28/01/2025
Ok everyone- big announcement!
After alot of wrestling with the idea, I have chosen to leave the DJ business for the time being. There are many reasons, but the ones that really tipped the scales are:
A) I have a young family. I'm the main breadwinner and have never quite been able to cross the bridge into full time DJ as my only job. This means I work another to make ends meet. This makes it tough to have any family time (especially during the summer) and also means I use family funds to try and grow the DJ business. Staying up late and working hard all weekend is great when you can relax on Monday, but not when you need to get working. It's also very tough to work for an employer when you need so much time off to take care of your clients. Nobody wants a co-worker that thinks he needs every friday off during wedding season.
2) I've never been good at tooting my own horn and marketing myself. This has been my greatest challenge over the last 10 years. I always do my best to keep up with equipment, lighting, trends, DJ and MC skills, and networking with other vendors. We have always donated some our time and/or funds to various local charities and groups to ensure we stay connected to our community. We always get rave verbal reviews from our clients and their guests, but it's like pulling teeth to get someone to take the time to give us a written social review. This is especially frustrating when prior to donating or seriously discounting our services, we stipulate that in return we only ask for an honest review of their experience on any platform. I’ve always wanted any reviews that we have to be completely true and unsolicited. I hate when you buy something trusting reviews and it turns out they’re all fake. In hindsight - I should have gotten over my personal ego that following up with someone isn't "begging" for a review. People are busy, and often don't realize how important it is for future potential clients to see how other peoples experiences have been with us.
D) I've always tried to do everything on the up and up. The insurance, taxes, equipment, storage, record pools, software, etc. continue to add up, even if there isn't any business coming in. These have gotten much more expensive over the last few years and it just doesn’t make sense to try and take some of these out of the equation, and still provide the quality these special events demand. If I did, I feel the clients experience would suffer. I have always sold myself as a professional, and they should expect nothing less.
All of this being said - I may get back into the game at some point in the future. It's just not working for me and my family at the moment.
Thank you for your support over the years. Please remember to take the time to give honest feedback and reviews to those small businesses and entrepreneurs that you buy goods and services from!
