Brookfield native has ‘Majic” Business skills
UW-Madison senior a fast growing business owner
By Joe Petroe, Freeman Staff
BROOKFIELD - -Brookfield native Michael Jurken has had a passion for music for a long time.
When he was in sixth grade, Jurken got a taste of the music industry by working as a D.J. for events and private parties across the area. His dad would drive him to events and shows where Jurken said he got to live out his passion.
“I love the thrill of producing a live event,” he said. “You get such an adrenaline rush. I love the industry.”
Jurken, now 22 years old and a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is living his dream of working in the music industry as the owner of Majic Enterprises Inc. In Brookfield.
Majic Enterprises started to grow early in the decade, Jurken said, with a big break coming in 2005 when he was asked to do a small event for the band Hanson.
Over the years, he expanded from offering just D.J. services, to light and sound services and recently began talent services. His company is one of the largest of its kind in the metro Milwaukee area and is expanding into areas such as Chicago and Madison.
He also launched the web site www.reviewaconcert.com , which has become the world’s largest internet concert review site,
Jurken said the company was based out of a storage unit in 2006. Now it has a 6,000 square-foot facility with 34 employees.
While most people might find it amazing that Jurken can manage such a rapidly growing company while living in Madison, his business savvy is predominately self-taught.
“I’ve only taken one business course,” Jurken, who is a history major, said. “But my professor Phil Kim at Madison has been really supportive of me and Chancellor Biddy Martin has also been really supportive.”
Jurken’s success recently got recognized as he represented the United States at the Global Student Entrepreneur Finals in Kansas City, MO where he competed against 28 of the most successful young entrepreneurs in the world.
“It was really fun,” he said. “It was a cool experience.”
Joe Sweeney met Jurken about eight years through his children who made friends with him at Marquette University High School. He has helped guide young entrepreneur through his ventures.
“They say if you love what you do, it’s not like you’re working. Well if that’s thrue at 22, I don’t think Mike has worked a day in his life,” Sweeney said. “He’s very passionate about what he does and he loves doing it.”
Jurken will graduate in spring and come home to manage his business full time, with ambitions of expanding it further, by opening an office in Chicago and the southwest in the next five years. He also plans to expand his focus on talent management.
“I’m providing a livelihood for people by just being myself,” he said. “That’s really cool.”