During a recent walk, which serves as exercise and therapy, I reflected on my younger years and realized I had an unusual story to share. While many people’s career paths follow familiar trajectories, mine took an unexpected turn that led me into the glittering world of discotheques.
The Unexpected Opportunity
After graduating with a Hospitality Management degree, I initially focused on food service and back-of-house operations. However, fate had other plans. A former manager encouraged me to interview for a management position emphasizing front-of-house experience. He argued that staying in the kitchen would only lead to a dead-end career of endless cooking and dishwashing.
The Disco Era Beckons
I knew I would be hand-picked within a couple of years to help open a discotheque. In my mid-twenties, brimming with energy and ambition, I saw this as a lifetime opportunity. From day one, I was involved in every aspect of the project, watching in awe as state-of-the-art lights, decor, and sound systems were selected. We even implemented an NCR system for drink monitoring and billing—a precursor to today’s modern POS systems.
As the grand opening approached, I was tasked with hiring staff. The buzz surrounding discos made recruitment a breeze, and we assembled a team ready to make our venue the hottest spot in town.
The Rise and Fall
The grand opening was a resounding success, thanks to effective advertising and word-of-mouth praise for our cutting-edge sound and light systems. However, we didn’t know the disco craze was short-lived, peaking quickly before beginning its decline.
Tensions arose when the owner expressed dissatisfaction with the attractiveness of our waitstaff. While I had prioritized experience and teamwork, he had different priorities. In a misguided attempt to boost business, he brought in an ex-Playboy bunny as a consultant and gave her free rein to overhaul the staff, even hiring an ex-professional football player as a bartender to attract female patrons.
A Night That Changed Everything
One night, frustrated and feeling like a failure, I left work early. Around midnight, I received a call from a friend in the local police department warning me about an impending drug bust at the disco. Shocked and angry, I initially demanded they arrest everyone involved. My friend’s somber response stunned me as he reminded me that the liquor licenses were in my name and would also implicate me.
I asked him to wait 20 minutes, please, and after racing to the scene, I found the building dark and deserted. I spoke to my friend, and the inside patrons and workers got spooked and suddenly closed. The next day, I confronted the owner, who callously dismissed my concerns and reassigned me to one of his other locations, blaming me for the club’s issues. I demanded that the liquor license be changed to his name. However, he just laughed and said that could not be done because of some of his checkered past.
Within months, I was released from my duties as GM of one of his steakhouses, which eventually closed, as well as the discotheque.
Lessons Learned
This experience, though challenging, taught me valuable lessons about integrity, responsibility, and the importance of aligning one’s values with their work. I eventually found my way into a new industry, leaving behind the world of silk shirts and bell-bottom pants for a more fulfilling career path.
Looking back, I realize that sometimes, unexpected detours lead us to where we truly belong. While the disco era may have been fleeting, the wisdom gained from that chapter has lasted a lifetime.
What kind of careers in your past changed the way you look at things today?
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