Entertainer Jason Jani on the Power of Passion, Discipline, and Confidence on Entrepreneurship
By Jason Jani
I first got started in the DJ industry after I was able to experience a live DJ for the first time in a nightlife setting. It was fascinating to me to see how (what seemed to be) a single person had hundreds of people enjoying themselves and that person was responsible for the entire atmosphere. From there, I started saving up to buy my own DJ equipment and setup, along with a handful of records. After a few months of messing around and teaching myself, I asked an acquaintance (who was a DJ) for some help, and he mentored me from there. In the DJ/entertainment industry, I would identify Passion, Disciple, and Confidence as the three top skills necessary to succeed. I had those things, they weren’t taught- but in connecting with a mentor, my skill set was able to grow exponentially and be that X factor to help me take my career to the next level. Over the years, my obsession with entertaining and music continued, and I wanted to keep getting better. After I was working in the nightlife scene for a bit, I got an opportunity to work at a New York Fashion Week afterparty, and the rest has been history. Now, I use what I’ve learned and try to “pay it forward” in sharing my experiences to help talent grow and develop. I started SCE over 15 years ago and our business does over 2000 events a year. As a manager, my employees appreciate my ability to relate to their story and journey, and always taking the time for them and their needs.
For those looking to develop a future as an entrepreneur in the entertainment business, I always ask what the “why” is for their path. The “why” to me is the most important part of the puzzle. This lifestyle is intense, and it will impact your entire world, but it can also support that world. If they have the tools, ambition, and a “ready for anything” mindset, my advice is quite simple. This world is unforgiving, so you have to believe in yourself and put in the work when no one is paying attention. Much of the time will be challenging times – acknowledgement and accolades don’t always come easy, but keep working and remember that success comes if you always remain a student of the craft.
Three key lessons that I have learned in the creative craft of entertainment and entrepreneurship are:
- Relationships make the world go round. People do business with who they like and with people who make their lives better, easier, more lucrative, or enjoyable.
- If you want to be amazing, you have to do the work. This is true in all areas of life, if you want the results, you have to be willing to do the work. I have learned that the journey is the most important part of the process.
- Every opportunity is not the best opportunity in business and in life. I have learned over time that saying no is sometimes more important than saying yes.
The DJ Collective is a project that I am super passionate about, and a space to share this advice, best practice, and trends for the future. I developed this project alongside two partners after realizing there is a void in the entertainment industry for creatives and business owners for higher level entertainment and experiences. The DJC is not a conference, it is an annual meet-up style industry event that taps into many facets of the entertainment industry for professionals looking to push the needle in their own service area or market. As I continue to grow my business and evolve our offerings, I am committed to offering my insights to the next generation of the industry and being there to support businesses around the globe.
