How to start a part time mobile DJ service?

[Finnish_Fox]

Hi guys, as the title suggest, I am looking into to starting a part-time mobile DJ service. I'm fully employed but just looking for a way to make some extra cash here and there. Outside of playing a few paid backyard gigs for friends and friends of friends, I don't have any real experience.

Is there anything I should know, be wary of? Are there any tips and suggestions on how to do this properly?

Cheers!

[Evil Steve]

Fox
You have stumbled on to an excellent idea!
I decided to go the route you did, many years ago.
It's a great way to make a million dollars!
The only drawback is you have to start with two million dollars.

You have to decide whether you want to do this for fun or for profit.
If you decide to go the profit route, you must treat what you do like a business.

There's no big problem doing this as a part-time business, but it's not something you should "dabble" in. You either go for it, or expect to run at a loss.
I've run at a loss for many years. Doesn't really bother me, because there are times when I've been short on work, or cash, and I was able to turn it profitable long enough to make ends meet.

I just find I don't like the person I become when I'm depending on the business to pay the expenses. Instead of focusing on making the experience enjoyable for my clients, I feel like I'm too busy acting like a scumbag working the angles to get the next gig. That's probably not the way it is, but it's the way I feel about it.

It's a funny feeling, when you make the jump from being the life of the party who makes a few bucks doing what he enjoys, to the hired help.

[windspeed36]

Is there a market for you? Have you got financial backing incase it doesn't work out? What sort of mobile work are you looking at doing? I gauruntee someone's gonna bring up equipment so I might as well cover that, if I were you I'd rent for the first few gigs and see what you are using and what you are needing. As for legal stuff, get a contract drawn up to protect your ass from people who make your life hell.

Hope it all works out for you mate

[Finnish_Fox]

You have to decide whether you want to do this for fun or for profit.
If you decide to go the profit route, you must treat what you do like a business.

There's no big problem doing this as a part-time business, but it's not something you should "dabble" in. You either go for it, or expect to run at a loss.
I've run at a loss for many years. Doesn't really bother me, because there are times when I've been short on work, or cash, and I was able to turn it profitable long enough to make ends meet.

I would expect to run at a loss from a strict business perspective but its mostly to help bring in a few bucks to help pay off current equipment and buy new equipment.

I just find I don't like the person I become when I'm depending on the business to pay the expenses. Instead of focusing on making the experience enjoyable for my clients, I feel like I'm too busy acting like a scumbag working the angles to get the next gig. That's probably not the way it is, but it's the way I feel about it.

It's a funny feeling, when you make the jump from being the life of the party who makes a few bucks doing what he enjoys, to the hired help.

I hear yah.

[Finnish_Fox]

Is there a market for you? Have you got financial backing incase it doesn't work out? What sort of mobile work are you looking at doing? I gauruntee someone's gonna bring up equipment so I might as well cover that, if I were you I'd rent for the first few gigs and see what you are using and what you are needing. As for legal stuff, get a contract drawn up to protect your ass from people who make your life hell.

Hope it all works out for you mate

I'm fully employed so this is not what is putting food on my table. Mostly about bringing in a couple of bucks to help pay off my RCFs and buy some new equipment. The reason this came to mind is that I've been asked to play a few backyard parties this summer (without promoting myself at all - just people heard I was a DJ and asked), despite being a club DJ. I was paid but was forced to rent speakers, etc. and figured it'd be fun to play every few weekends while making a dime here and there.

As for equipment, I know what I want to use - 1200s with a DVS primarily. I am looking for a set of decks to gig with so I can keep my M5Gs pristine, but other than that I've got a controller, CDJ 900s and some pretty darn nice active speakers. Outside of lights and a mic, is there anything else that comes to mind?

I am not trying to unseat the guy charging a few thousand dollars, bringing a light rig and 10s of thousands in gear... mostly just backyard parties, smaller/informal weddings, etc.

[Dix]

Hi guys, as the title suggest, I am looking into to starting a part-time mobile DJ service. I'm fully employed but just looking for a way to make some extra cash here and there. Outside of playing a few paid backyard gigs for friends and friends of friends, I don't have any real experience.

Is there anything I should know, be wary of? Are there any tips and suggestions on how to do this properly?

Cheers!

I am sure most of us started on a part time basis. Some of us are still part time. I am part time as I only book 2 or 3 gigs per month.

The only way your going to get experience is to get some gigs & play them, as you suggest for friends etc... OR ask other DJ's if you can go out with them, or hire on with them.... etc.

As for tips, there are thousands of tips that have been covered all throughout the mobile forums. Without being rude, the best advice I can give is just go through the section, read & participate. There is lots to know but will only come with time, practice & research.

While obviously we cant cover everything but if you have specific, legitimate questions, we will be happy to help answer, discuss & help.

Best wishes

[SummitAudioDJ]

This is exactly how I got started and would never want to depend on booking and playing gigs a few days a week to make a living. I love doing what I do but also love that I have the flexibility to take 1 gig or 100 gigs a year. It can become a very expensive hobby as I have put very much of what I made in the years right back into equipment. If you plan on doing alot of outdoor gigs buy yourself a good quality EZ Up tent with walls. This is a great tent that I have been using for many years now. They are built much better than the $70-100 jobs at the retail chains. http://www.ebay.com/itm/10x10-Pop-Up...item231d684364

[Finnish_Fox]

As for tips, there are thousands of tips that have been covered all throughout the mobile forums. Without being rude, the best advice I can give is just go through the section, read & participate. There is lots to know but will only come with time, practice & research.

While obviously we cant cover everything but if you have specific, legitimate questions, we will be happy to help answer, discuss & help.

Best wishes

Not being rude at all and I have been reading tips... a lot of not to's and things to watch out for. Checked out the pics of your guys' rigs, though I'm not trying to unseat "the big boys"... just figured I've spent the money buying equipment for personal enjoyment that could be useful for mobile gigs and that gave me the idea of dampening those purchases.

Won't turn down paying gigs and they keep coming up... so I'll take your advice and just come back and ask pertinent questions.

[Finnish_Fox]

This is exactly how I got started and would never want to depend on booking and playing gigs a few days a week to make a living. I love doing what I do but also love that I have the flexibility to take 1 gig or 100 gigs a year. It can become a very expensive hobby as I have put very much of what I made in the years right back into equipment. If you plan on doing alot of outdoor gigs buy yourself a good quality EZ Up tent with walls. This is a great tent that I have been using for many years now. They are built much better than the $70-100 jobs at the retail chains. http://www.ebay.com/itm/10x10-Pop-Up...item231d684364

Exactly my thought process.

Cheers - would come in very handy.

[Mike D]

I started with a partner, we each put in about $1100 and haven't put a dime into the company since. But we also haven't been raking in the money either.

Best way IMO to start is to go small. In that I mean be smart about what you buy, if you're working mostly 200 and under person events you don't need massive speakers. Buy quality, but don't break your bank. I started off with the B-52 Matrix system, which was great for us. It was small, cheap and a great way to enter the market. It provided us with enough "firepower" to do most weddings and it was incredibly simple.

If you're going to spend money on something, make it your wireless microphone, don't go cheap here. You can fool people with knock off speakers that will play decent, but when your mic cuts out, you're busted and everyone knows it.

Form a business, a separate entity. It'll be worth it if you ever get sued. Get Liability Insurance as well, for the same reason. Better to spend a couple hundred bucks per year and never need it then to save the money and end up losing your house or everything you own.

Lastly, keep up on these forums. The people here have more information then you'll ever learn on your own, learn from it and contribute where you can.