Images by Jeff Sampson Photography
The world didn’t end, and a new year has arrived! See who made the list for 2012’s Young Leaders, nominated by YOU!
Jeff Meuzelaar (aka DJ Kor)
Age: 26
Hometown: Pella, Iowa
Entrepreneur
While other teenagers are busy worrying about things like getting their driver’s license, their latest spout of acne, or their looming homework due date, Jeff Meuzelaar had the entrepreneurial itch.
“Starting in high school I started DJing,” said Meuzelaar. “I did some high school dances and some weddings.”
Now locally and regionally known as DJ Kor, Meuzelaar has one thing he worries about: his jam-packed schedule.
With several businesses, DJing, and a contract with a nightclub to boot, Google Calendar “is a must.” If only it could help his inbox.
“My e-mail inbox is a disaster,” he laughed.
Meuzelaar originally made his business, dubbed Musical Edge, official while attending Dordt College. His e-marketing professor, Paul Ten Haken, helped him market himself.
“[Paul] turned me on to how to build my own website [and] what Google Adwords was… Using Google Adwords we did around $30,000 of business our first year of college as a DJ company,” explained Meuzelaar. “We probably spent $100 the whole year.”
Once he graduated in 2008, he joined Ten Haken as his first employee as an online marketing strategist at Click Rain, an online marketing firm, in Sioux Falls.
“I worked with him for two years,” Meuzelaar said. “I learned a lot.”
Following Click Rain, Meuzelaar partnered with Brian Brua and started Fused Interactive in Brandon, a website development and online marketing company. After six months, Meuzelaar decided to amicably part ways and take the leap to become fully self-employed.
“I definitely was nervous, but I had the DJ business as supplementary income, so if Fused Interactive didn’t work out I still could at least pay my bills,” Meuzelaar said.
Musical Edge DJ Service is now two entities: Musical Edge DJ Service – Des Moines and Musical Edge DJ Service – Sioux Falls.
“We’re actually a bigger fish in Des Moines,” Meuzelaar said, who incorporated the business in Des Moines and merged with First Choice Productions.
Meuzelaar also co-owns Nightlife Media Labs with a partner in Pennsylvania.
“We focus mainly on websites and marketing materials for the nightlife industry, whether it be a nightclub, DJs—club DJs, mobile DJs—but mainly in the nightlife industry,” he said.
It’s only natural that with his background and experience that Meuzelaar became the entertainment director at The Vault Nightclub in the last year.
“I do everything from the graphic design, marketing, promotions, the majority of the event planning, hosting the events, and DJ as well,” he said.
Since his time there, Meuzelaar has started popular events like the EDM parties (volume 7 was in December), and has helped bring national DJs and musical acts like Jeremih.
“We have Chingy coming through Jan. 18,” he said.
A connection from The Vault introduced Meuzelaar to a source at Hot 104.7, an FM radio station that plays the latest hits. He was given the 47-minute segment Weekend Wakeup with DJ Kor that plays Fridays at 9 a.m. with his mixes he creates each week.
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