Meet DeeJay TeeJay

Tiffany “TJ”, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?

     Looking back on my childhood and early 20’s, I was destined and my calling was to be a DJ and hadn’t realized it until about 8 years ago. I grew up creating mixtapes and sitting by the radio waiting for my new favorite hit to play on the radio. Do you remember those days? Ha! You would just hope you’d get to the cassette player fast enough to hit record to catch the intro of the song you wanted to record. Instead of playing video games or watching TV, I would create “radio DJ shows” on my karaoke machine using songs I’d recorded from the radio and making up DJ names as if I was an on-air radio DJ.

Had I only known that I would, in fact, be an on-air radio DJ many years later while I was still in high school and a DJ’s career was born. My late childhood consisted of pageants, modeling and acting competitions, and spokesperson modeling. I sought out voice-over opportunities at the closest radio station, but to my surprise, they liked me so much they offered me a part-time on-air radio DJ spot.

At the time, my love was for acting, and I competed in the International Modeling & Talent Association Convention in New York City where I won an acting scholarship to an acting school in New York. I was crushed when my parents and I realized there was just no way we could afford everything else that was involved with attending. But, my dreams were large and I moved to Los Angeles as soon as I graduated high school. This was an adventure I wasn’t quite ready for so I ventured instead to Georgia to attend college at Georgia Southern University.

I loved traveling and exploring new places, and years later found myself in Madeira Beach, Florida on vacation. I loved it so much, I went home, packed my things and moved down for good! My love for music developed many relationships with local artists, DJ’s, and karaoke DJ’s. I love singing and quickly fell into starting a karaoke and DJ company there. My company grew to add 4 other DJ’s and karaoke hosts to help me, and I was asked by many friends and friends of friends to DJ their weddings and corporate events. I realized I absolutely loved DJing weddings and private functions and wanted to do this full-time.

However, I hadn’t been to many weddings or large events myself so I asked to intern for one the best event planners in the area to learn everything there was to know about weddings and corporate function.  It was an amazing experience and gave me the confidence to transition my company into private events and weddings. 

In the past few short years here in Texas, I have had to rebuild my network and vendor team, but it was the best decision I made for my company! The event industry and vendors in Texas are unbelievable. The mentors I have here are largely responsible for all the success I have and being able to do what I love full-time. My husband and I welcomed our first son, DJ BabyWOW (his initials are WOW), and I’ve been able to continue djing full-time.

 

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

 

I don’t think anyone ever has a smooth road building a company. I welcome the struggles. The struggles and challenges are what push me to be better, offer better services, and learn from issues or problems to make myself better. I will never be good enough, as a DJ or as a business owner. This mindset keeps me always asking whats next, how can I improve, and how can I grow? I am a people pleaser and that is just my personality and there will always be struggles trying to live up to my own expectations and always trying to surpass clients’ expectations of me.

I have lived in my car with only money to eat, lived in terrible parts of town with no idea how I would pay rent month to month, worked 2 or 3 jobs at a time to make my way.  I have had equipment stolen, not knowing how I would be able to DJ an event the next day and had no money to my name to buy anything new. Without this history, I could never appreciate where I am today. I stay humble knowing I use to DJ for barely $100 so I had food to eat that week. My struggles made me who I am today, and I would go through them all over again.

 

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about be entertained events – what should we know?

 

Be Entertained Events offers DJ services, uplighting, dance lighting, glow DJ booths, interactive games, dance instruction, online planning help, karaoke, and day of coordination services. We have just added photo booth, selfie stations, and backdrop selections. But, what sets us apart is our attention to detail. I know my brides or clients are going through this, usually for the first time and being a bride myself I can offer my point of view of do’s and don’ts and all the important details to remember. It is all in the details. For my corporate clients, it is everything to be to think outside the box and bring a unique aspect to their event! Any professional DJ can play your music and announce the events throughout the evening. We take the time to get to know you personally, know your story and offer creative ideas to incorporate you and your history into the event.

This is what I am most proud of. Those cherished moments that no one expected, creating emotion through light and sound and seeing that reflect on someones face. I live for those aaaaah! moments when you hear your favorite song  get mixed in, or when the perfect song drops right as all the groomsmen hit the dancefloor together. I love incorporating memories of loved ones who were not able to be there for a special event, or creatively utilizing your send-off props to amp up the dancefloor that last hour. Details and emotion are everything to me.

 

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?

 

Being humble and personable is absolutely our best qualities and I would not be where I am without being both.  However, the real magic is created because I am such a people pleaser and a naturally creative person. I look at my clients as if they were my sister, my mother, my grandfather and I want to please them as if they were my own family. I think treating others better than how I want to be treated, and never letting pride take over is a true professional’s greatest attributes.