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Thread: Full time job?

  1. #1

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    Default Full time job?

    Hi
    Not totally sure this is the right section but here goes... I'm fairly new to mobile disco's but already I'm struck by the huge amount of competition, there's over 30 companies within approx 30 mile radius of me!
    I know some of you guy's have managed to go full time with the DJing and really I'm wondering how you manage it?, is running quiz night's and karoke aswell an important part? are you multi operators etc etc

    now I appreciate this is a nosy question! but i ask it as I'm trapped as a lorry driver/delivery driver and hate it, don't wanna go to uni or college and couldnt afford to stop working to do so, I like doing the Disco's and I'm trying to see how viable it would be to put all my eggs in that basket, so to speak. thanks!

  2. #2
    Shakermaker Promotions's Avatar
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    You will probably get lots of replies to this question.
    I don't think there is THE answer but I can tell you what I think personally.

    You have a full time job firstly. Keep hold of it. Don't give up on one thing to pursue another if you already know what the competition is like out there.
    Do some local market research into pricing. Ease yourself in there by doing Discos when you can and see how you cope doing both.
    If you are new to it all I would personally concentrate just on the Discos for now and not worry about other services just yet.

    That's how I started out (don't know about anyone else?).
    I approached a number of local venues with an idea and it worked.
    A while back it was pretty easy to get midweek stuff too like Quiz Nights but a lot of places (pubs mainly) have their own people or stuff supplied by breweries so it's not so easy anymore. It WAS easy back then to say that you can DJ at the weekends and get a couple of midweek things but it's not so easy now.

    Sorry, I've just realised what the time is and I need to get out of here. There's loads of advice on here for you which I am sure everyone will give shortly.
    I'll let them get on with it.
    Good luck though!

  3. #3

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    In my experience the only way to do this as your only source of income is residencies. You have to have regular week in week out work because the days of working every Friday and Saturday doing parties, weddings etc are gone. There are far too many at it now and everyone is undercutting everyone else.
    I have been "full time" at this since 1987, have always had at least one residency, used to have 3 resident midweek pub karaoke nights back in the '90s, my they were the days, now those pubs are long gone, flattened.
    I would love a job as a delivery driver, don't give it up.

  4. #4

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    I have been full time since Dec 2006 but if it wasn't for being a children's entertainer and magician I could not survive on disco income alone. Yes there is so much competition out there and as you have a job keep it until you are sure yourself that you can make it as a full time DJ.
    My son has just passed his HGV1 2 weeks ago and is now earning more than me unless I have 3 gigs a week and although I offered him the disco business as I could just do kids entertainment he said 'no way it is too risky'. He has worked with me for years and is a great mixer dj but he doesn't want the worry of where the next money is coming from.

  5. #5
    musicologydisco's Avatar
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    Keep your Djing as a good paying hobby and as back up should lose your job. A lot of guys think they can charge silly money at the weekend and sit in front of daytime TV the rest of the week. If your mortgage is paid off or you have a pension or some other income it could be possible.
    To make a full time business you could look at doing things like bouncy castle hire, dance floors, marquees, children's entertainment, lighting / equipment hire etc. If you can start to get regular good money on the weekends with the disco you may be able to cut the full time job to a part time one. Maybe make that your first target then take it from there.

  6. #6
    Vectis's Avatar
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    It IS possible to DJ as a full-time job (and pay a hefty mortgage, pay into a pension, put food on the table etc.) BUT it takes a huge amount of industry experience, drive and passion.

    I was a weekend DJ for many years whilst holding down a corporate career, eventually taking redundancy rather than relocate to North America, and within 3 years was making the same amount of take home cash from my disco business as I was at my high-paying previous job.

    BUT - this was only possible because my corporate life had equipped me with all the skills (and qualifications) I needed to instinctively know how best to approach, market to and deal with venues, promoters, direct clients and third party suppliers. In turn this meant that I was more of an event organiser that played the music at the end of the night rather than 'just the DJ'. And this meant I could command big money, going out for 2-3 times more than the nearest competitor and getting it - week in, week out.

    It also means having an extremely good handle on your costs.

    At the end of the day everyone's cost of living is different. I suddenly had a huge mortgage and middle-class lifestyle to support, and burned a chunk of my redundancy in the first year or so just to survive. It meant cutting back on pleasantries - downsizing the car, taking fewer holidays, making the odd trip to Lidl instead of M&S and so on. Even taking tax credits for a short while, the first time I'd relied on the state for anything other than child benefit in my entire adult life.

    It was the drive, passion and worldly experience that made mine a successful business.

    I don't DJ any more (well, the occasional charity/community event maybe) because, with more time on my hands, I stumbled into something else I like even more than DJing at about the time that your average B&G started requesting predominantly 90s music which by and large I can't stand!

  7. #7
    BossmanKaraokeDisco's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by musicologydisco View Post
    Keep your Djing as a good paying hobby and as back up should lose your job. A lot of guys think they can charge silly money at the weekend and sit in front of daytime TV the rest of the week. If your mortgage is paid off or you have a pension or some other income it could be possible.
    To make a full time business you could look at doing things like bouncy castle hire, dance floors, marquees, children's entertainment, lighting / equipment hire etc. If you can start to get regular good money on the weekends with the disco you may be able to cut the full time job to a part time one. Maybe make that your first target then take it from there.
    Yes I am a full time Dj and I dont do any residences and if you think I have time to sit and watch daytime TV in the week you are sadly mistaken. I charge the going rate, not silly money as you put it, I pay a hefty mortgage and I have 2 vehicles and always have 2 holidays abroad every year. Yes it has taken me 30 years to get to this point and in the early days I did driving work alongside.
    If you sell yourself right and dont just rely on adverts and the internet you can end up with as much work as you need. What it dont need is mindless comments like highlighted above.
    Soapbox is put away
    www.bossmankaraokedisco.co.uk & www.coventry-weddingdj.co.uk
    BOSSMAN KARAOKE DISCO inc. COVENTRY WEDDING DJ

    Covering Coventry, West Midlands & Warwickshire

  8. #8
    Solitaire Events Ltd's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BossmanKaraokeDisco View Post
    Yes I am a full time Dj and I dont do any residences and if you think I have time to sit and watch daytime TV in the week you are sadly mistaken. I charge the going rate, not silly money as you put it, I pay a hefty mortgage and I have 2 vehicles and always have 2 holidays abroad every year. Yes it has taken me 30 years to get to this point and in the early days I did driving work alongside.
    If you sell yourself right and dont just rely on adverts and the internet you can end up with as much work as you need. What it dont need is mindless comments like highlighted above.
    Soapbox is put away
    Great comment. Well done to you.

  9. #9
    musicologydisco's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BossmanKaraokeDisco View Post
    Yes I am a full time Dj and I dont do any residences and if you think I have time to sit and watch daytime TV in the week you are sadly mistaken. I charge the going rate, not silly money as you put it, I pay a hefty mortgage and I have 2 vehicles and always have 2 holidays abroad every year. Yes it has taken me 30 years to get to this point and in the early days I did driving work alongside.
    If you sell yourself right and dont just rely on adverts and the internet you can end up with as much work as you need. What it dont need is mindless comments like highlighted above.
    Soapbox is put away
    Quite right. You can't just expect that to happen. That's the rose-tinted dream. So you agree with me. Not mindless at all then! The OP is clearly where you used to be (ie driving alongside djing at the moment). It took you 30 years and it may take him the same sort of time. It obviously depends on your outgoings and what you need. Good luck to him and I trust he will continue get helpful advice on how to get there.
    I don't see why you got so touchy.

  10. #10
    Dinosaur Excalibur's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by musicologydisco View Post
    Quite right. You can't just expect that to happen. That's the rose-tinted dream. So you agree with me. .
    Much of what you posted was broadly correct. I fear you may have worded it badly, thus giving the wrong impression. Often happens on the screen.
    Excalibur. Older than the average DJ.

    www.excaliburmobiledisco.co.uk

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