Before the founder story, there was nightlife
After moving to San Diego in 2006, William worked in Hillcrest nightlife and began learning to DJ after an invitation from DJ Nikno. The DJ Will Z chapter developed through club sets, Pride-related events, regional bookings and years of residency work.
San Diego clubs and regional Pride events
Public interviews document William as a resident DJ at Rich’s and Flicks “for years,” and describe bookings connected to Minneapolis Pride, San Jose and Long Beach. His sets centered on Top 40 and hip-hop, with the energy and accessibility needed to move large, mixed crowds.
DJ WillZ-Mobile and digital nightlife
San Diego Metro’s 2016 profile documented the DJ WillZ-Mobile app and described William as an early regional DJ to launch a dedicated mobile app across major app markets. The same profile connected him to Hillcrest Social and nightlife-oriented community promotion.
Why the DJ era still matters
The DJ years were more than entertainment. They taught William how rooms feel, how audiences move, how trust forms in real time and how culture can be built through shared public experiences. Those lessons became the foundation for Out at the Fair and his later storytelling work.