Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Siagel.
Michael, please share your story with us.
Almost 40 years ago, my father (Steven Siagel) was the DJ for his sister’s Bat Mitzvah celebration in the basement of his parents’ home on Garland Rd. in Newton. That special performance precipitated into more bookings than he could manage alone and so he enlisted the help of his wife Cindy (my mother), friends, and local talent to meet the staggering demand. Eventually, my father left his full time job at Kiss 108 to build Siagel Productions with my mom. The company grew swiftly from a simple DJ company into a full service entertainment and event planning company producing between 20 and 30 events in just one weekend. Over the most recent decade, I have secured the company’s future success by streamlining operations, cultivating new talent, refining services, and integrating the latest event technologies. What was once primarily Bar & Bat Mitzvah Entertainment Company has transformed into a multi-faceted organization providing entertainment and event planning for all celebrations, weddings, and corporate events. Today, Siagel Productions employs ten full time staff and over fifty part time talent to bring joy and ease to clients as they plan their most important moments. Our success over the past four decades can be attributed to the fact that we treasure each and every event. We tell our clients that their celebration is our life’s work and we mean it!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has not been a smooth road. They key to our business is getting amazing talented young entertainers to our events on time and ready to rock. Mastering the art of vetting, hiring, training, nurturing, scheduling, and retaining these individuals is really what has allowed us continued success over the decades. Instead of stocking and restocking our shelves with products, we train and retain exceptional people who make our clients extremely happy. Sometimes this means that in order to succeed, we need to take a vested interest in the happiness and success of our employees OUTSIDE of their work with us. This makes our work challenging but also incredibly exciting and rewarding.
Event planning by nature is also extremely difficult. Long hours, clients with exceptionally high expectations, and complicated production plans mean that it is important for all of us to stay balanced, healthy, and maintain some serious mental fortitude. This job is definitely not for the faint of heart!
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Siagel Productions entertains at 250-300 Bar & Bat Mitzvahs per year. We have clients who used our services at age 13 for their mitzvah, years later at their weddings, and are now planning THEIR kids Bar & Bat Mtizvahs with us. We are incredibly proud of this party rocking legacy and it can be attributed to our passion for treating every event as our own. Our roster of emcees, DJs, and dancers are unparalled and some have been with us for over 10 years. MC Cedric who entertained at Michael Siagel’s Bar Mitzvah in 1999 is STILL smashing parties for the company.
As a full service event planning company we have been able to assist many high profile corporate clients in planning milestones, product launches, holiday events and summer outings. This would not be possible if we were a one dimensional DJ company. Some of our past clients include Amgen, Google, and Egencia.
What were you like growing up?
I was always a nice guy. Played some sports but loved video gaming more – I still play video games today as a 31 year old. Maybe it’s because my profession has kept me so young! Going to parties all the time, dancing regularly, being exposed to new and crazy ideas for entertainment and decor, DJing & MCing myself, it’s all probably stunted my growth into a typical adult. But I wouldn’t trade it! Today I am proud of the company and what it has become. I could have just become a DJ but I’d be lying if I said that was enough for me. I like that we do mitzvahs, corporate events, and weddings and that we are not just a “DJ company”. As a kid, I prided myself on being able to geek out on video games, hike hardcore in the woods, and go to a night club all in one day. I guess this type of versatility has stuck with me and helped me build Siagel Productions into the multi-faceted company it is today.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2000 Commonwealth Ave
- Website: www.siagelproductions.com
- Phone: 6176145422
- Email: michael@siagel.com
Image Credit:
Steph Stevens Photo
Robert Castagna Photography
Sly Photography
Hilary Colleen
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