Life & Work with Willis J Buie

Today we’d like to introduce you to Willis J Buie.

Hi Willis J, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Hmmm… what can I say? Willis J Entertainment kind of came about serendipitously. Literally, I was just a DJ working for a few companies here and there around the triangle area and a chance wedding at a downtown Raleigh restaurant (Caffe Luna), turned into this amazing journey I’ve been on for the last almost 7 years. Originally from Fayetteville, I never imagined when I first got into DJing that I’d want to do anything other than clubs, bars and proms.

So to end up being known as a wedding DJ was the furthest thing from my mind. Now all these years later, I can’t even fathom doing anything else. I love it! Every week is a different set of people to entertain who have either never met before and are now a family or haven’t spent a fun time together in a long time.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Nothing’s smooth. Financially it was a struggle at first. Being your own boss is liberating and binding at the same time. To not know exactly when the next check is coming in or when you’ll be hired again or if EVER is daunting. I honestly had to wrap my brain around the fact, at first, that this may just be an expensive hobby that I’ll have to give up one day. Thankfully that hasn’t been the case.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As a wedding/private events DJ, it can be easy to be classified as one thing. Usually that one thing isn’t the most flattering, but in my 13 years of doing DJ overall, this is the hardest type of DJing there is. Most other DJs don’t do it because they can’t. They get stuck in one genre or a type of DJing and the thought of being able to handle any and every genre and combination is hard to handle.

What sets me apart I’d say is that I actually care about the couples I work with. We always (if possible) meet up and hang out before the big day. That’s mainly just to get to know one another. We hardly ever talk wedding stuff, mostly just music and having a good time.

What are your plans for the future?
I’ve recently expanded out to the Wilmington area and I’d like to see that become what is has been here in the triangle. Which is THRIVING! To be able to deliver quality entertainment in two major areas is a big deal and a dream for me. Besides, who’s gonna turn down going to the beach for work?

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.willisjentertainment.com
• Instagram: @willisjentertainment

Image Credits
Sarah Reaves Photography