What would make you quit DJing?

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SemiRetired DJ

SemiRetired DJ

Mac Daddy DJ
Nov 22, 2010
1,189
155
67
Abingdon, MD 21009
www.goodknightentertainment.com
My reasons, in no particular order:

  • Tired of humping the gear around.
  • Tired of busting my butt to get gigs.
  • Tired of spending my weekends away from my family.
  • Tired of putting up with the assholes that are sometimes (most of the time) clients.
  • Tired of playing music that I don't like and don't care to try to like.
  • Tired of putting up with the idiot guests of the asshole clients.
  • Tired of putting up with idiot wedding coordinators.
  • Tired of putting up with idiot hall managers.
 
I gave up weddings two years ago and haven't looked back but don't think I will ever quit djing.

Alot of the same you listed, to add to the list:
Paying for worthless adds in bridal publications with the only return a dinner twice a year.
Paying for worthless website placements.
Paying dues for associations that do nothing for me, my company or the industry.
Haggling with a customer over 50 bucks that another dj is offering (or not but customer says they are)
Dealing with other idiot djs that bad mouth to get the gig.
Bridal show reps that talk out of both sides of their mouth.
Djs that continuely add equipment to their packages but go DOWN in price! WTF!
I don't know how to list this one but, Joining a group of wedding professionals that when you get to the meeting another dj walks in and proclaims, "I just wanted to beat that other dj here" and the whole room looks at you with that WTF look. Yeah, a good way to work together and looks good to the other business owners too.
Your too loud.
Photographers who insist in stopping the dancing to take a stupid picture that will never make the cut because everyone in it is squinting.
The drunk that dumps their drink on my sh t!!!
Venues that claim you need to have a $3,000,000.00 aggregate.
Venues that want you to test the voltage of their plug! ?
Djs that proclaim a dj needs this, this and this to dj, which have nothing to do with djing.

ok I think thats enough for now.


Paul
 
The simple answer for me would be money, as Hank said. However, I have been doing this for a living for more than 25 years and as such I simply can not relate to the kind of issues you raise. Based on your critique of the job it appears to me that you are in this with erroneous expectations.

It is not the individual jobs (work) or even the clients that are supposed to fulfill your needs - it is the self realization and experience of succeeding with the application of certain skills and talent you posses.

Maybe I can explain it this way:

SemiRetired DJ said:
My reasons, in no particular order:

  • Tired of humping the gear around. Every job requires you to "hump" something, even if it's only time spent.
  • Tired of busting my butt to get gigs. I do not know anyone with income opportunity that is just handed to them.
  • Tired of spending my weekends away from my family. I chose to spend the weekdays with my family by making a career commitment.
  • Tired of putting up with the assholes that are sometimes (most of the time) clients. To me, looking for love in the wrong places.
  • Tired of playing music that I don't like and don't care to try to like. Customer service is not about you.
  • Tired of putting up with the idiot guests of the asshole clients. Customer service is not about you.
  • Tired of putting up with idiot wedding coordinators. Did I mention customer service is not about you?
  • Tired of putting up with idiot hall managers. It's called being a team player - they are called "managers" for a reason.
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I'm not trying to be mean Tom, I'm just pointing out that I'm taken back by your expectations. This is a JOB, it is WORK, and like most jobs it requires real effort and dedication. The rewards for this are largely monetary and professional - not social.
 
Abbey Lane said:
I've been doing this for over 38 years and haven't found the reason yet. LOL Not that I'm looking for one!
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Wow, I didn't even think you were 38 years old yet. :)

For me it will be when I can't stand the vast majority of my customers. You all know I don't do many weddings, but I certainly could do more. But I don't work with people I don't think I will enjoy working with / for. Life is too short to do that, IMO. And more and more brides to be are annoying the hell out of me during the interview process. Partially it is that they want stuff I don't do or like to do, but also it is that they want champagne on a beer budget.

I don't really uplight. I have 4 uplights. Just last week a potential bride said to me "If you can give me 16 uplights for free, you're my DJ"..... Umm, no.
 
I echo proformance of Boston, each one is a challenge, oh yes there is a butt for every stool, but its my job to leave them with a smile ,i have been dj'ing almost 30 years, and dont plan on quitting for a long time, I try to find my gigs half full on the glass . It's how we handle it as professionals and the end result. Each gig i learn something new about people and life in general,, happy gigs to you all,,,
 
Am I the only one who thinks it odd that that so many people see the "problem with this industry" being that customers won't do things our way?

I don't see the glass as half empty or even half full - it's simply over-sized for the beverage on hand.

Things are what they are; you can either serve the situation or you can't. It's not the client's fault if I don't fit their profile. If I want the business I've got to put forward a product or service that significant numbers of people find BOTH attractive and affordable.

Few markets outside of things like toilet paper are static. The requirements are always changing and evolving.
 
Proformance said:
Am I the only one who thinks it odd that that so many people see the "problem with this industry" being that customers won't do things our way?

I don't see the glass as half empty or even half full - it's simply over-sized for the beverage on hand. Things are what they are and you can either serve the situation or you can't. It's not the client's fault if I don't fit their profile. If I want the business I've got toi put forward a product people find attractive.
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Well, if you are referring to my post, well, am a PT DJ. I do this almost as a hobby. So, on that note, yeah, I want what I want. And if the customer wants what I offer, then great, we can work together. If not, then we won't. If one is a FT DJ, I imagine that they do have to be willing to adjust what they do to stay afloat. That's the beauty of it for me. I don't do it for the money, and I only do what works for me, as I only accept the clients I think I will enjoy.
 
Papa Deuce said:
Well, if you are referring to my post, well, am a PT DJ. I do this almost as a hobby. So, on that note, yeah, I want what I want. And if the customer wants what I offer, then great, we can work together. If not, then we won't. If one is a FT DJ, I imagine that they do have to be willing to adjust what they do to stay afloat. That's the beauty of it for me. I don't do it for the money, and I only do what works for me, as I only accept the clients I think I will enjoy.
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Your post isn't something I'm trying to single out, it's a sentiment in almost every thread on any board.

You're follow up point on the other hand is completely off the mark. The notion that as a full time event person I have to sacrifice something to make it work is completely contrary to the reality of being full time.

Let me speculate here but, I'm willing to bet that you depend very heavily on new LEADS, (individual customers) and a very limited number of recurring customers; with much of the recurring clientelle being made up of short budget clients like schools or charity?

As a career event person, the backbone of my income is from recurring ACCOUNTS. That is, I invoice the same agencies, corporations, and other event professionals multiple times a year over many years and even decades. I enjoy individual wedding customers and the like but, the backbone of my living is made by working for clients with larger budgets and multiple event needs.

The difference here, is that you likley sort through individual leads to find your "comfort zone", where in my case my career leads already reside fully within my comfort zone. Doing it for the money means I've worked hard to develop something I like doing for that money.

My point was that there is NO FAULT on the part of other people, or "the industry" if they don't happen to fall within our respective comfort zones. There's just something inherently silly about always blaming the customers when their priority doesn't match our intention. It was that point that came across so stronly in the OP.
 
Proformance said:
Your post isn't something I'm trying to single out, it's a sentiment in almost every thread on any board.

You're follow up point on the other hand is completely off the mark. The notion that as a full time event person I have to sacrifice something to make it work is completely contrary to the reality of being full time.

Let me speculate here but, I'm willing to bet that you depend very heavily on new LEADS, (individual customers) and a very limited number of recurring customers; with much of the recurring clientelle being made up of short budget clients like schools or charity?

As a career event person, the backbone of my income is from recurring ACCOUNTS. That is, I invoice the same agencies, corporations, and other event professionals multiple times a year over many years and even decades. I enjoy individual wedding customers and the like but, the backbone of my living is made by working for clients with larger budgets and multiple event needs.

The difference here, is that you likley sort through individual leads to find your "comfort zone", where in my case my career leads already reside fully within my comfort zone. Doing it for the money means I've worked hard to develop something I like doing for that money.

My point was that there is NO FAULT on the part of other people, or "the industry" if they don't happen to fall within our respective comfort zones. There's just something inherently silly about always blaming the customers when their priority doesn't match our intention. It was that point that came across so stronly in the OP.
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You would be right about about leads, meaning I don't get tons of repeat business - but then again, I don't WANT tons of any business. I want what I want - about 12 "real" events a year. My weddings start at $795, which, for me, is just fine. I also did a $4000 job last year. But I also do lots of $400 - $500 events for sure. And then I have my kids parties, at about $200 an hour for a 1 hour event, about 40 - 50x a year. See, I don't want DJing to ever feel like a "job" I want it to feel like a hobby I get well paid for.
 
Here in the carolinas we have this thing called "beach music" when I started out I was a beach music dj, then as years progressed, I found out I was profiling myself, he plays beach music and oldies. Well the last 10 years or more I have sold myself as a bona-fided dj that plays everything and what you want him to play. My gigs jumped way way up. The glass if way full and we want fries with it. Our attitude is the end result. I truly enjoy the comments of my colleagues here, thanks guys,,,
 
Papa Deuce said:
You would be right about about leads, meaning I don't get tons of repeat business - but then again, I don't WANT tons of any business. I want what I want - about 12 "real" events a year. My weddings start at $795, which, for me, is just fine. I also did a $4000 job last year. But I also do lots of $400 - $500 events for sure. And then I have my kids parties, at about $200 an hour for a 1 hour event, about 40 - 50x a year. See, I don't want DJing to ever feel like a "job" I want it to feel like a hobby I get well paid for.
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Sure, I get that.

This is panning for gold where you can do it at your leisure, move freely, and tolerate a certain amount of guesswork. You also have to toss off a lot of sand and grit to find what you consider a nugget of gold.

Mining for gold is a serious commitment that involves substatial risk and a plan that eliminates guesswork. The supply of gold nuggets on the other hand is more steady and with less refuse.

Either way you might end up making money or wasting your time.

The other aspect to consider is what this looks like to the 3rd party observer: What impressions do people take from seeing someone paning for gold versus mining for gold? How would these impressions likely uinfluence the kind of clients attracted to your operation?

My theory about Tom's original post (and other DJs in his similar situation) is that he attracts a lot of clients who don't take him seriously because he does not appear to take himself seriously. (The risk averse client tends to seek out risk averse vendor.) Over the long term this steady stream of sand and grit that comes between you and your gold can lead to some bitter frustration if it wasn't part of your original understanding of the incredible patience it takes to pan for gold.
 
Proformance said:
Your post isn't something I'm trying to single out, it's a sentiment in almost every thread on any board.

You're follow up point on the other hand is completely off the mark. The notion that as a full time event person I have to sacrifice something to make it work is completely contrary to the reality of being full time.

Let me speculate here but, I'm willing to bet that you depend very heavily on new LEADS, (individual customers) and a very limited number of recurring customers; with much of the recurring clientelle being made up of short budget clients like schools or charity?

As a career event person, the backbone of my income is from recurring ACCOUNTS. That is, I invoice the same agencies, corporations, and other event professionals multiple times a year over many years and even decades. I enjoy individual wedding customers and the like but, the backbone of my living is made by working for clients with larger budgets and multiple event needs.

The difference here, is that you likley sort through individual leads to find your "comfort zone", where in my case my career leads already reside fully within my comfort zone. Doing it for the money means I've worked hard to develop something I like doing for that money.

My point was that there is NO FAULT on the part of other people, or "the industry" if they don't happen to fall within our respective comfort zones. There's just something inherently silly about always blaming the customers when their priority doesn't match our intention. It was that point that came across so stronly in the OP.
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Well, I didn't say sacrifice. I said adjust. Big difference there. For instance, I absolutely do not play explicit lyrics. My choice, and my clients know this. And because I don't rely on DJ money for income that matters, I can have this policy. I imagine if one was a FT DJ and wanted to adhere to this policy, it might be a harder choice. I mean you have to out food on the table.
 
Papa Deuce said:
Well, I didn't say sacrifice. I said adjust. Big difference there. For instance, I absolutely do not play explicit lyrics. My choice, and my clients know this. And because I don't rely on DJ money for income that matters, I can have this policy. I imagine if one was a FT DJ and wanted to adhere to this policy, it might be a harder choice. I mean you have to out food on the table.
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Wow. That's a really narcissistic view of the world. I think the demand for "clean radio edits" probably exceeds one DJ in PA. LOL!

It's like your whole view of DJs is based on one day spent with a group of carnival workers. Is this really your view of things or just a dig at me personally that to succeed full time I must also be ethically inferior?

Plain and simple, the person doing the greatest share of quality business generates the higheest level of referrals. More referrals means more opportunity to choose quality gigs. It follows quite obviously that the more part time or casual a DJ becomes - the harder it is to find qualified customers.

You may be dropping a lot of prospects you find undesirable - but, that does not mean that they are being picked up by desperate and morally corrupt full timers. More than likely, they are flocking to novices and bargain DJs even more casual and part time than yourself.
 
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