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Isaiah Colbert, known around Kansas City as DJ Swig, has transformed his passion for music into an event planning empire.
What started as a DJ service has evolved into Play Event Company, a full-service business that has found its rhythm in the event planning industry.
"About 70% of what we do is weddings," Colbert said.
But Swig is not just spinning tracks behind the turntables, his company offers an all-encompassing approach to event planning, providing music, decor, lighting and photography services all under one roof.
"Play Event Company is an all-in-one event solution," Colbert said.
Founded during the COVID-19 pandemic, Play Event Company faced the typical challenges of a startup launched during uncertain times. However, a pivotal moment came in 2022 when Colbert received a grant that changed the trajectory of his business.
"That helped take our business to a whole new level," Colbert said. "It help take it from a me thing to a we thing, and helped me take myself out of the forefront of the business and put us as an entity in the forefront."
The grant came through Kansas City GIFT, a Black-led nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting Black-owned businesses in Kansas City's urban core.
For many entrepreneurs, this type of support can be transformational.
"It can often make the difference between success and failure," said Karis Harrington, KC GIFT's chief operating officer. "Right in the heart of Kansas City, Missouri. This is the area we've chosen to serve because the businesses that surround us are vital and vibrant, but sometimes lack those opportunities or access to things like capital, resources and the kinds of education that helps those businesses grow and become sustainable."
The organization provides comprehensive support, including marketing and business classes, legal assistance and website development. For Colbert, access to these resources has been instrumental in elevating his business operations.
"From our legitimacy, our operations, our clientele, we reached a whole new level," Colbert said. "Because we're able to have the nicer equipment, have a reason to be in these nicer spaces, have a reason to reach out to some of the high-end clients, the bigger productions. Because we’re able to do that so naturally — so, it changed our whole market, it changed our whole trajectory."
The work KC GIFT does extends beyond individual business success. Harrington sees their mission as part of a larger historical movement.
"We are creating Black history," Harrington said. "We will be those history makers at some point, so being diligent about our efforts to support Black-owned businesses and build a healthy Black economic eco system is very important."
You can learn more about KC GIFT and Play Event Company here.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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