Teen making ‘Wildfire Music’ a booming business

FORT FRANCES—He’s just 17 years old, but Adam Armit of Fort Frances has been running a successful and professional disc jockey service called “Wildfire Music” for the past four years.
Starting out using his dad’s equipment dee-jaying at a family member’s social and then his school dances, Armit’s passion for the business soon led to gigs at other school dances and now has expanded to include weddings, banquets, and corporate events.
“My dad thought it was something I would like and I did . . . I’ve always liked music and grew up in a musical family,” he enthused, noting he recalls helping his father set up his equipment for his band as a youngster.
“I was pretty nervous in the beginning, though,” he admitted. “Being in charge of the entertainment at an event is a pretty big thing.”
Armit noted with help from his dad, he learned about the sound equipment, how to set it up, and how to read a crowd to know what kind of music they would like.
With his payments from some of these gigs, Armit was able to buy his own equipment, piece by piece, including one of the largest lights shows between Thunder Bay and Winnipeg.
He also has a large library containing “thousands and thousands” of songs.
“I didn’t really expect it to take off this quickly, but it’s a small town and word spreads,” Armit remarked, adding he thought it would take him at least 10 years to get to where he is now—not four.
But Armit is doing more than just hauling equipment around and playing music; he’s running a business. From buying advertising and working at trade shows to scheduling, managing money, and drawing up contracts, he’s learning all aspects of entrepreneurship.
And he plans to use this experience to further a career in business down the road.
“I know it will be the best it can be—a business of high quality,” he said, adding in addition to receiving help from his parents, business-related classes at Fort Frances High School also have proved beneficial.
Armit indicated his bedroom is covered with brochures and business cards, looking more like an office than a teenage boys’ bedroom, but that’s all right with him.
And not only does he manage to run his successful business and attend school, but he also has a part-time job at Sparky’s Confectionary, is the director of night-time entertainment for the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship, and is the sound and light technician for the Fort Frances Jr. Sabres.
“It gets busy at times and it’s stressful,” he admitted. “My New Year’s Eve, and most Saturday nights in the summer, are basically gone.
“I miss out on some things, but that’s what happens—it’s totally worth it,” he said of juggling his business and life as a teen.
Armit noted taking on the responsibility of running your own business provides a lot of great experiences. And he doesn’t feel his youthful age has hampered the success of his business.
“Some people might think ‘Why should I trust him?” but just because I’m young doesn’t mean I don’t know what I’m doing,” he stressed. “And I think a lot of people don’t pass judgment like that.”
And for those who don’t choose Wildfire Music because of Armit’s age, he’ll just continue to do what he’d doing and hopefully prove himself.
“I get a sense of accomplishment competing in a market with people who are older than me,” he remarked. “It feels good to know I can do as well as them.”
Armit said requests for his services are starting to sky-rocket, with the 2008 season beginning to book up quickly. He indicated besides dee-jaying at the high school prom, he really enjoys wedding gigs.
“People are there to have a good time,” he said, noting it’s also a good place to receive recommendations. “If you have a good track record, people will realize that.”
Most recently, Armit attended the 2007 Wedding Expo in Kenora, and will also have an advertisement in a wedding magazine that will be distributed in Northwestern Ontario and Manitoba.
“Within an hour of leaving the expo, I had bookings rolling in,” he noted. “We serve the Rainy River District and the region, Kenora, Dryden.
“Wherever people want me to go, I’ll go,” he pledged.
Armit said his dream is to make his business even bigger, perhaps with branches of Wildfire Music in communities across Northwestern Ontario—or even across the country one day.
“I’d like to make it as big as possible without compromising the quality of the service,” he stressed. “I have a high standard of professionalism and like to work one-on-one with my clients.”
Although Armit will be attending a post-secondary institution next year, he vowed he won’t be shutting down his business.
“It’ll be a bit more limited, but I want to keep it going,” he said. “I’ll be in Thunder Bay, so I’ll be able to come back on weekends and at Christmas.”
And since school is out from the end of April until September, Armit noted he’ll be back here for the busiest season—wedding season.
“Business is going to be great this year,” he enthused. “Summer’s filling up fast and so are Christmas bookings.”
For more information about Wildfire Music, contact Armit at 1-888-272-1245, via e-mail at info@WildfireMusic.ca, or visit www.wildfiremusic.ca
(Fort Frances Times)