TINTON FALLS - For Mike Walter, owner of Elite Entertainment in Tinton Falls, it's rare today he finds himself speechless while working as a DJ at an event. That wasn't always the case.
When he was new to the business, he faced a particularly unusual experience at a wedding that taught him the value of keeping things smooth.
“I remember that the couple had cut the cake and the caterer was carrying the cake into the kitchen to cut it up and serve it,” Walter said. “All of the sudden, the caterer tripped and fell, dropping the cake on the floor. Nowadays, with 30-plus years of experience with the business, I would have had something to say to just deflect the situation, but at that time, I just stood there like a deer in headlights. I did not know what to say or do.
“You don’t get trained with this type of thing when you are just learning the business,” Walter said. “I wish I could go back to that moment now and think of something to say to cushion the blow.”
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Walter started in the field in 1988 at a place called Star DJs in North Jersey, learning the ropes at weddings and other parties.
“I was a brand new DJ and was learning my way through the business,” Walter said. “That was not to say that I did not have my fair share of hiccups, but I did improve and learned to master my craft over time.”
By the time Walter went out on his own and opened Elite Entertainment in 1991, he had had a vision of how he wanted the business to grow.
“We are coming up on our 30th-year anniversary in another two years, which is hard to believe,” Walter said. “It is amazing how time flies. We saw Monmouth County as an untapped market because there were not that many DJs around here and we were right.
“We basically started and within a couple years, we were booked with a full schedule and we were bringing in new people to train, as well as trying to find new DJs to help us out because we had that much demand,” he said.
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Walter always had a passion for music. From a young age, he knew that he couldn’t play an instrument or sing, but had an ear for knowing what kind of music people wanted to hear and DJing was the perfect medium to express that talent.
“I have always loved to entertain people with music,” Walter said. “I have often enjoyed the immediacy of DJing where you play a song and you can instantly tell that the crowd loves it. I instantly knew I would do something that had to do with music.”
After dropping out of Queens College in 1986, Walter starting attending the Connecticut School of Broadcasting for six months because he wanted to do something with radio.
“That’s where I kind of got my experience or knowledge for mixing music and understanding how the art of DJing works,” Walter said. “It was this experience that helped me get started with Star DJs and served as a foundation for how I would evolve into the DJ that I am today.
“As far as running this business, I have learned that what we do is teachable,” Walter said. “Some DJs just do what they do and prefer not to pass on knowledge to another person. This is not the case for me, as from day one, I decided I wanted to bring in other people that do what I do and teach them the Elite way of DJing.”
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Walter now does more than just working as a DJ for his clients.
“One of the things that I have enjoyed doing besides running Elite Entertainment is I have become something of a consultant,” Walter said. “I have written a few books, 'Running Your Multi-Op,' which talks about the DJ industry and, 'On This Date in Music,' which is for anyone who loves music. I also speak at seminars and conventions. That is something that I am very proud of. The experience I’ve acquired over the years has helped me grow the business, as well as pass on my knowledge and serve as a mentor to other aspiring DJs.”
Walter and his employees work all types of events, including parties for birthdays, graduations and weddings, among others.
“We really put a big emphasis on emceeing,” Walter said. “We pride ourselves on being very polished spokespeople for a party. We also really stress working with people and make sure that it is their vision that comes to fruition. Especially for weddings, every couple has their own expectation for how they want the event to go, so we make that a reality.”
Walter wants to see his business continue to grow.
“It’s a great way to have a career, whether full time or part-time,” Walter said. “We will continue to work with all of our employees and also clients that constantly refer us. It’s a win-win all around.”
Elite Entertainment
Location: 2 Hartford Drive, Suite 106, Tinton Falls
Phone: 732-935-7500
Website: www.eliteentertainment.com
Hours: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursdays; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays.
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