Today we’d like to introduce you to Marcus Toler.
Hi Marcus, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’ve always been wired to connect people.
My entrepreneurial journey started back in the MySpace era, before social media marketing was even called social media marketing. I was throwing events, promoting parties, building audiences, and learning in real time how attention, trust, and community could turn into opportunity.
That early hustle turned into 360 Marketing, where I started helping businesses with lead generation, promotions, CRM systems, and growth strategy. Over time, I realized I wasn’t just interested in marketing. I was interested in building ecosystems — places where small businesses, creatives, nonprofits, and everyday people could win together.
Today, I lead 360 Elevate Holdings and the brands under it, including Big Day Productions, Go Local Productions, and Go Local FXBG.
Big Day Productions focuses on weddings, private events, DJ services, photo booths, and entertainment experiences. Go Local Productions helps businesses and organizations grow through marketing, events, media, websites, and local campaigns. Go Local FXBG is our nonprofit focused on creating opportunity through internships, workforce development, entrepreneurship, and community programs.
A lot of my story comes down to this: I’ve taken what I learned from grassroots promotion and turned it into something bigger than just business. I want to build things that create revenue, open doors, and leave a legacy in the Fredericksburg region and beyond.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, it definitely has not been a smooth road.
One of my biggest challenges has been feeling like I did not always fit neatly into the local business world. A lot of business spaces are very traditional — get down to business, get the work done, keep it moving. I respect that, but I have always been more of a connector, storyteller, creative thinker, and community builder. I see business through people, relationships, events, marketing, culture, and impact. For a while, I had to learn how to communicate that in a way people could understand and value.
Coming from West Virginia, I was not exposed to a lot of business ownership or entrepreneurship growing up. I did not come from a background where people were sitting around teaching me about branding, lead generation, CRM systems, nonprofit development, or building companies. A lot of what I know came from trial, error, late nights, real-life experience, and being willing to figure it out when there was no clear roadmap.
Another challenge has been evolving publicly. For years, many people knew me as DJ360 or the guy behind events and entertainment. I am proud of that, because DJing and events taught me how to read a room, bring people together, promote, sell, follow up, and create memorable experiences. But as I grew into marketing, business consulting, CRM systems, websites, community events, and nonprofit work, it took time for people to understand the bigger picture of what I was building.
That transition from DJ to entrepreneur, marketing strategist, event producer, and nonprofit founder has probably been one of the hardest parts. Sometimes people only see the thing they first knew you for. I had to keep showing up, keep building, and keep proving that the work was bigger than one service or one title.
I have also had to learn how to balance creativity with structure. Big ideas are great, but businesses need systems. Nonprofits need processes. Clients need clear deliverables. Teams need leadership. Over time, I have had to grow from being the person who could make things happen by hustle alone into someone who is building companies, systems, partnerships, and programs that can last.
The biggest lesson has been that not fitting in can actually become your advantage. I may not have come from a traditional business background, but I came from grassroots marketing, real relationships, live events, community connection, and problem-solving. That perspective is what shaped Big Day Productions, Go Local Productions, and Go Local FXBG.
Today, those challenges are part of the story. They are the reason I care so much about helping small businesses, young people, creatives, and underserved communities get access to the knowledge, tools, and opportunities I had to learn the hard way. My road has not been smooth, but it has given me the exact experience I need to build something meaningful in Fredericksburg, Stafford, Spotsylvania, and the greater FXBG region.
We’ve been impressed with Go Local Productions, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Go Local Productions is a Fredericksburg-based marketing, media, and event production company focused on helping small businesses, nonprofits, venues, and community organizations grow through visibility, connection, and strategy.
At its core, Go Local Productions helps businesses get seen and build stronger relationships with the people they serve. We work on local marketing campaigns, event promotion, websites, CRM systems, lead generation, content creation, community partnerships, and branded experiences. A lot of our work is built around helping local businesses stop guessing and start building better systems for growth.
My background started in events and entertainment, which is why our work is very people-focused. Through Big Day Productions, we provide DJ services, photo booths, uplighting, karaoke, trivia, weddings, private events, corporate events, and community entertainment. That experience taught me how to read a room, create energy, promote events, and bring people together in a way that feels memorable and authentic.
Go Local Productions grew from that same foundation, but expanded into helping businesses and organizations with the strategy behind the attention. We specialize in local marketing, community events, event-based campaigns, small business visibility, digital systems, and helping brands create real connections both online and offline.
I’m also the founder of Go Local FXBG, a nonprofit serving Fredericksburg, Stafford, Spotsylvania, and the surrounding region. Go Local FXBG focuses on youth internships, workforce development, entrepreneurship, digital skills, mentorship, and community programs. That nonprofit side is important because it connects the business work to a bigger purpose: creating opportunity for young people, underserved communities, creatives, and local entrepreneurs.
What sets us apart is that we are not just a marketing company sitting behind a laptop making posts. We are in the community. We are at the events. We are working with small business owners, nonprofits, venues, students, and local leaders. We understand the real challenges that local businesses face because we are building right alongside them.
I’m most proud that the brand has become more than one service. It is becoming an ecosystem. Events create connection. Marketing creates visibility. Systems create growth. Nonprofit programs create opportunity. When those things work together, you can build something that serves both business and community.
What I want readers to know is that Go Local Productions is built for people who care about growth, but also care about impact. Whether we are helping promote a local event, building a small business campaign, creating entertainment experiences, or developing community programs, the goal is always the same: help people get seen, get connected, and move forward.
What’s next?
My future plans are focused on expanding the work I’m already doing at the intersection of marketing, events, entrepreneurship, and community impact.
One of my biggest goals is to work with more nonprofits and mission-driven organizations to help them grow their marketing strategy, tell their stories better, build stronger systems, and reach the people who need their services. A lot of nonprofits are doing incredible work, but they do not always have the marketing support, technology, or visibility they need to grow. I want Go Local Productions to help close that gap.
Through Go Local FXBG, I also plan to continue creating real-world learning opportunities for high school and college students. I believe students need more than classroom theory. They need hands-on experience with marketing, websites, social media, CRM systems, event planning, business development, and community projects. The goal is to help them build confidence, skills, and portfolios before they enter the workforce.
Beyond students, I want to expand our programs to support more people who need access to opportunity — including veterans, returning citizens, underserved communities, aspiring entrepreneurs, and people who may not have had a traditional path into business. I want to create programs that teach practical entrepreneurship, digital skills, marketing, financial basics, leadership, and how to turn ideas into something real.
Geographically, I’m excited about the possibility of expanding beyond Fredericksburg, Stafford, and Spotsylvania into Richmond, Northern Virginia, and eventually other communities. Long-term, I could see this model growing nationwide because every community has small businesses that need support, young people who need opportunity, nonprofits that need visibility, and entrepreneurs who need guidance.
The big picture is to build an ecosystem where business growth and community impact work together. Events bring people together. Marketing helps organizations grow. Education gives people tools. Partnerships create momentum. That is the future I’m working toward — building something local, scalable, and meaningful enough to leave a legacy.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://golocalproductions.com/ , https://golocalfxbg.org/ , https://bigdayproductions.biz/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/golocalfxbg/ , https://www.instagram.com/bigdayproductions/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/golocalfxbg , https://www.facebook.com/BigDayProductions/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcus-toler
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@golocalfxbg
