Meet Tyler “Seps” Seppala | Private Events Saxophonist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tyler “Seps” Seppala and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tyler “Seps”, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Starting and owning a business is something I wanted to do from a very early age. Financial difficulties in my household, stemming from layoffs, taught me that there really is no “safe route” in life. I quickly came to the conclusion that if I was going to pursue something, it may as well be something I’m passionate about, where I can make my own rules.

Funny enough, the business I have now wasn’t the initial plan. I actually went to school for computer science with a minor in music, and always knew whatever I ended up doing would involve music in some way. But simultaneously, I figured I would need something “responsible” to guarantee I always could feed myself, and one day a family.

I graduated during the pandemic. I was living in a house with roommates, and had been paying rent with a large sum of unemployment money that I had saved up (my benefits were cut off at this point).

During this time, I was on an entrepreneurial GRIND. Over the past year, I had created a detailed online course on how to improvise and compose music. And now that TikTok was booming, I was spending practically every waking hour making videos in the hopes that I could build some credibility, and drive traffic to my business at the same time. With about a year’s worth of expenses saved and no classes or job, this felt like my big opportunity to get something off the ground.

Having taken a course on Facebook ads, I was confidently throwing tons of my savings into paid advertising, sure that if I got the targeting right I could scale to the moon. At least that’s what the business gurus would have you believe!

Before I knew it, I had spent $2k on ads with only $300 in sales. Seeing my bank account drop from month to month, and absolutely refusing to go back to working for minimum wage, I started frantically trying new things. This was a super chaotic period for me. During this time I recorded a sax sample pack which I ALSO ran some ads to, I revamped a music sharing collaboration website I started building in school, I created a virtual reality xylophone, my own software synthesizer, and even did some freelance web design for a few family friends.

I was really getting down to the wire with savings. I had maybe 2-3 months left of living expenses in my account, and I had several huge opportunities fall through.

Desperate for a way to keep control over my own time, I did what I do best. I went down to the local plaza and started playing the sax for tips. I’d once done this to get out of a pinch when I was short on rent, and had made up the difference. After about a month of doing this, I realized that I could actually pay my rent fully (which was super low, due to all the roommates) and at least slow the demise of my bank account while I got one of my ventures off the ground.

Then I made a discovery that changed everything. I looked up “sax players near me,” looking for different opportunities to make money with my instrument. I came across a few booking sites, and saw that performers on there were charging a MINIMUM of $150 an hour. But a few performers, particularly the ones with the best reviews and nicest profiles, were charging THOUSANDS. I suddenly realized that this could be more than a temporary lifeline, it could actually be a viable career path!

Using some of my backlog of TikTok videos, I put together a profile. And before I knew it, I was getting bookings regularly and building up reviews! Since then, I’ve lived and breathed the private events entertainment space. With all the skills I built through my previous business attempts, I’ve created a very profitable lead-gen system built on paid advertising, social media, and custom code. And I have tons of ideas of how I’ll use my unique skillset to further innovate within my business!

Turns out, the most reliable path was actually to follow my dreams and perform for a living. Who could’ve guessed?

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I was a bit torn on whether to select the “business” or “artist” category, as my art is my business. But given the amount of time and effort I spend on the business side of things, I feel I should lead with that.

In the simplest of terms, I’m a roaming musician. I play saxophone with a wireless microphone, and move amongst the guests throughout the event… serenading them, building up the energy, and getting them to dance by the end of the night!

What I believe sets me apart from others in my space is the spontaneous nature of what I do. I grew up playing tons of improvised music, and in doing so I deeply developed my ability to play by ear, and to make up catchy melodies on the fly that fit with the song I’m playing to. What this means for my performances today is that I’m able to pick up on the energy of the guests and all those special moments, and feed it right back to them in a way that complements the familiar melodies I’m playing, in real-time.

This is particularly important when it comes to weddings. I believe music to be an incredibly deep language that communicates complex emotions that words can’t. When I perform for a couple’s big day, I’m guiding the energy of everyone there, taking them on a journey that expresses the feelings the couple has for each other, and blending it with the love and excitement of all their friends and family—ultimately resulting in an exhilarating celebration of their marriage!

Every time I perform a song, it’s different. It’s influenced by the moment it’s a part of, and all the unique personalities of the people there.

The moments I’m most proud of are when I deliver the music in a way that I can tell is connecting deeply with my audience. One of the lessons I’ve learned more recently is that timing is everything. If I plan my movements ahead of time, and focus not just on the sound but on how I’m physically performing the song, I can build anticipation, and release the big moment (like a chorus or drop) with something dramatic like leaping into the air or stepping up onto a chair. When this hits just right, the energy of the guests is ELECTRIC. Their cheers fuel me throughout the night, and the energy ebbs and flows as memories of all these epic moments are made.

All of this can sound quite illusive and intangible, and that’s one of the greatest challenges I face as a business owner. To have a successful business, I have to adequately communicate the experience I described above in my marketing and sales process. Throughout my journey, I’ve learned to refine my message and convey it through video clips, sales copy, direct conversations with prospects, and most recently through networking and building relationships.

On that note, another crucial lesson I’ve been learning most recently is that having a solid network REALLY changes the game, as cliché as it may be to say it. The more reputable people I can get to vouch for me, and to believe in my message, the easier it is to find the clients that trust me to provide the experience they’re looking for, and truly value what I do.

Even this interview is a result of my recent efforts to grow my network! Now I have this opportunity to spread my message in a new medium and give people a deeper insight into my story and mission.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m in Old Towne Orange, so there’s a lot of cool walkable stuff to do, and also some really nice spots within close driving distance! One of my favorite spots we would have to hit is Finney’s Crafthouse. It’s this awesome restaurant just down the street from my house with delicious food, creative drinks, and a fun lawn area out back with corn hole and overall just a cool aesthetic.

I also love a good evening out at Chapman Brewery, which has a similar setup but primarily specializes in beer. They usually have a food truck outside if you want something to munch on, and giant Jenga and Connect 4. While we’re in the area, it’s always nice to walk around and check out some of the local shops.

Then we’d definitely have to spend a day in Laguna, which is a pretty close drive. The city has this incredible atmosphere, and it feels so nice just to be there. There’s this awesome tiki bar there called the Royal Hawaiian, and they have super immersive tropical decor and incredible presentation of their beverages—some involving fire, and served in super cool cups, shaped like skulls and things like that. There are also some great hikes in that area, and the beach is gorgeous. We’d definitely have to go down to the water and enjoy the tide pools and rock formations, maybe spend some time on the sand too.

Speaking of hikes, we’d definitely have to get a few of those in. Some of my favorite places are Oak Canyon, Santiago Oaks, Peter’s Canyon, and Silverado Canyon. Hiking was a big part of my childhood, and it’s always refreshing to be back in nature.

Then at some point, it would be great to catch some live music. Some good spots that come to mind are Isla, a Cuban restaurant that often has live Latin music, and Knolls, a classy restaurant where a good family friend of mine named Leo Vigil plays jazz once a month. I’ll likely be joining him for some of his future performances there, so maybe that would even line up with my friend being in town!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
It’s difficult to narrow it down to just one person, as I’ve been inspired by such a wide variety of different sources. But when it comes to support, my girlfriend Kamaile has done more for me than I could ever hope to fully thank her for.

For a million different reasons, I never really had a safety net, or any financial support from my family since I had left for school. And I didn’t have a lot of people in my life that were very supportive of my goals. But when she moved in with me, my whole world flipped on its head.

Foundationally, what she did was create an environment in which I could thrive. She helped to make our house a nicer place to live, and she looked at me and listened to my ideas like she believed in me even more than I believed in myself.

And on top of all that, she came from a background much more stable than my own, and has always been so incredible as to share that sense of stability with me. She let me use her car when mine broke down, and even helped pay for my saxophone as a graduation present.

Even now, she helps me with a lot of my gigs, and films a lot of my content. I genuinely wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for her.

Website: https://www.sepssax.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seps_music/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seps.music

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sepsmusic

Other: New TiktTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sepssaxexperience
Old TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@seps.jams
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0eCn34NMESo64zxzvd6gaQ?si=u_kEUoMlRqSUDYkfgnZIVg

Image Credits
Joie de Vivre Photography, Titus Joel