Help, I'm a part time DJ, get me out of here

[Ricesnaps]

Maybe nothing will come of this?

Maybe there isn't actually an answer?

But after today, I want out of the day job! I want to do something for a full time living that I actually love doing.

Question is HOW!

I'm guessing there are others who have the mortgage, the child on the way and the car to run (so to speak). I really would need to at least match my current salary.

Or should I just put up?

[Vectis]

It's so hard once you've got a regular decent income to take the plunge. For years I had a 9-to-5 and was DJin on the weekends and there was always one more reason not to make the break... bigger house, kid, new car, nice holiday.

The last big expense was finally moving to the IoW from 'oop north' which had been a long-term aim as my wife's family live here.

Since then I've been lucky enough to first negotiate some 'work-from-home' time and then last year dropped from 5 days to 3. It was a shock at first but this was lessened by the fact that the salary didn't drop by a third as most of the reduction was in the higher-rate bracket. So it was more like 20%. Which was quickly made up for by landing a couple of semi-regular-but-not-that-well-paying disco contracts.

Hoping to drop these next year and rely on well-paying private bookings. Then the year after that either binning the main job (big step) or replacing it with something local and more menial like driving a van or something!

I'll get there in the end.

If you find any shortcuts, let me know!

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

The real difficulty Matt is knowing if you are going to be still enjoying DJing if and when you do it for a living.

I know lots of DJs who couldn't or wouldn't do this for a living as it would take the enjoyment out of it for them.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Hold on mate, here we go...this could be a long one...ready?...here we go.

For years and years I did jobs that I hated and always thought to myself that one day I wanted to so a job that I actually loved doing and one that I was good at but the thought of running my own business and going self employed really scared me etc etc..
At one point I was actually working for a friend of mine who was doing exactly what I wanted to do (run his own Disco Entertainment business) and sometimes I was out up to 6 nights a week. I did this for around 5 years if I remember rightly and you would think that I was earning loads of money but I wasn't. I was using his equipment and so I was getting the type of money that I would laugh out now especially for the hours I was putting in.

Doing that job full time taught me a lesson and it actually put me off for a while but it was simply because I was lining someone elses pockets. I learnt a few things about how NOT to do it and before long I found myself back in a day job and once again ....bored with life altogeather. I remember travelling to work everyday, was never late, never ill and did my job well but was never appreciated. One day I had a warning from my boss about something that was so un-important that I went home that night and spoke to my missus. We had only been married about 6 months at the time and were paying off the wedding etc...She had been in exactly the same position as I was a long time ago...once again, being a talented designer / dressmaker but lining someone elses pockets and not being appreciated etc..She wanted to start her own business and I supported her whilst she set it up. I didn't have the money at the time to support her but I wanted her to be happy and it worked. She is doing really really well now. When we spoke one evening I told her that I really didn't want to go to work in the morning and I had made my mind up about what I wanted to do and that was to DJ full time and set up my business...she simply replied..."Do whatever makes you happy, go for it"..

I had hardly any sleep that night because I was thinking about work the next day. I didn't even put my shirt and tie on and drove to work in my jeans and t-shirt. I got there, went straight to the boss's office and told him that I wanted to leave there and then. They were totally surprised and unaware that i was unhappy and even offered me a pay rise to keep me there but I wasn't interested. It actually did me a favour. I had lots of holiday left which I hadn't used up and we had just been paid too. They said that if I was serious then I would have to leave the building immediately for security reasons which was a bit sad as I never got to say goodbye to my mates. I was put on gardening leave so i was paid for being off, had my holiday days turned into money and also had another months money coming so I was actually pretty well off for that month. It was the kick I needed.

It was such a relief when I left the building knowing that i would never have to go back to the place again. In fact, in my mind I was never going to work for anyone else full time again and I still think like that. I spoke to the missus that night and we talked about how I was going to go about things. I had a few contacts in bars and places that I had DJ'd at before so my first thing was to make appointments with them. I also spent some money on some CD decks and speakers etc and a few lights (second hand). Within a couple of weeks I had my first setup which wasn't too bad.

I decided to do a mailshot to schools, pubs, hotels etc and get some fancy cards and postcards done by Vistaprint (someone had recommended them). I spoke to various people on forums who informed me about PLI and PAT stuff, advertising etc etc and it scared me if I am honest. I wondered if I had made the right decision for a while as things were quiet for a time. One day I had a phonecall from a mate who said that he knew someone who was looking for a decent DJ for a birthday party. I rang the guy, did the party and from there it just grew.

18 months later and things have changed totally. I now have 4 set ups, a full diary (next weekend day off is end of January at the moment)...regular venues and contracts and have made a name for myself. I am getting calls everyday and it's going well, better than I could ever have imagined to be honest.

I know that was a bit of a story but I have cut it down big time...it's not been easy and there were times at the beginning when it was quiet that I was worried...I am lucky as it has worked for me...my friends and family think I am very lucky doing something I love and making decent money from it. Once it gets going mate (which it will) you will never look back. You will have the days to yourself to do admin, web updates etc etc and answer enquiries and the weekends will mean a lot more because you won't be working all week and wishing you didn't have to work.

The only downside is that because I am so busy, I don't get to see my friends in a social way as much but that's the sacrifice.
What I thought was scary at the start...really wasn't.

When you think of advertising, PLI, PAT, equipment, stationary etc for starters you think it's going to be expensive but all of these (apart from the PAT), are payable monthly if required.

If you are DJing already then you would have done most of this already so the biggest and toughest question you have to ask yourself is "Do I go for it or not?" - I say DO IT!!! The amount of people that say to me how good it is that someone gets back to them almost immediately after an enquiry is unbelievable. It may sound silly but some people it seems do not like leaving messages and waiting for someone to get back to them. Being available all the time and especially during the day is a real advantage too.

BUT...don't forget, I am sure that there are people out there who still work full time AND run their own business at the weekend too. I just prefer it the way I am doing it. When you can concentrate 100% on the business you find that you always come up with little ideas on how to improve things and some of those little things really do work. It's amazing how much a meeting with people before their function works. Sometimes if you have been at work all day all you want to do is chill out and that's understandable but it's things like that which will help the workload improve. I had 3 meetings yesterday and 2 of them commented on how nice it was of me to actually go round and see them. I have a meeting tonight too and the bride and groom have already commented that they have told their friends that "the DJ is coming to see them" and they all thought it was a great idea.

That's just one example but at the end of the day, it is something I do whenever possible, good customer service. An advantage of doing it full time too.

[rob1963]

The real difficulty Matt is knowing if you are going to be still enjoying DJing if and when you do it for a living.

I know lots of DJs who couldn't or wouldn't do this for a living as it would take the enjoyment out of it for them.

Are you serious?

Since I started doing it for a living 3 years ago, I now enjoy it even MORE!

No more getting up at 5.45 every morning...I now get up around 10.15.

No more spending the whole day in a short staffed office full of moaning customers & being told to get more & more sales...I am now my own boss and do what I like all day. Sometimes I go out for the day & sometimes I meet friends for a pub lunch.

No more having to work 40+ hours a week to earn £300...I now earn that from one 4 hour disco.

I wonder how many people with a day job enjoy that more than doing mobiles? Leaving MY day job was the best thing I've ever done. My only regret is that I didn't do it years earlier!

How could anyone like me who has taken the plunge lose the enjoyment of gigging?

[Corabar Steve]

No more having to work 40+ hours a week to earn £300...I now earn that from one 4 hour disco.

Less outgoings (unless you charge £100 an hour, it's not all profit)

[rob1963]

Less outgoings (unless you charge £100 an hour, it's not all profit)

Fair comment, Steve.

I forgot to mention that another reason I enjoy mobiles more now than when I had the daytime job is that I'm more relaxed & can give them 100%.

Previously, I'd be out doing a gig & would often get distracted when I started thinking about the till difference I couldnt find from the day before, or the fact that the number 1 cashier was off for the next 2 weeks & I'd be covering her job so I'd be much busier, or the new computer system that was coming in on Monday...and how I would get on with it, or the query I'd been given to sort out by the manager & was getting nowhere fast with it etc etc etc......

[Stephen_N.I.]

I agree with Shaker and Rob.
Although I'm still a young pup (21) I left school at 16 and worked from there, had various jobs, (the money was ok) but you came home at night tired, wasn't appreciated in the job and had absolutely no time to do anything for yourself (renew car insurance, go to the bank etc).
I had decks since I was 13 and always wanted to make it as a club DJ, but evenutally I broadened my horizons to all sorts of music, now I find it hard to play club music.
So last year I took the plunge and quit my job.
It was slow to start but I'm getting there, (I'm professional just under a year now) and all my customers have been very happy so far, I feel like a natural doing it and love every minute, (apart from packing up, I think everyone does). Don't get me wrong, 70% of my earnings is still paying off equipment and loans but I'm getting there.
But the best thing is I've no pressure anymore and am my own boss.
Can't beat it with a big stick.
(Although I may need a wee P/T job to pay off the bills, but won't take it seriously, lol)

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Same as that Rob. Sometimes in the day job I would take the work home with me and it was a pain. When it came to DJing, although I hope I didn't show it, the last thing I wanted to do was be out DJing in a club until the early hours thinking about what work was going to be like the next day.

I'm not saying it's all roses. I have the bigger picture in mind with my business and I would like to think that in say 5 years time I will be picking and choosing the functions I want to do and let everyone else get on with the rest for me. The week is great because it's mine and also because the missus works from home too it means that now and then we can go out in the day with the dogs or go the pub or whatever. I work hard at the weekend and sometimes survive on around 5 hours kip over friday and saturday but when sunday comes and I am sat there in the afternoon chilling, I have the satisfaction of knowing that I have provided quality entertainment, got paid well and have the next few days to myself. More often than not I will be down the pub by 5pm and staggering home by closing because I can and I don't have to worry about getting up early and suffering the hangover sat at work all day just wanting to be at home.

As you said too Rob...I love what i do and count myself very lucky.

[CRAZY K]

Maybe nothing will come of this?

Maybe there isn't actually an answer?

But after today, I want out of the day job! I want to do something for a full time living that I actually love doing.

Question is HOW!

I'm guessing there are others who have the mortgage, the child on the way and the car to run (so to speak). I really would need to at least match my current salary.

Or should I just put up?

Depends on your existing FIXED overheads Matt--Mortgage, Gas Electricity etc. by that I mean you cant say ill not bother with that--I know Mortgage Rates are likely to increase!

I reckon you need to have extra DJ units with equipment working with you ( like Daz and Steve amongst others) to make it viable--you cant be in 4 places at the same time-and maybe open a proper agency and pass work on.

The PA thing is viable if you are full time--have you got some savings to draw on if the going gets tough in the first 6 months?

All fairly basic stuff--you could do worse than talk to your local Business Link-they are very supportive for new businesses.

IF YOU WERE A SINGLE BLOKE WITH NO RESPONSIBILITES--ITS A NO BRAINER

CRAZY K