Hustle in big club vs. small club
For those of you that have worked in both ,any difference?What are the advantages and disadvantages of working in a smaller ,less busier club. Since I've been dancing I've only worked in larger, upscale clubs. Now I'm considering working at a smaller place and was just wondering some of the differences. I would think it might be a little easier if you are attractive and have a good hustle because there arent a hundred girls running around at any given time, but that could be just wishful thinking
Re: Hustle in big club vs. small club
I've never worked in a club with 100 girls working at a time, so I guess I couldn't give a good example of the differences between big and small clubs. But in the clubs where I've worked, the most important thing was always building rapport with customers. If there aren't 3873439847 men to spend money on you, you'd better make a good working relationship with the few who are there, you know? Focus on elongating time with a particular customer and make sure to build up a list of regulars to keep your garter full. If you don't think long-term with these guys, you'll run out of them a lot sooner than you would in a huge club.
With fewer girls, I'd imagine a little more competition, but possibly even better chances for teamwork, if you're into that.
Anyways, good luck with whatever you decide to do.
Re: Hustle in big club vs. small club
This is a REALLY good question, I wish more peopel were answering.
The club i've worked in forever is pretty much a "no hustle" environment, where we pretty much had to wait to be asked for a dance. I've recently switched to a new club where hustling is encouraged, but it's small and just opened. It's also in a working class neighborhood, so there's a lot of blue collar types that seem to be making it their new regular spot. There aren't a lot of cutomers yet, and it seems pretty laid back. So I'm still figuring how to hustle without being overly agressive, in a way that won't make them feel "hustled." They're all very good stage tippers. But I want to learn how to hustle dances.
A lot of the hustling advice around here seems more for large clubs. When you've got a core group of local people you have to think "long term" with, how do you balance being a fun girl they can hang out with, and still hustling to maxmize yoru earnings?
Re: Hustle in big club vs. small club
I recently made the switch and it is pretty different. Well, both clubs are the same size, but one had many more girls and drew in a much larger and diverse clientele whereas this one has a more narrow and smaller clientele and is a local place. Because this place is more of a local hangout where people come to relax you can't really be a forceful hustler, you have to be much more gentle, relaxed and overall friendly, because chances are you will definitely be seeing those same faces again. It's much more about lasting impressions I think in a smaller club. In a bigger, busier club you can afford to be more obviously mercenary. Well, it depends on how many faces you'll be seeing again I guess, regulars and all that.
Re: Hustle in big club vs. small club
If you are used to large upscale clubs you may find it difficult to make the transition to a smaller place. You generally have to spend a bit more time chatting before popping the question in smaller clubs. Also, the girls can be waaaaayyy harder to work with in smaller clubs. Everyone knows everyone's business and everyone talks shit about everybody. Club allegiances are much more obvious. Cattiness is magnified.
It's true that you may have an easier time making money if you're really hot, at first. But when the girls see you making money - ie, what they consider taking THEIR money, they'll do whatever they can to run you out. This crap is a much bigger deal in small clubs.
Can ya tell I don't love working in small clubs? ha
Re: Hustle in big club vs. small club
Isnt there an article about this on SWs front page?
NM. The link doesnt work....
Re: Hustle in big club vs. small club
I second Bridgette. I have worked mostly small to medium size clubs during my entire career. I am working in a couple of larger ones now. It took me a while to get the hustle down, but now I am enjoying it.
In a smaller club, the girls will do anything to run you out if they are threatened by you. When I went to work in the small topless club I use to work in, I got crap from a handful of girls for nearly four months! It was mostly bad vibes and stupid verbal crap, but I stuck it out.
If this happens: just be strong and be friendly with the cutsties.
Another note on a neighborhood small club: if it has been open for a while, be aware that a lot of the dancers socialize a lot with the custies. It can hurt money if you don't choose to do this (I didn't) and you may get the rep for being 'stuck up'. Because of this, during my last year there, I cut my shifts down to Fri. nights and Sun. early evening.
Fridays were good because I met new custies and made my $$ and Sundays because my older regs came in that day and they, for the most part were not interested in OTC.
Just my .02
Re: Hustle in big club vs. small club
As most SW members know , I work bookings in small rural clubs, and have been doing so for over 5 years. I am finished with big city clubs.
In my mind, big city mega clubs have waaay too many dancers for the business nowadays, and for the full time dancer who looks to make a comfortable living dancing, big mega clubs may have too many ups and downs to allow for stable earnings. of course there are a few exceptions, but that is my take on things.
Plus in being older and a woman of color, smaller clubs are more flexible in hiring.
All small clubs aren't created equal though. Rapport building is key. I tend to be an easy going person, and try to be friendly with everyone I work with, and in a small club fitting in is key. Also having owners/mgmt who you are comfortable with, and who is comfortable with you matters a lot. In other words you'll need to experiment to find the best smaller clubs that are a good fit.
Repeat customers are important when working small clubs. Building relationships with customers who like you really matters. It's not about a fast hustle typically, although on some occasions it could be. It is totally possible to make 1/3 or more of your income off of regular customers.
In the right smaller clubs, the odds of having money losing nights is much smaller, particularly if they regulate the amount of dancers, but the ability to have more than the occasional over $600 night is smaller as well. But, for the person who works regularly, the money average in my experience is more steady in the smaller clubs.
There will be some girls who are jealous because you have some money spending regulars and they don't, but most of those girls can be handled by using diplomacy in my experience. I have a costume business, and sell to the majority of the girls I work with in all the clubs I book, again with a few exceptions, so the right small clubs can be ok if you are a good fit for the clubs.
Re: Hustle in big club vs. small club
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Bridgette
If you are used to large upscale clubs you may find it difficult to make the transition to a smaller place. You generally have to spend a bit more time chatting before popping the question in smaller clubs. Also, the girls can be waaaaayyy harder to work with in smaller clubs. Everyone knows everyone's business and everyone talks shit about everybody. Club allegiances are much more obvious. Cattiness is magnified.
It's true that you may have an easier time making money if you're really hot, at first. But when the girls see you making money - ie, what they consider taking THEIR money, they'll do whatever they can to run you out. This crap is a much bigger deal in small clubs.
Can ya tell I don't love working in small clubs? ha
^EXACTLY!
I prefer the mega clubs that are high hustle. I'm not a fan of maintaining regulars (too much work and drama)
That being said, I do like working small rural clubs too. I work smaller clubs that are used to traveling dancers so being new isn't as catty as a regular small club could be.
Re: Hustle in big club vs. small club
Quote:
Originally Posted by
dangerousdiva
That being said, I do like working small rural clubs too. I work smaller clubs that are used to traveling dancers so being new isn't as catty as a regular small club could be.
Right. That's the key in clubs Tina works too, where they book different girls every week. There are always new girls in these clubs so the cattiness is lower and clientele generally better. I don't mind working this type place, and money can be quite good. Although my favorite is still big city clubs where there are lots of customers and girls, where scheduling is lax, and where you can simply go in make your money without much bullshit and go home.
Re: Hustle in big club vs. small club
What I dislike the most from small clubs is that customers can very easily keep track of how much money girls are making (and a lot of them actually do it!) AND they treat you accordingly.
I prefer big clubs where if you didn't do well on one side you can just move on and start fresh on the other.
And this is just one of many reasons why I prefer huge clubs.
Re: Hustle in big club vs. small club
Well, a good thing about small clubs it's that in a few weeks you are able to spot the time-wasters::)
Re: Hustle in big club vs. small club
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Bridgette
Cattiness is magnified.
I'm beginning to find this to be true. :O
Re: Hustle in big club vs. small club
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Tina
In the right smaller clubs, the odds of having money losing nights is much smaller, particularly if they regulate the amount of dancers, but the ability to have more than the occasional over $600 night is smaller as well.
Thats the part that scares me.. in some of larger clubs that I've worked at, no matter how bad my night is going, there is always the possibility of big money and thats part of what would keep me going. I guess I just have to readjust my mindset and realize that consistent money is better than a few big hits some of the time. But those 1,000+ nights just do so much for my ego and spirits, even though they dont happen THAT often. Like I said, I will have to readjust my thinking and I think I will be alright.
Re: Hustle in big club vs. small club
Even at the smaller clubs here you have the possibility to make a grand once in awhile.
But honestly, the consistancy is a lot better than a few big nights occasionally.
I worked atSin long before it became Penthouse, back when it was dead, slow and ghetto. I like it there cause I was one of very few hot girls with hustle skills. Most of them justsat at the bar and drank.
Anyway, there were a few nights i made well over a grand. In less than 8 hours. Most of the time I would make between 250-400, the customers justweren't there...but then someimes it just happened for me.
The cool part about my grand nights at that small club wwere that..at the big clubs when I made over a grand it was usually off just1 or maybe 2 guys. A lucky hit. At the small club...the grand nights came from just being in demand and working hard and beign wanted by everyone. That was a way bigger ego boost than just getting lucky..and it made the possibility of having those nights seem like they could happen a lot more often, since it came just from being busy not getting lucky.