How long does it take you to set & break down for your events? Back when I started to dj it took at least 2 hours to get it all set up & sounding right. Breaking down was not much faster & in some cases took longer. As time has past tech has changed & now that music is down loaded, speakers are powered and the most it takes is 15 to 20 minutes both as setting up & breaking down.
The new challenges come from venues placing time requirements in their contracts. Why is this big deal? Mostly because you still need time to make sure everything sounds right and is secured. The other problem comes from what happens if your not out in time? The event folks who are putting the event on get fee’s added to their contract & of course the entertainment gets billed. The thing is to have a system in place to be quick.
Your set up & break down will go fast if you do the following things. Have cases for your wires & cables. Have cables tag with what it connects to. Have everything coiled up neatly. Next know what is loaded into the venue first. This way you do things the same way each time. Loading your car should be part of the system too. Having a dolly is recommended to maximize your time. As a dj you will automatically know what connects where. By having a set up system you will not sweat the small stuff. The event time will be your main focus.
May your gigs be the best they can be!