12/12/2025
Confession: I Never Had a DJ Name 🎧
One of my regrets in life? I never had a DJ name. Back in 1991, my best friend and I decided to start a mobile disco business. We borrowed money from family, bought a rig, and loaded up on vinyl records. (Yes, actual vinyl!)
It was slow going at first. Eventually, my friend and I agreed I should buy him out and run the business solo. That was my first taste of generating leads and getting booked for gigs—no TikTok, no Instagram, just good old Yellow Pages. I got a few calls, but let’s just say the conversion rate was… not impressive.
Then I found the gold mine: Church! The local young single adults loved a good dance, and they were always looking for a DJ. I volunteered my services for free, specializing in 80s music (which, let’s be honest, is still the best dance music).
After a couple of church gigs, the calls started rolling in from couples who’d been at the dances and wanted a DJ for their wedding receptions. 💸 The more free dances I did, the more wedding bookings I got. I kept my prices reasonable, and suddenly there was no competition—just me and my vinyl.
At every wedding, guests who’d been to the dances would come up to the DJ booth and book me for their own receptions. It was the ultimate referral engine.
Lessons learnt:
🎵 Deliver what your customer actually wants—these folks loved 80s music
🎸 Think long-term—free gigs kept me in front of my ideal audience
🥁 Be outstanding—showing versatility based on the crowd always paid off
Oh, and one more thing: have the coolest business card in the world!
Did you ever have a side hustle or a gig that taught you something unexpected? Share your story below—I’d love to hear it!