I realise now that the constant exposure to all types of music from such an early age set the foundations for my job as a mobile DJ. Many children my age were tucked up in bed, but my brain was busy soaking up all that Shania Twain and Michael Jackson. There was one particular DJ I looked up to. Paul was in his late teens and ran a mobile DJ outfit called Muzik Mania. I was always asking him questions and was fascinated by his equipment and lights.

Aged 15, I told my parents that I wanted to be a DJ, just like Paul. At the time, I was working on my uncle’s farm, not exactly earning much but managing to save for my own equipment. My parents were really supportive and found a second-hand setup for £600 in the free ads. I had nowhere near that amount, but good old Mum and Dad said they’d cover the majority.

We turned up to some old guy’s garage and I remember being blown away by all the equipment. Was this really all going to be mine? In reality, it was some dusty old traffic light-style box lights with missing bulbs, two carpet-covered passive speakers and a CD player and mixer. But to me it was amazing.

I got the gear home and started cleaning it up with my dad. He showed me how to set it all up, then I would try myself, over and over. It all seemed very complicated and I had no idea how it worked, I just knew to put certain wires in certain places, which in turn inspired my new brand: Re-Wired Disco!

My first gig was free and took place at a local pub. I remember the pressure of a track counting down whilst I rummaged through the CDs in a desperate rush to find my next song. There was no mixing, no real knowledge of BPM or key, no thought given to energy or saving the big tracks for the peak. I was bouncing from one to the next, just trying to keep going.
But it can’t have been a total disaster because word soon spread and I was able to start charging a small amount for some bookings. I also took out an advert in the local paper and a slot in the yellow pages. Back then, my parents would take me to gigs because I was too young to drive – they even bought a second-hand Volvo estate to cart all the gear. I will never forget turning up to DJ a wedding in Bournemouth; my dad dropped me off at the hotel and as soon as he left I could feel the bride and groom’s eyes piercing me, thinking “we’ve only gone and booked a child to DJ our wedding.” But I had no complaints. They soon realised I wasn’t going to live up to the stereotype and play rap music all night – and everyone had a great time.
After a year or so, I passed my driving test and got myself some wheels: a Ford Escort van. I was at sixth-form college and would bunk off to go round the local pubs, wedding venues and hotels handing out business cards and trying to secure gigs. Most of my work then came from my friends for their 18th birthday parties.

Then I hit the jackpot! A four-star hotel in Bournemouth was looking for a resident DJ to cover all their weddings, Christmas parties and corporate events. After a trial gig they took me on and gave me first refusal of all events. This is where I really learnt my trade. Song selection, dealing with people, speaking on a microphone. I quickly learnt through trial and error. It finally felt like all my hard work was paying off – my friends would be working in Tesco for £30 a day, whilst I was charging £150 a gig. I felt like a king.

This carried on until I was 19 and I joined the military. Paul at Muzik Mania took over all my booked gigs and I sold Re-Wired Disco to a friend. He bought all the equipment, the adverts, the remaining bookings and even the phone number. After six months of infantry training, I was posted to Germany, where I spent the next four weeks before flying out to Iraq. Patrolling Basra with an assault rifle, discos were the last thing on my mind. In one year, my life had completely changed.

I spent 14 years in the military. I was married by 23. A year later we had our son and my family travelled with me to postings from then onwards. Although I did the odd gig for the mess functions and parties, it was never anything serious. But just before the pandemic I decided I needed a change: it was time to leave the military and be around more for my family. My son was growing up fast and I was missing out on it.

I had no idea what I would do as a civilian, but I knew I wanted to start DJing again.
Coincidently, my local pub was after a DJ for New Year’s Eve – and thanks to my biggest fan, my mum, I had the job before I even knew it was mine. Just one problem: I had no equipment!

When I started looking online I realised the times had moved on drastically. What were those mixers everyone was using? How do they connect to laptops? I drove to Kaleidoscope Sound & Light, my local DJ shop in Bournemouth, and owner Chris explained it all to me. Hours later and £2000 lighter, I left the shop with a DDJ800, some speakers, headphones, a microphone and some other bits and bobs.

I also bought a facade online and my dad bought me a gorilla table with an overhead bar for some lights I borrowed from a neighbour. I still had a lot of my old CDs and I subscribed to some DJ music websites.

I was nervous on my first night back as a DJ, but after I’d set up and my friends and family had
arrived, I tried my hardest to make it look like I was in complete control. Despite my internal panicking, the night was a success and the landlord asked if I would do the same next year. None of us had any idea the country would be shut down in just a couple of months.

Between that NYE and the first lockdown I managed to squeeze in a few more gigs. I also started to shape my online presence with photos and videos that I’d captured. When everything did shut down, I knew I had a unique chance to concentrate on building my brand, so that when we emerged from Covid-19 I’d be ready to sprint. That’s what I did. I called myself Re-Wired Entertainment, as a sort of nod to my past.

I also thought the word entertainment was a better fit than disco, because it would allow me to grow and offer different services under the one umbrella. I designed and built my website and social media and made a point of regularly posting.
I also retracted my notice to leave the military. The future was uncertain and although I knew I would leave, I’d have been a fool to stop a steady and reliable income during a pandemic.

When it was legal for parties to start again, I was ready. I’d been practising on my DDJ800. My music library was organised. My social media and online brand was out there. And the bookings came rolling in.

It was perfect timing. People were desperate to celebrate the milestones they’d missed during the lockdowns and restrictions. I was overwhelmed with enquiries and the diary filled up.

At the time, I wasn’t charging my current rate, as although I technically had years of experience, I was still rusty and felt I was still honing my craft.

Then my old friend Paul from Muzik Mania got in touch. To my surprise he was still DJing at my original residency.
He told me he wanted to hang up his headphones and get his weekends back, so would I be interested in returning to the hotel? The answer was a resounding yes! As I walked into the lobby for a meeting with the manager, I realised that little had changed in the last 14 years.

It still looked and smelled the same. My smile soon turned into a big grin when I saw the old dance-floor – all those memories came flooding back. I’d travelled the world, been to dozens of countries, married, had a child, and ended up back where it all kicked off. I’m happy to say I’m still their DJ, covering all their weddings and Christmas parties.

In 2022 I officially left the military and got a job in health and safety whilst Re-Wired Entertainment keeps me busy at weekends.

My social media platforms were growing with every gig and a friend suggested I start a YouTube channel, but although I uploaded loads of videos it was hard to get people to engage. I also gave TikTok a go. Initially I used it to advertise, but it became clear that no one cared. People weren’t watching those videos; what they really wanted to see was behind the scenes.

So, I changed my TikTok account to ‘Diary of a DJ’. I was getting a lot of experience on the decks each weekend, which allowed me to gather content and talk about it. I quickly realised that people were interested, they were asking questions! I was helping people who wanted to get into DJing and I was building a community. Plus, it was fun. My followers have since steadily increased and posting on TikTok has become a daily ritual. Anything DJ-related that I do, I document. I even go live whilst DJing, allowing my followers to see parties unfold before their eyes.

I’ve not just been focussed on social media, though. Over the last couple of years I’ve concentrated on delivering 100% at every gig. If you treat customers properly and deliver a banging night, they will want you to come back. You become their go-to person for all events. Something else I realised is that your previous customers are your biggest fans. The power of social proof is massive and your past clients – the ones who leave glowing online reviews and shout your name in Facebook community groups when people are looking for recommendations – are your backbone.

A few days after every gig, I follow up with a message containing my Google and Facebook review links. As soon as I started doing this, the reviews piled up and my diary got busier. In turn, my prices increased and I now feel I’ve found the sweet spot.

For me, the best thing about being a mobile DJ is that no two nights are the same. Different venues, different people, different music. But what I really enjoy is that I get to work in an environment where everyone around me is at their best. They’re happy, they’re dressed up, and they want to celebrate.

Many people go to work with their heads down and sit staring at a clock until home time, surrounded by people who also hate their jobs. But not me! How many people can say they look forward to going to work? How many people are that passionate about their job that they make daily videos about their work to share online?

Unfortunately I’m not yet at the stage where I can earn enough money from DJing alone, so I still work full time as a health and safety risk assessor (some midweek bookings would do the trick!). But for now, I am blessed and can’t wait to see how the future pans out.

I also hope to meet many of you this month at the Pro Mobile Conference – my first DJ learning and networking event. I’m excited to meet plenty of likeminded people, network and learn new skills from the guest speakers.