Linda Luo, left

Taryn McNamee, 21, starts her Mondays like most other college students: skip breakfast, rush to class and then meet up with a friend for lunch. But unlike other students, school is only part of her daily life. 

The rest of it includes handing out flyers on campus and talking to strangers—all part of her long list of duties as a promoter for Underworld Productions, a nightlife entertainment company. 

“We usually start about a week away from the day of the event,” McNamee said. “We have to make sure we promote the event well, whether it’s through social media, like Facebook, or talking to people and getting them to sign the guest list.”

On top of promoting the event, McNamee, who has been working for Underworld Productions for over a year, often has to work the day of the event as well, arriving up to an hour early. When the doors open, she has to check off people for the guest list, collect presales and will call, and work at the door to invite people inside.

“There’s not really a specific job description,” McNamee said. “We have to get the party started. We have to know how to follow direction and meet the expectations.”

For any given event, McNamee can make from zero dollars to $300, depending on her responsibilities for the night and the number of people she gets to attend the event.

As with many nightlife entertainment companies, the dress code for female promoters includes tight and short dresses or outfits that fit the theme of the evening, such as “Pajama Party” and “Sexy Schoolgirl.” Male promoters, however, are only required to dress “nice.”

“You’re supposed to look good [as a girl],” McNamee said. “It’s just that type of industry. Guys go to clubs for girls so I feel like that’s how they advertise events to guys. None of the promoters are bad looking. They’re all pretty attractive…You’re encouraged to dress up and look the part.”

Although most promoters are over 18, Elizabeth Tran, 19, has been working in the nightlife industry for almost three years. 

“I had a fake ID and I lied to my boss that I was 18,” Tran said. “My godfather is really good friends with my boss and he actually told my boss that I was underage but the fact was that I sold really well so it was fine.” 

Tran credits her decision to work in nightlife entertainment to her older friends who always invited her to go clubbing. She added that she never felt comfortable with people her age.

“I hung out with an older crowd and everyone was going [clubbing,]” Tran said. “I really enjoyed being the life of the party and just enjoying being wild and young and being single…it does help a lot with networking and meeting people who have the same interests as you.”

Tran was aware of the consequences of being caught.

“[My boss] could definitely go to jail for hiring someone underage,” Tran said. “A lot of the clubs and venues are really strict. He kept the fact that I was underage low-key so the clubs never caught me."

Jasper Lynn, former CEO of Backlot Entertainment, said that although he has never hired someone who is underage, he wouldn’t be averse to doing so as long as they met requirements.

“It’s not a big deal,” Lynn said. “If you can give them the exposure of what’s out there and still be legally responsible, like making sure they’re not drinking, it’s not bad for them to see and understand it…  I wouldn’t just hire a random person though. Someone who is underage definitely has to be someone who acts more mature than they are age-wise.”

Most girls begin their promoting careers by attending clubbing events and being asked by a manager if they’d be interested in working for the nightlife company. They are usually told that they would get free admission to the event and avoid the long lines to get into venues.

Linda Luo, 19, has been working in the nightlife industry for more than two years.

“There are so many pros to working in nightlife,” Luo said. “You get VIP living, free everything, hookups for friends, amazing networking, fast money and team bonding. But there are also cons, like paying for gas money, creepers and having to work other jobs at the same time.”

Many female promoters have encountered instances where they were inappropriately touched or approached by men. These range from catcalls to men grabbing their buttocks as they walk by. However, Tran said, the male promoters look out for the female promoters and step in when things get out of hand.

“We’re like a family,” Tran said. “We all know each other and we all have each other’s backs. Once my guy friend had to step in and push a guy back because he was being too aggressive and he was escorted out.”

Some promoters, however, worry about the implications of hiring girls who are underage despite it being the teenager’s own choice. Club promoters must be over 18 to work in an 18+ club and over 21 to work in a 21+ club but these regulations are not strictly enforced.

“You grow up too fast,” McNamee said. “A couple of the girls that I do know, they definitely learned things a lot more quickly…I personally think there should be [regulations] but I guess it’s not my call. I don't control who gets hired and who other companies choose to hire.”

However, Tran and Luo both said their mothers were not completely opposed to the prospect of their daughters working in the industry. Although Tran admits that her mother may not be completely informed of the situation, she said that she would not have listened to her objections anyway. 

“I’m someone who learns things the hard way,” Tran said. “I’m not one to listen to my mother until something happens to me, and working in nightlife has been a positive experience. It’s a good way to learn to stay away from bad things, like drugs, and to learn that there are a lot of fake people out there.”

Luo said that although her mother did not approve wholeheartedly, she realized that  working in nightlife was a job that Luo could get straight out of high school because she is a Canadian citizen and did not have a tax I.D.

“I don't regret starting early because I think before I act,” Luo said. “I’m sure people who make terrible decisions at clubs would think differently, but I learned a lot about business, human interactions and how to approach different situations in general from all the networking.”