VIPCheckin -- Simple solutions for a painful problem

The Problem

Nightclub promoters like my brother-in-law were handling high volumes of guest list submissions in the least scalable way possible—text messages.

Guests would message him on his personal number with:

• First and last names

• Number of people in their party (male/female breakdown)

• Dates of attendance

  
  

He would then manually copy that info into their workplace platform, a tool called urvenue. To make matters worse, he also had to individually follow up with hundreds of guests leading up to the event, which consumed hours of time each week. There were no tools in place to streamline this. It was just him, his phone, and a lot of repetitive stress.

The Insight

After witnessing his workflow firsthand, I asked a simple question:

“How can I make this easier for you?”

The opportunity was clear:

• Centralize guest list data

• Eliminate manual data entry

• Allow batch export or copy

• Save hours of repetitive work

The Build

I developed VIPCheckin MVP in just 1 week, working solo but staying in close feedback loops with my brother-in-law and a few other Las Vegas promoters.

Key Details:

• Stack: Built for speed and mobile optimization

• Constraints: Budget. SMS capabilities were requested but cut due to Twilio costs.

• Team: Just me, with user insights from real-world promoters

  
  

Core Features

✅ Event-Based Guest Forms

Each venue/event gets a public form where guests can enter the required details directly.

✅ Automated Recordkeeping

Submissions are logged and stored, building a long-term database of potential repeat customers.

✅ CSV Export & Clipboard Copy

Promoters can export all submissions in a CSV or copy them in bulk—no more one-by-one data entry.

✅ Mobile-First UX

Designed from day one to work flawlessly on smartphones, since that’s what promoters live on.

Impact

VIPCheckin immediately saved my brother-in-law hours of manual labor each week. The tool reduced friction, streamlined communication, and gave promoters a clearer view of their guest pipelines.

• From scattered texts to structured forms

• From solo grunt work to systemized workflows

• From MVP to monetized SaaS

After the successful launch, I built Version 2 with a native mobile app. VIPCheckin is now offered as a SaaS tool with growing adoption among nightlife professionals.

Lessons Learned

• Real-world pain points are gold: This idea wasn’t hypothetical—it came from watching someone suffer through a broken system.

• MVP ≠ everything: Cutting Twilio integration kept the launch lean. Mass texting will come later—at the right time.

• Mobile-first wins: Understanding the user’s environment (on the go, in the club, not at a desk) shaped every design choice.

What’s Next

VIPCheckin is now monetized and growing, but there’s more to do:

• Add Twilio or SMS campaigns for automatic reminders

• Expand form customization for different venue needs

• Explore B2B licensing for agencies or venue operators

VIPCheckin started as a weekend project to help a family member—and became a product solving a real industry gap. That’s the kind of work I love building: purpose-driven, lean, and ready for scale.