PLEASURE’S ADVOCATE ULISES BRAUN: 40 YEARS AND RUNNING

It’s a regular Monday, just before midnight. While most of the people are asleep, Ulises Braun starts working. Promoting “La Troya”, the event mother with balls, taking place in one of Ibiza’s “Big Four”: Club Chinois in Ibiza town, Marina Botafoch. Ulises’ responsibility: To make sure his guests have at least the time of their lives. You can’t set the bar highet, but Ulises did it himself. To make sure he’s meeting his own standard and mission – every single day. 

Ulises is a people’s person, approaching each and everyone with empathy. A curious and harmony loving chap, being a good listener and delivering against people’s needs. He simply loves to make people happy. 

“I want always want my guests to leave the club with a smile – looking forward to coming back.” 

They always do. Because Ulises is authentic and doesn’t need to pretend to be everybody’s best friend – or even darling. Because his privacy with friends means the world to him. Although his job is to sell, he never did it the hard way.

Ulises Braun (64): 4 decades of deca dance – and still running.

Always genuine, empathic and gentle, he sells enough. If not today, then tomorrow. And if not at all, never mind – which never happens though. Brand representatives who have it all are hard to find, but crucial to bind customers long term. That’s what Ulises considers his mission.

Passion, dedication and empathy can’t be taught at business schools. Either you have it or not. 

Ulises once said: “It’s a people’s business, and working with people means to remain sensible and genuinely interested in the needs of any single guest. Each and every time.”

Despite Ulises became a valuable and respected member of Ibiza’s high society, he remained down to earth, throughout his carreer.

As I arrived at the VIP entrance of Club Chinois, our reunion was as warm as ever throughout the past 23 years we know each other from working together in Zürich’s music and event industry. After making the usual jokes about how cheeky it is to look so good after all these years, Ulises’ takes Carleta and me to the bar – for a shot of Tequila. “To start the night the right way, you know. With lemon and salt?”

Carleta and I go for Tequila only. “Thanks Ulises, without salad, please.” He looks at us and goes: “Oh yeah, I forgot you’re not grown people! Tequila was always about the full experience, but of course you don’t know – Cheers, kids!”

Ulises in 1985 somewhere in Ibiza: One vibe, one soul, one vision – no gps needed.

Knocks down the shot, he asks us to follow him to the VIP terrace to chat in peace – in the one and only Ulises way: Like John Travolta aka Tony Manero, entering the dancefloor in “Saturday Night Fever”. 

“I hope it doesn’t rain!” he says – but it does. I turn around to get into the club again, while Ulises calls me back: “Wait a minute, I’ll get us an umbrella.”

I swear to god, 23 seconds later he was back with a huge designer umbrella – How the hell did he do that? So fast?

“You know, we can’t miss this opportunity, to do an interview in that special environment. Did you ever do that? An interview in the summer rain?”

Ulises Still part of the solution – making things happen within 23 seconds.

I admit, I didn’t. He goes: “See! Me neither – let’s do it and take it off our bucket list!” (Laughter)

Carleta takes the (photo) shots and says afterwards: “Dude, the umbrella situation – how the hell did he do that?!”

I still have no answer as off the man goes: “Oleg, it was my 64th birthday a few weeks ago! Next year, I should officially get retired!” 

Again we laugh out loud. Because it’s so hard to imagine, absurd and ridiculous.

The moment when Ulises talks about retirement.

"Things change, Oleg. Just look at it: one day you're involved in Metallica's marketing campaign, then you're doing an interview with Carl Cox for Ibiza Style, and now you're writing stories on the side for Xcluse's online magazine and are launching a new sales platform where people can come together and enjoy something extraordinary. Hugo has found a good partnership with Cris and Roberto, the guy from Jade in Zurich. You can't predict the future."

"This is a very good idea and I support it. Good luck to Hugo and the Xcluse Team, as always the driving force. I have known you for a long time, Oleg. And whatever you have done so far, it made sense and was extraordinary. Especially your writing style – I’ve always said you should write for Rolling Stone Magazine."

In fact, he always says, 'If they call me one day, I'll consider it.' Thanks for the props anyway, mate."

Ulises continues: “Bringing people, clubs and brands together in this way is what we need – and unique.” Hugo’s attitude of saying: “We are all stars” is to the point. It doesn't matter what you are and what you do, everyone is special and a star. In Ibiza everyone talks to everyone else on an equal footing. This is the true spirit of Ibiza as it has always been. Forty years ago, when I arrived here. And it still is, more than ever. It’s nice that a platform like Xcluse explores our mood in the right way.”

No time to rest for the gent – not even in the restroom.

Ulises is one of a kind, helped to shaped the scene with his personality, respect and love for the live we live here. Since he started here, fourty years ago, big names call his private number before they come to the island. Be it the best football player in history, Lionel Messi, or artists like Sir Bob Geldof (Mastermind and singer of the legendary Boomtown Rats – “I don’t like Mondays”, Live Aid 1986 and actor with outstanding main role performance as “Pink” in “The Wall”).

Two Argentinian legends: The hospitality one, and the football one.

Bob Geldof doesn’t like Mondays, Ulises Braun does.

Still he says: “Oleg, isn’t it amazing to have Danny Whittle asking for me joining his company? I asked him what happens if we don’t reach our target, as I can’t predict anything.”

He laughs out loud: “He replied: Then we’ll get drunk and give it another try somewhere else!”

Ulises’ tipps for the week

To warm up till it’s over: https://www.beachouseibiza.com

To eat lke a queen: https://www.fincalaplaza.com

To crash in style: https://www.mikasaibiza.com

To dance like nobody is watching: https://www.clubchinoisibiza.com