We were lucky to catch up with Alejandro Gutierrez recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Alejandro, thanks for joining us today. Do you have a hero? What have you learned from them?
We all learn from our fathers; how to be a man, how to be a good person, and we get a lot of traits from them. My dad’s life taught me so much and gives me my drive to be better everyday, not just for my family but my community.
My dad grew up in a small town 3 hrs outside the capital of Durango, Mexico. He grew up with very little in life. He went to school until 4th grade and then started working in the fields to help provide for his family. At the age of 20 he met my mom and they married after a month of knowing each other. My dad made it his mission to take care of our family. At the age of 35 my dad left Mexico to work in the citrus groves in Mesa, AZ. With the little money he made, he would keep a bit for himself and send the rest back to provide for my mom and siblings. All my dad knew to do was work. He once told us a story about how one morning watching the sunrise as he was irrigating cattle pastures he felt extremely lonely and just wished he had someone to talk to. My dad has always been our rock, the strong one, so to show any vulnerability pulled at all of our heartstrings. After about 5 yrs by himself here in Mesa, he made arrangements to have my mom and siblings brought here.
Having his family here, in the US together, in his mind he had already accomplished his American dream. We grew up in poverty, but we never knew it. My dad made sure he worked non stop so we didn’t go without food, clothes, and little extras. He had an extremely strong work ethic and drive. In a country he didn’t know, with a language that was hard for him to learn, he figured out how to provide and help raise 4 daughters and 3 sons.
Growing up I was always proud to be his son. This man that would work night and day, would still find ways to give. Giving back was something he would do without question. I am blessed to be able to call this man dad. He instilled in us to give and help anyone who needs it. My family would take trips to Mexico and I vividly remember one time pulling up to a large market and having a line of kids form behind our station wagon. My dad made sure every kid got a pair of sneakers and some clothes. This is just one example of why he is my hero.
My community and I will be lucky if we can do half of what he has done. Giving back has been woven into my fabric of who I am today. His drive and hard work ethic has allowed us to start a successful small business and his willingness to give is what has led us to start Silverback Giveback. Every year we raise money by raffling off items and everything we raise goes to our community. Half goes to a charity of our choice that makes a direct impact in our local community and the other goes to adopting families for Christmas. Our goal is to make sure every kid doesn’t go without on Christmas Day. It’s a huge goal, but when we first started, we were able to adopt 1 family. This past year (year 3) we adopted 7 large families. We are looking to start a non-profit this year to help raise money for families in our local community.
We lost my dad 5 yrs ago, so it is so important for us to keep his memory alive with the lessons he taught me. Everyday I will strive to fill his shoes. He did a lot in one lifetime. He felt a lot of loneliness, pain, joy, and fears but still had enough love in his heart to give. So I’ll do the same.
Alejandro, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Well, I am the owner/ Head DJ at Silverback Entertainment In East Mesa. A little bit about and where my love of music comes from, I have always had a love for music. I feel very lucky to have been raised with 4 sisters and 2 brothers. We all had our own choice of music. Both of my parents gave me my love for norteñas and rancheras. Both of my brothers were all about the Beastie Boys, Meatloaf, and Guns ‘N Roses vibe. My sisters were all about cumbias, top 40s, and R&B. Growing up with so many genres really opened my mind up to all types of music.
Throughout high school I was known as the DJ by my friends. I would spend many weeknights burning my mixtape cds and prepping them for our weekend adventures!
As I got older I loved hitting up karaoke shows in the valley. I would get asked if I was interested in becoming a host for karaoke and as much as it intrigued me, it never felt like the right fit and I’d always decline.
In my late 20s I was asked to assist a friend/ prominent DJ in the east valley. I actually jumped at the opportunity, and within a few weeks I was learning how to set up and tear down DJ booths and learning the system. After a couple months, I started handling the music and within the first year I was out handling my own weddings from start to finish. There were a few things that I wanted to do differently so after a while I decided to split off and start my own business.
I am proud of our company and my style. I do things a bit different than other DJs. I’ll admit I’m not for everyone. My style is more contemporary. I decided from the get go that I will not be that DJ that shows up in a penguin suit. You won’t catch me showing up with the black and white dress shoes and a suit or tux because for me it screams cheesy. This doesn’t mean I show up dressed inappropriately. I’ll wear Stetson jeans, a nice pair of boots, and a button up shirt. I figure I’m going to be running around for several hours, I need to be comfortable. I feel like a penguin suit throws the magician vibe out there and my couples hire me so they can party, not pull a rabbit from my hat! Another rule I have set for myself and our company is we do not drink while working. I’ve seen situations turn bad when DJs get trashed behind the booth. What happens if the system goes down or I have to troubleshoot a problem, also this is your wedding and party. I have a blast making sure your guests have a blast on the dance floor!
My number 1 rule is I do not discriminate. I’ve had several same sex couples share their stories of being denied service because of who they want to marry. At Silverback we believe love is love. We are all humans that deserve to be loved and in turn love whomever we want!
Can you talk to us about how you funded your business?
After I decided I was going to start our company, it took me maybe about 6 months to acquire everything necessary to do my first event. I literally started by buying a DJ dance floor par light. This first purchase was over $800. Then we added a few more lights, saved up some more for a mixer, and then mics. Everything I started with was quality equipment, but some was used. My plan was to slowly upgrade everything as we went. My very first event was a Christmas party for Orange Theory. I arrived at Stonebridge Manor with a hand-me-down facade, a table, table cloth, a new mixer, used mics, an older laptop, and my dance floor lights. After setting up the venue coordinator had praised me on how nice my set up was, they were used to seeing a table with a mixer and a light or 2. As for the event, it went perfectly and right after I started making my upgrades. I was maybe looked down on for using used items and not starting off with a huge rig from the get-go, but I’m proud of how we started. We went from saving up to buy a mixer and stuff, to having 4 complete systems including backup items in case something fails during sound check. I’m huge into helping anyone start a small company and giving advice. I’m a big advocate for starting small, putting your head down, and working towards more!
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Mainly, I think by just being myself and being humble. We are always learning and open to everyone’s suggestions and thoughts. I know there is always something that can be learned and we are willing to do just that. Many DJs brag about awards, their high end clients, and memorable events they’ve done in the past. Personally, every single one of our clients is as important as our first. So as proud as I am to have handled events of all sizes and have some articles written about Silverback, it doesn’t change who I am and how I handle your wedding.
Contact Info:
- Website: Djsilverback.com
- Instagram: _dj_silverback
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/silverbackentertainmentllc/