What Is Your Status

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Is DJ Work Your Only Occupation/Income?

  • DJ Work Is All I Do Full Time DJ

    Votes: 45 100.0%

  • I Have A Day Job And DJ Part Time

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I Have Another Self Owned Business(s) Plus DJing

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I DJ As A Hobby

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I DJ For A Multi-Op

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • My Business Is DJ Related

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Other (Please Explain)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    45
CMWAT said:
come on now Canute,noone is programmed for anything we are not robots,we are humans who make everyday choices in life.
Click to expand...

Hey,
This is not a put down on anyone it is a statistical fact that lots of people are programmed to just get a job. For example, a friend of mine is a chef at a big chain restaurant. He also has a Catering Business on the side and makes good money doing it. He complains that if he had more time for the catering business that he could make more money. I told him to quit and go for his passion but he says he is afraid to loose his Job's benefits! Go figure.:trirolleyes:
 
ahoustondj said:
Hey,
This is not a put down on anyone it is a statistical fact that lots of people are programmed to just get a job. For example, a friend of mine is a chef at a big chain restaurant. He also has a Catering Business on the side and makes good money doing it. He complains that if he had more time for the catering business that he could make more money. I told him to quit and go for his passion but he says he is afraid to loose his Job's benefits! Go figure.:trirolleyes:
Click to expand...
its the choice he made,as i said it has nothing to do with someone being programmed.
 
Maybe it is not programming as much as it is a personal and legit risk vs. reward analysis.

Whenever my "passions" are questioned, I acknowledge that my true passions call me "daddy" or "husband" or "son," etc., and the work I am financially compensated for is, in the final analysis, simply a means through which I am better able to support and enjoy my most valuable passions.
 
I did not state that everyone falls into any particular category. I do know that it is true that lots of people have a higher regard for a job than a self owned business.
Folks go to College and get Doctorates etc then go to work for others sometimes making less than some with less education.
Here is some good reading and food for thought.
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2006/07/10-reasons-you-should-never-get-a-job/
 
ahoustondj said:
Folks go to College and get Doctorates etc then go to work for others sometimes making less than some with less education.
Click to expand...
Maybe their success gauge is not marked in currency.

Financial success does not require formal or institutional education, and vice versa.
 
ahoustondj said:
A full time DJ is one who derives income only from his DJ business and treats it as such. It is a sole & verifiable entity. Full time DJs often spend time during the week marketing, researching, practicing and doing other duties related to their business. To them, they may be making enough money so that there is no need to do anything else. They can also be a stay at home Dad/Mom who handles the children while the other spouse goes to work elsewhere.

Someone who has another business plus a DJ business is literally duplicating the above except it is now two different occupations/careers. They can juggle the two.

People who have a job and also DJ usually take the job more seriously and view the DJ thing as a sideline. Many won't take the initiative to leave the job to DJ full time usually because of lack of confidence in themselves. This is of course unless they were forced to because of being being laid off or fired.

There are exceptions to every rule and some may have their own specific reasons for doing what they do.
Click to expand...


I guess we agree to disagree on this one.

Let's take a guy that works a day job, but OWNS his own DJ company, he has made the same investments & spends a considerable amount of time in marketing, planning, meetings with clients, Etc. as well.

Now, take a DJ that does not work a day job, he only DJs, BUT he works for various DJ companies that do all the marketing, planning, Etc. Yes he may DJ FT, but is he making the same investment in time & money as the guy that may work a day job that owns his own DJ company?
 
Dont depend much on Djing anymore just whenever I get a gig my son comes first.
 
ahoustondj said:
A full time DJ is one who derives income only from his DJ business and treats it as such. It is a sole & verifiable entity. Full time DJs often spend time during the week marketing, researching, practicing and doing other duties related to their business. To them, they may be making enough money so that there is no need to do anything else. They can also be a stay at home Dad/Mom who handles the children while the other spouse goes to work elsewhere.

Someone who has another business plus a DJ business is literally duplicating the above except it is now two different occupations/careers. They can juggle the two.

People who have a job and also DJ usually take the job more seriously and view the DJ thing as a sideline. Many won't take the initiative to leave the job to DJ full time usually because of lack of confidence in themselves. This is of course unless they were forced to because of being being laid off or fired.

There are exceptions to every rule and some may have their own specific reasons for doing what they do.
Click to expand...

What a load of BS.......Many don't dj full time because it simply can not and will not give them the standard of living a "traditional" profession can....plain and simple....Even if I were laid off or fired, dj'ing wouldn't even be a consideration....
 
Steve LeBlanc said:
What a load of BS.......Many don't dj full time because it simply can not and will not give them the stanbdard of living a "traditional" profession can....plain and simple....Even if I were laid off or fired, dj'ing wouldn't even be a consideration....
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Yes it can. A business can give you whatever you want to be successful however can you give a business whatever it takes to ensure that success? I am pretty sure you wear a name tag at work. :triwink:
 
Steve LeBlanc said:
What a load of BS.......Many don't dj full time because it simply can not and will not give them the standard of living a "traditional" profession can....plain and simple....Even if I were laid off or fired, dj'ing wouldn't even be a consideration....
Click to expand...


Yes it can,, I've been doing it for 25 years and it made me enough money to move to Maui...... and keep on DJing full time.....

You get in what you put out.....
 
ahoustondj said:
Yes it can. A business can give you whatever you want to be successful however can you give a business whatever it takes to ensure that success?
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I agree with that :)

When I feel the urge to work hard, I make lots of money -- when I choose not to, I make less... I work hard in spurts, then get lazy for a bit :)




Let me throw a monkey wrench into this one ;)

Of the folks that DJ full time, how many have a wife/partner that makes a fair amount of money from a "regular" job, and supports a good portion of the household...? Are you also covered under his/her benefits, etc...?

In other words -- could you afford to be a full time DJ, without the partner...?
 
ahoustondj said:
Yes it can. A business can give you whatever you want to be successful however can you give a business whatever it takes to ensure that success? I am pretty sure you wear a name tag at work. :triwink:
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...and for 80% or so apparently it can't. I don't wear a name tag at my job and trust me....my day job treats me quite well....:tritongue:

I'm not arguing that you can't be a full time dj; any one can. The question is; can't it give you a stable income, benefits, retirement package?

I think you'll find the overwhelming majority says ...No

For those that do it....I salute you....
 
Chuck The DJ said:
Yes it can,, I've been doing it for 25 years and it made me enough money to move to Maui...... and keep on DJing full time...
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Chuck, I can agree on the "this is all I do for income", but only up to a point. While I hold a world of respect for guys like you who hustle and make it happen on just their DJ gigs, I have a hard time just leaving it at the above catch-phrase.

We all know there are guys that are go-getters and then there are guys who are absolute slugs. While I don't mind taking the occasion "hobbyist" jab from a FTer who actually does get it done, I'll take the head off of any fool who goofs off most of the time, then does just enough gigs to keep his lights on, should he want to take the same jab. Both of these people could be considered as "full-time" under your definition but the sluggard doesn't deserve the title, IMHO.

I work my standard 40, then bust it practically every weekend. I personally worked 54 DJ dates last year and am quite proud in what I produced for my family. Maybe in the future there will be a day where the revenue will dictate that I drop the day job, maybe not, but for now, I'm a hard-worker (in my own view) and that's what counts. I can't speak for anyone else but personally, I love it when a slug uses the "this is all I do" line, then the bride repeats it back to me. When I give her a comparison of my work ethic versus theirs, I've yet to lose.
 
SoftJock Rick said:
Of the folks that DJ full time, how many have a wife/partner that makes a fair amount of money from a "regular" job, and supports a good portion of the household...? Are you also covered under his/her benefits, etc...?

In other words -- could you afford to be a full time DJ, without the partner...?
Click to expand...

My wife makes OK money and she has her benefits. As to the Kids and myself, we are covered under a different insurance. Her family coverage is such a small group, it was over $1000 a month to have us under it. We have private insurance.

If I was single with no kids, I could survive with my DJing alone. But since I am not, I could not survive if my wife did not work and I had to support the whole family on my DJ income alone.

Is that what you were asking? But then again, I answered other and explained that above.
 
SoftJock Rick said:
Of the folks that DJ full time, how many have a wife/partner that makes a fair amount of money from a "regular" job, and supports a good portion of the household...? Are you also covered under his/her benefits, etc...?

In other words -- could you afford to be a full time DJ, without the partner...?
Click to expand...

Kinda brings to mind the old musician joke, here in town:

What do you call a musician who just lost his wife/girlfriend?
Homeless.
 
ahoustondj said:
I did not state that everyone falls into any particular category. I do know that it is true that lots of people have a higher regard for a job than a self owned business.
Folks go to College and get Doctorates etc then go to work for others sometimes making less than some with less education.
Here is some good reading and food for thought.
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2006/07/10-reasons-you-should-never-get-a-job/
Click to expand...
Pavlina makes me love my job even more.i'm sorry but i can't be brainwashed by the crap,i see the reality around me each and everyday.all i'm saying is we all have choices in life that we make,noone is programmed to do anything.i wish everyone luck with whatever choice they make.
 
CMWAT said:
Pavlina makes me love my job even more.i'm sorry but i can't be brainwashed by the crap,i see the reality around me each and everyday.all i'm saying is we all have choices in life that we make,noone is programmed to do anything.i wish everyone luck with whatever choice they make.
Click to expand...

Perhaps "programmed" is not the right term...

How about conditioned... ;)


I'll give you a great example -- my brother. He's always hounded me to "get a haircut, and get a real job". He's a retired Marine, and works for the fed gov't. -- that should tell you something right there.

It seems to work great for him, but not for me. I like the ups and downs that come with running my own thing, and not having to depend on anyone but myself, and not having anyone to blame.


So, I believe he is conditioned into thinking that that is the right thing to do, and the only way to do it properly. I think that a large portion of our society are that way -- they are conditioned into thinking that they need to be worker bees, and not the queen bee...
 
SoftJock Rick said:
Perhaps "programmed" is not the right term...

How about conditioned... ;)


I'll give you a great example -- my brother. He's always hounded me to "get a haircut, and get a real job". He's a retired Marine, and works for the fed gov't. -- that should tell you something right there.

It seems to work great for him, but not for me. I like the ups and downs that come with running my own thing, and not having to depend on anyone but myself, and not having anyone to blame.


So, I believe he is conditioned into thinking that that is the right thing to do, and the only way to do it properly. I think that a large portion of our society are that way -- they are conditioned into thinking that they need to be worker bees, and not the queen bee...
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Rick,
You are correct. Self employment is not for the weak hearted. Discipline plays an important part in being self employed especially working from the home. It is easy to get distracted and blow off a whole day or week. When this activity brings no results then that person is quick to blame other things other than himself.
Some say there is security in a job. I say, go ask that of someone who has been laid off. Working for oneself gives one the ability to get paid each and every day.
 
Karl Langford said:
My wife makes OK money and she has her benefits. As to the Kids and myself, we are covered under a different insurance. Her family coverage is such a small group, it was over $1000 a month to have us under it. We have private insurance.

If I was single with no kids, I could survive with my DJing alone. But since I am not, I could not survive if my wife did not work and I had to support the whole family on my DJ income alone.

Is that what you were asking? But then again, I answered other and explained that above.
Click to expand...

Karl,
If you could survive on the DJ income, stop for a minute and ask yourself, are you putting in 40 hours or more to get to that amount? If not, think in terms of if you did. More than likely you could double or triple your income, add your wife as a partner and generate more business and have enough funds to take care of the whole family. Think also in terms of the benefits. Mom can spend more time with the children and you etc.


rickryan.com said:
I work my standard 40, then bust it practically every weekend. I personally worked 54 DJ dates last year and am quite proud in what I produced for my family. Maybe in the future there will be a day where the revenue will dictate that I drop the day job, maybe not, but for now, I'm a hard-worker (in my own view) and that's what counts. I can't speak for anyone else but personally, I love it when a slug uses the "this is all I do" line, then the bride repeats it back to me. When I give her a comparison of my work ethic versus theirs, I've yet to lose.
Click to expand...

Rick Ryan,
Based on all the gigs you say you get, if you are not making a lot of money from your DJ business it is either that you are not charging enough or you have a lot of overhead/expenses or not telling the truth. You should be making a whole heck of money with all that fancy setup and video that you provide. Many times you are talking about having the second rig out which means extra money on a particular night. I was expecting you to be making in the neighborhood of about$80K - $100K per annum. To me it just does not add up based on your posts. Just saying!
Guess maybe you want to retire in five years, Who knows!

Steve LeBlanc said:
The question is; can't it give you a stable income, benefits, retirement package?

I think you'll find the overwhelming majority says ...No

For those that do it....I salute you....
Click to expand...

Steve,
What Do You call Benefits? Vacation, Sick Pay, Health and Life Insurance, Bonuses etc.? Do you presently get all this for free? Are you telling me you have no deductions from your paycheck?
Self employed can have these same so called benefits. If the self employed chooses to pay in to it, then it will be there when the time comes. Putting aside a mere $50.00 per week from your gigs will give you $2,500.00 to use for two weeks as vacation money. Do the same for all the other items, Health Insurance etc and you have everything that Employees get, The biggest plus is , you don't have to call in to take a day off or wait in line to get vacation or show proof to anyone that you were really sick.
You take all the credit and yes, all the blame too.
 
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