We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kelvin Jones a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Kelvin, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?
YES I am definitely happy as an artist and creative to be honest I don’t know what I would be doing if I wasn’t a DJ. I think about it all the time if I did have a regular job how unhappy I would be, that’s actually how I came to find DJing. When I first moved to Arizona back in 2017 I was just struggling going through the motions jumping from job to job in a new city trying to figure out what my next move was. As a new struggling entrepreneur in a multilevel marketing company that was failing, I knew I had to find something else to get excited and passionate about, my problem was figuring out what exactly that was going to be. I knew whatever my next move was and whatever I decided to do to make money I just knew it couldn’t feel like a job. It had to be something I could do even if I was getting paid or not, something that was fun, exciting, something that would pull a different side of me out.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Yes so for those that don’t know me I’m a Chicago native that currently resides in Phoenix Arizona. Growing up in a single parent household I watched my mom bust her butt working DAY to NIGHT to provide for me and my two sisters. I feel like I can credit my mom for my hard work ethic and ambition. From an early age I watched my mom work from 6 AM to 5 PM and then 6 PM to 12 PM at another job that showed me early on that if you want something you have to go out and bust your butt and get it no one is going to give you any handouts. Growing up I was always in sports which also helped install a hard work ethic in me. I say these things because I believe this was the foundation leading up to what got me to where I am today. Fast forward to 2017 When I decided to make the move and leave Chicago and move to Arizona. I came out here on a leap of faith, only knowing two people and leaving my entire friends,family and anything I ever known behind I didn’t know what was in store for me, I just knew I was ready for something different. When I first moved to Arizona I was a struggling entrepreneur in a failing multilevel marketing company. “yes” I was one of those guys asking you to join his team and we were going to build a team and get rich together lol. The company I was with ended up going under as well as all of my hopes and dreams. Being with this company did help me to understand the skills it requires to be a entrepreneurs. With having the right mentors and going through a ton of personal development for 8 years straight .This is what I believe what would help me with whatever my next entrepreneur endeavors was going to be. I knew whatever my next endeavor was going to be it was something I had to get passionate and excited about something like I said I didn’t feel like a job, which is how I came to find djing. Because me and my friends would always go out and because I was in a new city I was already going out trying to meet new people I knew that nightlife would be a cool way to make money not to mention it probably wouldn’t feel too much like a job, my problem was finding what I was going to do. I knew I didn’t want to do security or promoting that’s how I stumbled on DJing. Backstory on me i’m the type of person who’s always on the aux cord, always making sure the vibe is set at whatever setting we’re in, and pretty much knows every song. I have a pretty wide range of music that can relate to a lot of different people, not to mention I’m always singing something lol especially while I’m working. After talking to a couple of friends about what they would think if I decided to start DJing and hearing exactly what I needed to hear I decided to go for it my problem was I had never Dj’d or knew what it takes to be a successful DJ. When I first got started DJing I went and did what any millennial my age would probably do and went right to YouTube and looked to see what I can learn from YouTube University on how to become a DJ. after doing research and learning a couple things I decided to actually invest and buy some equipment. My first couple months I was just more trying to learn the skills that it takes to become a DJ so I was looking for any way to invest in myself to gain the skills. I stumbled across a craigslist ad from a company that was paying people to train them and teach them how to DJ and do professional events. I got started with this company and this is where I learned and acquired the skills to know exactly what it takes to run a successful event, from knowing what every cord is to knowing how to mix blend, knowing how to read crowds, to knowing how to set everything up logistically, this company taught me everything I needed to know about being a successful DJ. Fast forward i was with the company for five years and I was able to work my way to the top of the company and my income pretty much capped with them. long story short they couldn’t afford to pay me what I was worth anymore this is when I decided to go off and gamble on myself and start my own DJ company. I knew this was going to be the best move for me because now instead of dealing with a company and not getting tied in with my clients until later on in the booking process I was able to go through and work with my clients hand and hand. one thing I love about running my own business as I am able to be there with my clients from the start to finish. I’m not getting tied in on emails or getting looped in on things that I knew nothing about I’m able to work with my clients Hand in Hand and Taylor each event specifically to their needs. One thing I’m most proud about in making a name for myself here in the DJ community is my quality of service I tell people all the time I am not a cheap DJ but then again would you want a cheap DJ running your event or wedding? I offer a premium service with premium quality equipment I am one of the only DJs out in the Phoenix area that you can find that does every type of event club, private, wedding you name it I do it which helps because I feel like that is my niche I feel like most people these days that are getting married don’t want to see that old-school cheesy wedding DJ that we all saw at our aunt and uncle’s wedding. Today’s couples want a fun exciting non-cheesy DJ and that is what I’m bringing to your event!
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
I would say the most rewarding aspect about being a creative is knowing that there was no shortcuts knowing that I had to learn all of this from scratch and make it into my own and when you can see it blossom it makes all of the hard work worth it I always tell people I feel ONE OF THE HIGHEST FORMS OF HAPPINESS IS FINDING A WAY TO MAKE AN INCOME OFF SOMETHING YOU’RE PASSIONATE ABOUT OR GENUINELY LOVE THAT TO ME IS THE MOST REWARDING PART. KNOWING THAT I WOULD DO THIS WITH OR WITHOUT THE PAYCHECK BECAUSE I GENUINELY LOVE IT AND I FEEL LIKE THAT IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS IN TODAY’S EXCITING TO FIND SOMETHING YOU CAN GET PASSIONATE ABOUT AND GENUINELY LOVE
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
ONE THING I CAN THINK OF THAT ILLUSTRATES MY RESILIENCE IS THE TIME I HAD GOT DISCOURAGED BEFORE I ACTUALLY BECAME A DJ, WHEN I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT ALL OF THIS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF I CAN DO IT OR NOT I WENT OUT TO A CLUB BASICALLY STOOD BEHIND THE DJ BOOTH SAW WITH THE DJ WAS DOING AND GOT SUPER DISCOURAGED I WAS LIKE THERE’S NO WAY IN HELL I CAN DO THAT and it’s crazy because now I can do this in my sleep it’s kind of scary to think where I would be today if I would’ve let that negative thinking steer me away from my dream career
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.djmixedkid.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/djmixedkid/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kelvin.jones.547
