If you’re having the best time of your life at a party in DC it’s probably because you’re with MAJOR DOBBINS. For over five years the DC native has been making an impact on the areas party circuit. Dobbins talks to AimerAmour about the varies levels and responsibilities that come with party promoting. Major also discusses his ultimate career goals and the best advice for expanding your network.
AIMERAMOUR: What makes you a young entrepreneur?
MAJOR DOBBINS: A lot of people “promote” but not a lot of people make money. For someone my age I’ve made a significant amount of money overall to call myself an entrepreneur. Not only have I promoted for people, I’ve taken the risk of investing my own money and time into an event so I know what it takes. I’ve failed and I’ve succeeded. I consider myself a promoter. A lot of people use that title-it’s kind of crabs and a barrel.
AA: Can you explain what a party promoter does? It seems like an ambiguous title. What does it mean to you based off your experiences?
MD: It’s a very ambiguous term and there are various levels. Some people just post the flyers; some people are responsible for creating and planning the event, booking the artists, the host and DJs. If you do a college event, booking the fraternities, sororities and other organizations. There are definitely different levels of it. Right now, I’m not doing those aspects myself, I’m under Wayne and Tony with KStreet Sundays. It’s a very successful party that’s been going on for over two years. For them, I bring my crowd. Sometimes I’m responsible for the majority of the party; the planning and the guests. But with KStreet its kind of a minimal role but I’m okay with that.
AA: What’s the hardest about throwing a party?
MD: The hardest part is differentiating yourself from others on that particular night and during the week of planning and promoting. There are at least four Thursday parties and all of the parties are saying the same thing; that their the “official” “HU vs Morehouse” party. As a promoter what can you say to a group of girls or guys that will make them say, “…I’m going to Major’s party because that other party is going to be weak.” That’s the hardest part and it changes week by week. You can win this week and next week and loose the week after. The hardest part is keeping people interested in what you’re selling. At the end of the day, a party is nothing but a product and you have to sell it just like Polo has to sell shirts every season.
AA: What are some of your ultimate career goals?
MD: Recently, I’ve come to the conclusion that throwing parties every night of the week or even three nights of the week is kind of draining and it kills me. All I can think about is parties all day. I’ve been hired by Elite DC Magazine, a DC based media company that revolves around night life and parties but isn’t necessary promoting. Its like the promoters tool to promoting. So basically, instead of me promoting a party on one night, I’ll get four promoters who all have separate parties to invest in Elite DC Magazine which offers web site advertisement, email blasts, and the newly acquired elitedcradio.com So that’s my new venture-working with Anwaa Kong who is the Founder/CEO. I hoping this will be more beneficially for my career in the long run.
AA: What do you see yourself doing with your Telecommunications Management degree?
MD: My ultimate goal right now is to own a media company. And I believe Elite DC can be the grassroots of that dream. Anwaa is really grinding and I want to help him right now continue to build and expand the Elite DC brand.
AA: What’s the best career related advice you’ve received?
MD: The best advice I’ve received is from Taz Wube. He’s a very well known party promoter and event planner in DC and throughout the east coast. He’s the former partner of Marc Barns and a lot of people associate Taz’s name with LOVE nightclub. The best advice he gave me was to keep a database of everyone you know. So many times he’d run into people years later that he needed to work with so its best to keep everyone’s contact information. I just transferred over numbers to my phone and the lady at Verizon said I had 2500 phone numbers. I don’t know 2500 people but when I need something, I can always go through my phone, type in what I need, and it won’t even have the person’s name; it’ll be saved under what they do. That was the best advice, to keep a database of as much information as you can get saved to your phone and online and do something with it.
AA: What’s your best advice for someone that wants to get into party promoting?
MD: Don’t do it!
Naw, I’m joking. But really think about it before you do it. So many people think they can throw a party and promote a party but it’s not that easy. I went from Station 9 where I was making four figures a weekend, four figures every Friday night, then the venue got shut down and I started working with K Street Sundays. It was an already established party so I thought I was going to immediately make four figures a week and that wasn’t the case. So really a lot of frustration comes with it. There are a lot of ups and downs. You’ll leave with $300 one night then the next night you’ll owe the DJ $300. If you’re going to do it, you have to be consistent. If you think you want to do it just because it’s the cool thing to do, then don’t do it.
AA: Please give an overview of your night from the time you arrive at the venue. You’ve invited everyone and their either inside or on their way so what’s left for you to do?
MD: Continuing to keep those people interested. Just having them come isn’t enough. Most people go to parties on the strength of that promoter. So if I invite Ashley and Ashley brings Brittany and Brittany brings Tiera and Tianna I’m not only responsible for Ashley, I’m also responsible for her three friends and by doing that, I’m increasing my network. I’m already cool with Ashley but if I take them all to the bar and give them four shots, then Brittany, Tiera and Tianna are also gonna bang with me so the one person I know turns into four and the four will turn into eight and it’ll continue to increase. Keeping those people interested in your product is your priority at all times.
If it’s a slow night, that’s when you have to do the most work. If it’s a good night, you can let the great night entertain the crowd, but if its an okay night and see your guests just standing around, you have to make sure they’re having fun. I use to promote hard as hell every week but never meet one because I was just promoting then going to the club and sitting down. Now that I can drink, I’m taking people to the bar. If I see someone that doesn’t know a promoter, I go and add them to my network.
If it’s your responsibility to make sure the party is going well then make sure the DJ isn’t playing whack music. Make sure the front door is being run correctly. Make sure security is doing their job. I don’t have all of these responsibilities at K Street, it sort of runs itself. With K Street I can focus on enhancing my network.
AA: Does being from this area impact your success as a party promoter?
MD: I don’t think I have an advantage over the next promoter because I’m the area. My friend Javier aka DJ Golden Boy gave me a lot of my party promoting knowledge. He was born in Syracuse then came to Howard University and started the LGI group, which took over Howard University. He went from Howard to DC-which is two totally different markets. He didn’t take over DC but he definitely held his own in area. When the DC well went dry, he went to Miami and now he’s a legitimate player in the Miami scene. So I don’t think it necessary has anything to do with where you’re from, networking is networking where ever you are. If you’re good at networking: talking to people and making them believe in your product, then you’ll be successful.
Follow Major on Twitter: @MajorVanWilder