Industry Diversity
The developments of the last couple of weeks in our country have lead me down a path of various emotions, thoughts, perspectives and reflections. It’s hard to sit here today and write about something not relating to the reaction of our fellow brothers and sisters who’ve taken to the street to let their voices be heard. I took a week off of writing and have lamented over an appropriate topic to bring awareness of the diversity in our industry and how its diversity has positive impact socially. I wanted to talk about something that would not only relate to these times, but would also give us some hope and optimism as we move forward.
The nightlife, bar and restaurant industry is filled with people of varying genders, races, ages and cultures that make up the very essence of our business. We walk in the door each night working toward the same goals; provide great service and make some money while doing so. As nights turn into weeks, which turn into months, that turn into years these groups of people often refer to themselves as families. Often times we spend more time together than our actual families at home. We are bounded by the inevitable ups and downs that come with the service industry from serving a sometimes ungrateful public, dealing with internal drama, strategizing in how to make our businesses better and just plain hanging out at the end of the night. I haven’t given this much thought throughout my 19-year career in nightlife, but as I sit and watch a country filled with unrest, I have to say, this week more than ever, I’m proud to be part of a DJ and nightlife culture that is made up of a diverse group of people, without even trying.
Anthony Colasurdo and myself started Get Down DJ Group out of the want and need to provide gigs to young, up and coming talent, while also giving a platform and sort of gig freedom to our immediate peers. As we grew as a company, we began to grow our roster and over the years we’ve become a close-knit group of friends, who would give their shirt off their backs to one another. This isn’t on accident. Cultivating a positive safe work environment gains trust with the people who are looked at as the leaders. Healthy communication makes those who you lead feel like they’re informed as to the inner workings of the company. Setting good examples for the younger, less experienced people in your group helps them grow in a positive and healthy way. Exhibiting and establishing a clear understanding of what’s right and what’s wrong is key to their future success. Building genuine relationships is a huge part of running a successful group of people. These are all examples of character and morals that I have taught in my classroom over the last 13 years and come to realize these actions are just as powerful when running a business that thrives on positivity and doing things the right way. When you are able to execute the intention of positivity and surrounding yourself with good hearted, well meaning individuals it doesn’t matter what color they are, as long as they carry the same moral standard that you set forth for them.
Until this week, I never thought about how diverse these groups of guys are, as well as the DJ community as a whole! I scrolled through our social media posts of nights out and you always see a great time being had by Black, White, Asian, Latin, Gay, Straight and everything in between. The most satisfying part of this retrospective is that none of this was done on purpose.
