Rising Stars: Meet Scott Perry

Today we’d like to introduce you to Scott Perry. 

Hi Scott, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
During my college years, I was an avid poker player. Most of the time, I’d win a little, lose a little, for a meager net profit. In the summer of 2008, between my junior and senior years in college, I had a streak of 11 visits to the card room where I left on top. With my newfound wealth, I did what any sensible student would do. I bought the best sound system I could afford, so our welcome week party at Michigan State would be the best on the block. We received a ticket for having an “uncontrollable party.” 

Two months later, the financial crisis was in full swing. While I was pursuing a degree in economics, corporations around the world were in a hiring freeze. My professor opened a 300-level class with “Throw out the textbooks because the rules of macroeconomics are being rewritten before our eyes.” I decided right then to bet on myself. While the job market was cold, I would try to make a career out of spreading joy. I built a website over winter break and DJ’d twelve weddings that summer. 

As I poured my energy into this new project, my grades suffered. I came back for a super senior semester in ’09. As the fall semester wrapped, it was evident there was a path to resilience for 2Bays DJs. I dropped out of classes and moved back to Traverse City with 28 weddings booked for the summer of ’10. 

With a full year to dedicate, we managed to book 85 weddings for summer ’11. I say we because around this time, I convinced Dan Kenny to leave a lavish lifestyle of teaching English to students in Spain and join me as my right-hand man of a mobile DJ company. I knew Dan was a star ever since he was the lead in the 2003 Traverse City West Senior High production ‘The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” I was cast as his younger brother Sid, with a total of three lines. Dan has been my co-star, college roommate, business partner, and most recently, best man. He has helped shaped the growth of this company into an enterprise worth more than the sum of its parts. 

The most substantial change we’ve made in the last five years was adding Brian Wright to the team. In addition to being a phenomenal DJ, he has become the engine that runs 2Bays, corresponding with clients and event professionals year-round. 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
When your job is something so fun, helping facilitate memories to last a lifetime, the small struggles are completely overshadowed by the gratification earned celebrating, 

Covid was a really daunting experience. The uncertainty in the summer of 2020 weighed heavy on everyone, and people were forced to make decisions regarding postponements with imperfect information. About 2/3 of our weddings postponed that summer. Since the pandemic was completely unexpected, we decided to roll everyone’s deposit to a future date. When it all shook out, we experienced a ~50% drop in revenue between 2020 and 2021. 

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
2Bays DJs provides entertainment at weddings all across Northern Michigan and beyond. We excel at delivering a performance that appeals to modern couples who love club-style DJs, as well as family members who love the tried-and-true wedding classics. 

In the winter, we spend our energy creating projection-mapped media presentations for corporations. Over the years, we have worked with brands like Samuel Adams, Truly, the NHL, Porsche, and Otherworld. Locals may have seen some of our art at Boyne Mountain for the Sam Adams Air and Après. We produced the video content for a big air ski and snowboard showcase, where the jump is wrapped with exciting graphics and illusions. 

I’m most proud of our ability to navigate working with our best friends. It is very rewarding to go to work with people who take having fun so seriously. Finding a job where people are super excited to have you arrive makes the long hours and sacrifices worth it. 

Contact Info:

• Website: 2BaysDJs.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/2baysdjs
• Facebook: facebook.com/2baysdjs

Image Credits
Lil-Jes Photography