You may’t say Denise LaBrecque-Uhl isn’t entertaining.
The Bay Shore resident is proprietor of Didi Maxx Productions — a enterprise that for 25 years has been offering leisure all through New York, New Jersey and Connecticut for all the things from youngsters’ birthday events to company occasions.
Among the many choices are performances by Didi Maxx the entertainer (LaBrecque-Uhl’s skilled title), magic and mentalism reveals, DJ companies and balloon twisting. LaBrecque-Uhl can be a celebration and occasion planner who can organize gatherings that includes company group constructing, kids’s entertainers, face portray, jugglers, stilt walkers, musicians and bands, specialty acts and extra.
And the stage was set for the 62-year-old’s Bay Shore-based enterprise early on. She’s been in entrance of audiences almost all her life.
AT A GLANCE
Didi Maxx Productions, Bay Shore
What they do: Present leisure for youngsters’s and grownup occasions starting from small yard events to company occasions.
Management: Proprietor Denise LaBrecque-Uhl
Annual Gross sales: $450,000 to $500,000
Workers: 4
Based: 1998
LaBrecque-Uhl’s late mom, Lydia Tanne, was an entertainer often known as Mimi Chevalier, who lived in Nazi-occupied France and Italy throughout World Battle II and later was a part of a French revue created by writers from the William Morris expertise company, LaBrecque-Uhl mentioned As emcee, Tanne did comedic materials about life in the course of the warfare, and in the course of the Nineteen Seventies LaBrecque-Uhl and her sister sang and carried out faucet and jazz numbers set to nostalgic music from the Nineteen Forties.
“This is able to permit my mom time for her costume modifications, as she was the star,” LaBrecque-Uhl mentioned. “We did carry out a number of numbers as a trio, like a enjoyable viewers participation ‘name and reply’ to ‘Frere Jacques,’ and we additionally carried out the Can-Can collectively.”
In her early 20s LaBrecque-Uhl moved to New York Metropolis to proceed performing, and within the ‘80s when MTV began to take off, she danced in music movies and labored in dance troupes for golf equipment as effectively. She additionally received work in recording studios, singing backup for hopeful new artists, and was a singer in bands.
Q: What led you to start out your small business?
It was a pure development for what I had been doing all my life.
Q: The place did you get your startup cash?
My again pocket.
Q: What’s your greatest problem proper now, and the way are you assembly it?
My greatest problem is maintaining with my on-line presence and social media. As a result of I get most of my enterprise via referrals and from repeat prospects, I generally is a bit lax on the subject of updates and posts.
Q: What’s the largest mistake you’ve made alongside the way in which?
Assuming that all the things will go as deliberate. After 25 years of nearly each conceivable occasion or occasion, I’ve discovered to be ready with backup plans for the backup plans, doubles and triples of all the things, a superb device equipment and many duct tape, wire tires, security pins and extension cords.
Q: How do you discover prospects?
Referrals, repeat prospects and social media.
Q: How do you discover workers and hold them?
I’ve discovered most of my workers via private suggestions. What I’ve discovered works greatest in achieving and retaining my workers is interviewing with the appropriate inquiries to get the individual with the appropriate qualities, giving correct compensation for work carried out along side presents or bonuses for exemplary work, treating workers with respect and letting them know they’re valued, having common employees conferences, and remaining open to options of others.
Q: What’s one of the best half about proudly owning your personal enterprise?
There’s nothing extra personally satisfying to me than having the ability to set the requirements for a way all the things in my enterprise is finished.
Q: What number of hours do you place in every week?
Through the busy summer time season, I’ll have sooner or later off monthly. Through the sluggish season — January to March — I’ll work three or 4 days per week. The remainder of the 12 months I often work 4 to 5 days per week. Nevertheless, there are occasions I’ll have occasions daily for 2 weeks straight.
Q: What’s your recommendation for others fascinated by doing this?
On this enterprise, you have to be ready for telephone calls, emails, texts and messages to return in at any time, and particularly simply earlier than holidays and occasions. Keep in mind that on this enterprise, you may by no means ‘redo an order.’ Events and occasions are once-in-a-lifetime gatherings. At all times have backup plans for backup plans. At all times double the time it takes to journey and arrange for an occasion to make up for site visitors delays and different setbacks that may nearly all the time occur.
Q: What do you hope your small business will seem like in 5 years?
Precisely prefer it does right now — a boutique-style leisure firm the place I may give correct consideration and customized service to my prospects. It took me a few years to get this firm the place I need it to be, and I find it irresistible right here and now.
