An Inspired Chat with Ryan Smith of Bonney Lake

Ryan Smith shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Ryan, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: Who are you learning from right now?
Currently, and for the last few years, I’ve been learning from a great group of DJ’s who I now have the pleasure of calling friends. I honestly don’t know where I would be without them. You hear about the importance of networking when you run a business and I can confirm that it is a very good thing to do. I’ve learned a lot by asking questions and helping them with events.
There are also a couple of social media pages that are a safe space to ask questions and share experiences for DJs. Being able to talk about trending songs and equipment methods, not only helps me, but the DJ community as a whole.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Ryan Smith and I am an educator, business owner, DJ, father, and husband. My DJ business is Level Up Mobile Entertainment and I offer premium wedding and event DJ services. I love serving wedding couples and being a part of helping friends and family come together to celebrate one of the most important days in one’s life. It’s one of the greatest joys in my life to do.
My company also provide services for private events, like school dances and corporate events, where I get to do what I love – bringing people together.
In my spare time, I like traveling with my wife and two kids, as well as taking classes to become a teacher. It’s a busy time, but it’s all worth it.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
From my childhood to my late teens I had many traumatic experiences that left me in a state of survival. It was all about just getting through the day. I recently had to sit down and count all the schools I went to and I ended up at the number 12. It was extremely hard to make friends and lasting connections. I saw other families living well, having good clothes, homes, toys etc. I figured the nice things in life were for everyone else and not me. Growing up poor and in a broken family took its toll.
As an adult I’ve had to retrain my brain to say that I am allowed to have and experience nice things in life. It’s ok for me to get a nice haircut or a good pair of jeans!

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
I would say that suffering can lead to success and success can lead to suffering. In a strange way it all seems connected because you can’t have one without the other. Suffering has taught me how to appreciate success and do everything I can to stay successful.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
After years of trying to find my way, I’ve found that living a life of service to others is the most rewarding. I spent 10 years of my life chasing the dream of working at Boeing only to find that it didn’t hold the values I was really looking for.
Eventually, I found myself working in education and it has been life changing for me. I love helping students learn and being a stable person for them on a daily basis. I’m excited to take my education journey to new heights as I work on an education degree. I’ve found that giving can be the most rewarding thing in life.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What will you regret not doing? 
Honestly I will regret not going into business earlier in life. If I had started my company 10 years earlier I would be a lot farther along! I do believe that things happen for a reason so maybe I wouldn’t have been ready when I was younger. I also wouldn’t have the drive I do now to make up for lost time.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Ryan Smith. Level Up Mobile Entertainment.

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