His childhood passion turned into a lifelong career; Dave Stephenson makes a living helping others make memories. From helping local couples plan the wedding day of their dreams to assisting aspiring deejays in honing their skills, he leaves a mark that can last a lifetime.
How did you get started as a deejay? As a kid I used to listen to Y102 and think ‘wow, that would be cool.’ When I was 15, I met a local deejay Denny McConnell, who was doing a fashion show at the Berkshire Mall, and just asked him if he needed help, even just hauling record crates around. He ended up spending hours training me on the fundamentals. I’ve been deejaying in the area for about 35 years now, so I’ve taken the skills he taught me and developed my own style – I’ve done radio and my mobile business – and passed them along to other people.
How have you passed them along? I’ve trained a lot of deejays in the area who have been very successful. I believe in sharing my knowledge; this is a very cut-throat industry, and a lot of people don’t want to share what they know. I’ve actually started a group for photobooth owners around the world, and it’s become the largest group supporting deejays, photographers and photobooth owners. In the last five years I’ve also started speaking at different deejay and photobooth conventions. (Fun fact: Dave owns a photobooth operation too, called iSmile Pod!)
Call you tell me a little bit about A Time for Music and Memories? I specialize in weddings; I’ve found that it’s a very important part of most couples’ lives. For the past 10 years I’ve also been doing photobooths, and that’s become a big part of the business. I also offer event lighting, including custom monograms, and I’m even an ordained minister!
And you partner with other event vendors in the area? Yes. I work with a lot of different local vendors. I’ve built a great network of photographers, florists, cake bakers and venues, and I pick and choose who I need from my network for the best fit for each event. Not every vendor is good for every customer, so I spend a lot of time talking to my customers to learn what they need and then put a team together based on that.
What sets your services apart? Communication, that’s the biggest part. Getting to my clients is key because I’m learning their cultures, traditions, and all the different things people do at family gatherings. There is no cookie cutter; not everyone is the same, so I try to find what is going to work best for the couple. And I don’t just stand behind the equipment and play music; I’m there to entertain people.
What about when you aren’t working? I have three sons who have helped me as they’ve grown up, so it’s kind of a family business. I’ve always tried to be very involved with what they’re doing. I go to the different festivals, when I can, and the concerts downtown. I love sitting up in City Park and watching the bands and just spending time in the community. I just like to experience life.
Rockin’ Around the Clock.
Want to plan your wedding in the middle of the night? Dave’s customers get access to his planning tools and entire music library 24/7!
Mixin’ It Up.
A Time for Music and Memories is available anywhere that needs entertainment. Dave can rock any event, including donating services to charities all over the county. Visit atfmdj.com or call 484.388.6698 to schedule your free consultation.
