Boston Disc Jockey Exceeding Expectations

Drew Panico says he was just 15-years old when it first happened. He wouldn’t call it “actual” DJing – but he jumped at the chance to spin a close friend’s birthday party as a freshman in high school.

“I always wanted to be a DJ,” says Panico, who’s been the man behind the music for as long as anybody who knows him can remember. “I used to pretend to be a radio DJ as a young kid with a pair of computer speakers at family parties. I considered myself an expert at keeping two YouTube tabs open simultaneously so I could crossfade between tracks.”

Fast forward almost a decade and by the age of 16, Panico had started his own company – a Boston-based entertainment boutique called Panico Entertainment Co.

Many years later, business is thriving.

“We primarily serve the Greater Boston, Rhode Island, and Southern New Hampshire markets, but I’m willing to travel anywhere in New England and even beyond,” he says. “Why limit myself? If the demand is there, I’ll be there too. I have no geographic boundaries.”

This past summer, Panico found himself travelling down to New York City for a large corporate expo, run by a Massachusetts company that has utilized his services on past occasions.

“They ran the idea by me and basically asked if I’d be game for a road trip,” he said. “I love the fact that I get to combine my passion of travel with my desire to deliver high end entertainment experiences.”

Panico says one of the most essential aspects of his business is the “experience mentality” that he lives by when interacting with his clients. He applies this concept to the event itself, and – equally as important – to the entire booking and event prep processes leading up to the big day.

“If my clients feel like cogs in the machine who are simply getting processed – think a visit to the RMV – then I haven’t done a good job of creating an ‘experience.’”

He also naturally assumes a can-do approach in terms of providing entertainment and event consulting. “Clients always like to hear ideas about making their event stand out,” he says.

After all, “Unrivaled customer service” and “Event planning expertise” are two of the three tenets in his company’s slogan.

He adds that referrals constitute well over fifty-percent of his business, and he considers every event he does an audition for the next one.

In addition to his recent trip to the Big Apple, Panico has secured several substantial corporate clients over the past few years, including Dunkin’ Brands, Adidas, the National Education Association, and the former South Weymouth Naval Air Station’s major redevelopment project Union Point, where he serves as the resident DJ for the Amazon HQ2 contender’s popular Food Truck Rodeos and Fall Festival events.

He has also formed partnerships with event planners at a number of prominent venues like Lombardo’s, Gillette Stadium, the Hyatt Regency Conference Centers in Boston and Cambridge, and the Seaport Hotel & World Trade Center. Additionally, Panico’s company has contracts with a number of eastern Massachusetts school systems where he DJ’s proms, homecoming dances, pep rallies, and other traditional school celebrations.

But the most valuable experiences Panico has had since starting his business stem from giving back to the communities in which he operates.

The company offers an automatic 25 percent discount to military veterans and active duty service members, as well as police, fire, and other first responders.

Panico routinely donates his services to fundraisers and charitable organizations as well, including the Sgt. Daniel Vasselian Memorial Road Race and the Jeff Coombs Memorial 5K in his hometown of Abington. The events honor the memories of Marine Corps Sergeant Daniel Vasselian, who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2013 just two days before Christmas, and of Jeffrey Coombs, a passenger on Flight 11 in the September 11th terrorist attacks.

“I have been so unbelievably fortunate to have the opportunity to work with so many incredible organizations,” he says. “It’s what I love most about this industry.”

One of the larger events Panico has donated his services to year after year is the annual Boston River Run 5K race, which supports the Andrew Graham Semper Fi Fund, a charitable organization that honors the life of Marine Corps Corporal Andrew Graham Narcus and generates funds to endow scholarships at Massachusetts community colleges.

This year’s race, which just took place over Veteran’s Day Weekend, represented Panico’s third consecutive year donating DJ and emcee services to the organization.

“Drew’s partnership with the fundraiser is priceless,” said John Narcus, Race Director of the River Run. “His role in the event is so important to our success and I truly appreciate his service to our cause.”

For Veteran’s Day, Panico extended his everyday 25 percent military discount by tacking on an additional 25 percent savings, for a total of 50 percent off any event booked for the 2018 season. The deal runs through Saturday, Nov. 18th.

In business since 2011, Panico says that if he were to give any advice to an up-and-comer, it would be to develop skills first.

“It sounds simple, but you’d be surprised by how easy it is to market yourself as the best thing since sliced bread, but once you’re put in a pressure situation, you’re exposed for what you are,” he says. “What we do at private events is manage chaos. If you don’t have the skills as a foundation to work off of, it makes managing chaos impossible (and could even end up being the primary cause of that chaos).”

Panico goes on to say that with online reviews being so integral to his industry, this can take you down quickly and be difficult to recover.

“Put in the time to develop your skills, whether it be through mentors or workshops or videos,” he says. “You will reap what you sow. I’m a case study of that philosophy.”

To make an event successful, Panico works hard at “reading” the crowd. When kids and adults are present, he tries to figure out how to “bridge that generational gap” and get the adults and kids involved together.

“Just seeing people enjoying their lives at that moment is one of the most rewarding experiences,” Panico said.

Panico also runs a blog on his website, covering everything from recaps of events he’s worked to tips and tricks for couples planning a wedding.

“Keeping people informed about the world of DJ entertainment in a way that doesn’t necessarily always include information about only my business is important,” Panico says. “Things would probably get pretty boring if my blog posts were just a continually updated, glorified resume.”

And the tips and ideas he includes in the blog, he says, “legitimately help people with the potentially unfamiliar territory of event planning.”

When asked about the biggest struggle he experiences while running the business out of his South Shore headquarters, Panico says “The biggest challenge for me is probably balancing the daily operations of the business with my life.”

As is the case with many entrepreneurs, Panico has his hand in every part of the business; sales, client management, finances, business development, etc. And while his real passion is his ever-expanding DJ business, he also has a full-time job with the Department of Homeland Security in Boston and attends Bridgewater State University as a criminal justice student.

He says he likes to spend what’s left of his free time with his girlfriend and their new puppy.

As for where he sees the business in five years, Panico can only think about it in terms of the success his company has seen to date. He says he hopes to be working with more clients and bigger brands in the future.

“My success has been based on the foundation of establishing great relationships with my clients,” he says. “I truly enjoy planning with them as I become not just another vendor, but a partner in creating their special day.”

Panico adds that the relationship doesn’t always end there.

“Often times we’ll even keep in touch after events, whether it be meeting up at local functions, or at a private event that resulted from their referral,” he says. “So to ask where I’ll be in five years – if I continue down this path, if I keep exceeding the expectations of my clients while treating them like cherished friends – in five years I’m going to have not only more referrals for my services, but I’m going to have a lot more friends.”

Panico Entertainment Co. is a mobile entertainment and event planning company headquartered in Hanover, Massachusetts. Learn more about Panico Entertainment Co. at www.djdrewpanico.com