Bizar Entertainment might seem like your typical business for weddings or Bar Mitzvahs. But the Deerfield-based entertainment enterprise also strives to empower and enlighten young children.
Meet Jeff Bizar, an entrepreneur who went from ordinary emcee to motivational speaker.
Originally from Glenview and a graduate of Glenbrook South High School, Bizar had every intention of studying law. But his family of lawyers steered him away from that path.
“In 1992, I graduated from the University of Illinois. Like today, there weren’t a lot of jobs,” Bizar recalled. “My dream was to go to Northwestern Law School to become a sports agent. But a bunch of the lawyers in my family were discouraging me because so many people were going to law school.”
It took a timely gig to find his calling behind the microphone.
“It was the Bat Mitzvah of my fraternity brother’s sister. The family was nice enough to book me and needless to say it went very well,” Bizar said. “This gave me my first taste. I still took the LSAT, but thought, ‘I need to start my own company. I’m never going to be a lawyer.’ I started it out of my parents’ basement in Glenview.”
After three years, in 1995 Bizar Entertainment moved into a real office. The company offered DJs, emcees and dancers for an array of celebrations and events. However, it took a tragedy for Bizar to realize his true passion.
“In December of ’92, I had a girlfriend named Amy who passed away from an eating disorder,” Bizar recalled. “I went to my parents, who were both educators, and said, ‘What do you think of me going to schools and talking to kids about believing in themselves and making smart decisions in a cool, relatable way?'”
Bizar saw an opportunity to use music and entertainment as a way to connect with children. He envisioned real characters to bring this initiative to life.
“Instead of doing this as a DJ, I created these superheroes, Dr. Cool and Pride. And their superpower was music,” Bizar explained. “I wrote original songs that are all-empowering for kids to stop and think. We also filmed a DVD called “The Feeling Good Concert.””
Now under the umbrella of Bizar Entertainment, Bizar brings this fun and interactive show to more than 75 schools per year.
“While the DJing has always been the heart of the company, the soul has been the motivational speaking,” Bizar said.
Over the years, Bizar has partnered with many organizations, including CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) Lake County.
“We recruit volunteers and put them through an organized training course to look out for the best interest of a child who have been abused or neglected,” said Joanie Bayhach, Director of Communication and Development for CASA.
“On May 4, we had our spring fundraiser in Highland Park,” Bayhach added. “Jeff came highly recommended for a conservative crowd. He got everyone up and dancing. It was great to end the event with people feeling really positive about CASA. And that’s what any good DJ does — they read their crowd, pick the right music and know how to get them on the dance floor.”
Bizar’s knack for catering to his audience makes for the quintessential performance for kids. His own past has taught him that everyone faces challenges, but you must always move forward.
“We’ve been telling kids how special they are for a long time. But what they need to hear is that ‘Yes, you are special and unique, but life is not fair and bad things are going to happen,'” Bizar explained. “So, we’re trying to teach kids that if they have a problem, they need to go talk to their teacher or parent. A lot of life you don’t get to control. But there are certain times where if you choose to be resilient and put effort into everything you do, you can do almost anything.”
For information on Bizar Entertainment, visit bizaronline.com.
For information on Dr. Cool and Pride, visit drcoolandpride.com.
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