How to Go from Bedroom DJ to Business Owner in a Flash

If you make your own beats, throw together killer setlists as easy as breathing, or enjoy remixing your favorite new tracks, you might already possess the skills required to transform your bedroom DJ efforts into a full-fledged money-making machine of a business.

For many music lovers, owning their own business (one that makes enough money to support them as they do what they adore most in the world) is a dream come true.

Musicians already have turned themselves into a business in a way—especially if you have been paid for your creative abilities.

With that in mind, here are some tips to help you take your DJing efforts to the next level.

Get the Right Hardware

A great deal of your budget will likely need to go on acquiring the right audio equipment, but thankfully, this can be done relatively cheaply.

Opting for the highest-quality gear is probably for the best once you can afford it, as producing the best sound on the right platform is an intrinsic part of the entire set-up.

Until then, there are some superb budget options such as the Focusrite audio interface series, the Akai MPK mini controllers, and the Ddj400 for some decks.

Get the Right Software

Getting hold of the best DJ software is essential if you intend to establish yourself as a business and utilize management tools to optimize your processes.

The world of DJing is about far more than putting a setlist together (although this is a huge part of what makes a great DJ), and making the leap from bedroom DJ to club-filling, fully booked extraordinaire means paying attention to the entire picture.

This means that you’ll need to learn how to deal with bookings and client management, manage your finances and create a followable budget, and develop a reliable business model that factors in various revenue streams including events and online endeavors.

You’ll also want to work to market yourself on social platforms and through your website and keep up with trends in the music world such as the latest releases, emerging artists, and flourishing and declining genres..

Marketing is Key

To find gigs and get some bookings, you will need to be discoverable and, in many instances, have a well-established presence to support you.

Marketing can be utterly invaluable in this regard, and thanks to social media and various music-streaming platforms this can be done fairly cheaply.

A good way to start increasing your visibility and marketing yourself is to take a multichannel approach to your efforts—one that utilizes both audio and visual mediums, as of course, music is ideally suited to this.

For example, if you can manage to host a regular stream on YouTube in which you film yourself making beats or rattling through a setlist, people can hear and see the talent you have to offer.

This helps people get to know who you are, to get used to you, and become familiar with your particular brand—an aspect of marketing in which streaming can be highly beneficial. This is  particularly important in a medium in which you plan on already being personally visible to people.

Use Your Own Experience

Last but not least, real-life experience is a must. Sets can (and do) go wrong, but everyone makes mistakes. Experience is one of the greatest teachers to help you deal with situations, so get out there and start mixing!