We were lucky to catch up with Nicole Gallub recently and have shared our conversation below.

Nicole, appreciate you joining us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I began my career in cybersecurity, a structured, analytical world where systems and accountability were everything. But creatively, I was always pulled toward music. Eventually, I made the leap to pursue my dream of becoming an international DJ. And I built it.

I performed in some of the world’s top nightclubs and festivals, largely managing myself. Because of my business background, I approached my DJ career like a company. I negotiated contracts carefully, marketed strategically, built a brand, and treated every performance like a professional operation. That discipline allowed me to turn a creative passion into a sustainable career.

But one experience changed everything.

I was booked to perform at a nightclub in Missouri. I was excited, it felt like another step forward. I signed the contract, flew out, arrived… and discovered it was a strip club. The booking agency had never disclosed that.

I felt completely out of alignment. My brand had never been hyper-sexualized. I focused on musicality, professionalism, and presence. Standing there, I realized how vulnerable creatives are when they don’t have representation that truly protects them. It wasn’t about judgment, it was about transparency and fit. I wasn’t the right DJ for that room, and the room wasn’t right for me.

In that moment, I thought: artists deserve better advocacy.

At the same time, I was working alongside incredibly talented freelance performers, world-class musicians, dancers, and specialty acts. They were exceptional on stage but often underpaid, paid late, or mismatched with the wrong opportunities. The issue wasn’t talent. It was infrastructure.

Pelonkey was born from that gap.

Initially, Pelonkey began as a SaaS concept, a technology platform designed to give freelancers the backend systems they needed to operate like a real business: contracts, CRM tools, booking management. But it was ahead of its time, and the cost of developing and maintaining the technology outweighed what independent creatives could sustain.

So we pivoted.

Instead of building software, we became the system.

Pelonkey evolved into a boutique experiential production house and booking agency. We don’t just place talent, we curate experiences. We protect our performers by ensuring fair rates, clear contracts, and timely payment. And we work with corporate clients and event planners to tell stories through entertainment, integrating music, performance, technology, and immersive design.

That’s what sets us apart. We’re not simply matching artists to gigs. We’re building experiences around their skill sets.

We’ve grown almost entirely through word of mouth because we operate differently. Clients trust that we bring structure, creativity, and professionalism. Performers trust that we advocate for them. That alignment creates long-term relationships on both sides.

What excites me most is the bridge we’ve built: honoring creative talent while elevating the standard of how it’s delivered.

Talent is everywhere. True representation and experiential strategy are not.

That’s the gap Pelonkey fills.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m a creative entrepreneur, international DJ, music producer, and founder of Pelonkey, a boutique experiential production agency that bridges artistry and operational excellence.

My path into this industry wasn’t linear. I began in cybersecurity, working in structured, high-accountability environments. But music had always been my pulse. Eventually, I took the leap to pursue DJing full time, and I built that career globally, performing in nightclubs, festivals, luxury destinations, and corporate events around the world.

Because of my business background, I approached music differently. I didn’t just want to perform, I wanted to build something sustainable. I negotiated my own contracts, built my brand intentionally, produced original music, and learned how to navigate the business side of the creative industry. That dual perspective, artist and operator, became the foundation of everything I do.

Over time, my work expanded beyond DJing into music production and immersive soundscapes. One of the most meaningful evolutions of my career has been developing sound journeys, curated musical experiences designed to shift emotional states, inspire connection, and create reflection. These aren’t just performances; they’re intentional sonic narratives that blend frequency, storytelling, and atmosphere. They allow audiences to move inward, not just outward.

Alongside my personal artistry, I founded Pelonkey after seeing how many extraordinary performers lacked the infrastructure to protect and position themselves properly. Today, Pelonkey operates as a nationwide creative agency specializing in high-end, tech-infused entertainment, experiential marketing, and event production. We serve corporate planners, associations, and destination management companies who need polished entertainment procurement, immersive activations, and seamless execution.

We solve two core problems.

For performers, we provide advocacy, fair pay, structured contracts, and access to opportunities that align with their brand and skill set.

For clients, we eliminate risk. We curate highly vetted talent, manage logistics and production, and design entertainment experiences that tell a cohesive story, whether that’s LED-integrated performances, custom costuming, interactive art, or music-driven atmospheres.

What sets us apart is that we understand both sides intimately. I’ve stood on stage. I’ve negotiated the contracts. I’ve dealt with late payments and misaligned bookings. So we built systems that protect creatives while delivering elevated, reliable service to corporate clients.

I’m also deeply committed to giving back to the creative community. Whether that’s mentoring emerging DJs, hosting retreats that combine music and personal growth, or building platforms where artists can collaborate and thrive, I believe in creating ecosystems, not just gigs. I’ve always viewed success as something to be shared and expanded collectively.

What I’m most proud of isn’t a single event or stage, although performing internationally has been incredible. It’s the bridge I’ve built between structure and creativity. I’m proud that we’ve grown largely through word of mouth, that artists trust us, and that clients return because they know we’ll elevate their vision.

What I want people to understand about me and my brand is this:

I care deeply about integrity in creativity.

Whether I’m DJing across the world, producing music, guiding a sound journey, or directing a corporate activation, my goal is the same, to create experiences that make people feel something real. To bring professionalism into spaces that often lack it. And to build opportunities that allow artists to thrive without sacrificing their dignity or their craft.

At the intersection of business discipline and artistic expression….that’s where I operate. And that’s where my best work happens.

Have you ever had to pivot?

One of the most defining pivots of my career came at what felt like absolute rock bottom.

I had invested nearly $100,000 into building a technology platform designed to support freelance creatives, contracts, booking systems, operational tools. I believed in it deeply. I poured over two years of my life into it.

And it failed.

The tech wasn’t stabilizing. Revenue wasn’t coming in. Development costs kept climbing. I had shifted my focus away from DJing to build the company, so my performance income had slowed dramatically. I was over $15,000 in debt with no clear way to pay it back. I remember feeling completely hopeless, like I had worked harder than ever in my life only to watch everything collapse.

It wasn’t just financial stress. It was identity stress. I had tied so much of my energy to this vision. Letting it go felt like admitting defeat.

Then something unexpected happened.

Someone called my cell phone asking if I could book one of our DJs, along with performers and sound support. Their budget was $20,000.

That number hit me hard. One booking could immediately move me closer to getting out of debt.

So I handled it myself. I negotiated the talent. I coordinated the logistics. I produced the event. And I charged a commission.

Then another call came in. And another.

And suddenly, the realization clicked: Why am I trying to build a complicated tech system to automate this, when I can simply execute it directly?

Instead of building software to manage creative bookings, I became the system.

That’s when Pelonkey Productions was born.

What felt like failure was actually clarity. The problem wasn’t the vision, it was the vehicle. The market didn’t need a platform yet. It needed hands-on expertise, structure, and leadership.

That pivot changed everything. It pulled me out of debt. It restored my confidence. And it revealed our true sweet spot: combining creativity with operational execution.

That period taught me something I carry into every challenge now — obstacles aren’t blockades. They’re puzzle pieces. Sometimes they don’t fit where you originally intended, but there is always somewhere they belong. The key is staying steady long enough to see it.

Looking back, that was the moment I stopped trying to force a dream into a specific format and started building around what was actually working.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Resilience, for me, has been forged in moments that weren’t visible to the public.

From the outside, entrepreneurship, especially in the entertainment industry, can look glamorous. You’re traveling, performing, producing events, building momentum. There’s an assumption that everything is thriving.

But growth brings visibility. And visibility sometimes attracts conflict.

I’ve experienced situations where individuals made serious allegations about my ethics and business practices, claims that were unfounded but still required legal response, time, money, and emotional stamina. It was one of the most sobering periods of my career.

What made it difficult wasn’t just the financial strain. It was the internal work. When your integrity is questioned publicly, it challenges your identity. You have to decide: do I shrink? Do I react emotionally? Or do I stay grounded in who I know myself to be?

I chose the latter.

I leaned into documentation, professionalism, and transparency. I strengthened contracts. I tightened operational systems. I sought legal counsel and handled matters properly rather than emotionally. And I learned a critical lesson: resilience is not loud. It is disciplined.

Those experiences were expensive, in time, resources, and stress, but they clarified my values. They reinforced why I operate with structure, clear agreements, and ethical rigor. They reminded me that integrity isn’t just something you claim when things are easy; it’s something you demonstrate when it would be simpler to walk away.

I’m proud that through every challenge, I’ve remained on the right side of my standards. And I’ve come to understand that adversity doesn’t diminish you, it refines you.

Resilience, to me, is continuing to build with integrity even when it would be easier to stop.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.pelonkey.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/djneekola
• Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/nicole-gallub-pelonkey/?skipRedirect=true
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/neeksmusic
• Other: https://www.djneekola.com

Image Credits

Angel Bracho