This is the age of globalisation. Gone are the days when businesses had to be local. Thanks to the power of the internet and digitalisation,businesses are going international. You no longer have to worry about working with international clients. The power of building a network is now being acknowledged. From influencers to SaaS companies everyone has got international clients. A little connection will give you a jumpstart, but creating a network will take you further and beyond.
Claude Charbit is a well known face of the parisian nightlife industry. Over the years, he has made a considerable contribution to the nightlife industry. Being this successful, he has shared his success tip – “Build connections like your business depends on it, because it does.”. He started his career as a beginner, but it was his ability to communicate that made him successful.
When he was 18 years old, Charbit started working for the club Palais Maillot. He took over the management, and organized parties. His thrilling ideas made the place insanely popular with the local crowd. But it also attracted the attention of international stars. Rihanna, the Pussycat Dolls, Flo-Rida and Chris Brown came to the nightclub for their after parties.
It was then Charbit realized that managing parties isn’t going to cut it. If he had kept organizing parties without connecting with people, he wouldn’t have progressed. Instead Charbit took initiative, and connected with artists and their managers. He built relationships with his clients, so they would remember his service long after they left.
Over the years, he worked with many people. Then he had a light bulb moment- he connections should lead to interactions. So, he did not just add contacts to his phonebook but started creating an impressive portfolio. He partnered up with many entrepreneurs in the parisian nightlife industry. Charbit befriended the emerging young comedian Kev Adams, and they hosted many successful parties together. He also partnered with Benjamin Perez. They launched parties at Hobo. The place became a popular hub for rap and hip hop lovers. Then he worked with Jean Roch on the VIP Room project, and it became an elite nightclub in Paris.
It was the abundance of contacts in his phonebook, and an array of business associations with his contemporaries that made Charbit successful. He says that “Connections are the building blocks of business.” You need to focus on spreading the word out. Nightlife industry depends on organic interactions. It thrives on it. And partnering with fellow entrepreneurs in the industry will give you
- Experience
- Wider customer base
- More business contacts
- Better advertisement
Adding a contact to your phonebook is the first step. After that you need to nurture that business relationship, build trust and partner up with potential clients and contemporaries. In a way, you are paving the path to a more solid and reliable business connection. Claude Charbit has survived in the nightlife industry because of his thick phonebook,and courage to take on new challenges. Not all connections will convert, but it is a start. Thanks to his strategy, he is now the proud owner of Monsieur Cirque, The Tam Tam Paris, Bagatelle Paris, and Neverland. All of them are trendy party places across Paris.