"Dusk till Dawn" Poker Club In Nottingham Diary (by Rob Yong)

[Tractor]

Point 4 - I also think it will be hard to apply a dress code, if Rob has any big Euro/world events half or more of the field will be in jeans and hoodies, baseball caps etc.

[Colchester Kev]

.
.
11. Uniforms - I suggest comissioining Colch Kev to design the Cocktai Waitress' uniforms.
.

I ACCEPT !!! 

[Jayb]

Hi rob

With regards to your list I agree with the points Simon made, that you should empower your staff to make some of the decisions, of course you should have the final say as you have committed to much blood, sweat and probably tears to risk someone getting it wrong.

To me it is also apparent that some of the decisions will be ongoing so why don’t you consider having some sort of committee, 50% made up of a cross section of staff (yourself, managers, croupiers, bar and waiting staff) and 50% made up of your every day punters. I feel that by doing that you would get some valuable feed back across the board as to what is working and what isn't.

Finally I’m really excited about the club and I’m sure whatever decisions you make, with the amount of effort you have put in it will be a success.

Good luck

Jay

[robyong]

All the torpedos are lined up, licencing, finances, fit-out, online, web site, poker tables, chips etc .........I just can't fire the bloody things yet. I'm itching to get that portacabin set up outside the club, and start seeing DTD being created. We should be in there knocking the place about in 2-3 weeks.

I'm please to report that Nick "The Shrew" Whiten seems to have everything under control for the re-fit, at least he doesn't seem as daunted by the task ahead as when I first suggested doing it "in house" (ie. his reaction was "Get lost Rob, you always drop XXXX like this on me, I'm not doing it"). Me and Nick have been through everything together, from nursery to now, and I know that its been quite a life long burden for him, as I've always been dragging him into my hair brained schemes such as hot dog caravans. When we were 18 we bought a house together for 28k, but got a 100% mortgage for 38k through a mate we knew, the idea was we would use the extra 10k for blackjack, as I professed to be an expert player, but I blew the lot and more. So, I can't really blame him for often being on the sceptical side whenever I suggest stuff..........my standard reply is "relax, we can do anything we put our mind to, remember when we did so and so, it will be a piece of cake, I guarantee it....". When we were kids Nick's Mum, Barbara (she is a ball breaker) banned Nick from seeing me, but she is helping me look after my dogs now, and her other son, Darren, is going to be the GM of DTD, so she must think I'm okay now.

I'm turning my attention to the online side working with Chubbs, his heart is in the right place and the enthusiam is there, but we need to be professional in our marketing and organised in our approach, its our only chance of ever getting the money back that we are blowing left right and centre, also, we have to hit certain perfromance measures as part of the contract with Crypto, they don't normally deal with small fish like us, so I have had to put my XXXX's on the line a bit. We will not be launching the online site till October with Crypologic, there is a lot of fiddly stuff to sort out on the back office, and me and Pete met with Anna Dearlove last week, The UK Marketing Director, to go through the various stuff such as affiliates, cashiering, MIS and so on.

How do I feel about DTD at the moment? Well, I feel very very skint, but that's my fault, but I also feel that we are going to do something special here, it won't be everyones cup of tea, you always get the moaners and groaners, and they are not welcome. It will take us time, as we are all rank amateurs in this field (especially me), we will make lots of mistakes, but we have caught peoples attention with this project. I got a taxi home last night and the taxi driver was telling me about this "amazing new poker club that is opening called Dusk Till Dawn", I played dumb and asked him how he knew, and he said "dunno, but I've picked up loads of people that are talking about it".

I know I always keep on going on about how much this thing is crippling me financially, and I can almost see some people rolling there eyes, but its true, If this thing goes tits up I will be personally broke, yes, "big issue seller broke", okay, you can argue that on paper, with business and properties, that I would be okay, but those assets are tied up, my properties are trusted to my charity and my main business, sf group, is far to dear to me to ever sell it off to a 3rd party. I don't want to pretend to people that I am loaded (like so many business people make out), I'd rather be honest, I am risking every penny I have in this DTD venture, what started off as a hobby has developed into a big ugly financial risk..............but how else can you get your kicks, its like sticking it all on with 69 on a 57A flop, it has makes you feel alive.


On another note, I am having a party for my friends and employees at my new pub on Friday August 18th, the Broxtowe Inn, it's just off J26 of the M1, Nottingham. If any blondites friends of mine fancy popping in for a drink, email my PA, Sarah, on shodson@sfgroup.com quoting your Blondepoker name AND your real name to get your name on the list (we will have security on the door so you won't get in otherwise), it will be a free bar all night, disco, some food etc from 7.30pm to 2am. I think most of the DTD crew will be there, Aces, Nick, Shrew, Yogi, Nightfly, Pete, Darren (you better be guys).

Wow, 20,969 hits on this thread, I must be boring the XXXX (= Hell) out of you. Anyway, this will make you laugh. Today's internet play.......

I have JcJs and have flatcalled a £250 raise on the button to a tight UTG raisor, flop comes Jd3c4h, the orginal raisor bets £500, I know he has AA KK or QQ as he checks out of position normally when he has missed, so I make it £1500, he moves-in for £5k..........suddenly my PC dies instantly.........Neo, one of my dogs, has bitten through the power cable, I time out and lose the pot.......its a dogs life.

Cheers Rob

[Jon MW]

...
17. Should we advertise the Club..........is word of mouth enough?
...

I think your cab driver answered this question.

[Royal Flush]

I have JcJs and have flatcalled a £250 raise on the button to a tight UTG raisor, flop comes Jd3c4h, the orginal raisor bets £500, I know he has AA KK or QQ as he checks out of position normally when he has missed, so I make it £1500, he moves-in for £5k..........suddenly my PC dies instantly.........Neo, one of my dogs, has bitten through the power cable, I time out and lose the pot.......its a dogs life.

 

[Bainn]

Must feel damn good to be so close now, and what will it feel like to check what cards you were dealt in that first hand in your very own cardroom.

It has been an amazing story.

Unluckily, Harmony26 and i will be working late on August the 18th, but have sent details to Sarah on the off chance we can get there around Midnight.

All the very best.

[quantify]

hi rob.

just a couple of comments to your questions, you have a very successful business which you have delegated , not only responsibility but shares, so ,you answer your own questions were staff , motivation and financial reward etc are concerned, you know it is a matter of CONFIDENCE .
You are back to RISK REWARD , a position you were probably in when you advanced SF so quickly in the late 90s early 2000s. So my advice to you would be follow your gut instinct , it is the main skill you have, it is tried and tested,  back it with the confident entrepreneur you are and success will follow.

Now, if i was your adviser on this project i would be worried by your thought process on some of your revenue streams, you do seem to be quite unsure as to how your are going to project there image to your customer base.

Word of mouth will be exactly that,and you will be swallowed up. Your club will, without doubt, have downtime in its earning power from your different revenue streams , so you must create a definitive plan which detail the relevant timings you will be earning to the max to the least profitable times . take the worst time for earning potential and detail you plans from that point. target advertising marketing etc from this point and you will fill in from the bottom , IE food services Monday to Wednesday. how do you fill it , what type of individual do you want in, i suspect a different one to Friday sat nights.

anyway thats enough ramblings from me, dont forget keep confident and good luck.

[robyong]

Had a couple of days in Luton and everyone was asking me about DTD and when its opening as usual. Its very hard to concentrate and play a poker tournamenet when so many people approach you, its relentless, but I guess it shows that the players are really looking foward to it. Actionjack, Paul King and Carlo Citrone were wearing DTD clothing and everyone was asking me if I put them in, I did not, they just like the clothing, seriously! I can't say I enjoy playing live poker in the UK as much nowadays, this has been my 1st time in 8 weeks since I lost in the Walsall main final event to Chubbs heads-up, but playing poker is no longer an "escape" for me, as well as the constant questions about DTD, I had 13 (yes..I counted)  players ask me for money towards their buy-in, or to sell a % of themselves (and they will wear a DTD cap!), I was getting "nipped" (as we say in poker) from every angle. Some of these people make me feel like it is my "duty" to give them financial support, like its my fault that they blew their money on the casino tables or on the support events earlier on in the week. I am far too soft in this area, I find it hard to say "no", but the DTD thing has made things much much worse, as I can't actually afford to say "yes" so often now!

Shortly, I will be able to announce a few more names of poker players, maybe 5, that will be getting involved in DTD, friends who I know and trust, and can help us promote the Club. They will be representing DTD in major tournaments and assisting with various PR etc, certainly not on "sponsorship freerolls", but with specific defined responsibilities that add value. I'm sure that there will be different views on the players I have selected, also, it may put some peoples noses out of joint who I have not asked, but I was looking for 4/5 players with different skill sets and backgrounds, and I have to make the judgement calls myself. It it not necessarily the best poker players or most high profile individuals that can help me make DTD work out, I need certain criteria to make the whole thing run correctly.

So far I have 200 acceptances for my party this Friday night, about 50 of them are poker friends etc, We have got an bar extension till 2am so it should be a lively night. I had originally told Darren that we would have about 100 people, so we may go slightly over budget with the free bar, food and hotel rooms - I've had to book 40 hotel rooms! The pub is pretty big, with seating for about 150 and standing room for another 150, so we should be okay. Barry Neville and his son-in law are the doormen with the guest list................ This party may end up costing a few bob extra, but I have had so many people from all areas of my life that have helped and supported  me so far, I just want to say thank you, and have a toast to the future, where many more exciting challenges lie. When I am skint the next day after settling the bill.......its only like one bad night on the £25-£50 NL on Betfair, the glass is always "half full"........................

Cheers Rob

[Dewi_cool]

Wow, 20,969 hits on this thread, I must be boring the XXXX (= Hell) out of you. Anyway, this will make you laugh. Today's internet play.......

I have JcJs and have flatcalled a £250 raise on the button to a tight UTG raisor, flop comes Jd3c4h, the orginal raisor bets £500, I know he has AA KK or QQ as he checks out of position normally when he has missed, so I make it £1500, he moves-in for £5k..........suddenly my PC dies instantly.........Neo, one of my dogs, has bitten through the power cable, I time out and lose the pot.......its a dogs life.

Cheers Rob

Rob, look at this as saving 3.5k as the A would have hit the river to give him an overset, it is crypto after all!!!

[robyong]

I seem to be speaking to a lot of people at the moment about potential roles with DTD, despite the costs spiralling with only a few caps and T-Shirts to show for it, to make a venture of this size really work, I know that I need a number of different skills within the organisation, and its better to get these people involved in the beginning, so they feel that they are really part of DTD from the start.

So far I have a 100% hit rate in recruiting all my target people for each role (and believe me, I have not been throwing money at people). This 100% record has continued with Actionjack ("Paul Jackson" to his family and "The Plodder" to the rest of us), who has decided to join DTD in a full time capacity from September 1st 2006. I have no doubts about this piece of recruitment, Paul was always top of my shortlist for the role of "Poker Director - www.dtdpoker.com".
 
I have been speaking to Paul for maybe 10 months about this role, and due to his other commitments with various online sites and magazines and my insistance that he would have to be 100% DTD focussed, we reached an amicable stalemate.

Also, Paul has been doing rather well on the live tournament circuit, winning 500k this year, and clearly this role will greatly reduce the amount of live poker that he will be able to play (which should speed up a few tournaments).

Anyway, we have got there in the end and shook hands on a long term commitment to DTD and working with me and the rest of the DTD crew. Paul will be taking full responsibility for:

1. DTD's web site - development, look and management
2. DTD's online card room - he will be the main contact for Cryptologic
3. Setting up a scheme for training, mentoring and bankrolling of online players (similar concept to the "bad beat" system)
4. Managing online sattelittes into the DTD Tour and live events at the Dusk Till Dawn poker club
5. Managing DTD's specific online tournaments and promotions
6. Representing DTD by playing in certain presigous poker tournaments
7. More stuff I can add once he's joined!

Its probably time for a refresh of who is involved in DTD and what I am still recruiting for, live and online, I got a lot of questions in Luton, so this should clear it up:

Dusk Till Dawn (the live club)
Darren "needs a poker name" Whiten - General Manager
Mike "also needs a nickname" Wiseman - Compliance Manager
Nick "The Shrew" Whiten - Facilities Director
Simon "Aces" Trumper - Live Poker Director
Rob "Nightfly" Gol - Card Room Manager
Daniel "Yogi Bear" Bell - Card Room Manager
Vacancy - Card Room Manager

www.dtdpoker.com (the online site)
Pete "Big Pete" Langley - IT Director
Simon "Chubbs" Nowab - Marketing Director
Paul "Actionjack" Jackson - Poker Director
4 x Poker Hosts/Sponsored Players (hope to annouce all 4 names next week)
12 DTD Account Managers (Chubbs currently recruiting)

Wow, thats a lot of people who could lose their jobs if things go tits up, we all better touch wood and cross our fingers!

Cheers Rob

PS. Hope I have not forgot anyone's name in that list

[Acidmouse]

Do you need any hosts/managers for the online poker room? deal with peeps enquiries and such


Btw I have always admired Paul Jackson, hes seems like he talks sense and is very direct with it, he must be from Yorkshire!

[Colchester Kev]

Cant believe you missed..

Colchester Kev ... Designer of valets uniforms

[NoflopsHomer]

Cant believe you missed..

Colchester Kev ... Designer of valets uniforms

It better be similiar to the waitresses at the Wynn...

[Colchester Kev]

Cant believe you missed..

Colchester Kev ... Designer of valets uniforms

It better be similiar to the waitresses at the Wynn...

Palms,pvc.

enough said