Meet Tyler (Seps) Seppala | Private Events Saxophonist and DJ

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

Hi Tyler (Seps), how do you think about risk?
I think risk is a complicated concept, because there are often multiple opposing and sometimes hidden risks that come with every decision. The ability to identify these risks and weigh them against each other is absolutely crucial to succeeding in business, and accomplishing great things in general.

Business in particular is filled with gambling-esque decisions. When you spend money on ads, equipment, networking groups, etc, you’re essentially placing bets on what you think will make you a return. The best approach is to try to allocate your budget in a way that prioritizes the things that will have the biggest impact on your growth. There’s inherent risk involved in this, as there’s never a guarantee that you will make money on these bets, or even break even.

But the important thing to understand is the risk on the other side of these decisions. For example, if I spend $2k on ads, the obvious thing that I’m risking is $2k. There’s a chance, albeit a small one, that I’ll spend all that money and make nothing back. But fortunately, there’s a significant difference between this type of gamble and the type you take in a casino—I can go into these types of decisions educated and with experience. I know that I’ve built a solid brand and sales system, with a proven track record of converting cold traffic into sales over a prolonged period of time.

So when I increase that advertising budget, I know the odds are high that I’ll make a positive ROI, especially when my average booking amounts to more than the total ad spend. And at the same time, I’m considering the opposing risk, in this case, what I’m risking if I DON’T spend money on ads. If I don’t put myself in front of more people, I’ll almost certainly miss out on sales I would have otherwise made, as they choose other competitors that have been in the business longer or are recommended to them.

Simultaneously, I would be missing out on a surplus of demand that running ads can generate, which allows me to charge higher prices, land higher-end clients, and collect content of higher-end events, raising my brand’s perceived value. By delaying these things, I would risk allowing competitors to grow while I remain stagnant, which not only causes me to lose current revenue but future revenue as well.

And back to the other side of things, what if I lost the entire $2k and it didn’t work as planned? My main priority with money is always reinvestment into my business, and I anticipate room for error. That money otherwise could have been used for other investments, which also have no guarantee of working out, or it could been used for personal luxuries, like nice meals out, a nicer car, an expensive trip, etc. These are all things I’m very willing to risk sacrificing in exchange for my business’ growth, or even just to learn which investments DON’T work so I can make an informed pivot in the future. After enough of these moves, it seems likely that I’ll be able to afford to take risks to grow my business, and increase the amount of personal luxuries in my life as well, whereas prioritizing the luxuries now might prevent me from ever reaching that level of freedom.

Business is full of hidden risks like this, where something feels like a big, scary gamble. But if you consider what you’re risking by avoiding it, it often turns out the bigger risk is NOT making the scary move.

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’m in the business of giving people lifelong memories through musical entertainment. Using high quality sound equipment and wireless microphones, I play saxophone as I roam freely about my clients’ event venues, serenading them and their guests as they eat, drink and mingle, and then partying with them right in the middle of their dancefloors!

There are a handful of things I would say set me apart. One of which is in my unique playing style. I tend to use a lot more improvisation than other event musicians, which allows me to create spontaneous versions of my clients’ favorite songs right there in the moment, These improvised melodies are inspired by the energy of the guests and the atmosphere of the overall event, forming a one-of-a-kind soundtrack that belongs just to them and their special day. This also allows me to be very adaptable, accompanying requested songs that I might never have heard before.

Another unique piece of my business I take pride in is the level of attention I put into ensuring the highest quality possible at every step of the client experience. On the production side, this means investing in a diverse selection of professional grade equipment that allows me to adapt to uncommon venue layouts. I recently had two events in the same week that each featured a cocktail hour inhabiting two separate areas simultaneously, separated by a wall and doors. Fortunately, due to previous experiences, I was prepared with extra battery-powered speakers and wireless audio transmitters, which I used to fully cover both spaces with immersive sound, and without excessive and unsightly cables running through high traffic areas. By placing my wireless sax mic receiver close to the wall between the two spaces, I was able to roam freely between them without the signal dropping out, creating the experience of cohesive music filling the entire cocktail hour, sounding clear regardless of where I was performing at any given moment.

But the quality starts long before the event itself. I take great care in editing every piece of content I put out, with carefully mastered audio, beautiful color grading, and intentionally selected moments to represent the best of what I provide. The same level of intention carries over to my website, the way I converse with prospects, the custom proposals I make for them, and even the contract handling/booking process itself.

It’s taken a lot of time, money and effort to get all these things to where they currently are, and every conversation, social media post, and event brings new lessons to integrate. A lot of it just comes down to looking at points of the customer experience that appear lackluster in comparison to surrounding points, and then putting in the effort to bring them up to standard. Sometimes it takes hours of research, coding or editing, or thousands of dollars of investment. But so far I’ve pretty much always found these improvements to be well worth it.

Throughout this journey, I’ve had to refine my purpose a handful of times, and have actually had another breakthrough on that front fairly recently. At surface level, obviously I play the saxophone. But that’s not really what I’m selling. For a while I dug a little deeper and said I was selling unique experiences, then that I was amplifying emotions. But that still wasn’t quite reaching the core of what I do.

After digging even deeper, I realized what people really want out of these special events, and what I’m the best at providing for them—vivid memories.

Between the uniqueness of the experience… the interactions with the guests… the surprise saxophone appearances… the ripping fast melodies… and the emotional musical passages, I’m cementing these precious moments into core memories that people will come back to again and again throughout the rest of their lives.

For wedding couples, this helps to immortalize one of the best days of their entire life, and to create a happy place in their mind to return to when times are hard. And for corporate clients, it’s forming positive associations with their brand in the minds of their clients and partners, making them top of mind, and leading to more deals, business, and revenue going forward.

If there’s one thing I’d like people to know about my brand it’s that I will stop at nothing to make their event unforgettable.

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 answered this in a previous interview, but I think I’ve got some updated answers since last time! I live in Old Towne Orange, which is a spectacular place to walk the shops and grab refreshments.

My first recommendation would be an Indian coffee shop by the name of Chaiwale. They have incredible atmosphere, cozy seating, friendly staff, and wonderful drinks. I’m a big fan of their tea selections!

Then a great spot for breakfast is L’Orange. They have a wonderful menu of French dishes and delicious drinks, elegant decor, and even live music on a rare occasion. We went there one morning and were serenaded by an amazing violinist right at our table.

Just like last time, Finney’s Crafthouse would have to make the list. Such a cool place to grab a bite to eat, have some incredible drinks, and just chat and hang out. It’s our go to spot to meet up with people and catch up.

We also love local hikes, and places like Oak Canyon Nature Center are amazing for this. It’s so peaceful and secluded, it truly feels like you’re in the middle of the wilderness, even though civilization is just down the street.

For a nice lunch or afternoon drink, The Gallery at Anaheim Hills Golf Course is a wonderful spot. Beautiful views, delicious sandwiches, and great wine, you can never go wrong. And the fact that it’s in a golf course and not a commercial district really adds to the peaceful nature of the experience.

Finally I’ve recently been to Roy’s Restaurant at Anaheim GardenWalk for the first time, and it was some of the most amazing food I’ve ever had. It’s definitely a more luxury dining experience, and the pricing reflects that, so it’s not an everyday thing. But if it’s in the budget, that definitely a place to go!

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?
I dedicate this Shoutout to my girlfriend, Kamaile. She’s been my biggest supporter since the very start, and has been invaluable to all the success I’ve had. From helping me set up my equipment and taking the vast majority of the videos I use in my marketing and advertising, to massaging my sore back after the gig, she’s the rock that’s gotten me through it all, and I couldn’t be more grateful to have her in my life!

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

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

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

Image Credits
Another Dream