Trying to go full time in the DJ business. Please help!

[Dannyblueyes]

I have just launched a DJ company called Soulfinger Productions. Right now I have one client, a small bar in Castro Valley, California that books me every Tuesday night with occasional weekends. Ultimately I would like to get enough bar contracts to be able to quit my day job and DJ full time.

A few things I should mention, I generally more than double this bar's drink sales when I play. I have also been DJ'ing clubs, bars, parties and weddings for eight years. Right now I make more in a night of DJ'ing than I do in a day of working my day job. Some of the mobile gigs I do pay over half a grand.

The main problem I have is time and money. Since I work a 40+ hour a week day job I'm usually unable to meet with potential clients during their business hours. Also, when I do a bar my night ends at about 3 AM. After this I have to leave for work at 6 AM. Doing too many nights a week would leave me burnt out and unable to perform properly at either job.

The other problem is money. Right now I'm at least $2,000-$3,000 away from having enough equipment to work a bar that doesn't already have its own sound system. This severely limits my client base.

I know that these are common problems for many potential entreprenuers. I also know that there self employed people here who have overcome them in their own fields. If anyone has any practical advice for getting this company off the ground or connections to small business resources please help me.

Also, if you live in the Bay Area and need someone who can turn your party out until the sun comes up send me a PM. I'll have you all night

 

[DJ]

I will you some tell you how I started out in the DJ industry and ran a very successful business with my old partner.

First and foremost you are going to need a full set up of equipment, especially if you are going to be targeting neighborhood bars and local watering holes. Most do not invest money in tables or cd players but will have some type of amped sound system if they have a juke box. You can usually plug up your on equipment. I understand money is an issue, but really there is no way around not owning your own shit. If you were a plumber would you got to someones house to fix a toliet and ask to borrows tools ?

You can find discounted equipment on craigslist, ebay. I mean I hope you know how to shop around. I just picked up an 8 channel Mackie mic mixer over at Goodwill on 11th & Mission for $60, channel 6 dont work but it's a $500 mixer new.

Anyway, I got my start doing house parties in HS, Bday parties, small events for friends and family. Get yourself some business cards and keep a stack on your table whatever gig you are doing. I dont care if you are emceeing the bingo tournament at the local old folks home business cards are a must have.

Network, when you are out drinking or hanging out at a bar talk to the DJ, introduce yourself let them know you are local a DJ and always looking for work. I used to work at a club called in Chicago and I made that connection through a DJ I met the Taste of Chicago that was working at a booth. I cannot stress the importance of networking. A lot of my business for bars and parties have come from last minute calls from other DJ's needing a fill in.

If you are looking to quit your full time job, do not concentrate on bars. Look to higher paying gigs like weddings, bat/barmitzvahs, corporate parties. While I did work in a number of clubs and they do pay very well, they are very hard to get in to unless you already an established club DJ with a strong name. I had a friend that was already a DJ in a club and I used to go hangout with him in the DJ booth, he would let me spin there and I eventually started filling in for him and when he decided to move on the manager instantly offered me the job. Again I met my buddy at a bar that he was DJ'ing at, again the power of networking my friend.

If you know of a bar that needs a DJ and is willing to work with you make a deal with the owner. Have the bar buy the equipment and you DJ for free until the equipment is payed off and you own it. After its payed off you can continue to work for them or you have the option to leave.

 

[NICKLEBAGKILLA]

No disrespect but another thing you're going to need is a better website. I don't know if you put that together yourself but if you did - it looks like it. If you want to charge more money then you gotta have a better image than what your website shows...

Hit me up in PM and I may be able to help you.

 

[MackInTraining]

First and foremost you are going to need a full set up of equipment, especially if you are going to be targeting neighborhood bars and local watering holes.

If you are looking to quit your full time job, do not concentrate on bars. Look to higher paying gigs like weddings, bat/barmitzvahs, corporate parties. While I did work in a number of clubs and they do pay very well, they are very hard to get in to unless you already an established club DJ with a strong name. I had a friend that was already a DJ in a club and I used to go hangout with him in the DJ booth, he would let me spin there and I eventually started filling in for him and when he decided to move on the manager instantly offered me the job. Again I met my buddy at a bar that he was DJ'ing at, again the power of networking my friend.

I was a DJ all through HS and College doing fraternity and sorority parties. After graduating, I just did at home to keep the skills. However, when I moved from Atlanta to Charlotte, I took a 10K pay cut (NC doesnt pay teachers squat). So, I started putting myself back out there 3 years ago.

1. ZZounds.com and American Musical Supply are two websites that will do pay as you go. That's how I upgraded all of my equipment.

2. I started posting on Craigslist to get some smaller jobs. You can also go the jobs section on craigslist and find people looking for hire dj's.

3. The biggest thing I did was networked and eventually answered an craigslist add for a DJ company looking to hire. I signed on. What I learned from this company: Get out of the clubs and bars. They pay 100-200 bucks. Weddings and Bar Mitzvahs pay way more. I did a bar Mitzvah earlier this year and we charged over 2 Grand. Most weddings we charge over 1250. If they cant afford that, we have a cheap strip down version of our service for $750.

You're not going to make a serious comfortable living working clubs every night. Start getting booked on the weekends for these bigger paying jobs and work clubs if you want to.

Network, Network, Network. Find the top wedding planners in the area and take them out to lunch. Go to the Main Venues in your area and get on their preferred vendors list. Find who is running the Bar Mitzvah network in your city and take them out to lunch.