Conversations with Dexter Acsenvil and Joey Langford

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dexter Acsenvil and Joey Langford.

Hi Dexter and Joey, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Dexter – We started Lux Entertainment this summer. Joe, who was already a DJ asked me to join him in starting a business where he DJs and I MC events. I honestly wasn’t sure if I could do it at first just because I haven’t had a lot of experience speaking in front of large crowds. Joe believed in me and convinced me, and I’m the type of person that believes that personal growth comes from stepping out of your comfort zone. So I decided to just try it out. If it wasn’t working for me or I didn’t like it, then I would keep it honest with Joe and let him know. So far I’ve loved it. I love bringing positive energy to an event, hyping up the crowd, and teaching people new dances. We had our first 2 gigs in August and have our third coming up later this month. We have 2 more followings that in 2023 and are available for more as they come!

Joey – As long as I can remember, I’ve always loved music. I grew up in a humble Christian household with four other siblings (seven of us total in the family!), and my parents had great taste in music. We listened to anything from Funk/Soul, Classic rock, Christian rock, Hip-Hop, Jazz, classical music, and later country too. About 5 or 6 years ago, my older brother came to me and asked if I wanted to help him with his DJ business. At the time he was only doing a few weddings and gigs for friends. I accepted and we were off. He was the Emcee, and I was the DJ. I started by playing music from Spotify lists, but as I grew to enjoy mixing music, I started to learn/teach myself how to mix with professional programs.

Within the past year, my brother decided to hand the business over to me, since he was starting a new chapter in his life (getting married and having kids!). I knew I wanted to have another Emcee, so I contacted my close friend Dexter. Since then, we have dove into marketing, creating a logo and brand, and trying to give as much as we can, for a fair price. We want our clients to have a fun, memorable time, at a cost that works for them.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Dexter- I think the road has been smooth so far. Since we are still kind of just getting started, I think our struggle has been getting our name out there and promoting our brand. I think we’re on the right track though, we have our social media pages up and started posting content. We also have some other ideas we are ready to execute to get more people to know our name!

Joey – There have been a few challenges, one of them being time. When you have a 9-5 job, on top of the business you are starting/taking off with, it can consume a lot of your time, especially when you have a big family. It seems like most weekends are filling up with marketing, brainstorming, meeting with clients, and looking at every option/path to bettering our company. We are constantly trying to make sure we keep our social media pages updated, and keep ourselves tagged in the local Facebook group postings. The covid pandemic definitely created a challenge, because we felt like we were getting tons of inquiries prior to the start of it. Now we are slowly rebuilding that presence and booking more and more events.

My partner Dexter has been amazing to work with not only as an Emcee but also because he is very good with online updating/videos and online presence in general. That was a weak area when we first started. Dexter has totally helped make amazing videos and posts of our work, which has attracted quite a few views/inquiries!

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Dexter – So I am the MC (Master of Ceremonies). While Joe handles the music, my responsibility is to handle the mic. I make announcements, introduce people at events, get the crowd up on their feet and dancing, and overall keep them entertained and make sure they are having a good time. I think what I am most proud of is joining Joe and giving this whole thing a shot. I’ve enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would and I feel like I get better after each event. I think what sets me apart from others is that I really engage the audience and try to make everyone feel included by teaching them new moves and line dances. Not just your typical “cha-cha slide”, “cupid shuffle”, or “wobble”, but also dances like the “Electric Slide”, the “Hustle”, the “Booty Call”, and others that not a lot of people may know how to do. I especially love it because they are not too hard to catch onto. It doesn’t matter if you are young or old, if you can count 1,2,3,4 in your head then you can do these dances with me! I also work in IT as a full-time System Engineer.

Joey- I graduated with a bachelor’s in business. I work in banking as a business analyst. I absolutely love studying business and how to take products/services and make them the best they can be. When I go to events or weddings/business events where I get to listen to the sound, I take notes on how I can do the same thing, but better! I am a pretty competitive person when it comes to business. I try to use this mindset/skill with our DJ business. I try to take what everyone else is doing, but make it better and separate myself from the competition. All for a fair price that works for the clients. I think that one of the biggest deals for me, is meeting with the client, getting to know what price range they can afford, and working when them. Then, in the end, knowing that we helped someone have their dream wedding or event, without breaking the bank.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Dexter – It’s funny because growing up I was actually a very shy and introverted person. I did not like drawing attention to myself, but I loved dancing. I don’t think I’m that great at it but it’s something I love to do when the opportunity presents itself. Growing up in a Haitian family you had to be prepared to listen to loud music and dance at any type of gathering. My dad was a DJ for a while so I used to mess around with his equipment at home and play some music and just start dancing. As I got older I started putting myself out there and getting involved with new activities, meeting new people, and seeing new places which I think really got me to open up more. Since college, I’ve been that person among my friend groups and family that would host a cookout, party, game night, or any activity to get everyone together to do something fun and have a good time. I feel like I still sometimes have that shy and reserved side in me initially but can really open up and come out of my shell once I get comfortable. My other interests include traveling, working out, roller-skating, playing sports, and spending time with my girlfriend/family/friends.

Joey – I grew up as one of those kids with tons of determination but also very compassionate. If anyone ever told me I couldn’t do something, I would have to prove them wrong. I also had a heart for those in need. I remember giving toys to kids that didn’t have them as a kid, and I remember giving money to those that were in need too. Growing up in a Christian household really instilled values such as loving others, treating others with respect/how you would want to be treated, and using your God-given gifts to the best of your abilities. I was always interested in music since my parents were into all kinds of different genres of music when I was a kid. I started playing piano when I was a kid, and by age 12 I was asking my parents for a drum set. As a teen, I played drums in church and played with my brothers as well. I have been a drummer/musician ever since, and along the way, I also turned that passion into mixing music/being a DJ.

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