Meet Daniel Pedraza

We had the good fortune of connecting with Daniel Pedraza and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Daniel, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
My brothers were DJs since the ’80s, so I grew up on music. I decided to be a DJ around 2005. I was a basement DJ doing parties for cheap and some clubs here and there. Then, around around 2011-12, I started getting into the Mobile DJ scene, which consists of weddings, corporate events, etc. Then, around 2018-19, I decided to go into business for myself. I’m not very business-minded, so I reached out to a friend who owned a few businesses, and he pointed me in the right direction. So, I made my business official right before COVID hit, which hurt my business for the first year. However, before I decided to go into business, I watched YouTube videos, attended online seminars, and asked people questions about how to start a business. I have known that since I’ve been a DJ for so long. I basically knew how that side of the business worked, and I needed that push to make the business official. I’m going on 3 years now, which has been a little rough, but it’s what I love and enjoy, and I am happy to be a business owner.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My older brothers are DJs from the ’80s and break dancers, so I’ve been around music mostly all my life. We were also born in the Bronx during the birth of hip hop,” I’m showing my age, “so being a DJ was pretty easy for me since I’ve been around music all my life. I decided to grow up surrounded by music, as my older brothers are DJs from the ’80s and break dancers. Being born in the Bronx during the birth of hip-hop certainly shows my age! Because of this background, becoming a DJ came naturally to me.

I decided to take my passion for music to the next level by starting my own business. I wanted to present a more professional image to my clients and expand my reach beyond my comfort zone, working with new clients both in and outside my city. The beginning was tough; I didn’t have enough money to invest in new DJ equipment. However, I managed to acquire additional gear from events I had previously been booked for.

One of the critical lessons I’ve learned is the need for patience and calmness, as it can sometimes be discouraging. Many clients often seek out cheaper DJ services because the economy is not robust, and I try my best to accommodate them. Fortunately, my business is still thriving.

What sets me apart is my deep love for music. Having been immersed in it my entire life, I have diverse knowledge spanning genres from Latin to hip-hop, reggae, world music, and even classical. Being bilingual is an added advantage, as many clients prefer a bilingual DJ.

Ultimately, my DJ service is family-friendly and non-discriminatory. I genuinely love what I do and find joy in putting smiles on people’s faces, as music is truly one of the greatest gifts on this planet. I went into business because I wanted to go to the next level and look more professional to my clients. I also wanted to expand outside of my comfort zone, which is dealing with new clients in and outside of my city. It was rough for me at first because I didn’t have all the money to purchase new DJ equipment since going into business, I would have to offer more services to my clients, but luckily, I could buy more equipment from previous events that I got booked from. The lessons I’ve learned are you have to be very patient, and you have to be very relaxed because it’s very discouraging. Especially with the economy not being too great, clients are often looking for cheaper DJ services, which I try to accommodate. Luckily, business is still going strong regardless. What sets me apart is I have a love of music since I’ve been around music my whole life. I know all about music from Latin to hip Hop, reggae to the world, and even classical music. I’m bilingual as well, so a lot of clients that I deal with want bilingual DJs, so that’s a plus. So, basically, my DJ service is family-friendly. We do not discriminate against anyone. I genuinely love what I do and putting a smile on people’s faces because music is one of the greatest gifts on this planet.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Well, we would eat at Hot Nachita Taqueria, or we would go to Bar 17, depending on the time, to eat and drink. 

We would definitely hang out with friends and family and go downtown to check out the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the bars or clubs in the flats. If the weather is good, we would just walk around downtown, or if it’s winter, we would stay in. I’m a freeze baby, Lol.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First and foremost, I want to thank God for giving me the strength to continue. I would also like to express my gratitude to my older brothers, DJ Benny Dee and DJ Juice, for instilling in me a love for music and the art of being a DJ. I want to thank my good friend, Jose Melendez, for his invaluable help and for patiently answering all the questions I had—of which there were plenty. I appreciate the support of the Latin community and want to extend my thanks to all the DJs and promoters I have worked with, as well as all my clients for keeping me in business. I genuinely appreciate you all.

Website: https://ultimatesoundproductions.com/

Instagram: @veydjdanny

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pedraza-464aa4100/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USPDJs