Sole traders - can you make it on your own?

[ppentertainments]

Am looking for reasons for / against becoming multi-op. Most successfull disco companies seem to have other people working for them. In truth it's not a road I want to go down but may be a business neccesity.

Any views on this ? especially from people whom have found success as a one man company.

[501damian501]

Am looking for reasons for / against becoming multi-op. Most successfull disco companies seem to have other people working for them. In truth it's not a road I want to go down but may be a business neccesity.

Any views on this ? especially from people whom have found success as a one man company.

i wouldnt know where i would be if it want for a close friend taking a rig out for me, one month on sunday i,ll be able to resume to my normall working life as it would of been a whole year fit free, since this set up has worked while i have been ill, i wish to keep him taking a rig out and i shall do the same, can you see how things have grown ? i wish to maybe have acouple of people out with rigs, but nothing compaired to darren and the other mutli ops this forum boasts off, its just so i can cut back on the number of gigs i vist and put my mind onto other things like business turnover ect ect, hope this helps, damian

[Ace DJ]

Just remember if you are going to go down the multi-op route you will then become an agency if you are working on commissions or an Employment business if you are doing a buy and sell. Read the DTI Entertainment Agency and employment regulations 1973 (ammended) first before you do anything.
Because if you do it wrong there is a £10000 fine if you get caught out or you upset anyone and they report you to the DTI.
Ace

[Shakermaker Promotions]

PP - Reliability is the main thing here mate.
I had a plan when I first started as a business and that was that by 5 years I wanted to be a multi op but I have learnt over the time that I have been a business that (in my experience), it's easier said than done. I have lots of equipment sat there doing nothing because I didn't think it through well enough. My plan was to get DJ's to use my equipment and pay them to play but that hasn't worked out as yet.

I use someone regularly and pay them what I think is a good rate. They have their own equipment but do not advertise yet they still get their own work too. When I first started, as someone advised me, I was going out far too cheaply. I wanted to make sure I was always working and then if I could get my other DJ out regularly, I would make money off them too whilst still advertising myself as they would be working for me. I then took the gamble and put my prices up to (a) Go out for what I thought/think I'm worth, and (b) To go along with the 'going rate' as such.

I was worried that I wouldn't get as much work but it's been the opposite to be honest. Work has got more and more. The way I look at it now is that I want to make sure that I am working all the time and for as much as I can so that I do not have to worry about getting work for anyone else just so I can make a few extra quid. I would rather sell my other services like the Uplighting and Projection or be out all day for a wedding and earn more money. For the sake of more paperwork, meetings etc...it seems that AT THE MOMENT, it's the right thing to do for ME. I will continue to use my other DJ when bookings are multiple but I will concentrate on myself. Maybe in time things will change but at the moment that's how I want it to be.

Fair play to the people who do multi op. I want to do that in the end. If I could have 10 of me all out working then I know the jobs would be well done and I would be laughing. Good luck in whatever you decide.

[ppentertainments]

Cheers Shakermaker, really good post.
I think I am of the same mindset and although would love to put 'more of the same' out, reliability is a big worry. Another thing that puts me off is a lot of people book me expecting ME to be the DJ. (Don't know why :confused: :p ).

There is also the 'personal touch' factor which has appealed to a lot of clients, especially weddings, they book with me, discuss all requirements with me, then I am their DJ on the night.

Price increases may be on the cards next year and am starting to look at using equipment I have, ie projector etc, to their full capabilities.
Hats of to those who do multi-op I must say.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

If you can really optimise YOUR services then you may find that you might not have to go multi op. That's the way I am thinking at the moment. I don't want the worry of phonecalls here and there due to lateness or being let down etc and that's where the reliabilty thing comes in again. I totally agree with you when you say that customers expect YOU to be there as I get the same thing. I do find however that if I am already booked, I tell them about my other DJ and how we do things and I have to say that 100% of the time they are happy with that.

Things like the projection and uplighting if sold properly as extras could really make it worthwhile for you so use them. I would much rather (for example) sell those as extras and know that I am working for more money than go to all the trouble of getting someone else work no matter how reliable they may be. When I worked for my mate years ago, he was multi op and he had it down to a tee but it was very stressful. We had a 'runner', someone who literally drove a van around with backup equipment in it incase anyone had any problems which was a good idea but then I think he saw the £ signs and got greedy with it and in the end he mucked up more than he did good and the reputation went downhill. I don't want to be like that. It's not all about how much money I can make because if you make too much, you get stung anyway. I am happy in the fact that I can do really well doing what I do, give a great service, value for money and still earn more than my mates who go out everyday to jobs that they hate.

[Corabar Steve]

Just remember if you are going to go down the multi-op route you will then become an agency
I beg to differ. We are a multi op, & all our DJs are our employees. Ergo we are not an agency.

My plan was to get DJ's to use my equipment and pay them to play but that hasn't worked out as yet.
It's not easy to get competent & reliable DJs that don't have their own kit already. We ended up training a couple from scratch (one of whom is probably now our best DJ). The best way we have found is to take on somebody with a passion for music with a large & varied music collection & then mould them into the DJ that you want them to be.

Another thing that puts me off is a lot of people book me expecting ME to be the DJ. (Don't know why :confused: :p ).

There is also the 'personal touch' factor which has appealed to a lot of clients, especially weddings, they book with me, discuss all requirements with me, then I am their DJ on the night.
You can make it clear on your website & literature that you run more than one DJ. The personal touch won't be lost unless you really take on a lot of others or become an agency.

We're big enough to handle several jobs on one night, but small enough to still have the personal touch.

[rob1963]

Am looking for reasons for / against becoming multi-op. Most successfull disco companies seem to have other people working for them. In truth it's not a road I want to go down but may be a business neccesity.

Any views on this ? especially from people whom have found success as a one man company.

Interesting thread.

I wonder what Badger will say about this? ;)

I'm a one man band.

In the Summer months, I probably turn down at least 15 gigs due to being already booked. I could therefore get someone else to work for me & take a nice commission on the extra bookings, thus increasing my income, although I choose not to do this.

Why? Partly because the only person I can trust is myself, partly because I don't need to earn more money and partly to keep things simple (IE less paperwork & if necessary being able to put all my time into one booking on any given night, rather than having to split it between two or more).

However, If you have enough work to keep two or three DJs busy and don't mind having to rely on other people or the extra time & work involved, then I'd say go for it.

[Ace DJ]

[QUOTE=Corabar Steve;293314]I beg to differ. We are a multi op, & all our DJs are our employees. Ergo we are not an agency.

If they are your employees you must then pay all of the statatory payments IE
employee National isurance. Tax as PAYE. Holiday pay. Employee PLI etc etc.
and all of the Health and safety aspects of an Employer.
You cannot do this with a profit on what you would make out of having disco
working for you at say £50-£65 profit on a gig.

If the DJ's are working for you as self employed on a contract for services they are not employees as you must then be working on a buy and sell. If so you are then an employment business. This then comes under the DTI regulations. They are not then employed by you and are not your employees.

Working on a commission the DJ,s can no way be your employees. You are technicaly in law working for the artiste as you are only procuring them work.
Ace

Entertainment employment law is completely different to ordinary workplace law. This is why working in 'entertainment' is so complex. It is different to say employing plummers or shop staff etc.
ACE

[Corabar Steve]

I beg to differ. We are a multi op, & all our DJs are our employees. Ergo we are not an agency.


If they are your employees you must then pay all of the statatory payments IE
employee National isurance. Tax as PAYE. Holiday pay. Employee PLI etc etc.
and all of the Health and safety aspects of an Employer.
You cannot do this with a profit on what you would make out of having disco
working for you at say £50-£65 profit on a gig.
Thank you for that, funnily enough I was aware of this.

If they are your employees They are,
you must then pay all of the statatory payments IE
employee National isurance. Tax as PAYE. Holiday pay. Employee PLI etc etc.
and all of the Health and safety aspects of an Employer. we do

You cannot do this with a profit on what you would make out of having disco
working for you at say £50-£65 profit on a gig. & we do. Just because your charges / overheads are not of such levels to maintain this, don't assume that everyone is the same.

I repeat the point. If you have other DJs working for you, it does not automatically make you an agency, & your statement was inaccurate & misleading.

[nigelwright7557]

I used to work for a disco with 5 sets of equipment.
A lot of the time much of the equipment was idle unless it was Christmas.

[yourdj]

Agency stuff can be a bit of a headache but its down to the people you use and the customers you choose. There are some right pilloks out there.

you need to have allot of regular contracts to make it worth while. don't bother with the one offs.

Additional services are good and upselling for more money, like all day wedding Djing and better marketing which may half your workload for the same money.