By Stacy Zemon, Publisher & Chief Scribe
If you want to be a successful DJ entrepreneur, you have to bleed confidence. Starting something on your own takes tenacity, faith and determination to make it work. To have a business that makes it past the first 18 months, these qualities of poor leaders are certainly going to be on your list of things to avoid:
1. Second guess themselves and their employees
True confidence comes from being able to trust your team and yourself. Make sure your hiring process is long enough to find and keep the right people, as this can make or break your company. If you find yourself second guessing yourself or your employees, take the time to fix it before your confidence becomes too shaken.
2. Compromise their priorities
When you are building a business, great employees are key, but many DJ entrepreneurs get so tied up in making their business work that they forget about what else in their lives are important to them. Building a business is their main concern, but relationships with friends and family can slip through the cracks if they don’t make it a priority to schedule time for them. This also goes for hobbies and “self-care” time: meditation, exercise, reading and other things done for enjoyment.
3. Refuse to learn new skills
The confident and successful DJ entrepreneur has to adapt to their business’s current needs. While you may have natural talent you still need to learn new skills to be a great entertainer. There are industry trade shows you can attend and several excellent workshops but on by Mike Walter, Peter Merry and Liz Daley, Mark Ferrell and others you can sign up for.
4. Focus on external validation
It can be endlessly satisfying to hear positive feedback about your company but confident entrepreneurs and companies shouldn’t take it less (or more) seriously than negative feedback. Focusing on internal goals and ideas is what built the company in the first place, so while external feedback is a great way to improve, it shouldn’t have the power to completely overhaul how you work or ruin your day.
5. Worry about competitors
There’s a difference between worrying about competitors and knowing what they are up to. It’s smart to see what products and services are available in your marketplace, but just like external validation, if you get caught up in trying to “keep up with the Joneses,” it doesn’t leave much room for actually outpacing your competition. If you want to stay on top, think of all the ways the clients in your market aren’t being served, and focus on solving that need.
6. Avoid networking and public speaking
Having good networking and speaking skills are key, as others’ impressions of you will in turn influence how they feel about your company. If you aren’t good at networking or speaking, try joining Toastmasters or attending free events by your local chamber of commerce.
7. Be ignorant of the latest technology and trends
There’s a quiet confidence that comes from staying up to date with the latest technology. Currently all-in-one controllers are the rage. Are you offering elegant venue uplighting? How about photobooths or lounge furniture? Staying on top of the latest technology and trends in our industry will help you maintain a leadership position in your marketplace.
