The Business of Partying

About the Book

The Business of Partying examines the production, creativity, and strategy behind nightlife hospitality. The nightlife industry encompasses operating a nightclub, bar or other evening destination and marketing the “night out” experience. While not an easy business, it can be a lucrative one with numerous perks if it is done right. The author delves into the minds of nightlife’s leading experts and the business models of some of the top nightlife groups and venues in the United States. Tying two main topics together, the book explores how these venues break out of the clutter and how industry-specific marketing tactics have evolved in this digital age. Each generation typically employs some form of the “work hard, play hard” lifestyle, and nightlife brands must fight for their “play hard” attention and money. What makes each individual venue a unique nightlife experience, and what influences partygoers to choose that brand over another? This book is a collection of stories from an array of industry professionals who have created successful nightlife experiences.

About the Author

Alana Udwin graduated from Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in 2020, majoring in communication with a concentration in hospitality marketing. She was the 2019-2020 executive director of Slope Day, Cornell’s annual end-of-the-year music festival with over sixteen thousand attendees, and was an executive board member since her freshman year. Over several summers, Alana interned at different entertainment companies across the country in major cities, including Miami, Los Angeles and New York City. These experiences included a multimedia agency with a prominent nightlife clientele, a creative production studio, and venues as small as local nightclubs to as large as “The World’s Most Famous Arena,” Madison Square Garden. Through her Cornell curriculum, internship opportunities, and significant personal interest, Alana has developed a strong fascination and deep appreciation for music, entertainment, hospitality, and nightlife. The research Alana has conducted about these fields in her undergraduate courses functioned as a valuable foundation for writing this book. In addition to the breadth of knowledge gained at Cornell, her time spent in Sydney, Australia, helped her gain knowledge on a global level. Alana is the youngest of three siblings and was born and raised in South Florida. She currently resides in New York City and looks forward to making an impact on the nightlife and entertainment industries wherever she goes.