Carina Lopez
Congratulations, you just started DJing! Fun, isn't it?
One of the things I often see in this career is the lack of planning and risk management. Here are five tips based off experience:
Emergency response plan: before you get to an event, review the layout of the venue, and understand the plan in case of an emergency. Will there be an alarm? Is there signal at the venue in case you need to initiate the response by calling 911? Are you prepared with your own first aid kit? When was the last time you completed First Aid/AED training?
Driving safety: I understand we are entrepreneurs and typically managing multiple projects at once. However, similarly to emergency response, understand the area you are driving to, and be attentive to potential road closures. Give yourself adequate time to re-reoute and adjust in case of road delays. Clients feed off our energy and trust me - no one wants to party with a flustered DJ.
Ergonomics: OSHA limits for lifting materials is 50 lbs. While you may be young and healthy, it is your responsbility to keep it that way. If the equipment weighs more than that, make a plan to have a assistant to help you load in, set up, and breakdown.
Hearing safety: Identify ways to lower your acute level exposure. Have you considered moving speakers in front of you, as opposed to behind? Can you switch to in-ear monitors? Do you really need a monitor that loud? Again, this is an issue of repeated exposure and while you may not notice today, it is a health hazard that needs to be managed in the long term.
Security: Never leave valuables in your car. I know it can be tempting to stop for quickly stop for food after an event, or go visit a DJ homie on your way back to decompress. You may think it's well hidden, but it's not. The reocurrence of DJ equipment theft is alarming - trust me, don't do it.
Those are some of my top tips for DJs. Remember to drink your water, get restorative sleep, and START THE CLOCK on your dreams!
Cari
Carina Lopez is a professional engineer and DJ available for keynote presentations, workshops, media interviews, and spokesperson opportunities. Her global engineering, risk management experience and passion for personal finance makes her an unique mentor who shares her knowledge on not only how to [finally] start, but how to build a sustainable career with a strong financial foundation.