Life/Work Balance of being a Mobile DJ

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DJ Ricky B

DJ Ricky B

DJ Extraordinaire
Mar 9, 2015
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For a long time now I have been pretty gung ho about growing the business, and booking as many events as I possibly can. I've had the pedal to the metal for about 9 years now. I pretty much seem to book between 34 and 44 Saturdays every single year. I have been thinking a lot about what I want to do in 2017 and 2018, how to do marketing, and what I want to do in terms of my booking schedule.

In 2016 I had LONG, LONG streaks of working anywhere from 5 to 10 Saturdays in a row before having a Saturday off. The more I think about it, the more I don't want to do that any more.

I want to control my weekends more...The problem is that bookings come in very in naturally and sporadic. I get booked at random times, and the dates come in how they come in. It's hard to just book 3 Saturdays in a row, and make sure the 4 Saturday I have off...It's hard to just book every other Saturday.

This year, I'm going to emphasize not working so many weekends in a row, but I need to find an effective way to actually stick to that. After the last decade of working as much as I can, and dealing with the slow season every year, I'm beginning to feel like I want more of my weekend time back. I'm not caring as much about things like "Trying to make more money than last year" or "Making as much money as I possibly can".

I'm already toning down my marketing moving into 2017. I'm planning to let the cookie crumble, and let bookings fall into place, but keeping a close eye on my calendar. If I book 3 weekends in a row...Make sure I give myself a weekend off. ...I think I want more relaxation time with the family in 2017 through out the year, and not just in mid January thru early April.

I'm prepared to only work only 40 events this year instead of over 50 I guess is what I'm saying.

Anyone else feeling this way?
 
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Yes, as I got older the more ME and family time I want, so I just don't book some dates because I need the time for other things.

Also a long time ago I had an agent tell me to slow down and do fewer event but for a higher price.

Back then I was doing over 75 per year and only charged an average of 450 per event so my year was about $33,750
He convinced me to charge 650 per event and only do 50 per year and my money was about $32,500 almost the same money with less work.
 
Depends if DJing is your only income or is a subsidy, whether the extra income is needed or not.

ProDJay : WARNING !!! There is an inherent fallacy with that "work less for the same money" falsehood that WILL come back to bite you in the long run. "Work the same for a lot more money" should be the goal.
 
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Cap Capello said:
ProDJay : WARNING !!! There is an inherent fallacy with that "work less for the same money" falsehood that WILL come back to bite you in the long run. "Work the same for a lot more money" should be the goal.
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Not my main job so I'm not sure how that is a falsehood, and this has worked well for me now for over 20 years.

I don't miss all that work!!!
 
DJ Ricky B said:
For a long time now I have been pretty gung ho about growing the business, and booking as many events as I possibly can. I've had the pedal to the metal for about 9 years now. I pretty much seem to book between 34 and 44 Saturdays every single year. I have been thinking a lot about what I want to do in 2017 and 2018, how to do marketing, and what I want to do in terms of my booking schedule.

In 2016 I had LONG, LONG streaks of working anywhere from 5 to 10 Saturdays in a row before having a Saturday off. The more I think about it, the more I don't want to do that any more.

I want to control my weekends more...The problem is that bookings come in very in naturally and sporadic. I get booked at random times, and the dates come in how they come in. It's hard to just book 3 Saturdays in a row, and make sure the 4 Saturday I have off...It's hard to just book every other Saturday.

This year, I'm going to emphasize not working so many weekends in a row, but I need to find an effective way to actually stick to that. After the last decade of working as much as I can, and dealing with the slow season every year, I'm beginning to feel like I want more of my weekend time back. I'm not caring as much about things like "Trying to make more money than last year" or "Making as much money as I possibly can".

I'm already toning down my marketing moving into 2017. I'm planning to let the cookie crumble, and let bookings fall into place, but keeping a close eye on my calendar. If I book 3 weekends in a row...Make sure I give myself a weekend off. ...I think I want more relaxation time with the family in 2017 through out the year, and not just in mid January thru early April.

I'm prepared to only work only 40 events this year instead of over 50 I guess is what I'm saying.

Anyone else feeling this way?
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Why can't Monday/Tuesday be your weekend? I know a few restaurant owners that look at it that way.
 
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The main source of referrals is word of mouth, i.e. people who have used you or seen you work. The less events you do, the less people get to see you. The less people that see you, the lesser there are of live auditions. Couple that with the reduced numbers of people being invited due to overall costs, that spiral will continue downward unless something happens to turn that around. More advertising $$$? Lower prices$$$? Raise the prices $$$?

I am one who bought into that ridiculous thought process and it took a couple of years to stop the downward trend and a couple more years to get it back on track.

But then again, it's another difference between relying on the business for a living versus a part time venture.
 
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Steve, for 35 years my weekends have been Monday - Tuesday. None of my family, extended family, wife's family, relatives, and friends have ever switched a major life's celebration to a Monday and or Tuesday. That celebratory family time life is on Friday - Saturday-Sunday.

The full time family event sacrifice is H-U-G-E !
 
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Cap Capello said:
Steve, for 35 years my weekends have been Monday - Tuesday. None of my family, extended family, wife family, relatives, and friends have ever switched a major life's celebration to a Monday and or Tuesday. The full time sacrifice is H-U-G-E !
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I don't disagree .. but if that's one's chosen profession, you either need to roll with it or change .. my friends with restaurants just aren't going to convince the public to eat out on Monday or Tuesday. To DJ full-time and skip the work weekends between May and October would seem to be the wrong way to address things and stay full-time.
 
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steve149 said:
I don't disagree .. but if that's one's chosen profession, you either need to roll with it or change .. my friends with restaurants just aren't going to convince the public to eat out on Monday or Tuesday. To DJ full-time and skip the work weekends between May and October would seem to be the wrong way to address things and stay full-time.
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I'm currently back to working Monday through Friday 30 hours a week. Last year, and the years prior I mostly worked very part time, or did not have a job at all, and being a DJ was my sole full time income.

This year, I work Monday thru Friday...if I DJ Saturday, I only have Sunday off. ...If I work Saturday, and Sunday, I'm totally exhausted going back to work Monday morning. I'm not prepared to work the amount of events I had the past 5 years + work Monday thru Friday. ...I'm ready to have some more weekend time off.

I think my goal for this year will be to work 35 to 40 events instead of 55+ If the same work load comes my way I will try to book my other DJs more.

While I love Deejaying, and enjoy the money associated with it, I really want more of my weekends free this year. I don't want to have to work every weekend in May, and June, then take 1 weekend off in July so I can go on a summer vacation, then back to working virtually every weekend late July all the way to the 3rd weekend in November. I really want to truly have a few weekends off during the wedding season this year.

...That is as long as I'm working Monday thru Friday. ...If I didn't have a job then I know I have plenty of time on weekdays off, and I have to make that money.

Right now I don't have a single gig booked in February...which is typical. This year I'm kinda glad I don't have anything. I will relax on the weekends next month.
 
DJ Ricky B said:
I'm currently back to working Monday through Friday 30 hours a week. Last year, and the years prior I mostly worked very part time, or did not have a job at all, and being a DJ was my sole full time income.

This year, I work Monday thru Friday...if I DJ Saturday, I only have Sunday off. ...If I work Saturday, and Sunday, I'm totally exhausted going back to work Monday morning. I'm not prepared to work the amount of events I had the past 5 years + work Monday thru Friday. ...I'm ready to have some more weekend time off.

I think my goal for this year will be to work 35 to 40 events instead of 55+ If the same work load comes my way I will try to book my other DJs more.

While I love Deejaying, and enjoy the money associated with it, I really want more of my weekends free this year. I don't want to have to work every weekend in May, and June, then take 1 weekend off in July so I can go on a summer vacation, then back to working virtually every weekend late July all the way to the 3rd weekend in November. I really want to truly have a few weekends off during the wedding season this year.

...That is as long as I'm working Monday thru Friday. ...If I didn't have a job then I know I have plenty of time on weekdays off, and I have to make that money.

Right now I don't have a single gig booked in February...which is typical. This year I'm kinda glad I don't have anything. I will relax on the weekends next month.
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The last few years I tried to take a full weekend off and managed to mess it up. This year so far I've managed to keep the August 5 weekend off. I have a wedding on the 2nd (Wednesday) and then I'm free until the 12th so that's my vacation this year

Honestly I hate taking weekends off in the summer. Things are so busy and everyone is out on the weekend. I usually take several weekday trips instead. I also work weekends at my radio job so it's not that big a deal to not take a weekend off

Be careful with the DJ business. One thing I learned is if you are good to it it will be good to you. You start taking a lot of weekends off in the busy season it will go away on you I've seen it time and time again
 
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It's not perfect, but my wife and I spend effort to make sure we spend time together. Sunday's are typically our day together. In addition, we plan some weekends throughout the year we will get away.

We've already planned 5 day trip to Chicago in June. She is also going to join me in Europe in may as I'll extend a business trip.
During the week, we make sure we spend at least a few days together for dinner, we usually plan those out for the month, so I can schedule things in the evenings and not book appointments appointments on our date nights. It's the same for her. She is on a few different committees in addition to her work.
We both can see each other's calendar so we easily book other things for each other.

I'm not close to retiring, but I am looking to cut the number of shows I do down slightly each year for the next few years.
 
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This past fall, I had a really busy stretch. I had two double (Saturday Sunday weddings) in a row, on top my regular 9-5. The result was 19 days of work straight without a day off. I've committed to not doing that any more... But, that may include more use of vacation days during the week to create a break.

The reality of wanting to focus on weddings is that there is a busy season. Fall weddings around here are prime dates, and it's very difficult to turn them down. I feel like when they money is available to be made, it's silly not to go out and earn it. But, that work life balance can get out of whack if not watched.

Ricky, if I'm not mistaken, you have kids. So that changes the equation a bit... I'm not sure how I'd handle my time differently if I was trying to set aside time with kids.
 
You can do this easily. Stop answering your phone and don't respond to emails. LOL. Obviously just kidding. Good luck with making time to enjoy life and not being so consumed with making money. Nothing wrong with making money or having it. I just don't know anyone that when they left here they took their money with them or their material possessions.
 
We made this call for last year and for this year. We raised our price to what I felt were appropriate for our services. And are booking about the same. What really did it for us was our season in 2014 doing 12 weekends in a row. Remember the wife and I work full time in very face paced day jobs. Not to mention back to back weddings were physically destroying us I'm 55 and the wife 53.

So our goal has been no more than 25 wedding in a year at a premium price. So my main goal for every wedding is A + customer service and performance. I'm not looking at putting on a Vegas type show. But trying to match our brides dreams. Trust me my wife reminds me how heavily invested we are into our business lol.
 
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I just had a great phone conversation with a couple getting married in DC. New higher DC Rate, and they are requesting an agreement! This will be my 3rd highest price booking without any add ons (Up Lighting) ever...and it's just a wedding for 90 guests. Things are looking good, but I certainly plan to limit my "in a row" bookings this year.

Working Monday thru Friday, what would be best for me is book a Friday night wedding...Pull a long Friday, then have Saturday/Sunday off. That would be the best in terms of Money and having enough time off, of course getting those Friday bookings often is hard.

I think I'm capping myself at 40 gigs this year as long as I have the week day job. That will be my plan. So far I have done 1, and 12 more on the calendar. Come the end of February/early March I expect to double that, and at that point I will look at what my calendar looks like and start blocking out certain weekends to make sure I have off.
 
I feel your pain, but gees, some people have to work everyday! LOL My wife is good for throwing that at me - 'you want a day off? you only work 1 day a week!'
Today I'm off - between DJ, bus driving, bridal shows and tax job today is my second day off, as in nothing scheduled, this year.

At the bar last night talked to teh 20 year old server - it was her 8th straight day working there.
A fellow bus driver also cleans houses and helps with her husbands tree cutting biz on weekends.

I know the feeling..trust me! However, I've never had too much money and finding money (aka jobs/gigs/work) harder than spending it. So yeah, bring it!
Looking to book a prom for photobooth for may 5 and have to do first communion pics at 9am the following morning. More than once I've had to shoot sports pics from 7am to noon then go do a wedding from 2-10pm.

I rarely reserve dates and turn away work for 'possible' future work..saturdays in late april/early may are that way. I'm hoping to rebook sports work that will pay more than other stuff.
Or setting up weeks for vacation..if nobody calls for july 29, great..but it sucks toturn away $2000 job because you want to go to the beach. I try to schedule my life around the work...that's the cost of a job where you get paid so others can play.

A new issue for me this year is the bus driving..2-4 in the afternoon. So a friday weddng before June or after labor day is something I should avoid...would you want your employee calling off because they can make more money someplace else? Murphy's Law says I'll get lots of calls for friday gigs, right? LOL
 
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IceBurghDJ said:
I feel your pain, but gees, some people have to work everyday! LOL My wife is good for throwing that at me - 'you want a day off? you only work 1 day a week!'
Today I'm off - between DJ, bus driving, bridal shows and tax job today is my second day off, as in nothing scheduled, this year.

At the bar last night talked to teh 20 year old server - it was her 8th straight day working there.
A fellow bus driver also cleans houses and helps with her husbands tree cutting biz on weekends.

I know the feeling..trust me! However, I've never had too much money and finding money (aka jobs/gigs/work) harder than spending it. So yeah, bring it!
Looking to book a prom for photobooth for may 5 and have to do first communion pics at 9am the following morning. More than once I've had to shoot sports pics from 7am to noon then go do a wedding from 2-10pm.

I rarely reserve dates and turn away work for 'possible' future work..saturdays in late april/early may are that way. I'm hoping to rebook sports work that will pay more than other stuff.
Or setting up weeks for vacation..if nobody calls for july 29, great..but it sucks toturn away $2000 job because you want to go to the beach. I try to schedule my life around the work...that's the cost of a job where you get paid so others can play.

A new issue for me this year is the bus driving..2-4 in the afternoon. So a friday weddng before June or after labor day is something I should avoid...would you want your employee calling off because they can make more money someplace else? Murphy's Law says I'll get lots of calls for friday gigs, right? LOL
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I'm in a similar boat. Today is my second day off this year and I will be doing 8 or 9 before I get another one. There are some weekends I've come straight from a gig and gone to work

As for the bus driving I've always made clear to anyone I work for that my business comes first and if I need a day off to do a gig I'm taking it. I rarely do and usually make an effort to work around it but they know up front that there will come a time that it will happen
 
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Jeff Romard said:
I'm in a similar boat. Today is my second day off this year and I will be doing 8 or 9 before I get another one. There are some weekends I've come straight from a gig and gone to work

As for the bus driving I've always made clear to anyone I work for that my business comes first and if I need a day off to do a gig I'm taking it. I rarely do and usually make an effort to work around it but they know up front that there will come a time that it will happen
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Remember...you only live ONCE. (As far as we know or have evidence of)

Do you LIVE to WORK or WORK to LIVE?

Life is about the choices you make.

"I've learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as making a "life."" — Maya Angelou
 
i like to eat. i don't like walking. i don't want to be cold or too hot and prefer not to sit in an empty room in the dark. In my life I'd had moments, months even, where those things were the norm.
It's nice going to the grocery store and not having to add up a total as I put stuff in the cart. Or decide "hmm..will $7 be enough gas to get me to payday" etc.

And I don't mind working. When you have things you'd really rather than do besides work..time for a new job or retire.

A guy that does taxes with me is 76 yrs old. He was an exec at wendy's, made very good money. But he does taxes 40 hours a week, works a car auction one a week in the summer, works every census, worked last summer at the courthouse, plus does volunteer work. He's easily able to sit home and 'do nothing' - but he knows if he does that he'll be bored to death in no time..literally!
 
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IceBurghDJ said:
A guy that does taxes with me is 76 yrs old. He was an exec at wendy's, made very good money. But he does taxes 40 hours a week, works a car auction one a week in the summer, works every census, worked last summer at the courthouse, plus does volunteer work. He's easily able to sit home and 'do nothing' - but he knows if he does that he'll be bored to death in no time..literally!
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An exec for Wendys huh? I'm sure he saved up a ton of money.

There's a lot of older guys out there who claimed to make all sorts of money. In reality, every older person I have met that is well above retirement age, and working their tale off still is because they did not adequately save up for their retirement, or they blew it on foolish things early on.

People who are 76 years old, and working non stop do so because they need the money. If he didn't need it he would belong to extra curricular clubs, and taking cruises. He would go live in Florida during the winter like most older people with money do this time of the year.

The lie that they want to keep busy, and work a job doing taxes for $12 an hour or whatever they make is just that...a lie.

I know a lady who is 67, walking with a cane, and has all sorts of physical problems, but continues to work at Wal Mart grave yard shift so she can keep the roof over their heads.

It's all a façade...I've met a lot of older people that try to present themselves in a way to make them appear like they were successful in life, but when you look deeper, and notice certain things, you realize they were no more successful than most everybody else out there.
 
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