Cleveland’s Own My Life DJ Service Wins a WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award® 2016

North Olmsted, OH – January 7, 2016 – WeddingWire, a leading global online wedding marketplace, named My Life DJ Service as a winner of the prestigious WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards® 2016 for Wedding DJ in northeast Ohio! 

The WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards® 2016 recognizes the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire Network who demonstrate excellence in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism. The esteemed awards are given to the top local wedding vendors in more than 20 service categories based on their professional achievements from the previous year. 

While many industry award winners are selected by the host organization, the WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards® winners are determined solely based on reviews from real newlyweds. Award-winning vendors are distinguished for the quality, quantity, consistency and timeliness of the reviews they have received from their past clients. 

“We are thrilled to celebrate such a high-caliber, committed group of professionals for the Couples’ Choice Awards’® eighth year,” said Timothy Chi, CEO, WeddingWire. “We are proud to continue to serve as the industry leader, with over 2.5 million consumer and peer reviews, and feature award-winning merchants...” 

As a Couples’ Choice Awards® winner, My Life DJ Service is highlighted within the WeddingWire Network, which is comprised of more than 400,000 wedding professionals globally. 

We are proud to be one of the top wedding DJ services in northeast Ohio in the WeddingWire Network. We would like to thank our past clients for taking the time to review our business on WeddingWire. We value all of our clients and truly appreciate the positive feedback that helped us earn the WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards® 2016. 

To learn more about the Couples’ Choice Awards®, please visit www.weddingwire.com/couples-choice-awards. 

About WeddingWire, Inc.
WeddingWire, Inc. is the leading global online marketplace connecting consumers with event and creative professionals. Operating within a $200 billion industry, WeddingWire, Inc. hosts 10 million monthly unique users across its mobile and web platforms. Consumers are able to read over 2.5 million vendor reviews and search, compare and book from a database of over 400,000 businesses. Globally, it provides these businesses the technology they need to serve their clients through advertising, marketing and business management tools such as websites, payment processing, invoicing and contracts. Founded in 2007, the WeddingWire portfolio of sites serves couples and businesses across 14 countries in North America, Latin America and Europe, making it the worldwide leader in weddings with brands including Bodas.net, Casamentos.com.br, Matrimonio.com and more. The company employs more than 650 and maintains global headquarters in Washington, DC and international headquarters in Barcelona, Spain.

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The Importance of Celebration

For most of my adult life I’ve been involved in the activities of helping people in crisis and paradoxically of helping others celebrate their good fortunes.  During my 22 years of work in a large charity organization, I worked with children and adults with disabilities and their families.  I also worked with the poor, homeless, persons with mental illness, at-risk teens, victims of abuse, you name it and I’ve probably seen it.  And although I am no longer employed in the social service sector, I am still very much involved with charities in an advisory capacity or as a volunteer.  Occasionally, I am asked to speak to groups about the effort of serving those in our society who are vulnerable or otherwise disconnected from the “mainstream” and I am happy to do it.

During this time, I also pursued a career path in entertainment as a professional DJ and emcee.  At first, when I was in my early twenties, the DJ thing was mainly to help pay for college tuition – which it did.  I am grateful to my friend and mentor, Dennis McNulty, for offering to train me and bring me into the industry.  The added income allowed me to stay working in charity, which was exhausting, paid very little, yet was very rewarding.

There were many times in my life when in the course of just one day I (and my co-workers) would assist a homeless individual or family with their search for shelter, help them obtain food and clothing – the basic necessities - and then later that evening DJ an event for 300 people where food, drink and all around good cheer and merriment would flow well into the night.  I have many examples of such days and weeks where I witnessed both great need and luxurious abundance.

For me, my dual career paths were a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde lifestyle.  I was deeply involved with both ends of our lifestyle spectrum in the U.S.  It was also a shock to me early in my Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde experience that I could occasionally make more money on a weekend entertaining at parties than I did all week helping our community’s most needy, but that is a topic for another article.  I must admit, however, that participating in both career paths was probably very cathartic and healthy for me.  It often forced me to step out of the emotional quagmire that people (and those who help them) experience when in crises and into the healthier emotional experience that comes with celebration.

For the longest time I thought that the depression, frustration and sadness of human struggle was far removed from the happiness, cheer and joy that comes with celebrating a significant milestone or achievement.  A change in my thinking happened when I worked with the homeless in Lorain, Ohio.  One afternoon before a community meal for about 170 people, I addressed the crowd and – almost as an act of desperation - asked anyone in the room if they had any good news to share.  No one answered.  Silence.  People looked at each other wondering what in the world might possess me to believe that they had anything to celebrate.  I said, in a second attempt, that it didn’t have to be big good news but even something small is worth mentioning.  As if on queue, a little boy raised his hand and shared that he had received an A on a recent spelling test at school.  The room erupted in cheers and applause.  The boy was ecstatic to receive the recognition.  Another person shared that he had an interview the next day in hopes of finally getting a job.  More cheer!  From that point, I was convinced that celebrating life’s significant moments, big or small, was just as important as responding to need.  These experiences are opposite sides of the same coin and to be fully human, we need to make space for both.

Suddenly, my dual career path seemed to make more sense than ever and not so much an ironic paradox.  Both endeavors reinforced my personal mission to “help people get to a better place in life”.  Sometimes that mission involves helping people when they’re in great need and sometimes it involves helping people celebrate their significant moments.

I have over time, asked my friends who are counselors or otherwise in the field of psychology, sociology, etc. whether it is possible for whole communities to be continually depressed, unable to find even the smallest reason to celebrate.  They answered with a resounding yes and I’ve witnessed this myself in a variety of settings.  It is possible for families, communities, organizations to be stuck in a self-fulfilling group depression and one of the truest characteristics of this is an inability to celebrate.  Vibrant groups celebrate frequently.  Vibrant, healthy groups are vigilant, consciously looking for significant milestones and achievements to celebrate.  Celebrations are noticed and remembered by members, especially the young and they eventually become the foundation for traditions that help individuals and groups stay strong and prosper well into the future.

Helping people celebrate life’s most significant moments is the purpose of the company I run, My Life Media.  It is as much an honor to conduct this work as it is for me to be involved in charity.  Both pursuits have their unique challenges and rewards, of course.  I am not suggesting that helping an organization plan a holiday staff appreciation or a newly engaged couple plan their wedding reception is more important than running a homeless shelter but I do suggest that both efforts have their necessary place in a healthy society.

Click here if you want to learn more about our DJ service or receive a price quote for your upcoming event!

DJ'ing the Company Holiday Party

Here's what we've learned over the years about DJ'ing a company holiday party!

1) "Respectable but fun" is the order of the day. Companies typically want to highlight a successful year with their holiday event, a celebration that allows employees to relax and know they are appreciated. The event is a company sponsored activity and should reflect the values that the company holds dear. Music should be fun and full of energy but not offensive or otherwise damage the sensibilities of the group. Usually, a variety of music is best so that everyone feels they've heard something they enjoy and can dance to. Unless otherwise directed by planners, the DJ should shy away from playing just one type of music all evening. Requests from guests before the event via an online planning tool helps the DJ to prepare, making him or her an effective DJ on the day of the event.

2) Make the sound system available to presenters. Usually, representatives from the company desire to welcome their guests, discuss successes of the year and/or present awards. For this reason, we always have a wireless microphone system set-up and available to company leaders. Occasionally, company leaders prefer it if the DJ assists with announcements, prize giveaways, etc. No problem! We are trained as MC's as well as DJ's. The DJ is flexible and is happy to work with the agenda of the company.

3) This should go without saying but.... A DJ who drinks alcohol with guests is likely to become ineffective and worse, do something to jeopardize the reputation of the company. We typically do not drink alcohol when we are working an event.

Other important considerations go into creating a fun-filled company celebration. These are just few. Please know that we are experienced and proud of our track record as professional entertainers! We hope to be working with you this holiday season to give your employees a celebration they'll truly appreciate.

Click here if you want to learn more about our DJ service or receive a price quote for your upcoming event!

Working With Wedding Vendors

A unique characteristic of the wedding industry is that it is primarily small business driven.  Sure, there are some national companies or "chains" that provide service or product in this arena but to a significant degree the success of a wedding will depend on how effective the bride and groom are in selecting the right small businesses as their vendors.

In some instances, planning a wedding may be the very first time either the bride or the groom have ever entered into a contractual agreement with anyone (except perhaps their cell phone carrier or a landlord to rent an apartment).  Now, with a wedding date set, the stress of interacting with multiple vendors to compare prices, negotiate contracts, plan for the festivities, etc. can be stressful and overwhelming.

Here are just a few tips on working with the small business community:

1) Learn as much as you can about the company and its history in the community.  Is it family owned and operated or does it have a different structure?  How long has it served the community?  Can you have access to referrals from past customers?  The more you know about the business the more secure you will feel about using it as a vendor.

2) If you can, arrange to meet with the owner or those who have a direct stake in the success of the business.  Small business owners understand that your satisfaction is crucial to future business, especially service related industries such as photography, DJ services, or catering.  Small businesses are often extensions of their owners and tend to take on the owner's characteristics.  So getting to know the owner will help you determine the type of service you'll receive.  It will also give you someone influential to call (other than a salesperson) if you should have a concern.

3) Ask many questions.  A lot of couples are either too shy to ask questions of the vendor or they simply don't know how to go about the inquiry.  A proud business owner or manager is always willing to explain their service.  It gives small business people great joy to talk about their livelihood and special talents.  If you feel that you are getting the "run-around" or not getting clear answers to your questions, this is a sign of confusion, or worse, reluctance to share all of the truth.  At the very least, ask for a full explanation of all that the service promises to deliver.

4) Get it in writing.  A reputable company will understand the importance of using a written contract.  If you get resistance from a vendor to get details in writing, this should be a "red flag" to warn you away from using that particular vendor.  Ask for an addendum to the contract if you want specific items included in the service you'll receive.

5) Use information technology to compare vendors.  In today's business environment you can find a lot of information at the touch of a computer keyboard.  Most small businesses who work in the wedding industry will indeed have some internet presence as the web has become a wonderful tool for brides and grooms looking for vendors.  Use the internet to seek referrals and testimonials from past customers, get price quotes and learn about services.

6) Call or visit the vendor.  While the internet is great for gathering information, as mentioned earlier, you'll still want to visit the vendors who made your top three or four choices.  Did the vendor respond quickly to your call or did you wait days before receiving a reply?  Was the vendor hesitant to meet with you in person?  During the meeting, was the representative personable and professional?  Did he or she seem to genuinely care about delivering a great service or did it seem that it was "just their job" to meet with you?

7) Does the vendor play nicely with the other vendors?  Ask your photographer if he or she has ever worked with your choice of DJ service or band.  Have the caterers ever heard of the florist that you are considering?  The best vendors like working with their favorite associates.  They've established a good working relationship over the years and know how to communicate with each other.  There's nothing like a vendor who refuses to demonstrate some flexibility when things call for a change in plan.  You might get some useful "inside" information about a vendor from others in the industry.

The good news is that most small businesses are dedicated to providing brides and grooms with exceptional product and service.  Those who follow through with a little homework and communication will avoid the few "bad apple" vendors that are the source of wedding day nightmares and find their way to the great quality vendors who pride themselves on making wedding events fun, memorable experiences for everyone!

Click here if you want to learn more about our DJ service or receive a price quote for your upcoming event!

How We Named Our Company

Some people are curious to know how we came upon the name "My Life Media" for our company.

One answer is, that the music one uses to celebrate a significant moment, whether it be a wedding, graduation, anniversary, family reunion, etc. is an important type of media that reflects one's own tastes and personality. Music has a powerful affect on us and is as unique as those listening or dancing to it. Music has always been a basic component of one's very culture. When we "bring" music to an event, we are making available to our client a form of media that celebrates a special moment in their life - thus "My Life Media" - is the music media that one uses to celebrate life as considered through the perspective of those enjoying it. The name was changed slightly in late 2014 to "My Life DJ Services" when we registered with the state of Ohio to become a limited liability company.

Another answer to the question is a little more coincidental. Company owner, Jim Gepperth, was listening to the radio on the day that we were considering what to name the company (we were debating several options). At the very moment we were about to decide - the Beatles song "In My Life" came on. The song was written primarily by John Lennon with some input from Paul McCartney.  It was designed as a life reflection put to music. We knew immediately that the name My Life would work. If you listen to the lyrics of the song, you'll hear a message that strongly supports the meaning behind our work - appreciating special people and significant moments in our life. Our company exists to help people celebrate significant moments with music. More selfishly, the name gives us reason to play that classic Beatles song whenever someone asks how we named the company.  Listen to the song and watch a short tribute to John Lennon here!

Click here if you want to learn more about our DJ service or receive a price quote for your upcoming event!