in the future! |
Keynote Address by Dan Lier: Many a club owner has lamented the newest generation of club employees and entertainers. They don’t know how to hire them, or talk to them, or reach them, or train them, or motivate them. They simply don’t “understand” them. But when your club relies on these 20-something employees and entertainers —and customers — in order to have a successful business, throwing up your hands in despair isn’t exactly a winning strategy. But at EXPO 2017, that “winning strategy” for connecting with the millennial and centennial generations will be provided by Las Vegas’ number-one motivational speaker, Dan Lier. For more information on Dan Lier, visit DanLier.com or see these videos of Dan's presentations: |
Wednesday: WELCOME TO THE FUTURE!
|
Politicians, liquor control boards and law enforcement: These are areas that can give club owners and operators nightmares. But what if you could get inside information and advice from key figures in each of these areas, information and advice that can help you foster a position relationship with these entities? At this EXPO seminar, we will feature three such individuals—Charles Wilson, retired commander of the Detroit Police Department; Scott Ellis, Executive Director of the Michigan Licensed Beverage Association (MLBA); and Michigan State Representative Harvey Santana, the most powerful Democrat in the State of Michigan—who will help club owners and operators to demystify the relationships with each of these three crucial areas of government and law enforcement. |
|
Over the past 25 years, ED readers and EXPO attendees have read and heard so much in regard to dancer classification; most recently, they’ve heard countless stories about the dancer class-action lawsuits that have become the scourge of the adult nightclub industry. But there’s one side of this issue that has not been discussed at length at EXPO or in the pages of this magazine. That is, what EXACTLY does it mean to classify entertainers as employees? What would a club owner need to do to make that conversion, what are the potential benefits and risks, and how will entertainers react to being “hired” as employees rather than remaining “independent”? These are the questions that will be answered at the 2017 EXPO’s Legal Panel. Participants in this panel include Joey Bien, owner of The Treasure Clubs, who has converted four of his clubs to the employee model for entertainers, as well as two labor attorneys—Rey Velazquez and Jeffrey Kimmel—who are experts in this area and can explain all of the legalities associated with such a conversion. Click here! |
|
From the initial purchase to repair and replacement of your sound and lighting system, it can be a huge investment. Improperly installed and or maintained equipment can cost a fortune; equipment failure can cause loss of profits, damage to property, and even injury to customers or staff. PANDA (Professional Adult Nightclub DJ Association) invites owners, managers, and DJs to join them at EXPO 2017, where they will discuss simple maintenance techniques that clubs can perform in-house to keep their system in prime operating condition. The seminar will be presented by PANDA President Dane Hansen and PANDA Treasurer Nick Failla (also owner of Nicky Biggs Entertainment, a promotions, marketing, event management, audio & stage lighting consulting company). |
