By Utamu Belle
Young, talented Linden deejay Terry Fortune is doing more with his skills than just musically entertaining the crowds. The enterprising young man has developed his deejaying skills into a business for himself, by establishing his very own Marketing Agency.
The young entertainer has proven that you can utilize your talents to become marketable and create employment for yourself and others.
Fortune, who is well- known as “DJ Terry” started deejaying approximately 8 years ago. While this is a passion which he has nurtured and grown to love, he has always been actively involved in community development projects.
Fortune, a former Wisburg Secondary School student. is presently the Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) Road Safety Coordinator of the Fundraising Committee. In addition to that, he holds a number of other portfolios which includes Public Relations Officer of the Connections Youth Group and Founder and Marketing Manager for his own business – Connections Marketing Agency.
Fortune describes being a deejay as a “God-given talent” since he was born into a family of numerous musicians.
“Since about 2000 I started playing around music. I always had that passion. Interacting with international artistes, I would have realized that you can bring something different to entertainment that Guyanese can actually utilize and I just ran with it. I never stopped. I have my online radio station, my website that we have created,” he told the Sunday Times Magazine.
Fortune explained that ‘Connections’ was a name that his father came up with and is one used on all of his brands.
“We have a sound system named Connections Sounds, we have an online radio station, we have Connections Marketing Agency,” he boasted.
The new Marketing Agency which is located at West Watooka, Wismar was birthed and established in 2016 but officially got up and running approximately 2 months ago. The agency specializes in graphic design, social media and online marketing, email marketing, branding and design, event marketing, media planning, product packaging, search marketing, web development, and promotional CD’s.
The idea for his business, he explained, came about after he became aware of the need for such an agency in the community. This was to propel to his community to greater heights. Hence, the reason to incorporate his skills.
Fortune noted that his passion for marketing grew in 2005 after he completed a marketing course and decided to broaden his knowledge in Barbados in 2007. He is of the view that that standard marketing is in demand in Guyana. As such, he decided that upon his return home he would move in this direction.
“I see it as a need in Linden because business in the whole, generally need a facility to actually take it to a higher level- to that national level or international level. So, I see the need for it and I just decided that I should just establish my business…We use strategies which could be beneficial to the public.
“As you know, music or entertainment as a whole is something that the world at large grasp on. So, one of our solutions to marketing issues is the use of promotional mixtapes. So, me as a deejay already would do some promotional mixtapes, putting on some of the popular music that the general public would embrace highlights these businesses,” he said.
Having done numerous crash courses both locally and overseas, Fortune has developed his skills and continues to do so. He is using the knowledge of the local music scene to further advance the interests of his clients.
“I learned a lot during my years of being in entertainment, in terms of how to create websites, blogs, promote businesses, how to actually engage the public…engaging companies and putting them on that international platform- that’s my main objective. Linden and Guyana at large have the potential for international businesses,” he posited.
But the young entrepreneur explained that the main challenge for him is people seeing and understanding the potential and objective of the business. Nevertheless, he plans on expanding its horizons to greater heights.
“I’m aiming to establish it internationally, give everybody on the global market a taste of Connections Marketing Agency. You can promote businesses, artistes, events,” he said.
His advice for young entrepreneurs like himself is to stay focused and optimistic.
“You just have to believe in yourself and try to push for what you believe in. Getting people to understand your dreams is not easy but you have to do you. The challenge is usually execution. When you execute your dream, you don’t need an explanation. People will see it. If they don’t see it they will hear it,” he said.
