We recently connected with Daniel Heffner and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Daniel thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s talk legacy – what sort of legacy do you hope to build?

“Legacy, what is a legacy? It’s planting seeds in a garden you never get to see.” I’m quoting the critically acclaimed Broadway hit, Hamilton because it was something that always struck me deeply. Why do we care so much what people will think of us after we’ve gone and passed? Why is it so important to us to be seen or remembered after our physical bodies no longer occupy this plane of existence? I believe it’s because of our innate desire for immortality and our zeal for life, which drives us to do either great or terrible things in the hopes of being remembered. What we forget though is that it is not man which lives forever, but the ideas and actions that put ripples out into the world, and as a result- the universe as well. I do not wish to be remembered by name or by picture, but rather by my ideals and the lives I have helped to change. I’ve been asked before what I might do if I won the lottery and somehow gained millions of dollars, and my response has never wavered. I would immediately use that money to develop a system to aid homeless or disabled people in and around my community. Not for the recognition or personal gain, but because if one person in a community is suffering, it cannot truly grow or prosper as a whole. I want my legacy to be carried by the lives I touch around me, rather than a name to be recognized.

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

There is no end to the creative spirit of the human species, and it moves us to follow our hearts to achieve endeavors never before dreamt of. A little over ten years ago, I set out with the desire to embolden my own creative spirit by constructing a customer-centric business model dedicated to giving arts and entertainment back to those who are often unable to afford or gain access to it. My passion and love of what I do has allowed me to give back to my community in a multitude of ways, which is something I truly believe the entertainment industry is lacking. My company, DPH Productions, was built with the idea that I can offer great services at prices the average person can afford. By going above and beyond on production value, while still keeping costs low for the customer and the company, we have cultivated a reputation as a fair and honest business with a true desire to bring entertainment and production to the masses. One thing that absolutely sets my company apart from others is the broad scope of what I offer including professional photography, videography, DJ and Karaoke services, music production and mastering (in a sound booth built by my own hands), website development, and even professional writing services, all of which is self taught. I wanted to take services that normally cost an arm and a leg, and make them available to as many people as possible, instead of reserving the best of the best for only those who can afford it. I believe that in this day and age, it is growing more and more difficult to find a company that wants the best for its customers and doesn’t have to charge an exorbitant rate to ensure their satisfaction. This is where I stand to offer a change from the norm.
Despite a deeply traumatic upbringing that left me with mental and physical health issues, I have never given up on the idea that I could do great things in the world. I have put my entire heart and soul into my business and have fought tooth and nail to keep it afloat. I intend to use any influence and means available to me to help those in my community who have suffered and struggled as I have, to find peace, joy, and meaning in their lives again. That is the foundation that my company is built on, and the people I help are the infrastructure that sustains it.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

When people see me work, they always say the same thing. “He loves what he does.” That is because I see my work as a direct extension of myself. I have never wanted to be like anyone else, and I pride myself on my unique approach to customer service and to the quality of my work. I learned just how easy it is to become like a drone, caught up in the daily monotony of working for someone else who may or may not appreciate you and working for scraps while someone else makes money hand over fist on the backs of your labor. It takes a toll on the pride shown in one’s work, which dampens both product quality and customer service quality. I have found, as an entrepreneur, that it is remarkably easier to preserve your standards, work ethic, and native authenticity when you are working directly towards your own success, and people will take notice of that. I don’t treat my job as if it’s simply something I have to do to survive. I look at it as a model of my potential, which makes my goals and energy boundless. When you build your reputation on ensuring enthusiasm and positivity without greed or groan, it enables you to build relationships that last with customers who remain as loyal to you as you are to them.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

A few years ago, I was working as a supervisor at a company that required you to be on your feet for ten-plus hours during your shift. I had been DJ-ing and doing other freelance work for years for a little extra cash, but didn’t really see any of what I was doing as being profitable enough to solely rely on for my main source of income. Well, as fate would have it I had a grievous injury that resulted in torn ligaments in each of my knees rendering me completely unable to walk or stand on my own for months. This was at the height of Covid when many people were in and out of work for quarantine, and my employer decided my recovery was taking too long for them, so they fired me and cancelled my insurance. It left me reeling and without any recourse for a while, but over time it stoked a fire within me that grew and grew until I realized what I had to do. I decided to take a few business classes and started sculpting out an idea of what I wanted my company to be, and realized that I had all the tools all along. I doubled down on learning new skills and honing older ones so that I could craft a clear and concise list of services to offer my customers. While I was on the mend, I spent my time building websites for other small businesses, offering photography and videography editing services, and more. Anything to keep myself from falling down a rabbit hole of depression and hopelessness. When I began regaining the ability to walk, I started offering karaoke in addition to my DJ services which further bolstered my business’s standing within the community. I realized that people around me saw what I was doing as a legitimate venture, and for the first time ever, I realized that I had begun to accomplish my dreams. Since then, I’ve added even more services which have kept me busy ever since, including music and sound production with a sound booth that I constructed entirely by myself. I never expected this outcome, but it turned out that I wasn’t just relearning how to walk, I was taking my first steps into being a true business owner.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.dphproductions.com
• Facebook: facebook.com/dphproductions
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/dph-productions-lancaster?utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)
• Other: Google Play and IOS App Store- DPH Productions

Image Credits
DPH Productions