A flair for profits.(PLOTKIN AT THE BAR)

Ours is a business of subtleties and intangibles, where small things make a huge difference. We tend to stock the same products, carry the same styles of glassware and rely on similar drink mixes. So what differentiates your operation from those on either side of you?

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Before you answer, ask yourself what most people look for from your bar, lounge or club. In my experience, it's connectivity--the pervasive feeling of belonging and being at ease. Ultimately, guests are looking for a place with which to identify, a place they can call their own. That connection is facilitated by dousing their experience with liberal amounts of panache.

In this context, panache is a magical and often unexpected spark of electricity that turns an …