There’s no doubt that the nightlife & hospitality industry is a lucrative one full of promise. From exclusive nightclubs to see-and-be-seen restaurants, to boutique hotels and rooftop sky bars, there are countless ways entrepreneurs can launch themselves into this prosperous industry. According to Statista, the bars, taverns, and nightclubs industry is even projected to grow to $25.74 billion dollars in revenue by 2017! If you want a piece of this pie and are searching for a model to follow, look no further than Horse & Carriage Hospitality co-founders JT Torregiani & Sylvain Bitton.
JT Torregiani and Sylvain Bitton are two of the most successful veterans in Hollywood’s nightlife industry. Torregiani pioneered the revitalization of Hollywood Boulevard with must-see establishments like Beso Restaurant, and Bitton is the renowned proprietor of legendary Hollywood nightspot Les Deux. Les Deux reigned as Los Angeles’s hottest nightlife venue during the mid 2000’s and ultimately earned investors a whopping 286% return. Collectively, Torregiani, Bitton and Horse & Carriage Hospitality run some of Hollywood’s most premiere hotspots, including: Warwick LA, Aventine Trattoria, Aventine Trattoria, and Maia West Hollywood. They are the perfect leaders to emulate when taking a journey into the nightlife & hospitality world.
One great thing about the nightlife & hospitality industry is that consumer tastes are always changing, which means there is always room to launch a hot new venue to keep up with the trends. Home Business Magazine had the chance to sit down with Torregiani and Bitton at Aventine Trattoria, one of their impressive Hollywood restaurants, and hear their expert insight for aspiring impresarios on what it takes to launch and manage a successful service industry establishment.
HBM: First off, tell us how you two met and co-founded Horse & Carriage Hospitality.
Bitton: “We met about 12 years ago through a restaurant & nightlife company we were both a part of called The Dolce Group. JT lived across the street and I was working in Beverly Hills. We essentially both wanted to get into the nightlife and restaurant business, and JT started getting involved with The Dolce Group before I did. They opened up a place together called Bella, which was an Italian concept on Beverly Boulevard. Celebrity-driven and teeming with great food, Bella was right at the point where Hollywood turned into something amazing.
Hollywood comes in waves. It’s hot then it’s not hot, then it’s hot, then it’s not hot. Bella opened right when Hollywood started getting hot. I was somewhat working at Bella as a kind of host, but I also wanted to open a nightclub. So I raised the money and opened up Les Deux, which was a big hit. We partnered together on the venture. Les Deux was a craftsman house in the middle of a parking lot that you would never guess was a nightclub. You would walk down this long corridor, turn the corner, and it was the façade of this huge house. We were the only place open seven days a week! Every celebrity would be there every night.”
HBM: What are the characteristics of a successful nightclub?
Torregiani: “It is important to have a beautiful venue with a great location, but it’s also all about being there and taking care of people. You must make sure everyone gets there happy and leaves happy. Consistency is also very important—you don’t want to have one hot night and the rest of the nights are bad.
To run a successful nightclub, you have to have common sense and cannot be emotional—you have to have a wise mind. You are going to deal with a lot of things every night and you can’t fly off the handle. Also, running a celebrity hotspot means that you will be a conductor. It’s like a chess match—sitting people in the right places makes a difference. You need to really know all of your guests and customers, as sitting one person next to another person has to make sense.
One way we’ve helped get our nightclubs on the map is that we do not do anything media-oriented in terms of photo shoots or photo spreads. It really ups the exclusivity factor.”
Bitton: “We don’t have a VIP area in our venues because we want everyone to feel like they are important. We always say, treat the celebrities like regular people and treat the regular people like celebrities. We also try to make our venues the most inviting luxury nightlife experiences, from the floral to the uniforms. For example, at Warwick, the guys are in white tuxedo jackets and we have incredible natural flowers throughout the venue.”
Torregiani: “We also do something special that no one does. Every four months, we completely change around the venue. We go with the seasons. Right now it’s a little dark and in the summertime it will be all white with new furniture and will look completely different. It’s important to switch up your establishments to surprise your clientele and make the club seem like a whole new spot.”
HBM: What are the characteristics of a successful restaurant?
Torregiani: “Every person has a different taste; some people like a specific dish and some don’t. Sometimes you deal with people who come in with a negative vibe and you have to overcome it and change it. Make people happy and help them have a good experience, so they enjoy your establishment and are happy when they leave.”
HBM: How can an entrepreneur create buzz about a new nightlife establishment they launched?
Bitton: “In the beginning, we created buzz by calling hundreds of people, sending them invites to our establishment, sending cars to pick them up, and giving away a full free night at the club. This was a great way to help get the word out.”
HBM: What does it take for an entrepreneur to find prosperity in the nightlife & hospitality industry?
Bitton: “Entrepreneurs need to be accessible if they want to prosper in the nightlife & hospitality industry. This means, if the phone rings, pick it up. If you receive a text, immediately write back. If there’s an email, make sure to address it in a timely manner. If people need to get ahold of you, make sure you’re easy to get ahold of.”
Torregiani: “If you open a venue with a business partner, make sure your partner is CC’d in every email and ask he/she to do the same for you.”
HBM: What are your top tips for entrepreneurs who feel like their work is taking over their lives and they can’t relax?
Bitton: “Pace breathing. It’s so important to just take a minute to not overwhelm yourself and just be mindful and present. JT also taught me that even taking the time to eat breakfast in the morning can change a lot of how the day goes. Before, I would wake up and just go. I would also wake up and always reach for my cellphone. Get ready for the day, get the coffee going, and then tackle the phone. It’s all about you controlling the phone, not the phone controlling you.”
Torregiani: “Having a good night’s rest is extremely important. In the evening, turn off your phone an hour before you go to bed. We’ve learned that whatever is going to happen is going to happen and you can always deal with it the next day.”
HBM: Do you have any other helpful tips for entrepreneurs who want to enter the nightlife & hospitality industry?
Torregiani: “Absolutely never give up. It took so long for us to get to where we are now. We sometimes even had to work for free! If you love what you do and it doesn’t feel like work, the money will come. Keep doing it every day and don’t think about the past or future. Just enjoy the present process of growing your business.”
Bitton: “Remember that every single relationship matters, from the ground up.”
HBM: Where do you hope to see your company in three years?
Torregiani: “We want to continue our mission of creating the most inviting, luxury nightlife experience possible with new venues. We get national and international offers all the time, but Sylvain and I are local people. What we do best is in Los Angeles. We’re talking to hotel companies and doing hotel deals and we also are working on a new gentlemen’s barbershop in Hollywood…stay tuned!” HBM
