Alex Vaughan Mobile Entertainment Blog

Maybe I should say, I don’t drink when I work. That isn’t to say that I don’t enjoy an adult beverage from time to time. I do enjoy craft brewed beer like Dogfish Head and Fordham, two of my local favorites. But, I don’t think it’s a good idea for anyone to drink an alcoholic beverage when they are on the job. Do you?

Think about it. When someone consumes an alcoholic beverage, it impairs their ability to be at their best. The alcohol releases inhibitions, dulls the senses and often leaves one with a false sense of security.

What would you think if your bank teller smelled of alcohol? Would you recount your money? If your dentist were overly chatty and smelled like beer as they put a new bit in the drill they’re getting ready to use in your mouth, would you feel completely at ease? Probably not.

Many party hosts understand the hazards of allowing their guests to over-imbibe and either offer specials for people who will stay sober and drive the drinkers home, or provide designated drivers for their guests.

That being true, then, why is it acceptable for a DJ Entertainer to drink when we’re on the job? I think the answer should be, it’s not. It’s not acceptable, it’s not professional and it’s not how I’d like another DJ company to serve me or my family. So I won’t do it.

I don’t drink when I’m at work helping you celebrate what is most likely a very important mile post in your life. I think that’s the professional way to serve my customers. Just think of me as your Designated Party Co-Host.

Earlier today, a colleague and professional DJ Entertainer, Mike Fernino, of Music in Motion DJ Entertainment made a post on his blog titled “DJs should be more than “Just Music”. Find it his post at www.musicinmotiondjent.com/mim_blog/2010/01/04/466/

While I agree whole heartedly with Mike’s overall message, as president of the Delaware Association of Mobile Entertainers, (D.A.M.E.) I cannot completely agree with his final point which, in essence says, don’t hire part-time DJs. There are many part-time DJ Entertainers who are just as serious about delivering top quality performances as we full-timers are.

So how do you tell when you’ve got a good DJ?  Don’t worry; it’s pretty easy to weed out less-than-professional DJ Entertainers, full and part-time, with a few thoughtful questions. In addition to many of the points Mike made in his blog:

• Ask for a valid business license, mine covers the entire state;
• Ask for proof of business insurance, I carry a 2-million-dollar policy;
• Ask for a list of references, both professionals and customers, mine gets updated every quarter;
• Ask if they’re a member of the local Chamber of Commerce, I’m the 2009 Entrepreneur of the Year here;
• Ask if they’re a member of ADJA, NAME or some other nationally recognized DJ Trade organization.

If a DJ Entertainer is serious about delivering top quality entertainment services, asking good questions like the ones in Mike’s blog earlier today along with some like those I’ve suggested will go a long way toward your finding the best DJ Entertainer for your celebration, whether they’re full or part-timers. Look for their professionalism and level of commitment, then sign the contract.

For me, the hardest part is educating the public and our prospective customers that DJ Entertainment is a legitimate profession.  It is not something that just anyone can just jump into on a whim.  If more people understood that, we probably wouldn’t even have to address issues surrounding Full vs. Part-Time DJ Entertainers.   Alex

Most people don’t realize that a person can earn a living as a DJ. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve been asked what I do at my “DAY JOB”. I’ve been in business 25 years, 14 as a full-time enterprise.
Monday through Friday each week, my “DAY JOB” is to administer all aspects of my small business in much the same way that any other small business operator does. I maintain a valid Delaware business license; I pay my state and federal taxes; I carry business insurance; I deal with the phone company, the internet service provider, auto repair and upkeep, the post office and all the others that most small business operators do every day.
I’m the company’s sales staff too. I contact prospective customers and attempt to sell the company’s services, which include: DJ Entertainment, Karaoke Entertainment, GameShow Trivia Entertainment, ‘the Bubble Man’ children’s entertainment services, Emcee Services, Freelance Announcer Services, and Commercial Copywriter Services.

Then, on the weekends, I help people host their celebrations and parties. My wife would argue that I work 7-days a week, and in one sense I guess I do. But as a single owner/operator, I also have a good bit of discretionary time in my schedule which I use to take care of my ‘honey-do’ list. Things like cutting the grass, taking care of the water treatment system and so-on.
I must be doing something right. I’ve been recognized as the 2009 Entrepreneur of the Year by the Central Delaware Chamber of the Year, and my wife says she’s happy with our life together.
So, yes Virginia, it is possible to earn a living as a full-time DJ Entertainer. I look forward to the opportunity to be of service to you.

Delaware State News 05/22/2009, Page A11
Central chamber hands out business awards

Strickland, Bayhealth, Vaughan honored
By Katie Kazimir
Delaware State News DOVER — William Strickland of L&W Insurance Co. and Bayhealth Medical Center were among the big winners as the Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce Excellence in Business Awards Dinner was held Thursday evening at the Maple Dale Country Club in Dover.
“It’s to recognize the businesses that have been nominated by their fellow chamber members,” said Gina Aurora, spokeswoman for the Chamber of Commerce.
Ms. Aurora said members of the Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce nominate fellow business members for Small Business Person, Corporation and Entrepreneur of the Year.
A nomination committee then narrows down the businesses to three for each category, and then chamber members get one vote for each category.
“If they registered and came tonight, they had an extra vote,” Ms. Aurora said Thursday while votes were being tallied.
“ You don’t even know who wins until the night of (the eve nt),” she said.
“Choosing a winner amongst this group of nominees was a challenge,” said Alan Kovitz, board chairman of the Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce.
Nominees for the Small Business Person of the Year included Lisa and Jennings Hastings and Janis Nesterak of Faw, Casson & Co., anad Mr. Strickland and Bryant Richardson of Morning Star Publications Mr. Strickland was sick and unable to make the event, so the award was accepted by his son, Justin Strickland.
“I know if he was here he would have been excited he had won,” said Justin.
Nominees for Corporation of the Year were Bayhealth, People’s Place and the Blood Bank of Delmarva.
“I feel good for the employees and physicians of Bayhealth to be recognized for the benefits we provide the Dover and Milford communities,” said Terry Murphy of Bayhealth.
Mr. Murphy said he felt Bayhealth was in good competition with People’s Place and the Blood Bank of Delmarva.  “ We’re very excited to be recognized for the community benefits we provide,” he said.
Alex Vaughan of Alex Vaughan Mobile Entertainment won Entrepreneur of the Year honors. He was nominated with Kelly Devine of Where Pigs Fly restaurant and James McGinnis of McGinnis Commercial Real Estate.
“I’m flabbergasted. To have been previously nominated and now win, I feel like I’m running with the big dogs,” said Mr. Vaughan.
In addition to honoring local business leaders who excelled this past year, the event also offered a chance to network.
“It’s nice to be with other business leaders — successful business leaders,” said Mr. Murphy.
Robert Ware, director of Home Instead Senior Care, was attending the event for the first time.
“It’s excited to help people come out and celebrate successes they may have had this year,” Mr. Ware said. “It’s good seeing businesses prosper in bad times and help them celebrate their success.”
“ This is great. Anything you can do to support small business,” said James Provo of the U.S. Small Business Administration.
“Small businesses are the ones that are hiring,” he said, adding that 70 percent of new jobs in the nation the last few years have been created by small businesses.
“Small businesses are the backbone of the U.S. economy.”

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Copyright © 2009 05/22/2009

I was at the Post Office the other day, and I had parked in one of those pull-your-car-in-nose-to-the-curb parking spaces, and when I came back out, a van had parked beside me so that I could not see any oncoming traffic as I backed out.  I really don’t like having to deal with a blind spot when I’m driving.  Heck, I won’t own a stove without a window in the oven door.

So, I had two choices:

1. Back out blind to what was coming in on the other side of the van parked next to me HOPING that whoever might be coming in might see my car… or
2. Back out blind to what was coming in on the other side of the van parked next to me with my 4-way flashers on HOPING that whoever might be coming in would have a better chance of seeing my car.

I decided to turn on my 4-way flashers and began to back out of the space.  It’s a good thing that I did… As it turns out, a car was coming into the parking area faster than they should have, saw my 4-way flashers, laid on their horn and screeched to a halt inches from my bumper.

We all stopped and got out to see if there was any damage or injuries… there weren’t any… and then to calm down a little before going on.  In the short conversation I had with the driver of the other car, I found that it was my 4-way flashers that had caused them to notice me, blow their horn and slam on their brakes.

Since then, Ipve made a practice of putting on my 4-ways whenever I back up and I think I’m going to keep doing that.  Maybe it’ll help you too.

AV

My company, Alex Vaughan Mobile Entertainment, helped produce an entertainment program for two evenings (Aug. 12 & 13) on the Dover Air Force Base. The Air Force’s Air Mobility Command has tasked each Base in their system with hosting a singing competition for Airmen & family members called the “AMC Icon”. It’s very similar to the “American Idol” TV program. My company provided all the stage and auditorium sound systems, music playback and stage lighting services for the event in the ballroom at the co-located clubs on DAFB called “The Landings”.

Contestants provided their own music tracks on CD or Karaoke CDs, and got on stage in front of an audience of about 100 airmen, family members, guests and 3 judges, and performed, singing and moving to the music. Our three judges are professors from Delaware State University’s Music and Drama department and judged each contestant on a laundry list of specific points having to do with vocal styling, performance quality, stage presence, phrasing and a lot more. I believe all three were introduced by The Landings club manager and Emcee, Frank Russo as “doctor”, so I have to believe they knew what they were looking at on the stage.

Tuesday evening was rehearsal night and my helper and I loaded-in and set-up the public address systems and stage lighting systems. We began at about 6PM Tuesday and helped the half dozen or so contestants get more comfortable with the stage, lighting and helped them rehearse their songs a couple of times. Wednesday afternoon, we arrived and took care of a couple of minor lighting glitches that had come up during the rehearsals, and began the show at about 6:30PM. Mr. Russo welcomed the audience, explained the rules and introduced the judges. He introduced the first of about a dozen contestants and we were off and running.

Each contestant did a very good job. Some were very strong singers, some were more reserved, but the whole program was very entertaining. We even had one lady who sang an original composition a capella. The judges made their determination without much fanfare and a winner was declared. I believe the winner from Dover goes to a regional competition and then the winners from that level go to Scott AFB for a final, national competition. The winner at Scott AFB gets to go on tour with the Air Forces “Tops in Blue” entertainment troupe for a year.

This program was such a departure from the normal DJ, Karaoke and Game entertainment my company provides most customers. I’m looking forward to doing more of the same type program in the future.

Today is Independence Day, July 4th and I’m getting ready to get started on my list of things to do today… my Honey-Do list. Let’s see: coffee, check; e-mail, check; bagel, check; coffee, check; put the meat in the marinade so it’ll be ready to grill later, that’s next… then I’ll get on my long pants and go outside.

As a professional DJ, my schedule isn’t like many folks. I’m not a “9-to-5er”, I work weekends when almost everyone else is off from work and ready to have a party… and I love it. Anyway, I’m getting ready to go outside and help dig in my wife’s flower garden. It’s not really so bad because I get to use the roto-tiller… a POWER tool, right up my alley. It’s a macho tool. It breaks up the ground slinging dirt around and I break a sweat and it’s much easier than using a shovel.

It’s VERY LOUD though, and as much as my machismo is urging me not to, I’ll take a moment to put in my ear plugs before I start up my motorized friend. Through my almost 25 years as a professional DJ, I’ve had one thing happen to me that is no fun at all. I’m loosing my hearing because of all the loud sounds I’m surrounded with every time I go out to work.

For me it has meant that I must listen to a high pitched “ringing” sound all the time… 24/7 – 365… day and night… NON-Stop ringing. It’s a real drag sometimes because I miss things other people say around me. It’s hard to carry on a conversation with one person in a room with a large group of people around. I have to really focus on that one person and I find myself watching their lips sometimes to understand them. I think the hardest thing for me though, is that my son has learned that he needs to be sure I’m looking at him so I’ll understand everything he’s saying to me. That hurts me sometimes.

I want to caution you, dear reader, to protect your hearing better than I have. You can get those squishy in-your-ear plugs in places like Lowes or Home Depot, and they work pretty well. I use a brand of ear plug called “Hear-Os” which is made for practicing musicians and DJs from my local Rock-Shop… er, Music Store. I haven’t stepped up to this one yet, but I’m thinking about having a pair of ear plugs custom made so I can hear myself properly when I sing. That option is not for everyone I realize, but the point is that if you loose your hearing, you can’t get it back. Take care of yourself.

AV