Running a DJ business in 1988 seems light years from running a one today — like the difference between the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk and the space Shuttle at Cape Canaveral.
So, in time for DJ Times’ 30th Anniversary Edition, we queried veteran mobile jocks about those changes, and how they’ve made running a business easier or more challenging. Our Simple Question: How has the business aspect of DJing changed in 30 years? Here’s how they replied:
Mike Wieder, Ultimate Sounds DJs, Hightstown, N.J.: “The Internet has been the biggest factor in changing the industry [website, digital advertising, wedding sites]. Where I had to do ‘on-the-job training,’ there is a plethora of information available (equipment, education, how to) on the Internet. DJ Times and every network or association were not around for me to learn from when I started 36 years ago.
“Today, the new breed of DJ/entertainer has it made. Today’s bride and groom are different. They research the web and would rather communicate by email and avoid speaking by phone, buying by ‘stuff’ and price without concern with being educated and investing in the right entertainment.”
