Cooper Brown had no aspirations to become a DJ—he just liked to entertain. One Saturday night when he was 16 and nothing else was going on, Brown and his friend threw a backyard dance party. In the following days at school, their classmates praised the party, and a business was born. Eight years later, Brown’s company, One Above Entertainment, has grown to be one of the top DJ businesses in Utah.
“I’ve been able to spread happiness and joy through the business that I love,” says Brown, who has worked more than 250 events to entertain thousands of people.
Now a senior strategy major, Brown continues to run his thriving business while juggling classes, extracurricular activities, and his responsibilities as the Strategy Club president.
“I don’t like sitting still,” he says.
With his social nature, Brown came to BYU planning to study public relations. He soon learned, however, that PR wasn’t for him, so he decided to switch to business—after all, he owned one. While searching for the right emphasis, Brown met the president of the Strategy Club. Impressed by his kindness and sincerity, Brown decided to attend a club meeting.
“That’s how I got hooked on strategy,” he says.
By utilizing the Strategy Club, Brown got into the strategy program, found an internship with Walmart, and recently landed a full-time position with Lucid Software.
In an effort to give back to the club that helped him, Brown became a club director his junior year and now serves as president. Since his tenure began, he and his VPs have broadened the reach of the strategy program and have increased club membership from 150 to 350.
“It’s really rewarding to me to see that other students are benefiting from the club just as much as I did,” he says.
The club has also given him confidence in business and consulting principles he has learned outside of class. In club meetings and case competitions, Brown has learned about the importance of finding and focusing on a company’s unique value propositions.
For example, in his work as a DJ, Brown sets himself apart as an engaging entertainer. He hits the dance floor at weddings, getting everyone from grandparents to nieces and nephews moving. He pumps up the crowd at school dances so that all of the students have their hands in the air.
“That’s how I sell myself,” he says. “I’ve learned about the power of focusing on what you are best at and leveraging that to set yourself apart.”
Brown says everything from his DJ business to his future career has been affected by the Strategy Club.
“It has built my confidence in knowing that through hard work and persistence, I can achieve whatever I set my mind to and whatever I truly desire,” he says.
