Today we’d like to introduce you to Cory Barron.
Hi Cory, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I started my DJ career as a skating rink DJ at town and country Skateworld in Tampa. When my high school found out that I was familiar with music and microphone, that lead to leading pep rallies, hosting fashion shows, and talent contests. When I ready to go to college in Fort Myers, I started doing Frat parties and student government events for FGCU. When I moved back to Tampa, I found myself in the club scene as an Emcee and tagging along to radio station events with my best friends in the industry until one of them introduced me to a talent agency specializing in mobile DJing. I spent ten years with that company, learning the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of the business, the industry, and myself. After ten years, when I was ready to grow, there wasn’t an opportunity there, so we parted ways, and I started a new journey as a professional solo DJ in late 2017.
Over the last three years, I’ve built a brand that is gaining more traction every day as the GO TO DJ for luxury and destination weddings and nurturing a team of fresh talent into the wedding market so that they can usher in the next wave of wedding DJs. My goal is to leave a legacy in the wedding industry by passing on knowledge, building up our team members to be better humans, and do business with people, how I would want to be treated. Since 2017 we’ve grown to six DJs, a production team that specializes in custom DJ booths, special effects, and lighting.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it has not been smooth. Making the transition from my former DJ agency has been less than pleasant. I lost friends to jealousy. I lost business because of dishonest owners. I second-guessed myself for over a year, unsure if I had made the right decision to try and better my life, become my own boss, and write my own legacy because I was told consistently that I would fail.
We’ve been impressed with Tampa Bay DJ Company, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I thought I had to start building my business from the ground up because I was unaware that the pride I took in my work while working for the other agency had caught the attention of other top professionals in the live events industry. I had no idea that I had a reputation for being great at what I did. That is what I most proud of. That we do our work so well that others put their reputation on the line to recommend us to their clients. It’s an honor and a privilege that we don’t take lightly. We provide dj, & emcee services primarily for weddings with audiovisual, lighting, and special effects available. DJ’s for the most part, love the sound of their own voice and believe that they are the star of the show. Mobile DJs thrive on cookie cutter sets and tend to be more concerned with getting in, getting paid, and getting out. We wanted to break this stigma. We’re known for being kind, respectful, & humble humans, great DJs, team players with the vendors we serve next to, and designing our equipment to blend with the client’s decor.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Seek out training from the people you want to be like. Seek out networking groups with vendors who are serving the clients that you want to work for. Find a mentor in those groups. Read everything you can from Dale Carnegie. You, as a business owner will wear 17 hats every day, and there will come a time when you need to ask for help. Don’t be afraid to ask for it. It’s okay to say no. I was a Yes man for nine years. I wanted the approval of everyone around me and I felt like I had to do everything everyone ever asked of me to stay in their good graces. I spread myself so thin at certain points it affected my mental health. You have to know when you can say yes and when you should say no.
Suggest a Story: VoyageTampa is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
