I know I'm sticking my hand in a hornets nest,

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Psst, psst like I said in another thread, of all of the people I know well from this board I'm the only hobbyist as I do my parties and have fun. you guys may run two or more jobs but you are all professionals at what you do and you charge what you think is appropriate. Just because you have fun does not mean it's a hobby. I have a lot of fun in my work and enjoy it but it's not a hobby for me ;) so I don't think you guys would be considered hobbyists at all. JMHO.
 
I have not worked for anyone for 25 + years now. Full and part
time have several meanings. I have another business that brings me additional income and between the two it gives me more benefits rather than working for someone. I like what I do but that does not make it a Hobby. I am doing this for the profit it brings, the fun part is a bonus.
People who DJ as a Hobby tend to be sometimes less worried about the market fees because they just want to be out doing gigs and may end up settling for less than going rates. There is nothing wrong with any of the above. One can call themselves whatever they want but its the trip to the bank that will determine if what you are doing is a business or a hobby. The time spent is a mere incidental.
 
Actually what defines a "hobbiest" is the IRS!

The Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers to follow appropriate guidelines when determining whether an activity is a business or a hobby, an activity not engaged in for profit.

In order to educate taxpayers regarding their filing obligations, this fact sheet, the eleventh in a series, explains the rules for determining if an activity qualifies as a business and what limitations apply if the activity is not a business. Incorrect deduction of hobby expenses account for a portion of the overstated adjustments, deductions, exemptions and credits that add up to $30 billion per year in unpaid taxes, according to IRS estimates.

In general, taxpayers may deduct ordinary and necessary expenses for conducting a trade or business. An ordinary expense is an expense that is common and accepted in the taxpayer’s trade or business. A necessary expense is one that is appropriate for the business. Generally, an activity qualifies as a business if it is carried on with the reasonable expectation of earning a profit.

In order to make this determination, taxpayers should consider the following factors:

Does the time and effort put into the activity indicate an intention to make a profit?
Does the taxpayer depend on income from the activity?
If there are losses, are they due to circumstances beyond the taxpayer’s control or did they occur in the start-up phase of the business?
Has the taxpayer changed methods of operation to improve profitability?
Does the taxpayer or his/her advisors have the knowledge needed to carry on the activity as a successful business?
Has the taxpayer made a profit in similar activities in the past?
Does the activity make a profit in some years?
Can the taxpayer expect to make a profit in the future from the appreciation of assets used in the activity?
The IRS presumes that an activity is carried on for profit if it makes a profit during at least three of the last five tax years, including the current year — at least two of the last seven years for activities that consist primarily of breeding, showing, training or racing horses.
 
Well I am going to jump on into this (and in the process I am sure piss a lot of people off with what I am about to say).

I think the whole "label" thing is more for the company's whose only income is from DJing. I have looked at a lot of DJ website lately because of the redesign I was doing on mine, I can not tell you how many I came across which something like "this is our job, not just a hobby" or "don't you want someone who is a full time DJ?" or other such nonsense. It is nothing more than a scare tactic to use on potential clients, plain and simple.

Do I offer up that both Eric and I work full time jobs? No. Because in the client's eyes, this gives the perception that we can not give them our full attention. But can we provide just as personal an experience to client as someone who does it "full time", absolutely.
 
patrickrlewis said:
.

Do I offer up that both Eric and I work full time jobs? No. Because in the client's eyes, this gives the perception that we can not give them our full attention. But can we provide just as personal an experience to client as someone who does it "full time", absolutely.
Click to expand...

In my 30 years doing this part time, I've never had a client be concerned that my dj business was a sideline.

They don't care....
 
DJ SVO said:
Psst, psst like I said in another thread, of all of the people I know well from this board I'm the only hobbyist as I do my parties and have fun. you guys may run two or more jobs but you are all professionals at what you do and you charge what you think is appropriate. Just because you have fun does not mean it's a hobby. I have a lot of fun in my work and enjoy it but it's not a hobby for me ;) so I don't think you guys would be considered hobbyists at all. JMHO.
Click to expand...

Jacob

THANK YOU
 
Steve LeBlanc said:
In my 30 years doing this part time, I've never had a client be concerned that my dj business was a sideline.

They don't care....
Click to expand...

You would be surprised Steve. In this area, they do care. Many times, it is one of the first questions asked, we answer it honestly, and hear "oh, ok, well thanks anyway, bye".

They have been trained by wedding magazines and websites to asked this.

Not like it bothers us any, because most likely people who are going to be worried about that would not hire us anyway because they are going to want the stuffy suit type DJ :tribiggrin:
 
It would seem
the only people who USE the phrase HOBBYIST
are the ones who do not consider themselves as a HOBBYIST
(for whatever reason they feel they are not)

so, YES the word has a negative connotation...
and YES it does make you sound as if you don't take it seriously

so the answer is
NO! do not "offer" that information
if you are asked about it, tell them you do NOT do this full time
which gives you the freedom to enjoy doing it, without having to depend on the money.

of course, MY full time job, AND my other part time job
are both about MUSIC and entertaining...
so I don't have any hesitation to talk about it.
 
MIXSIRS said:
but I have to ask.

If you consider yourself a hobbyist, do you tell this to a prospective client?
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My question had nothing to do with being a part timer or a full timer, it had to do with considering yourself a hobbyist.

Forget about part time or full time. Are you a professional or a hobbyist? Be honest with yourself.
 
drzinc said:
I have a day job and my DJ(entertainment) job I have held my dj job for longer than any other jobs I have had.
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Same here. 23 years as a DJ, 17 as a teacher. I never hide it, and often bring it up in the natural course of a conversation if appropriate. Never had a problem, and still get tons of referrals.
 
This is a business. This is not a hobby. I don't have any hobbies that I need to have liability insurance for.

I don't have any hobbies that requires contracts and a down payment

I don't have any hobbies that I would be sued for if I didn't show up.

It's never been about full time or part time hours. It's about full or part time service.

I understand the logic behind the full time/part time debate. Someone that only does this SHOULD have more time to dedicate to each event. The reality is that it doesn't always mean they do dedicate more time resulting in better results.

Like Houston, I have always done other things to generate income. But this business comes first and is the major bread winner. But if I had a full time job and only dj'd once in a while, this would still not be a hobby.

I don't care how many hours someone puts towards DJing. If you tell someone that this is not a business, but a hobby, don't expect them to take you seriously.
 
scott hanna said:
this is a business. This is not a hobby. I don't have any hobbies that i need to have liability insurance for.

I don't have any hobbies that requires contracts and a down payment

i don't have any hobbies that i would be sued for if i didn't show up.

It's never been about full time or part time hours. It's about full or part time service.

I understand the logic behind the full time/part time debate. Someone that only does this should have more time to dedicate to each event. The reality is that it doesn't always mean they do dedicate more time resulting in better results.

Like houston, i have always done other things to generate income. But this business comes first and is the major bread winner. But if i had a full time job and only dj'd once in a while, this would still not be a hobby.

I don't care how many hours someone puts towards djing. If you tell someone that this is not a business, but a hobby, don't expect them to take you seriously.
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ding ding ding ding we have a winner!!!!
 
and I second that, Patrick....

so to answer the OP
yeah, I would tell clients if was doing this purely as a "hobby"...
so they would know EXACTLY what they were getting from the start!
(and I'd probably NOT be spinning for receptions or serious functions)
 
It was never asked, so I don't need to disclose it.
Plus, all they want to know is that you don't take this event lightly.
One Love
DJ Mello out of Florida
 
MIXSIRS said:
My question had nothing to do with being a part timer or a full timer, it had to do with considering yourself a hobbyist.

Forget about part time or full time. Are you a professional or a hobbyist? Be honest with yourself.
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I think what you have to remember is that it is all about terminology....

What the client THINKS those terms mean, it has nothing to do with what WE think it means....

Ask people who are not in the biz "what does the term hobbyist DJ" mean to them.

And no I have never used that term, because in MY mind, I would never want a hobbyist ANYTHING doing something for me..... why would you when you can have a professional?
 
They just do NOT care

all they want is a Service - you do the job , your paid and now you go home

dont like what I said then TOUGH

have a nice day
 
The full-time/part-time distinction *should* make no tangible difference for the experience of the client before, or during their event.

If it does, then you're simply looking at either a deficiency or an extreme proficiency of the provider in question, and not at some sort of direct correlation to their employment status.
 
Ausumm said:
It would seem
the only people who USE the phrase HOBBYIST
are the ones who do not consider themselves as a HOBBYIST
(for whatever reason they feel they are not)

so, YES the word has a negative connotation...
and YES it does make you sound as if you don't take it seriously
Click to expand...

It's funny that it only has a negative connotation in this business... It's the full-timers who give it that by what was said earlier as a marketing/scare ploy! The hobbyist, keep hobbying!

I work in EMS as a "full-time" job but I also have 48 hours of off time to work on DJ stuff so I consider myself having two full-time jobs and when a client ask and only a few in 10 years have, I'm honest about it.
 
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