Meet Brian B: Destination Private Event DJ

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brian B and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brian, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
There were a bunch of things that came together all at once. I really wanted the challenge of building a business that had all the risks and rewards solely on me. Secondly, I thought (naively) that it would give me more time back. Third, I wanted the flexibility to do my job from anywhere in the world and be able to travel.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m a “destination” private event (think social, wedding, and corporate events) DJ, which is super rare. Most private event DJs are local to a specific area. During COVID, the only silver lining is that I’m able do my craft in states and countries that are opening rather than doing events in a local market that is shut down. The path to doing destination events wasn’t something I initially sought after. It was due to some location moves. Legacy client and new client referrals saw the value I brought to the table and hired me to do their events (with travel costs) in locations where I had previously lived. That then led to expansion into the luxury market and international opportunities. I started really refining my craft and can boil my client promise to this – delivering evergreen musical soundtracks for their special moments and events. The initial challenge was overcoming the price objection – why book you when I can find someone locally who is cheaper? Answer: They can’t deliver on my promise. I realized if we spent time hung up on a price discussion, then either this wasn’t the right client or I did a poor job of explaining my value. Over the years, I feel I’ve really dialed in that value proposition and the price really isn’t as important.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Living in NYC, there are so many options. I prefer giving visitors the local experience. Depending on the time of year, a day would start off with a coffee at La Colombe then a walk along the high-line. Lunch at one of my favorite Cambodian sandwich spots, Num Pang Kitchen. Then we’d work our way uptown to Central Park. Head to a museum. Then a classic pizza pie downtown at my go to spot, Rubirosa. Off to a comedy show at Eastville in Brooklyn or an independent film theatre in TriBeca like Angelika. Then a night cap at McSorley’s, the oldest bar in NYC, or the rooftop at 230 Fifth Rooftop Bar. Day 2 might be more exploring on a bike going utpown along the Hudson. Day 3 could be sightseeing. Day 4 could be a food tour. Day 5 would have to include a sporting event. Day 6 could just be people watching 🙂 Obviously, these are different times and a lot of this looks different now. But the City is always interesting and has a way of captivating you no matter the circumstances. 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?
Gosh, too many to mention. But if I had to give a few, they would be: Neil Altneu with Pioneer Pro DJ,  Ken Kobane with National Charity Support Foundation, Eric Partin with Shoreline Church Christen Cowgill, my former business partner and then finally Jason Jani and Joe Bunn – my current business partners in the DJ Collective (a secondary business venture).

Website: http://djbrianbofficial.com

Instagram: @djbrianbofficial

Image Credits
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