The Upbringing

A smiling man wearing red-tinted sunglasses, a headset with a microphone, and a black T-shirt with white graphics, flying in a small aircraft over a landscape visible through the window.

Justin Bednarek, grew up in a small town of Cornwall, NY. His father, an audiophile at heart had a sound system in what seemed like every room of the house. Justin received his first set of small computer speakers as a Christmas gift at age 14. From there, he discovered his enjoyment of hosting people and listening to music by putting on “micro raves” in his room. Equipped with small laser lights and a pair of black lights, only his parents going to bed could stop him. A couple years later, Justin was able to channel his young DJ energy, without limits, in the form of his first car. Formerly his grandmother’s, the 2002 Pontiac Bonneville received only one change, a new sound system. In 2019, he took that very car with him up to New Hampshire for the next stage of life, college.

The Move to Tennessee

A young man with short hair and sunglasses smiling in front of a jet aircraft engine during an outdoor event. He's wearing a high-visibility safety vest over a red jacket.

Being in New Hampshire for less than a year, the pandemic changed the structure of his aviation degree. Finding the middle Tennessee area to have more options for flight schools, he made the move to Murfreesboro in June of 2021 and started flying at the Smyrna Airport. To get a greater understanding of the industry, he also landed a ramp operations at Shelbyville Airport. Upon working there for a year, he found his way up to Hollingshead Aviation in Smyrna. Having now a combined 3 years in the aviation industry working with pilots. His dream of being a corporate pilot was now in question…

The Present

A smiling man with a beard, wearing a white shirt, light blue bow tie, and suspenders outdoors with trees and grass in the background.

With his family values and outgoing personality coming into conflict with the pilot lifestyle, he had some serious thinking to do. Meanwhile, Justin was adapting to the southern culture quite well, finding the best friends he’s ever had at the Experience Community Church’s young adult ministry, Evident. The ministry has hosted two silent discos for their congregation of nearly 300 people. For both of them, Justin has found his way on stage as one of the DJs. Looking into the crowd was like seeing a reflection of himself partying in his room some 10 years ago. The opportunity to pursue this as a career never made itself apparent, until his best friend Jake asked him to DJ his wedding. Excited to explore the new opportunity, Justin started doing research and gathering equipment to give his best friend the best possible wedding day. Upon researching the DJ industry, he was disappointed to see a lack of transparency, basic knowledge, and effort, and he seeks to change that.