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The COVID-19 shutdown forced many to hit pause, but for Adam Long, it was a cue for a whole new venture. Dubai Sound Academy (previously Original Mix DJs) wasn't exactly planned; it was born out of necessity. With the entertainment industry screeching to a halt, Adam, a seasoned musician, had to find a new way to share his passion for music. Luckily, education was still running, and there was a gap—a need for engaging after-school programs. Thus began Original Mix DJS, a DJ club for students.
Their first DJ club classes started small—a Saturday session with a handful of students. But their passion for music and engaging teaching style resonated. Word spread, and soon Original Mix DJs was expanding its offerings, adding Sundays and partnering with local schools to bring DJ clubs to after-school programs. They went from a quiet beginning to managing dozens of energetic students each week.
However, success brought its own challenges. Their initial management system was a logistical nightmare. From juggling Google Docs for registration and Excel spreadsheets for scheduling to a separate login for Stripe (payment processing) and QuickBooks for invoicing, "it was time-consuming," recalls Adam. Every new student meant more paperwork, more logins, and a higher chance of errors.
As Dubai Sound Academy scaled its operations, they needed a streamlined management system. Classcard brought harmony to the chaos. Adam highlights two key benefits: First, Classcard consolidated the booking process into a central hub, eliminating the need to juggle multiple platforms. Second, the seamless integration with Stripe meant automatic invoicing, saving them countless hours.
Yaz Rahman, the admin at Original Mix DJs, echoes Adam's sentiment. He remembers the initial jumble of Google Docs, spreadsheets, and emails. Classcard streamlined the process, allowing him to send registration links and manage student information with ease. "It's definitely streamlined Adam's business," he says with a smile.
Adam admits he wasn't initially prepared for the educational aspect of his business. With a background in performance, navigating the world of curriculum development and teaching methodologies was a learning curve. Originally, their vision focused on offering DJ clubs as a standalone program, but parent and school requests led them to expand. Their biggest marketing hurdle is educating parents and schools about the value of learning to DJ. Many only associate DJs with nightclubs and festivals, not the creative and technical skills students could acquire. Original Mix DJs relied heavily on word-of-mouth recommendations and showcasing their young DJs at events. Their students became their best ambassadors, demonstrating the fun and educational aspects of the program.
Dubai Sound Academy future plans involve partnering with schools to train teachers on using existing music production software, an opportunity to integrate DJ skills into broader music education curricula. This initiative aligns with Adam's own passion for music education, having started attending music school at the tender age of four!
Now with a streamlined system, Adam and his team can focus on their true passion—igniting a love for music in their students. The future looks bright, filled with the potential to expand the world of DJ education. Just like a perfectly mixed track, Dubai Sound Academy is in perfect harmony, ready to keep spinning the beat for years to come.