We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Michael Orgeman a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Michael, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
Self-esteem and confidence are attributes that need to be cultivated and monitored. I’m naturally an introverted person, a symptom of that can be a lack of confidence and self-esteem. I develop my confidence through practice and repetition. For example, a two hour Dj set may take me multiple days to cultivate. If I go into an event knowing that I have a plan, my confidence and creativity is elevated knowing that I have created a foundation to build from during the show. My self-esteem is developed from the emotions of others at the event. Music is emotional and music is magic, my job is to curate a musical journey that sends a message and drives emotions. If I’m able to take individuals away from the stressors of life for a few hours, then I have done my job. As a result, I escape the stressors of my life and my self-esteem grows. It’s also important to monitor your self-esteem and confidence. Listen to your body, exercise, drink water and seek therapy.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I’m a Dj/Turntablist for the record label Hecatomb. Our primary objective is to foster growth, confidence and artistry through the creation of music. A recent project that I’m very proud of is “The Collaboratory”. The Collaboratory is an artistic union of live performances founded by Carnage the Executioner/Terrell X and co-hosted by me (Dj Piecemeal). What is special about this event is that it brings individuals of different races, ethnicities, sexual orientations and musical genres together through the power of music. The general idea of the event is that each individual has the opportunity to perform an individual 30 minute set and then all performers come together and improvise a musical set at the end. What is beautiful about this concept is the unscripted nature of individuals from different walks of life communicating through music.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The three qualities, skills or areas of knowledge that stand out to me and my journey are: finding a mentor, develop your craft based on passion and be in the moment.
Seek to find a mentor that not only has proven success within their field but will also push you to excel at your craft. I was lucky enough to find a mentor/mentee relationship with Carnage the Executioner/Terrell X. Terrell has been a nationwide household name within the hiphop community for decades. I was fortunate enough to start out as a fan within the Minneapolis hip hop community and then an artist. Terrell has been instrumental in educating me around the business side of the music industry and the personal side of individual growth. From merchandising and marketing myself to developing as a human becoming, Terrell has been monumental in my growth.
Develop your craft based on passion. Entrepreneurs are generally passionate people, they start with a concept that they are passionate about and then monetize it. Unfortunately, passion can be lost when it is turned into a revenue stream. Focus on why you fell in love with your product and continue to work on nurturing that love. The same method can be translated to life and the relationships you hold. As I work on music, I remind myself of why I fell in love with the process to begin with. The journey is not always fun and there is always a new challenge awaiting me but music has gotten me through difficult times and I have to remember that.
Be in the moment. The end user will never know the time and amount of work you put into your product. However, the end user will benefit from the service you provide. Take time to recognize that the product you provide has benefited someone. What I love about my job, is I get to see this in real time. Don’t forget to stop and smell the roses.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
The biggest obstacle or challenge I face is monetizing the need for music at live events. Being a Dj/Turntablist is more than showing up to an event and pushing play. Dj’s spend hours upon hours practicing routines, reaching out to events and marketing themselves effectively. There is a lot of “behind the scenes work” that goes into this craft and we bring value to any event. We are passionate about our art and genuinely care about driving the experience of the event, I feel that artists should be compensated accordingly.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/djpiecemeal
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dj_piecemeal
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