Today we’d like to introduce you to Nate Nelson.
Nate, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Well, music has always played a huge factor in my life. I learned to play the drums at the age of six. All through high school I was in a rock band and was actively involved in choir or theatre. When I started college I studied Communications and began working at the campus radio station. One night while working the late shift at the station, some middle school kids called and asked if I could DJ their upcoming dance. I said yes, I was in a band and had sound equipment, so I started gathering music together and burned some CDs. I got a couple of CD players and did my first private event. I was hooked. The excitement of playing the right song at the right time was euphoric. I saved every dollar I could and purchased my first set of Denon Turntables.
After months of practice and trying to land an actual gig at a club or bar in my small Oklahoma college town. The time came for me to show what I had. I played at the largest and most popular club in southern Oklahoma with a crowd of 2,000 people. After that night, I was playing at every bar and club in town. Every night of the week I was playing somewhere. It was great. Well, during that time, I met my wife. We were married in Rockwall, Texas in July of 2008. Immediately after our honeymoon, we moved to the Dallas Metroplex and I was back to square one. How will I get business, how will anyone know to hire me as a DJ?
After two years and no luck, working in bars as a bartender, security and picking up some club gigs at a few bars, I finally did some research on the Dallas DJ market, specifically the Wedding DJ market and found out that a high school friend of mine was married to Glenn Roush, the owner of LeForce Entertainment. Glenn had started LeForce Entertainment in 2010 and we met early in 2011. I originally wanted to just pick Glenn’s brain on how to start my own DJ company, and we sat and talked for 3 hours in our first meeting. After that meeting I starting working for Glenn, I took any and every event he would give me. I would put myself in front of them to do anything I could to work for their team.
I was a sponge, I soaked in every bit of information I could from my mentors, Glenn and his Operations Manager Ed Petty. In September of 2012, I started as the primary sales person for LeForce Entertainment, we had 6 DJs at this time and were starting to grow, and Glenn wanted to focus on other aspects of the business. I quickly became the “go to” guy and the most requested DJ on the team. I focused on my clients first and foremost but also focused on collecting reviews from my clients for future clients to see. I spent a lot of time and energy networking and becoming the face of the LeForce Entertainment team.
I am not an owner, not a partner but I have put my blood, sweat, and tears in LeForce Entertainment. In fact, a lot of people in the industry think I own LeForce, but I do not. I treat it as it is mine and I think that is why I am so successful.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Finding and developing quality talent is our constant struggle. There are lots of people that THINK they want to be a DJ but when it comes down to it they aren’t ready to put in the time and effort that it takes to be a part of the LeForce team. We also have struggled with growing pains through the years. As we have brought on more DJs and more services we have had to work tirelessly to keep up with demand.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about LeForce Entertainment – what should we know?
LeForce Entertainment is a premier event entertainment company. The majority of our events are weddings, but we also do a number of corporate and private events. We provide DJ, lighting and photobooth services. We are known for our quality DJs. When clients hire us they know they are getting a DJ who has been through training and assisted on multiple events and will provide them with an unforgettable evening! We are not your average multi-op DJ company.
When Glenn started LeForce he believed (when no one else did) that a high-end DJ multi-op could exist in Dallas. Seven years later, LeForce continues to maintain a great team that has a passion for giving clients the best night of their lives. The LeForce Event group is home to 3 companies, LeForce Entertainment, Simply Music, and Lynn Films. Launching in 2018 will be the Nate Nelson Experience, an entity of LeForce Entertainment.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I’ve had a lot of mentors, cheerleaders, and teammates in business and in life. My wife is probably the real superhero in this story. She has done so much to help me get to where I am today. We have two daughters, Mollie is six and Kate is two.
So with me being so involved in the business and working weekends, she carries the weight of mom, wife, and leader of the house most of the time. I am so thankful for her support. Another person is, obviously, Glenn Roush. He is the mastermind behind LeForce. Every aspect of our business is a reflection of his creative mind and seamless execution. Glenn has believed in me from day one and always listened to my crazy ideas. He is a great friend, mentor, and boss.
Pricing:
- LeForce DJ Services start at $850
- The Nate Nelson Experience starts at $3500
- Leforce Lighting Minimum is $500
Contact Info:
- Address: 1170 Quaker Street Dallas, TX 75207
- Website: www.leforceDJ.com
- Phone: 214-302-8564
- Email: nate@leforcedfw.com
- Instagram: @LeForceDJ @djnatenelson
- Facebook: facebook.com/leforcedj, facebook.com/djnatenelson
- Other: mixcloud.com/leforceDJ, mixcloud.com/djnatenelson
Image Credit:
Stephanie Hampton Morrow – Hampton Morrow Photography, Dyan Kethley
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
