How Did You Start...

[kazzachi 0]

Hi Paula - I am another of the female variety - and yes, we are seriously the minority - far more KJs thans DJs these days!!

Problem for us is that the male variety still think that mobile DJ-ing is male domain and I found when I began that they were extremely stingy on helping with advice - I got started after having divorced my first hubby and was seriously strapped for cash and thought I would give it a go for a laugh....... Probably the best two decisions I have ever made (divorcing the first hubby and becoming a DJ). My only regret is that I should have started this sooooo much earlier! I wasted years in boring offices working many hours - but now do a job I love and earn more in a weekend than some office-bods earn in a month....... Any girlies thinking of getting into this should seriously consider the benefits...........Retail therapy every week whilst the shops are relatively quite because the boring office bods are all at work!! http://www.chrispointon.f2s.com/Forum/html/emoticons/042.gif

[mikeee 0]

Hi Kazzachi,

 

well done, we need more like you. As I was trying to say in another post which I hashed up good and proper in the 70's up to early 80's, 25% or more mobiles were of the female gender, and then they fizzled away. It's nice to see your coming back.

[The Spindoctor 0]

Phew that was lots to read and catch up but now I've done it.............

 

I started out about 23 yrs ago in a CB club which had its own disco equipment for club nights. Nobody cared what you played it was just background music but the guys on the committee of the Working Mens club where it was held liked the stuff I was playing and before long i was invited to work on Sat nights in the club which got busier and busier.

 

After a while the CB club was struggling and as it went down the pan i bought the gear from them to use myself.

 

At this time working in the day and at night enabled me to buy nice gear and all the Record/CD's I could want, work flowed in and advertising was totally unnecessary, I am still proud of the fact that I never advertise whatsoever. I am of the opinion if you have the talent and personality then you will never need to advertise apart from handing out business cards.

 

In 1983 I got made redundant in the local government cutbacks and my evening job became a necessity.

 

(This may actually be of some use to the guy chris was talking about who was considering giving up a day job)

 

I sat down with my wife and quite ruthlessly set myself a target of six months to make it full time or accept it was never going to be more than pocket money

 

The theory was six months is not a lot of time but it makes you work your butt off if you want it to work badly enough!!

 

My parents both asked me to 'get a proper job' but I was adamant I would suceed so on we plunged.......... six months of hell, cold calling on pubs clubs anyone who would listen. Taking the housekeeping to buy Cd's, borrowing a fiver for petrol whatever it took to keep working.

 

My one regret of it all is my dad passed away without seeing me 'make it' but I did manage to tell him that I worked for a few hours doing something I loved and getting paid for it whereas he worked 8-5 all his life cos it was a job.......... he did see my sentiments even if his old fashioned ways could'nt totally agree.

 

Anyway the cold calling worked, two of my five residencies I have been at for 15yrs, one night a week bar holidays. Word of mouth means as one door closes another has been asking if I'm available so I now work Sun to Thurs every week, have Fidays and Saturdays available for casual bookings but don't worry too much if they don't happen......... its nice to have a night off!!!

 

Yes it pays my mortgage, run a very nice people carrier with black windows, and normally manage a couple of holidays a year, (Just come back from 14 days in the Maldives)

 

Life is good as they say and I have no visions of giving it up yet!!