Multi-op?

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Dec 22, 2008
2,473
12
50
Roseville, CA
www.sounds2go.com
Are you multi-, or single-op? If multi, what are pros and cons?

Would you host equipment and music and just get a body to run, or bring on someone with all their own stuff?

I am a sole-proprietor one-man show, and have always been against even subbing out a gig signed to me (though I straight refer-out all the time).

Any ideas, comments, or experiences good or bad appreciated.
 
Single-Op here and I'll tell you at this point it scares me to death to even think about going Multi from both a business and personal stand point....

Business wise it means a whole host of new liabilities and taxation responsibility.

Personally it scares me to put anyone else out there to represent my company other than myself.... I'm the type that if not done by me I don't feel comfortable guarantee'n the outcome..... scares me to death.

If I were to do it.... I'd have to say financially any one I take on would have to supply their own equipment. But, if I had the income I would prefer to supply the equipment and stick a DJ behind my gear. (call it quality control equipmentwise)
 
single op
but I've worked for (and still work for) a few multi-ops over the years.
I like being able to concentrate on ME and MY gig.
last thing I want is somebody calling me at my gig
complaining that "one of my guys" didn't show up
or the equipment isn't working.
sure, you can make more money with more guys out there...
but you also have to have the resources to deal with it when it gets ugly.
and then there's the extra paper work...
 
multi-op.

pros
better income. Better return on advertising dollar. More referalls if you have quality djs.

2 important keys. Networking to meet quality DJs, and being able to train quality DJs.

Just like you need to have back up equipment, you need to have back up djs. You need to have a back up dj for yourself, and you need to have back up djs in case something happens to one of your employees or subs.

There are several good dj companies in the area that I will do shows for as well. I'll be glad to pick up shows when I have holes in the schedule.

i've done about 5 shows in the last year for other companies
 
Thanks guys, kind of echoing my own sentiments as far as the cons, the concerns about training, reliability, equipment, and just plain trust - as in trusting someone else to represent my brand.

Single-op it is for now!
 
As a single op that mingles with a multi op, I welcome the learning experience I gain from other DJ's.

This winter I will borrow a couple of dvd's like the 1% and Mike Walter's and watch, learn and observe.

It would be tough for me to run my own multi op. I like things done a certain way and I am too nice of a guy to be a hard ass. It's just not in me.
 
It would be tough for me to run my own multi op. I like things done a certain way and I am too nice of a guy to be a hard ass. It's just not in me.

That for me was the hardest part of going Multi-op. I have one guy I can trust with anything but the other guy (no longer with me) just didn't get the fact that this is a business and has to be run like one. Even if they don't start as friends they will become friends and alot will take advantage of the situation
 
That for me was the hardest part of going Multi-op. I have one guy I can trust with anything but the other guy (no longer with me) just didn't get the fact that this is a business and has to be run like one. Even if they don't start as friends they will become friends and alot will take advantage of the situation

I am perfectly happy being friends with my DJs when they aren't working for me but when they are working for me it is business. Perhaps I am just a nasty old man but one screw up and that is it!

I am still friends with some of them after they are fired, so everything is cool!

Business is business and you don't hire friends or family without that understanding at the beginning! My policy is you simply don't hire friends or family!
 
I am perfectly happy being friends with my DJs when they aren't working for me but when they are working for me it is business. Perhaps I am just a nasty old man but one screw up and that is it!

I am still friends with some of them after they are fired, so everything is cool!

Business is business and you don't hire friends or family without that understanding at the beginning! My policy is you simply don't hire friends or family!

I agree Steve I learned this the hard way....

Now I have Me, a guy thats more anal about the business than I am and my wife as the third one out. I also have one backup that is awesome and knows the business well just doesn't want to play every weekend but he's there when I need him
 
I am a former multi op.
But it depends on the type of gigs. Multi-oping is less stressfull for all occasion gigs (birthdays, school dances, Christmas parties, Etc)

Weddings?.. Way too much atttention to detail to trust to other DJs to do. The problem I ran into...Most of the excellent wedding DJs don't hang around long. Eventaully want to make a name for themselves & make the big money. If they are going to dedicate a lot of attention & detail with the client, they soon learn they don't need a boss. I found myself constantly training new DJs.

Brides have become very picky about going over details with the actual DJ in person. Finding dedicated DJs is tough compared to the old days where the owner did all that & just sent out the DJ.
 
I tried going multi-op in the early 90s in the hey-day of karaoke in my area. It lasted 3 weeks (or just long enough for the guy I hired to get drunk at a show, let his friends curse on mic and damn near cost me the account.)

That was my only foray into the realm of letting other people represent me and my name...
 
Brides have become very picky about going over details with the actual DJ in person. Finding dedicated DJs is tough compared to the old days where the owner did all that & just sent out the DJ.

So this was a more standard practice previously? Not meeting your dj in person prior-to the event? I know there are a lot of multi-ops that work that way now, but I didin't know that that used to be a more common way of doing things.

That's interesting. So in your eyes, the "work with your actual dj" rule is relatively new in the industry?
 
I'm Lucky!

Being an owner of a multi-op for over 14 years, I've had my share of ups and downs, no question. There are some things though I have changed.

I do not employ someone who works for 3 other services. You work for us, then it's us. Nobody else. I'm very picky about who works for us.

The people who I have fired in the past, they are automatically on my 86 list and do not re-hire.

I can go on and on...

Overall, we've got great guys :sqbiggrin:
 
So this was a more standard practice previously? Not meeting your dj in person prior-to the event? I know there are a lot of multi-ops that work that way now, but I didin't know that that used to be a more common way of doing things.

That's interesting. So in your eyes, the "work with your actual dj" rule is relatively new in the industry?
It depends upon the locale.

When I was living in Steve's (Thunder's) neck of the woods, it was rare to meet with a bride before the wedding. Everything was managed by phone, mail and email. In some cases, it wasn't the B&G who booked me. It was a relative or one of the parents. More often than not, I never saw the B&G before they walked in during the intros. It worked out fine.

Now that I'm north of the Mason-Dixon Line (well, just a few short miles north, lol) we'll get some calls for a meeting.
 
So this was a more standard practice previously? Not meeting your dj in person prior-to the event? I know there are a lot of multi-ops that work that way now, but I didin't know that that used to be a more common way of doing things.

That's interesting. So in your eyes, the "work with your actual dj" rule is relatively new in the industry?

Yep.

It depends on your market area. This was 20 yrs ago. I was in the Illinois "burbs" where there wasn't a lot of competition. (if they were avail...hire 'em) Most DJ services handled everthing over the phone. We (the DJ) rarely met with prospects in person beforehand.

If it was the case, I wouldn't have been a multi op. All my DJs worked FT jobs, had families, other things to do. They would have NEVER met with prospects on weeknights. If a DJ were to do this, he'd soon be looking to DJ under his own company name.

Plus, I think the fact that over the years, the wedding consumer has become smarter & heard the horror stories involving hiring DJs sight unseen, or trusting slick talking owners that "Pimp" jobs out to anyone they can find in order to profit from quanitity.

These days in my area, if you (the actual DJ) won't meet with them beforehand, chances are you won't get the gig.
 
Wow. I've done weddings with clients out-of-state that I could not meet in person, and they have gone fine with few exceptions, but I couldn't imagine that kind of disconnect with every gig.

I guess we "newbie" dj's are just as spoiled by changes in industry trends as the clients are!
 
I love the idea of going multi-op...but I feel like there are too many downers in trying to satisfy the thirst of being that gig whore......

As you should know...and what has been said...you know what you are capable of, and you hope the djs you hire are just as good, but unfortunately it doesnt always work this way.

I have had a friend, and a bro-in-law handle events, where my clients have been very happy! So yea it worked out for me, but I am too scared to hear the horror story when one of them doesnt do a good job!

I will at most multi-op to three systems, and that is it! The more systems you run, the more likely your reputation is to deteriorate. I am also scared to hire people because they might stab me in the back, and use the experiences I gave them to their advantage! Not so good! =( It has happened to a lot of great DJs, and it is real unfortunate when people do this!

It can be a win-win situation or a win-lose situation..and there are so many things you can control, but unfortanutely there may be more things that you can't control, and this is what I worry about!
 
I always try to meet all my clients! I will buy them dinner no problem! I feel that by becoming their friend first, their reception will be no problem!

Some people on this site hate that approach, but that's how genuine I am, and my clients love the way I treat them! =)

I have done one wedding in which I didnt get to meet the clients face to face, and I will admit, I struggled at the event! The bride and groom were susposed to do their first dance after the big introduction, but the dad grabbed the mic, and was ready to do the prayer, and speeches! I was like..I talked to your daughter, and they wanted to dance first! Anyways...they ended up doing their dance later...and they said it was ok! However, it was just a start of a chaotic night. The dance was susposed to start at 9pm..however no one cleaned up the tables until like 9:30-9:45.....
The dance was susposed to end at 12..I gave them and extra 25 minutes...the last song i played the bride went apecrap, and wouldnt even shake my hand at the end of the night! i know the guests had a great time...however the bride was very upset! I dont think it was the last song...I think it was an culmination of the rest of the night that snowballed, and her alcohol in her system was upset. I know I shouldnt worry about it..but it does bother me! The reason I mentioned it is because I think it would have helped to meet them in person to make sure all issues would be dealt with accordingly.

So back to multi-oping.....

I think bdays/anniversaries/school dances etc etc etc are ok! And I think weddings are ok if you have the dj there to really take in what needs to happen. Also make sure your dj is asking the questions and not you! Make the Dj take control. Dont be afraid to step in, and remind of some questions your dj may have missed!

I had a double booking back in last august, and I let my friend ask all the questions, only interjecting when an issue had to be addressed. This helped with his person skills, and it helped me see where he was at in his DJing world.

BTW....he kicked ass that night! I am very proud of him with that wedding! It turned out to be a tougher crowd for him that originally thought, and he shined through! So yea...just make sure you have a DJ who understands the DJ world. Very very important!
 
It depends upon the locale.

When I was living in Steve's (Thunder's) neck of the woods, it was rare to meet with a bride before the wedding. Everything was managed by phone, mail and email. In some cases, it wasn't the B&G who booked me. It was a relative or one of the parents. More often than not, I never saw the B&G before they walked in during the intros. It worked out fine.

Now that I'm north of the Mason-Dixon Line (well, just a few short miles north, lol) we'll get some calls for a meeting.

That's pretty much the same description here. The odd time some will ask for a meeting but it's rare. I am open to meeting but most times they can't be bothered and do it by email or phone
 
Worried about being Multi-Op?

This would depend on how you want to run your MOB. YOU supply it all, have your DJs supply it all? A combo of both? If you opt for the first, then you have total and complete control of the business, unless you have a partner. The second is you have very little control, since you have guys that have their own systems and unless you have a rock solid no complete clause, and they have an understanding of how things are ran....