Good Neighbor Podcast: Mississauga

Why Not Live Your Dream Life? A DJ's Perspective

• Alanja Simmons & DJ Akeem

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What does it take to transform passion into purpose? DJ Akeem answers this question with refreshing honesty as he shares his journey from timid beginner to confident music entrepreneur on this episode of the Good Neighbour Podcast.

Since November 2012, DJ Akeem has been bringing communities together through music, though he admits the path wasn't always smooth. "For the first half of the years, I was really more timid, wasn't really believing in myself, but I was always delivering," he reflects. With guidance from his mentor DJ Eloquence, he learned to balance community service with business acumen, creating a sustainable model for his passion.

DJ Akeem expertly debunks common industry misconceptions – that DJ's can't make money, that breaking into the business is impossible, or that the workload is overwhelming. His secret? "It's more of putting yourself out there because the more you put yourself out there is the more you're gonna continue to grow." Specializing in nostalgic sounds from the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, while incorporating fresh elements, he has created a unique niche that resonates with audiences seeking both familiarity and novelty.

Beyond the turntables, we discover an anime enthusiast (Demon Slayer fans, you're not alone!), a gamer, a reader, and a philosophy sharer. His powerful parting message encapsulates his approach to life and business: "One hundred years from now, no one's gonna remember you. And if they're not gonna remember you, then why not live the dream, your dream life?" It's this authentic perspective that makes DJ Akeem not just a talented entertainer but a great neighbour. 

Intro:

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbour's come together. Here's your host, Alanja Simmons.

Alanja Simmons:

Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. Are you in need of an entertainer? One might be closer than you think. Today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbor, DJ Akeem. DJ Akeem, how's it going?

DJ Akeem:

Oh, it's going great. Thank you so much for having me, Alanja. I appreciate it.

Alanja Simmons:

Well, we're excited to learn about you and your business. Tell us about you and your company.

DJ Akeem:

Yeah, so my name is DJ Akeem, and my service is that I like to just bring people together. I like to just bring the community together. And so I'm a DJ. I've been DJing since 2012 of November. Um, I think for the first half of the years, I was really more timid, wasn't really believing in myself, but I was always delivering. And it's only the later half of my years like, nope, nope, I can do this. So yeah, I just want to be able to just bring that love into people's lives.

Alanja Simmons:

And how and how did you get into business?

DJ Akeem:

So the way how it worked was through my mentor, DJ Eloquence. She uh really coached me and guided me how to go about um pursuing this as a business and not just as a community service thing. So I do do community service, but I also do it as a business. And so um when it comes to it, it's more about like how do you communicate with other people so that you can be able to make this into something real, right? And my intention is I would love to do this as a full-time job, you know, in the meantime, in between time, I'm doing it part-time and creating good times. So yeah.

Alanja Simmons:

And what are some myths or misconceptions in your industry?

DJ Akeem:

So some of the the myths is that like you can't make money as a DJ, or that it's hard to get into, or it's that it's there's so much like um work that needs to be done. And there is work that needs to be done, and I think it's just it's more of doing your research, and I think it's more of putting yourself out there. I think a lot of it is more putting yourself out there because the more you put yourself out there is the more you're gonna continue to grow. And I think part of that is like you have the intention that you're gonna get somewhere, and yes, once you start putting yourself out there, and once you start getting a lot of shows and gigs, now it's time to know what is your value and how you can be able to share your value and how much it would cost to be able to have a service like yourself as a DJ. So yeah.

Alanja Simmons:

And we know marketing is at the heart of every business. Who are your target customers and how do you attract them?

DJ Akeem:

I love this question because like I tell you who, I'm not I need a marketer myself, but my my the people who I want to reach out to is a lot of people in like the 2000s, 90s, and 80s. Um, that's that's really my my target market, and uh, I want to be able to share that same, those nostalgic music, those nostalgic sounds with people and incorporate some new stuff as well, you know. And um, yeah.

Alanja Simmons:

Have you ever thought about doing your own podcast?

DJ Akeem:

Many times I've thought about doing my own podcast. Um, I just never thought to do it for myself. I've always thought to work with people. Um, but I am planning on doing a live like streaming uh every week type of idea soon. So that would probably be my podcast because I'll be DJing and speaking to people live.

Alanja Simmons:

Outside of work, what do you do for fun?

DJ Akeem:

So outside of work, I watch anime. Um, anime is amazing. Uh, Demon Slayer, if anyone doesn't know, has broken many records already. It's on the verge of beating Superman in a month. Um, I I like to play video games as well. Um, but I what else do I do for fun? I I like reading and I like dissecting the things that I read as well. And I like going for long walks. Long walks is good, that's really good.

Alanja Simmons:

DJ Akeen, please tell other listeners one thing they should remember about you.

DJ Akeem:

One thing that's gonna allow people to remember me is I'll say this you're a hundred years from now, no one's gonna remember you. And if they're not gonna remember you, then why not live the dream, your dream life? And that's what I'm I'm being and exuding out is to show that it's possible to live your dream life, um, being yourself and be you. Yeah.

Alanja Simmons:

Well, DJ Akeem, I really appreciate you being on the show, and we wish you and your business all the best moving forward.

DJ Akeem:

Thank you so much, Alanja. I appreciate you taking your time for us to do the happy happen. And yes, I'm in Mississauga, so my Mississauga people.

Ontro:

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnpmississauga.com. That's gmpmississauga.com or call 365 363 9780.