The Clever DJ

The Stereotypes of Being a DJ - Overcoming Stigma as a Beginner DJ! - Ep #35

• Ilia & Nino • Episode 35

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Is DJing just about playing music and partying? Prepare to have your preconceptions shattered as we bring you the fascinating stories of Ilia, a beginner DJ managing a full-time job, and Nino, a seasoned professional with over two decades in the industry. Together, they reveal the extensive roles that DJs play beyond the turntables, like marketing, client management, and event coordination. Nino provides a glimpse into his world of leading a team and meeting high client expectations, while Ilia opens up about the sheer dedication it takes to balance his dual life. This conversation throws light on the often-overlooked persistence required to legitimize DJing as a viable career.

Running a DJ business is no walk in the park, and our guests share the nitty-gritty details behind the scenes. From tackling the heavy workload during tax season to maintaining impeccable service standards and creating original content for social media, we discuss it all. We emphasize that with enough dedication and hard work, turning your passion into a profession is indeed possible. Plus, we dive into personal stories about overcoming societal pressures and external doubts, highlighting the unwavering support from family and friends that fuels their journey. Whether you’re a budding creative or a seasoned pro, this episode is a treasure trove of insights and inspiration.

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Ilia:

Welcome back to another episode of the Clever DJ Quick intro about us, just in case you're tuning in for the first time, whether it's on YouTube or any of the other platforms which are just audio, if that's what works for you. My name is Ilya and I've been a DJ for just about two years now. I am what is considered a beginner DJ getting up there, though, and I've had a variety of events. I started DJing when I met this guy beside me during one of the events where I was a bartender, and he just took me on, and we progressed from there.

Nino:

My name is Nino. I'm a professional DJ. I've been DJing for more than 20 years. I've been doing clubs and bars at the beginning. Now I'm doing more private events and weddings and I have a roster of 15 DJs under my company Nice, that's yeah, that's nice man, you're being humble Modest.

Ilia:

Yeah, you have a pretty nice business Right now. It's actually hard for us to record a podcast because you have what like 10 gigs a day.

Nino:

Five gigs a day depends on the week, right the thing is I have a team but the problem is I spearhead the company. Right, the thing is, I have a team, but the problem is I spearhead the company, so everybody wants me. So I'm sure a lot of you guys know that if you guys start your own company you have the same problem.

Ilia:

They're like okay, well, I know you have a team, but can we get you? We saw you in the videos. It's tough yeah.

Nino:

Everybody wants me. If I can duplicate, triplicate myself and make like 10 copies of me, I would.

Ilia:

But yeah, it's not possible and uh, honestly, uh, I'll keep one over here because there's a lot of work with this podcast and, uh, yeah, it'll be easier if you're around. Oh yeah, oh yeah, of course, but that's the thing. That's that's. Djing is a very time-consuming. Um, and, yeah, it'll be easier if you're around more often. Oh yeah, of course, but that's the thing. Djing is a very time-consuming and, very just a big business. I'm not downplaying any other business, but what we're talking about today is yeah, that kind of goes into our topic right.

Ilia:

It's tying into it because we we're gonna discuss the challenges, the challenging stereotypes around being a dj. Uh, and you know have you?

Nino:

have this how's your parents or one of your friends good, what do you get? What do you do for a living like I'm a dj? Oh, you get, you get. Those looks are just so. You're unemployed, unemployed, right.

Ilia:

Basically Following the dream right, especially when you're in your 30s. Oh, okay, oh really, I guess a midlife crisis came earlier, or you're just taking on the hobby now.

Nino:

huh, oh, you're playing with your little toys, okay.

Ilia:

And here's the thing. Those stereotypes are there because often it could be true If you're a bad jupe DJ, for most of us, for most of us in the beginning, where it is a hobby, yeah, right. And then also a lot of people don't believe that you can actually make a living from something like that, right, because it's just like, like, how do you make money? How do you?

Nino:

make money from partying and just playing music Right.

Ilia:

But that's what they see. They think it's just partying and playing music. But there's so many things.

Nino:

There's so much things behind the scenes, right, that you guys don't know that we actually do so much to it. To get those events and to make money.

Ilia:

Yeah, this feels personal, but that's what we're here for today, and Um but um, that's what we're here for today and we're going to be discussing that. So being a DJ is more than just playing music. It's, it's a full fledged business. Uh, it it's comprised of usually one person in the beginning and you're the DJ, but you're the dj, but you're also the um producer, and you're also the um marketer, content creator, creator. Uh, you're the coordinator. You're like you have like 10 different hats and sure you can do it simpler.

Ilia:

but if you want to be really successful and for people to see that it's not just a hobby, you need either a team or you need to be the team, and you got to be very well managed in terms of time yeah and here's the thing like I have a full-time job and, um, I gotta somehow have the energy, after you know, eight hours of doing it and doing overtime sometimes, to go and practice or deal with my clients or do whatever I got to do and it takes, uh, it takes a lot of effort.

Nino:

Yeah, it does. It does. Like. Managing your own DJ business is not really a walk in the park. Right, it seems like it. We're all fun and games and just playing and partying all the time. But the backend there's so much you have to do like answering client calls, trying to get those gigs. Like promoting, like marketing, is very tedious and sometimes you market and you get no gigs. Right, sometimes you put out ads in Facebook and Instagram and you don't get hits, but then you learn to work with it. Right, you have to target certain clients or demographics to demographics, to to hit I love it.

Nino:

Yes, you need to, you need to do stuff like that right, and it takes a while to get there because it's a lot, of, a lot of um busy work sometimes it is.

Ilia:

That's what you're trying to say. Yeah, yeah, yeah, sorry for finishing your thought, but like I feel the same and I don't know. I don't know if you experience this with your significant experience, this with your significant other, mm-hmm, I don't know if you've actually experienced this ever, but with mine, what happens if I go to an event and I stay longer or like, hey hon, like I'm going to actually go there next. I went to the and she's like so you're just like hanging out. You said you're working, but you're just hanging out and while it's true, I am having a good time, I'm networking. It's extremely important. It's called networking it's extremely important.

Ilia:

It is, you need to. We went on on vacation to prince edward county just like, like, I had like a couple hours of sleep. This guy had a couple hours of sleep for other reasons and we're here now. We're doing this right, because this is, like you know, one of our DJing things, right, and and and the.

Ilia:

The guy who we called like 24 hours prior to see if we want to stay at that hotel ended up being this like party animal and and he might've been drunk when we were talking to him, cause he invited us to come and party with him at the, at the, at the Royal, you know, in toronto. Oh, okay, and uh, like he. It was not a regular conversation, it was like yo, come, hang out with us, come to my cottage after. Uh, when you guys come to prince edward county, I'm like, oh, we're going to this guy's hotel. It was a boutique hotel, a beautiful hotel. And then what I told her was actually I didn't even have to tell her she's like oh, I can already see them, the network in Ilya, uh, coming to you know you're just going to come with me.

Ilia:

I just want to go and network because this guy has all these businesses and you guys just hit it off on the phone and I'm like you know what? That's what I do. I network so I have a good time, but you network even on vacation, right, and you have to find the balance.

Nino:

You do, you do.

Ilia:

Do not piss anyone off and to not forget your own life.

Nino:

Yeah, yeah, like there's different levels too. Man, I network as well, but back in the day I used to hang out a lot more um with uh other djs and go to gigs with them. Now I network uh more online and doing calls right, because it's it's just the way it is, especially after business comes to you, especially after the pandemic as well, too right, but um, that's just the way it is, yeah, yeah yeah, and, and that's the thing, like when, when I'm, when I network from the side, I mean I think most people are like that it looks like I'm just partying.

Ilia:

It doesn't look like I'm working, it looks like I'm just making excuses because I want to stay Right and it's just, it's required. And then when I, when I show it to her or anyone who was like, oh, you were just partying all night, you're not networking, grow up. And then when I show them hey, by the way, you remember when you told me I was just partying, I got this gig, this gig and that gig and I also got access to all of this equipment. Because of that, four hours I spent there and I had a great time.

Nino:

And that's what it is. We get paid to party, so you have to have that kind of enthusiasm and just put yourself out there to you have to be a specific type of person you gotta.

Nino:

You gotta be like a party animal kind of right. So you have to show that you can show you can have a good time and that shows the people that are thinking of booking you or whatever partying with you that might get you gigs that you, you're a nice guy and people will like you and one of the most important things is be authentic.

Ilia:

I could go to a bunch of gigs, uh, where there's lots of networking potential, and but I don't like those gigs or that crowd, and just to get something, and you know, just to get in the door, but I don't do that. I don't do that because most people will will read into you and they'll see okay, you're just trying to get a gig, but I go where I enjoy being like, I go to places, like places where I enjoy going, and then I also know that there's opportunities there, right, so you don't sell out. Do what you love and but still be professional about it. Yeah, so that's that, um, so many points here. Uh, so that's that, um, so many points here. Uh, that's a huge one.

Ilia:

And, man, I don't like doing that, but I'm so calm when I do it. Right, because my life is organized. Uh, my business is organized, but managing finances and booking gigs requires serious business skills. So remember how we said you're the marketer, you're this, this, that, you're also the accountant, yeah, advisor, everything like go ahead, tell them how much you how much you have to do.

Nino:

You're also the you're, you're, um, you're the salesperson, right, you're selling yourself, right. If somebody calls you and uh, and ask for, like, um, how much do you? You, you charge, you're, you're there telling them all the prices, why you should book me and not other uh djs, why you stand out from the rest, you're literally trying to sell yourself to them so they'll book you right and for your price as well, the price that you want. So it's not for everyone, not everybody can sell themselves properly. But if you believe in, if you love to do it and you, you, you be pretty good at it.

Ilia:

I meant more from a perspective of managing the finances. Like, yes, the sales is a very important part, but with a business your size right, it's not the biggest one I've seen, but it's pretty large it's pretty serious. You have lots of gigs. You can't just ah, whatever, like another 500 bucks another 100 bucks, a thousand bucks, like.

Nino:

Everything has to be, yeah, organized. You have to make sure, like I, organized, it has to pay for itself, right? Yeah, yeah, I organize everything for my events. I everything cc'd on me. Even if another dj is going to be doing the event, everything's. The client will actually cc me and the dj, so I can see that everybody's on the same page. Then I have to gather all the um, like the itinerary, songs and stuff, and you know, just make sure everything's is good and everything's flowing right, because the business has to keep going and uh, yeah, and if you don't, uh, if you don't so you're also speaking about, like managing in general.

Ilia:

That's actually. I almost skipped that, but yeah, that's also really important.

Nino:

But yeah, accounting and stuff is very tedious.

Ilia:

But overseeing has to be done it has to be done.

Nino:

Stuff like that has to be done I remember taxes.

Ilia:

Oh yes, I was just gonna say that. I remember calling you, uh, a few, a few months ago, and I'm like, what are you up to like? Oh, just doing taxes and just doing taxes. And I'm like, oh, that sucks. I could hear the heaviness in your voice because it was tax season and I know, with your business, with your corporation, everything you have to write off, everything you have to declare, and then you have all those 15 plus people working for you, and then all the things you give to other businesses and then, like you said, managing You're also a manager. If you have people working for you now, you've got to make sure they're not screwing up your business. Yeah Right, that's a big one.

Nino:

The level of service that you provide has to be straight throughout the board. Everybody has to provide the highest level of service as possible to keep repeat business.

Nino:

And also creating original content to stay ahead of the curve, to stay current, Especially now everything's online, you have to be able to put out content that's original, that people will like, so you can get booked more online as well, not just through marketing and stuff like through Instagram, YouTube, TikTok. Yeah, you're just making videos and creating that content that'll grab people's attention to make them want to book you if they have an event, right.

Ilia:

If you don't like Instagram, youtube, tiktok, you just don't like social media. Nobody's saying that you're not going to be a good DJ, but you're definitely shooting something. You're behind.

Nino:

You're behind the curve for sure. You're leaving so many gigs and opportunities off the table if you're not doing social media.

Ilia:

Your promotion is mostly going to be on those platforms, yeah, unless you're a different type of DJ. But still, most DJs I see that's that's how they get promoted. That's a really where you are. It's not usually your own website, unless you're very popular, right, and then in that case, in that case, you already have where living. The dream is fulfilling your own vision through dedication, dedication, hard work and just like realizing what you love and making it happen. Now, a lot of people will be jealous or or just, through no fault of their own, not believing that's even possible. Come on.

Nino:

You know what they say. They um, if you love what you do, you're not working a day like in your like in your life, right? So it feels like You're playing or just having a good time, but you're making money out of it. So you tend to look younger because you're less stressed and you love what you're doing. It shows in your art form what you do and you know people get jealous of that stuff because they can't do it.

Ilia:

Yeah, that's what I find Either jealous or they just literally don't believe that that's possible. It's not no jealousy, just that they don't believe't believe that that's possible.

Nino:

It's not no jealousy, just that they don't believe it. Hey man, anybody, everybody should be following their dreams.

Ilia:

We only have one life, so yeah as far as, as far as we know, right.

Nino:

Or a cat or something.

Ilia:

Sometimes I wonder uh, but um, I, I, I noticed that into my thirties I noticed how I just I had enough pursuing certain like I wasn't even going for corporate I was going for other other type of work.

Nino:

Yeah, is this just money driven? So it's like I have to make money so I have to do something Right. There's no right.

Ilia:

No, and now people are becoming more like, aware of that. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, that hey. Like I don't actually have to go to school unless I want to be a doctor or something like that. Right.

Nino:

Yeah, the only things you have to go to school for, I find, is accounting, a lawyer or a doctor. Those are the only things. Anything else you can do it on your own. You can do it online.

Ilia:

I'm sure there's a few more things in between. Well, yeah, but most those, those are the top things. Right, right and um, something that requires some sort of license, accreditation, like to be accredited, right, um, and I'm sure you can learn, uh, how to be a doctor online too as well.

Nino:

But, yeah, sure, yeah, I'm sure you wouldn't want to that doctor working on.

Ilia:

You want to go to a doctor who got his online doctorate. What is that website called Coursera? Yeah, I became a doctor on Coursera. No, I know, I know, but uh, yeah, there's just so much. So much to this, uh, to actually being a DJ, realizing the dream. Another very important point is and and that's what we said about this podcast when we started If this is not a hobby in your eyes, treat it like a business. Oh, I don't have time. Oh, it's too hard. Oh, well, it's not realistic, okay, then it's a hobby. If it's not a hobby, treat it like a business. You treat it like a business. It's going to react like a business. It's going to give you the results of a business, a successful business, and others will notice it too. Here's an example I have a very supportive family friends, girlfriend, you know, even strangers, you know like they can see my energy. They, you know, they support me. My parents, even though they're supportive, they're also, you know, they're dreamers, but they're also very realistic.

Ilia:

I suppose old people are, yeah, and you know my parents are not, like, they're fairly young, but still, you know, from that generation, they will think that, okay, you want to be a musician, Like maybe you need a backup. And you know, I studied computers, I studied law enforcement, I studied, like lots of different things. I have a government, federal government job right now. Uh, there's lots of stuff that, uh, I did. But I always somehow went towards music. I always, like, every year, I got a few opportunities and I normally did not take them because I was like, yeah, they're right, everyone's right. I mean, how do you make money from this? As soon as I switched my mindset, as soon as I was like you know what, even if I'm not going to make any money out of it, even if it's going to remain a hobby, I'm going to treat it the way I want. I'm going to treat it professionally and get what I want out of it with my attitude. Hopefully that works. And you know what Things start working out almost immediately, right, all these opportunities that were knocking on my door.

Ilia:

Finally I accepted them the correct way. And guess what? Everyone who wasn't sure. Not because they meant anything bad for me, just because they actually want to protect me and make sure that you know I don't waste my time or my talent, my younger years. They're like oh, you know what, good job. Oh, good luck on the next gig. Oh, how's it going? Like suddenly everything shifted right. I mean my parents, my sister, you know my closest friends. They always supported me. But you could see the fear and the doubt, like, wow, you have a backup plan. Now they Just in case, right?

Nino:

Now they're like oh, keep at it right, yeah, right, like because you can see that that is going somewhere, right?

Ilia:

so this is the reason why I'm saying this exactly, and the reason why I'm saying is because, to those who are 18 years old, even 12, 15 years old if you're watching um, the, the ones who who maybe don't have that support and even get bullied because of what they like to do, hopefully, hopefully, you can resonate with us, listen to us and understand that you can get to where you want to get to. Sure, there are certain circumstances in life that I cannot talk about because you know I cannot generalize everything, but for the most, part.

Nino:

Everybody has difference, their own situation, right.

Ilia:

You never know but for the most part you can get it done. You can do it, I've seen athletes without limbs running, jumping, just the olympics did you see them break dancing?

Nino:

I was like what the one leg? I didn't see that heck.

Ilia:

So I was like amazing so I didn't actually see that, but uh, yeah, it is the olympics now, so it was a job bringing it up. I didn't think incredible incredible.

Nino:

I was like, wow, mind blown, they got standing ovation because of that.

Ilia:

Yeah, yeah, it was crazy so, and that's the thing here. You are thinking, oh well, you know I'm a single parent, or, uh, you know I don't have time, or I already have two jobs, or you know I have some sort of disability potentially they literally have no limbs or missing a limb or something like that, and they're in the olympics.

Nino:

They got it done, doing something sports, they're literally an inspiration right say if they can do it, you can. Can do it with all your limbs.

Ilia:

Yeah, no excuses. How about music? I've seen street artists playing the guitar with their toes. Yeah, because they have no hands, no arms, no fingers, nothing. Yeah, with their toes. And it was beautiful. Yeah, if you want to do something, you can make it happen. Let's go for it. All right, Like it's just, these are extreme, extreme examples. But you're telling me you can wake up a little earlier, it can be a little bit more responsible and hopefully it wakes you up when you just you know you go for it, right.

Nino:

Yeah, you go, do what you got to do if you, if you need to be realistic, get a job, but still work on it when you have the time.

Ilia:

So when you have the time, so yeah, so you can definitely make it happen if you want to make it happen, and everyone will stop treating it as a hobby for you when you show them that this is more than that. And also, who cares what other people are?

Ilia:

saying but in case you do care, this is what you got to do. Now, tell us what kind of issues are you facing. Do you have some sort of specific issue we did not bring up here, something we did not discuss, you know? I mean, this is what's cool about this podcast. I'm a beginner, he's a pro, and we're just kind of bridging the gap between us. Yeah, so you can get lots of cool advice from us, some stuff that he might not think about because it was 20 years ago for him and yeah, it's, it's just coming for you, right. Yeah, or something that I have not experienced yet and you're gonna be able to do. Yeah, there's a lot of talk about.

Nino:

You guys have a lot of experiences as well that we haven't gone through. Right. Everybody's has their own original stuff that they've done and gone through, so let us know if you guys have any any experiences that you've, uh, gone through yeah, in the comments, uh, wherever you watch, uh, our podcast youtube.

Ilia:

We have a youtube podcast channel where we upload only the podcast, the the full podcast episodes. We have a youtube clips channel where it's just the shorts and, uh, we have tiktok. Um, we have, we we're Facebook.

Nino:

Everything's on the description below.

Ilia:

Everything is below. We have an email address, so you can definitely contact us in many ways, and soon we'll have a phone number as well where you can call in, and a newsletter, fan mail, all that stuff. So let us know, let us know what you think and what you'd like us to cover, whether it's this topic or anything else. But, uh, for now, I think that's it. That was a pretty good episode, yeah, yeah, let's end it on this note and good luck with all your wishes, anything you wish for yourself, whatever creative, uh field you're in.

Nino:

We'll see you in the next one. Guys. See you, then We'll see you next time.