Successful Entrepreneurs: Jermaine Landon Events

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Located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Jermaine Landon Events (JLE) is an innovative event planning business with a focus on gay and lesbian events in the triangle area. JLE is best known for hosting Stir every Sunday night at the East End Oyster & Martini Bar on Franklin Street. Stir is a high-energy dance party that attracts patrons from all over the triangle. Founded by Jermaine Landon himself in 2006, Mr. Landon shows us that with a little hard work, dedication and networking skills, a successful business can be created using nothing more than a few social media services found on the World Wide Web.

While attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a journalism student, Mr. Landon noticed a lack of night life venues catering to students and triangle area residents identifying as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual and Queer (LGBTQ). “As a self-identified homosexual, it frustrated me that there weren’t any LGBTQ clubs in Chapel Hill. Despite having a large LGBTQ population there was nowhere for us to go out at night and party in an atmosphere that was acceptive; so I decided to do something about it” (Landon). However, as a student, Mr. Landon lacked the financial capital and the time needed to start his own LGBTQ nightclub in Chapel Hill. What was feasible for Mr. Landon, though, were takeover nights at typically straight bars in Chapel Hill. Takeover nights are when a club allows a third party to use their location and services to host themed parties which are atypical to what the club normally offers. This led to the incorporation of Jermaine Landon Events, which would be dedicated to providing LGBTQ club and bar nights for those who identify as LGBTQ and their allies.

Mr. Landon then contacted every ...

... middle of paper ...

...s is a reality. JLE has been so financially rewarding for Mr. Landon that he has postponed his college degree to focus on the venture fulltime. JLE success is based on fulfilling a need in the market. Mr. Landon identified the lack of LGBTQ nightlife in Chapel Hill and then acted as an intermediary by contacting the gay community he was already involved in and venues interested in increasing their business on off nights. With a few recommended adjustments in the management and planning of JLE, Mr. Landon can have the peace of mind knowing JLE is here to stay and flourish in the triangle area. Given Mr. Landon’s current success record, within the next five years I foresee his plan of having LGBTQ nights on every night of the week as a reality.

Works Cited

McCullough, Valerie. "All-Campus Party a Success". The Herald-Sun. 18 Mar. 2014

http://www.heraldsun.com/

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