The Business of DJing

About The Business of DJing

The Business of DJing is the podcast for DJs who want to turn their passion into a real business. Host Jamie Selects talks with a variety of DJs and industry professionals about the business side of DJing. You'll hear real stories and practical takeaways you can use at your next booking, whether you're just starting out or ready to leave the day job. New episodes feature guests from across the DJ world. Follow along on Instagram and TikTok at @businessofdjingpod.

Publisher

Jamie Selects

Category

business · music

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

25 Sept 2021

Latest episode

21 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

13 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   21 Oct 2026

   13. Tuna Bahadir - ORDO, Commission-Free DJ Booking for Private Events

   This conversation with Tuna Bahadir, founder of ORDO, covers how a corporate lawyer from Istanbul who moved to London for his MBA ended up building a DJ booking platform, how ORDO works for hosts and DJs, how DJs get curated onto the platform, the rise of private and invite-only events in London, DJs playing coffee shops and pizza shops, corporate events, weddings in Turkey and Europe, and much more! ORDO is a marketplace where private event hosts and DJs meet, and it's commission-free for DJs. About 170 DJs are on the platform, and it has had about 40 bookings since going fully live in early September. Tuna walks through the platform on screen (watch on YouTube), shows how hosts request up to five DJs with one form, explains how emerging DJs can list at up to $50/hr, and shares what's coming next: an app, payments, deposits and booking forms that work as a documented contract so DJs get paid in full. You can check it out at ordo.events (https://ordo.events/). Timestamps 00:00 Introduction: Tuna Bahadir and ORDO 01:24 What ORDO Is: A Commission-Free DJ Marketplace 04:29 Tuna's Music Background 06:05 Platform Walkthrough: Finding and Requesting DJs 11:15 What Happens After a Booking Request 12:27 How DJs Join, Curation and Emerging DJs 14:52 London House Party Culture and the Private Events Boom 17:36 Discovering a New Kind of Club in London 18:39 Types of Events and ORDO's First 40 Bookings 21:26 DJs at Coffee Shops, Pizza Shops and Unusual Spots 23:40 Markets, US Expansion and Corporate Events 25:11 The Agency Model and How DJs Can Help 26:17 Booking a DJ Is Cheaper Than You Think 28:14 Weddings in Turkey and Europe 31:28 Building the Platform: Dashboard, App and Payments 33:51 Getting Paid in Full: Contracts and Deposits 34:48 Where to Find ORDO Links ordo.events - ordo.events (https://ordo.events/) Follow Tuna / ORDO Instagram: www.instagram.com/ordo.events (https://www.instagram.com/ordo.events)Website: ordo.events (https://ordo.events/) Follow Jamie Selects Instagram: www.instagram.com/jamie_selects (https://www.instagram.com/jamie_selects)Twitter: twitter.com/jamie_selects (https://twitter.com/jamie_selects)Website: www.jamieselects.com (https://www.jamieselects.com/)

2. 

   8 Sept 2026

   12. DJ Munition - Building DJ Agencies and Formwav

   This conversation with DJ Munition covers a wide range of topics including special event DJing, music selection, booking strategies, transitioning from corporate to full time DJing, business entity structures and accounting strategies, how DJs can use AI in their client interactions, content ideas, and much more! DJ Munition has launched a new product called FormWav which aims to give DJs and their clients a premier experience when planning their events. DJs can use it increase their value during the process and clients will love the seamless integration with music libraries when planning their events. You can check it out at https://formwav.com/ (https://formwav.com/). Timestamps 00:00 Introduction and Business of DJing 00:56 DJ Munition's Journey into DJing 01:56 Special Event DJing and Event Producers 04:03 Music Selection and Booking Strategies 13:16 Transition from Engineering Job to DJing 17:12 Entity Structure and Accounting Strategies 26:15 Conversational AI and Content Strategies 30:15 Production Strategies and Premium Brand Offerings 31:30 Building Relationships and Adding Value 33:35 Content Strategy and Niche Selection 39:35 Introducing FormWave: The New Product 53:15 Music Taste and Library Organization

3. 

   8 Apr 2026

   DJ Chase Morgan

   This conversation covers DJ Chase Morgan's journey into DJing, the evolution of his DJ business, the impact of parenthood on his business, and his business administration strategies and tech stack. We talk about music discovery and streaming, the use of Lexicon software for music management, DJing for sports events, and the Chase's DJ style evolution. Chapters 00:00 Introductions 09:00 Impact of Parenthood on DJ Business 26:02 Music Discovery and Streaming 31:30 Lexicon Software for Music Management 36:43 DJing for Sports Events 47:28 DJ Style and Musical Preferences Notes and Links DJ Chase Morgan's IG - @djchasemorgan Vibodj.com (http://Vibodj.com) - software for wedding / event DJs

4. 

   11 Mar 2026

   Taxes for DJs Part 2: Christian Putnam, CPA

   Summary The episode features a conversation between Jamie Selects and Christian Putnam, a CPA, discussing DJ taxes, business structures, and financial operations. They cover topics such as business structures for DJs, including sole proprietorships, LLCs, and S corporations, as well as income, expenses, and sales tax considerations for DJ businesses. The conversation covers tax considerations for DJs, including sales tax, expenses, travel deductions, home studio deductions, estimated taxes, record-keeping, and hiring considerations. Christian P provides insights on tax deductions, self-employment tax, and the importance of tracking income and expenses. He also emphasizes the need for estimated tax payments and proper documentation. Christian P's website is www.auger.cpa (http://www.auger.cpa). Key Takeaways Business structures for DJs include sole proprietorships, LLCs, and S corporations. Income for DJ businesses includes performance fees, merch sales, and event ticket sales. Sales tax considerations for DJ businesses depend on the location of sales and the volume of orders. Sales tax rules vary by state Expenses can be categorized as current or capital expenses Home studio deductions require regular and exclusive use Estimated tax payments are essential for self-employed individuals Proper record-keeping and documentation are crucial for tax reporting Hiring considerations include 1099 filing requirements Chapters 00:00 Introduction and DJExpenseTracker.com 05:02 S Corporation Election and Tax Savings 13:49 Financial Order of Operations 21:52 Income and Sales Tax Considerations 27:03 Sales Tax Considerations 34:30 Travel and Meal Deductions 41:35 Home Studio Deductions 47:48 Estimated Taxes and Hiring Considerations

5. 

   19 Jun 2023

   9. DJ Frank G - Founding and building Exclusive DJ

   In this episode I welcome Stockton legend, DJ Frank G, founder and owner of Exclusive DJ.  We talk about his intro to DJing the music industry, what it was like digging for music in the early days, why and how he built a mobile DJing business, simple and effective mobile marketing strategies. I really enjoyed this conversation and I hope you do too! Note: some timestamps may vary by platform. 0:00 - Gumroad store announcement 2:14 - Intro to Frank 3:55 - Early events in Stockton, CA 8:25 - Frank’s intro to music and DJing 22:12 - Getting into radio 25:07 - Discovery of music in the vinyl era 30:00 - The value of finding a rare gem 34:00 - Starting Exclusive DJ 37:47 - Marketing at bridal shows 40:13 - Building a long term business 43:42 - How customer acquisition strategy changes over time 46:36 - Different styles of DJs 52:17 - Software tools to run a DJ business 54:35 - Recognizing where your money is coming from 59:34 - Advice for young DJs 1:06:49 - DJ Style: Music taste and library organization Links jamieselects.gumroad.com (https://jamieselects.gumroad.com/) Follow DJ Frank G Instagram: @exclusivedjgroup (https://www.instagram.com/exclusivedjgroup/) Website: ⁠exclusivedj.net (http://exclusivedj.net/) Follow Jamie Selects Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/jamie_selects⁠ (https://www.instagram.com/jamie_selects/) Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/jamie_selects⁠ (https://twitter.com/jamie_selects) Website: ⁠https://www.jamieselects.com (https://www.jamieselects.com/)

6. 

   25 Apr 2023

   8. Baywav - Residencies, building a brand, and content creation

   In this episode I welcome Bay Area native Baywav. We talk about building residencies, how to break out of your city, building a brand, managing a rebrand, content creation, and much more! This was a great conversation and it was cool to connect with someone else who is helping DJs build their businesses. 0:31 - How did you get into djing? 2:11 - Transaction from practicing to real gigs 5:06 - The process of getting the residency 8:39 - Lessons learned from swapping gigs. 12:16 - Navigating difficult conversations with DJs you book 14:24 - Building Cornerstone post pandemic 19:40 - Optimizing for health 24:00 - Rebrand to Baywav 27:00 - Online presence 28:27 - Building out a team 30:45 - Gumroad and selling digital products 33:33 - The problem with committing to one style of content 36:13 - Strategy for content creation and video editing tips 42:55 - Goals for this year 46:34 - What’s your music style? 49:46 - Library organization Links Capcut video editor (https://www.capcut.com/) Follow Baywav Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/baywav/ (https://www.instagram.com/baywav/) Website: baywav.com (https://linktr.ee/baywav) Follow Jamie Selects Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamie_selects (https://www.instagram.com/jamie_selects/) Twitter: https://twitter.com/jamie_selects (https://twitter.com/jamie_selects) Website: https://www.jamieselects.com (https://www.jamieselects.com/)

7. 

   1 Nov 2022

   7. Soul7 - Building EMPIRE Latino From the Ground Up

   In  this episode I welcome my long time best friend and music industry expert, Alán Hensley, aka Soul7.  We go way back to our college days at Pacific and talk about how he came to study music business, learned to DJ, took a leap of faith going across the world to Berkeley College of Music, building EMPIRE Latino, and how DJs can market themselves professionally.  I really enjoyed this conversation and I hope you do too! 0:00 - Intro 2:10 - The early days, finding a love for music 5:00 - Finding Pacific for studying music business 7:30 - Being music bro and getting the first DJ controller 9:50 - The Getdown days 15:10 - Marketing The Getdowns 20:10 - Utilizing a street team 22:10 - Getting stuck post grad and finding new opportunities 26:00 - Finding Berkeley College of Music and taking a leap of faith 30:10 - Arriving in Spain 32:10 - If you want to work in music business, do this... 33:55 - Find a DJ group chat 34:30 - Favorite guest speaker 35:45 - Getting DJ gigs in Spain 43:05 - Finding a job post Berkeley 47:00 - Transition to EMPIRE 50:40 - Preparing for the interview 53:00 - Leveling up from the position you're hired for 56:00 - What is the role of a Product Manager at a label? 58:40 - How to pitch music to a label? 1:02:34 - What can DJs learn from artists to promote themselves? 1:06:05 - Pro tips DJs can take away from the music industry 1:12:20 - Selecta Style, DJ taste and library organization Follow Soul7 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soul7beats Twitter: https://twitter.com/soul7beats Sound Cloud: https://soundcloud.com/crate-gems Follow Jamie Selects Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamie_selects Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/jamie_selects Website: https://www.jamieselects.com

8. 

   22 Sept 2022

   6. DJ Fishfonics - How to Become a Premiere Booking Manager in Your City

   In this episode I welcome DJ Fishfonics from San Diego, CA. He has been the main reason I've been able to gig since I moved to San Diego, so super grateful to him! In this conversation we talk about how he became a top booking manager with a bunch of venues in SD, how you can get booked as a new DJ, maintaining professionalism, negotiating rates, and more. 0:00 - Intro 1:03 - Start to DJing 3:37 - Transition to full time DJing 5:37 - Twitch phase 7:35 - How did you start doing the bookings? 10:25 - How can new DJs lock in their first gig? 15:00 - Gig swaps 16:22 - Maintaining professional relationships with venue staff 20:13 - Making sure your computer works with gear at new venues 22:30 - Facilitating gear purchases with venues 26:06 - How not to ask for a gig 27:00 - Negotiating rates 31:54 - Fish's style of DJing 33:22 - What do you listen to when you're off? 39:40 - Library organization Follow DJ Fishfonics Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/djfishfonics Twitter: https://twitter.com/djfishfonics Website: https://fishfonics.com/ Follow Jamie Selects Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamie_selects Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/jamie_selects Website: https://www.jamieselects.com

9. 

   28 Jun 2022

   5. DJ KenZo: Becoming a Full Time DJ

   In this episode I welcome DJ KenZo from Stockton, CA.  He is a member of  the Plural Music family and has been killing it in the Bay Area and is a  DJ for the Stockton Kings and Cal Bears. We talk about how he came to  DJ full time, what it's like DJing for Don Quez, and much more! 0:00 - Intro 3:50 - Love for learning 14:00 - Plural Music and the importance of community 18:45 - Transition to being a full time DJ 25:30 - Organizing gigs and filling up your calendar 28:40 - Locking in the Stockton Kings and Cal Bears 37:20 - Starting to pursue making your own music 45:20 - Opening for YG 48:20 - Where do you see yourself in five years? 52:00 - DJ style and library organization Follow DJ KenZo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/djken_z_o/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DJKen_Z_0 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMoWt4o71I_bSxaUtLQd9_Q Follow Jamie Selects Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamie_selects Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/jamie_selects Website: https://www.jamieselects.com

10. 

    11 Mar 2022

    4. Taxes for DJs

    *NOTE* This podcast is for entertainment purposes only does not offer constitute financial advice. In this episode we cover tips for filing your taxes as a DJ. It's split into three sections: 1) tax basics for DJs, 2) filing current year taxes, and 3) how to prepare for next year's tax filing. Check out these time stamps if you want to jump around: 0:00 - Intro 1:32 - Tax Basics / Business Structure 7:41 - Current Year Taxes 25:50 - Next Year Taxes

11. 

    16 Feb 2022

    3. Selecta MC: The History of Plural Music

    In this episode of The Business of DJing I interview the cofounder of Plural Music, Selecta MC. We talk about the history of the company, how to go from being a bedroom DJ to owning your own production business, how we navigated the pandemic, and much more! Follow Selecta MC and Plural Music @selecta_mc and @pluralmusic.

12. 

    16 Nov 2021

    2. Networking for DJs

    Five rules of Networking for DJs. Learn how I connected with one of my favorite DJs in the world, Miles Medina, and more.

13. 

    25 Sept 2021

    1. Five Financial Tips for DJs

    In this episode Jamie Selects covers five financial tips for DJs that can be implemented immediately to improve your DJ business and financial situation. For more information and access to DJ Tools head to www.jamieselects.com/djtools.

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Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

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Books guests

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