We’ve done so many events, whether it be hired items or discos, some of which have been asked not to be posted by clients. We’ve done our first wedding, birthday party, pub, corporate event, christening and even some private gigs on gardens... it’s been absolutely fantastic! I cannot thank people enough for booking us, trusting us and coming back for more.
As a business, we have gone from strength to strength. We were set up in lockdown so we know the challenges we have to face are tough, but we also know we wouldn’t of been stupid enough to set the business up at such a rubbish time if we couldn’t get through the rubbish times. Although myself (Jayde) am fully self employed through music, myself and my family are in a lucky enough position not to rely on the business and to have back ups on everything. Sometimes we have to cancel events due to clients getting Covid or other circumstances but we run this business from the top to the bottom, professionally. All of our booking money goes in one business bank account and my own money for funds to get equipment go in another business bank account, something I would suggest other small businesses should look into, following so many of them going bust and being unable to give refunds.... it still confuses me how???
We have an accounts team that do the accounts on a weekly basis, keeping everything up to date as well as doing our miles tally. Our admin is usually up to date, unless we have had a busy week but we are getting better at running them! We are aiming at responding to messages within 2 hours before 7pm and by 10am the next morning after 7pm, although sometimes I do send them out at ridiculous times if I’m trying to catch up! We’ve learnt the hard way of setting up our WhatsApp business account, as it hardly ever works!!!! Thankfully, touch wood, it will be working forever now after I’ve gone crazy at them. So far, no problems... let’s hope it stays that way! Our business number is a brilliant way to keep everything separate, and to know when it’s time to shut off our brains for a night. Although, I do sometimes get some funny looks having two phones...
We’ve had some great song requests over the past few months, even ones we haven’t had, but I’ve purchased them there and then in order to play them. We’ve spent over £100 on songs we haven’t had at events, so trust when I say if we haven’t got it, we will find a way to get it! I’m updating our music on a weekly basis and as much as possible, as a new business you have to understand there will always be songs I haven’t got yet but I’m working so hard on it. I will not just play it through a streaming service, all of our music is legally purchased (I write and produce songs, please buy them properly) and we have to correct licenses to play them. Between April and now our accounts show over £1000 has been spent on music so far, this I am really proud of, our music catalogue is growing really well. The aim is to have at least grown it by 5000 songs a year, realistically this is possible.
Our equipment has been upgraded already, you would have now seen we have 2 different light set ups depending on the venue. We have our full overhead bar which is lead by our amazing Domin8r, but we also have our disco ball lights along with light bars to fill smaller rooms, or bring along to fill larger rooms with my overhead bar. Following the theft of 2 wireless microphones, I’ve had to put a separate PA package onto my services as of October 1st. This is something I really did not want to do, but I have to cover myself should this happen again. Our equipment is all so expensive so this was a real blow to me, especially as I try so hard to go above and beyond for everyone. At a recent wedding I had to take away a speaker in order to connect my wired microphone for the bride & grooms wedding speeches, I then had to perform the rest of the gig on 1 speaker so that they could use the wired mic on my other speaker for the karaoke... this is something I had to think of within hours due to them being stolen the night before our longest wedding yet (we were doing background music & speeches!!) Honestly, I wanted the ground to swallow me up I was devastated and felt everything was against me that 48 hours. These are things that if you aren’t a DJ you wouldn’t think of, 2 small items make such a huge difference. I haven’t got the microphones back yet so I have had to go through the insurance and will be getting some new ones, with new rules shortly. We’ve also had damages to items being hired out such as our numbers and letters, it’s frustrating and it does happen, but we have had abuse and horrible messages all because people cannot control themselves when drunk... it’s part of the job. These items have either been replaced or discontinued.
I’ve also managed to go ahead with every booking even after nearly dying in July following 2 blood clots & pneumonia. I’m still on treatment and suffering from side effects, but I’ve pushed my body and stuck to every booking I have had and will continue to do so!
Although there’s many ups and downs of owning and running a business, the ups 100% outweigh the downs. We’ve had some amazing weddings, which I’ll forever remember as my first bunch! We’ve performed in the most stunning of venues, one being Scrivelsby Walled Garden which is absolutely mind blowing!!!! We’ve been selected for corporate events and have performed in several beer gardens! It’s all a great learning curve, something that is also really helping my confidence.
Our blogs have had thousands of readers, and we have now started to practice vlogging also. I’m thankfully in a position where I have time again to do blogs, I loved writing them beforehand and they’re so popular but I never had the time!!! We got so bloody busy!!!! Our social media’s have all smashed our ‘100 follower’ targets for the year, especially our Instagram where we get a average of 800 people viewing our stories daily!!! Facebook posts have regularly gone viral with people from all over the country having a look in!
We’ve planned our Christmas Disco, which will raise vital funds for charities local to us and close to our hearts. As well as planning several exciting events that will be happening throughout the next few years!!!!
Most importantly as a business and as a daughter of a very brave woman who sadly lost her battle with Melanoma, we have raised just over £250 for Melanoma this year... which was our target!!! I’m so unbelievably proud and thankful for those that have supported us along this journey. I know my mum would be so so proud.
It’s now the end of September, we are having a short break to go over everything and actually have a little bit of time off traveling. The hard work doesn’t stop, we will be continuing with admin, adding better equipment to our business and looking at what we can change to make your experiences better for block 2.
My own personal promises for chapter 2 are to be more active on social media & to show you a lot more from behind the scenes... because we really do work our bottoms off!
Speak in next weeks blog,
Jayde x