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| At the Moulin Rouge, It’s All in the Family | At the Moulin Rouge, It’s All in the Family |
| (9 days later) | |
| Jean-Jacques Clerico is president and chief executive of Moulin Rouge, a family-owned cabaret in Paris. | |
| Q. Your grandfather bought the Moulin Rouge cabaret the year you were born [1955] and then your father started running the business in the early 1960s. Did you always want to work there? | Q. Your grandfather bought the Moulin Rouge cabaret the year you were born [1955] and then your father started running the business in the early 1960s. Did you always want to work there? |
| A. I really fell into it when I was little. I remember as a boy when after a new show my father would gather everybody around and we would have a big party to celebrate. I always liked this big family aspect. I guess I could have chosen another profession. I wouldn’t have minded working in the merchant navy, but then again, between the artists, the music, the shows, the clientele, it’s nice a business to run. | A. I really fell into it when I was little. I remember as a boy when after a new show my father would gather everybody around and we would have a big party to celebrate. I always liked this big family aspect. I guess I could have chosen another profession. I wouldn’t have minded working in the merchant navy, but then again, between the artists, the music, the shows, the clientele, it’s nice a business to run. |
| Q. When did you join the family business? | Q. When did you join the family business? |
| A. I really started in 1980. I was 25 years old. I had started studying economic sciences at university, but I had a very serious accident and couldn’t complete my degree. Through one of my father’s relations, I got a job in a firm giving legal and tax advice, and it was a good base for me to learn. I stayed there for four years and when my father suggested I finally join him, I was delighted. | A. I really started in 1980. I was 25 years old. I had started studying economic sciences at university, but I had a very serious accident and couldn’t complete my degree. Through one of my father’s relations, I got a job in a firm giving legal and tax advice, and it was a good base for me to learn. I stayed there for four years and when my father suggested I finally join him, I was delighted. |
| Q. What was your first job with the company? | Q. What was your first job with the company? |
| A. At the start I was looking after the infrastructure side of the business, sound, lighting, all the behind-the-scenes activities. I learned a lot on the job. I also traveled a lot, looking at what others were doing around the world, Australia, Las Vegas, then later the Cirque du Soleil. | A. At the start I was looking after the infrastructure side of the business, sound, lighting, all the behind-the-scenes activities. I learned a lot on the job. I also traveled a lot, looking at what others were doing around the world, Australia, Las Vegas, then later the Cirque du Soleil. |
| I really studied all technical aspects of a production and tried to stay on top of all the technical innovations — and there have been a lot of them over the last 35 years, particularly in stage lighting. When I started, you still had lighting technicians changing the colors manually, then we had LED, filament. Keeping abreast of the latest technical developments is very important to stay on top and remain competitive. | I really studied all technical aspects of a production and tried to stay on top of all the technical innovations — and there have been a lot of them over the last 35 years, particularly in stage lighting. When I started, you still had lighting technicians changing the colors manually, then we had LED, filament. Keeping abreast of the latest technical developments is very important to stay on top and remain competitive. |
| Q. How was it working with your father? | Q. How was it working with your father? |
| A. My father had a very strong personality. I’m quite different from him. I’m a Gemini — I adapt easily, ride with the wind. I’ve also always been a people person, someone who can unite around him. I learned a lot watching my father. I saw him surrounding himself with people he trusted. My leitmotif is that if I don’t know something, I will look for someone who can help me. I’m not trying to go beyond what I know I can do — I know what I’m good at, but there are other sides of the business, like auditing, which are not my cup of tea. | A. My father had a very strong personality. I’m quite different from him. I’m a Gemini — I adapt easily, ride with the wind. I’ve also always been a people person, someone who can unite around him. I learned a lot watching my father. I saw him surrounding himself with people he trusted. My leitmotif is that if I don’t know something, I will look for someone who can help me. I’m not trying to go beyond what I know I can do — I know what I’m good at, but there are other sides of the business, like auditing, which are not my cup of tea. |
| Q. As you became more involved in the business under your father, how did that work out? | Q. As you became more involved in the business under your father, how did that work out? |
| A. I remember we used to perform on a white stage in the ’80s, and I’d noticed a lot of shows were now performing on a dark stage, which was helping bring out the costumes and the performance as the light worked better around the artists. I had to really argue hard for a change, even with the designer who was worried about light reflections on a black background. So I just had the scene repainted overnight, and when my father came the next day, well, he wasn’t too pleased. It took a week for him to see the results and then agreed it was the right move. | A. I remember we used to perform on a white stage in the ’80s, and I’d noticed a lot of shows were now performing on a dark stage, which was helping bring out the costumes and the performance as the light worked better around the artists. I had to really argue hard for a change, even with the designer who was worried about light reflections on a black background. So I just had the scene repainted overnight, and when my father came the next day, well, he wasn’t too pleased. It took a week for him to see the results and then agreed it was the right move. |
| The most difficult time I ever had to convince him was when we had to buy back the building of the Moulin Rouge in 2009, which is a very historic place. We had to spend 24 million euros [$25 million], but I felt we didn’t have a choice. We stood to have a new landlord who could have raised the rent and run us out of business. It was a must, but my father was really against it, feeling it was too expensive. It took a lot of explaining over three weeks for him to finally agree. | The most difficult time I ever had to convince him was when we had to buy back the building of the Moulin Rouge in 2009, which is a very historic place. We had to spend 24 million euros [$25 million], but I felt we didn’t have a choice. We stood to have a new landlord who could have raised the rent and run us out of business. It was a must, but my father was really against it, feeling it was too expensive. It took a lot of explaining over three weeks for him to finally agree. |
| Q. In 1997, the Moulin Rouge was nearly bankrupt and went into receivership. What did you learn from the experience? | Q. In 1997, the Moulin Rouge was nearly bankrupt and went into receivership. What did you learn from the experience? |
| A. That was the real test for me. That’s when I had to move from the infrastructure side of the business to start thinking more about the day-to-day running of the business. Some tough decisions had to be made. For example, my father had always wanted the ticket price to be the same for everybody, but we had to put a new tariff grid in place. | A. That was the real test for me. That’s when I had to move from the infrastructure side of the business to start thinking more about the day-to-day running of the business. Some tough decisions had to be made. For example, my father had always wanted the ticket price to be the same for everybody, but we had to put a new tariff grid in place. |
| We also realized that we couldn’t be dependent on one specific consumer sector, so we put in place a form of quota so that we wouldn’t have more than a certain percentage of our customers from any specific region. Today we have about 50 percent French consumers and the rest international. | We also realized that we couldn’t be dependent on one specific consumer sector, so we put in place a form of quota so that we wouldn’t have more than a certain percentage of our customers from any specific region. Today we have about 50 percent French consumers and the rest international. |
| Importantly, we decided that we still need to invest. We spent €8 million on a new revue, “Féerie,” which was launched in 1999. | Importantly, we decided that we still need to invest. We spent €8 million on a new revue, “Féerie,” which was launched in 1999. |
| Q. How did the receivership affect you personally? | Q. How did the receivership affect you personally? |
| A. Psychologically it’s obviously quite difficult, but you have to remain a fighter — otherwise you can just put the key under the door. You’ve been comfortable in your office and suddenly you have a group of people coming over, talking about your weaknesses, advising what you should be doing. Plus, being a C.E.O. in a company in receivership is never very comfortable vis-à-vis your employees. But we were the first company to be able to fully reimburse our creditors after three and a half years. | A. Psychologically it’s obviously quite difficult, but you have to remain a fighter — otherwise you can just put the key under the door. You’ve been comfortable in your office and suddenly you have a group of people coming over, talking about your weaknesses, advising what you should be doing. Plus, being a C.E.O. in a company in receivership is never very comfortable vis-à-vis your employees. But we were the first company to be able to fully reimburse our creditors after three and a half years. |
| I think we got out of it because I was willing to listen and because I had the support of our staff and our suppliers. Now I’m always open to criticism because I think that’s the way to review, innovate and move forward. | I think we got out of it because I was willing to listen and because I had the support of our staff and our suppliers. Now I’m always open to criticism because I think that’s the way to review, innovate and move forward. |
| Q. What is your working day like? Or is “working night” more appropriate? | Q. What is your working day like? Or is “working night” more appropriate? |
| A. When I got married I told my wife, “Saturday nights — I don’t know what they are.” I have to work when my staff is working. The first show starts at 9 p.m., and the second one finishes at 1 a.m., so I finish my day at 2 a.m. Fortunately, I have an exceptional ability and I owe it to my grandfather: I’m able to catnap — I can fall asleep very quickly and just sleep 15 minutes, waking up fully refreshed. Today, though, I only do four nights a week, and it’s a bit harder to recuperate. | A. When I got married I told my wife, “Saturday nights — I don’t know what they are.” I have to work when my staff is working. The first show starts at 9 p.m., and the second one finishes at 1 a.m., so I finish my day at 2 a.m. Fortunately, I have an exceptional ability and I owe it to my grandfather: I’m able to catnap — I can fall asleep very quickly and just sleep 15 minutes, waking up fully refreshed. Today, though, I only do four nights a week, and it’s a bit harder to recuperate. |
| Q. Two of your children have now joined the family business. What advice did you give them? | Q. Two of your children have now joined the family business. What advice did you give them? |
| A. I wanted them to have an education, and both have M.B.A.s. As the business has now grown to 1,500 people, they really needed to have a minimum of legitimacy besides being the son of the boss. Beyond that I’ve told them, “Your father will do like your grandfather did with me. He will teach you over time about the showbiz world. It will come slowly and not all in one go. Watch and listen.” | A. I wanted them to have an education, and both have M.B.A.s. As the business has now grown to 1,500 people, they really needed to have a minimum of legitimacy besides being the son of the boss. Beyond that I’ve told them, “Your father will do like your grandfather did with me. He will teach you over time about the showbiz world. It will come slowly and not all in one go. Watch and listen.” |