In this interview, Norman Ng talks about his career in magic which includes family, lifestyle design, and building his own talent agency.

Norman Ng is a magician and talent agent based out of Maine.

Being full-time going on thirteen years, Norman has performed live for more than 500,000 people in all of North America including Canada and has logged more than 3,000 performances in his career so far. Among these performances, he’s presented at more than 600 college campuses and was awarded "America's Best Variety Act," by Campus Activities Magazine in 2011.

In 2013, he started his own talent agency, NMP Talent, where he books musicians, comedians, speakers, and variety acts around the United States.  

Success Quote:

Carpe Diem!  

Failure Moment

Norman tried to create a fundraising show, invested thousands of dollars in it, and ultimately failed because he didn't fit the demographic.  

Favorite Success

Transitioning from being a local performer to an international one.  

Differentiates Himself

Knowing his client's needs and working to fulfill them.  

Owning a Talent Agency

• Started it so he could be home more with his family but still stay in show biz.

• Tells how he adds talent to his agency.

• Being a true artist.

• To stand out, have a good website that shows you care about what you do.

• Biggest mistake he sees is people make is not being ready.  

Worked Best in Growing Business

Keeping in constant contact with clients. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. Top of Mind Awareness.  

Biggest Professional Challenge

Staying in the game.  

What would he have done differently?

Accounted more for what it would be like having a wife and kids when being a traveling performer.  

Interesting Story

Norman tells how he almost died on the road because of a mysterious illness.  

Other Topics Covered

• Never saying no to a gig.

• Talks about how he marketed himself early on.

• Working on material first before marketing his show.

• Knowing yourself and your performance style before jumping into a market.

• How he planned for and moved his business across the country.

• Commenting on the current temperature of the college market.

• How important it is to have the support of your family.

• Balancing work and family and maximizing time with family.  

Parting Advice

Start with good material and build from there.  

Recommended books and resources:

Note: Many of the links in this section are affiliate links, meaning we earn a small portion of any sales. If you're enjoying our podcast and decide to purchase one of the recommended resources or books, please consider using our affiliate links to help support the work we're doing here at the Successful Performercast. Thanks!  

Resource:

Quicken Small Business  

Books:

Books of Wonder by Tommy Wonder

Start Small, Finish Big by Fred DeLuca  

Where can we find Norman Ng?

NormanMagic.com

NMPTalent.com

Twitter @normanmagic | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

In this interview, Dan Chan takes us on his journey into how he became a professional magician. He also talks about his dinner show, his experiences with Groupon and LivingSocial, and how he's teaching his two young children how to juggle and perform magic.

Dan Chan is a magician and variety show producer up in the Bay Area.

Dan is quite the versatile performer, from close-up magic to stage illusion to pickpocketing, he's taken his talents in front of some impressive audiences including George Lucas, the US Marine Corps, and performing over 15 times for Google.

In addition to this, he’s works with his wife, Kat, in many of his productions and has been training up his two children, 7 year old James and 5 year old Grace, in juggling and magic as well.

Dan is an intense three-ring circus rolled into one man. Bring in the rest of his family and you have a quadruple threat class act!  

Success Quote:

With our council, plans are frustrated, but with many councilors, they succeed. — Book of Proverbs  

Failure Moment

The way he found out he was charging too little for his services.  

Favorite Success

Dan lists off some rather nice gigs he's been blessed to have performed at.  

Differentiates Himself

Knowing his client's needs and working to fulfill them.  

Worked Best in Growing Business

Top of Mind Awareness with giveaways bearing his logo (an ambigram).  

Biggest Professional Challenge

Trying to get his dinner show touring.  

What would he have done differently?

Studied transactional law and more theatre.  

Interesting Story

Hear how Dan got out of a traffic ticket by showing the officer a magic trick.  

Other Topics Covered

• Talked briefly about journaling.

• Training his young children in magic and juggling.

• His experiences with Groupon and LivingSocial.

• Some of his goals.

• Luck is where preparation and opportunity meet.

• Talks about his dinner show and how he's marketing it.

• Pitching his dinner show to restaurants.

• Pricing your shows.  

Parting Advice

Get your foot in the door and then gain momentum.  

Recommended books and resources:

Note: Many of the links in this section are affiliate links, meaning we earn a small portion of any sales. If you're enjoying our podcast and decide to purchase one of the recommended resources or books, please consider using our affiliate links to help support the work we're doing here at the Successful Performercast. Thanks!  

Resource:

Waze - iOS App, Social GPS  

Books:

The Richest Man Who Ever Lived by Steven K. Scott

The Enlightened Magicians: The Best of the Best by Michael Jeffreys  

Where can we find Dan Chan?

DanChanMagic.com

BayAreaDinnerShow.com

In this interview, Niels Duinker talks about how he's been able take his passion of juggling and make it into a career. He also talks about how he's been designing the ultimate juggling cup!

Niels Duinker is a comedy juggler from the Netherlands.

Niels has taken his juggling around the world earning him many accolades including Gold Medal in the 2009 Taiwan Circus Festival, multiple Gold Medals at the National Juggling Championships, Variety Act of the Year in 2012 from the International Magicians Society, and he’s a three-time world record holder in the Guinness Book of World Records.

He boasts quite an impressive resumé performing at top casinos, cruise lines, theme parks, and festivals as well as for clients like Coca Cola, Intel, Mitsubishi, and IKEA.

Finally, Niels also teaches what he’s learned in juggling as well as in life when it comes to pursuing your dream in lectures, DVDs, and his book, “Catching Greatness."  

Success Quote:

Make yourself a little bit better every day.  

Failure Moment

Niels tells how he missed a gig because of a nap and a time difference.  

Favorite Success

Finally being able to nail something he's been woking on.  

Differentiates Himself

Getting away from standard props.  

Niels on Prop Design

• Talks about designing shaker cups specifically made for juggling.

• Building prototypes.

• Using his mechanical engineering degree.

• Having a list of objectives to achieve with new design.  

Worked Best in Growing Business

Showing up every day, working hard, and being faithful.  

Biggest Professional Challenge

Coming up with new goals after attaining all of his current ones.  

Interesting Story

Niels tells us an interesting story of a photo he printed and looked at every day and how it eventually became a reality in his own life.  

Other Topics Covered

• How he approached cruise lines.

• Getting help from other people.

• How his parents were supportive but also how they pushed him to help him grow.

• Making things happen for yourself.  

Parting Advice

Improve a little more each day.  

Recommended books and resources:

Note: Many of the links in this section are affiliate links, meaning we earn a small portion of any sales. If you're enjoying our podcast and decide to purchase one of the recommended resources or books, please consider using our affiliate links to help support the work we're doing here at the Successful Performercast. Thanks!  

Resource:

A notebook and pen, or the notes app on his phone.

Dan Holzman's Brain Drizzles Coaching  

Books:

All Seth Godin Books

Joanie Spina's "Get Your Act Together"

Catching Greatness by Niels Duinker  

Where can we find Niels Duinker?

comedyjuggler.com

Niels' Juggling DVD

In this interview, Daniel Martin drops some serious knowledge on how he's been able to make a living performing magic! Among other things, we talk about overcoming fear, performing in restaurants, and how to find where you fit as an entertainer.

Daniel Martin is a magician, escape artist, and comedian. He’s toured multiple shows around the country at colleges and university campuses, and his work has been featured on television networks like CBS, NBC, ESPN, and VH1.

For two years in a row, he’s been ranked as one of the top 3 touring acts in the country by event producers and activity directors. He was selected as “Best Live Performer” in 2012, was four times nominated for “Entertainer of the Year” and three times nominated for “Best Male Performer” all by Campus Activities Magazine in which he’s also been featured.

He has a highly interactive show that brings comedy and amazement alike.  

Success Quote:

Feel the fear, and do it anyway! — Susan Jeffers  

Touring His Stage Show

• To break into a new market and do it well, it will take an average of 3–5 years and cost $40–50K.

• Customizing his shows.

• Recording audio of every show.

• Getting butts in the seats.

• Advancing shows.

• Making sure the venues have promo materials for the shows.

• Communicating with the client to find out what they need.

• Using comment cards for his shows.  

Other Topics Covered

• Fear, motivation, and stage fright.

• How he cut his teeth in restaurants.

• The effects of 9-11 on his business.

• "If you're a starving artist, you're doing it wrong."

• How he learned marketing while working part time for various companies.

• How he worked the hardest he ever had while trying to get his performance biz off the ground.

• Balancing family life and work life.

• Benefits of performing in restaurants.

• If you want to be the smartest person in the room, shut your mouth and open you ears.

• Listen to what life is telling you.  

Daniel on Comedy

• A laugh is equally as important as a magical moment.

• He combines his magic and comedy in a way that matches his character.

• Using laughs as misdirection.

• Cultivating emotion from laughter.

• Laughter is a way to people's souls.  

Favorite Success

How his show prevented a young girl from taking her life.  

Recommended books and resources:

Note: Many of the links in this section are affiliate links, meaning we earn a small portion of any sales. If you're enjoying our podcast and decide to purchase one of the recommended resources or books, please consider using our affiliate links to help support the work we're doing here at the Successful Performercast. Thanks!  

Resource:

Get help from people that are smarter than you. Don't go Solo, take a Wookie!  

Books:

Raving Fans by Ken Blanchard

War of Art by Steven Pressfield

Wise Guy by Harry Anderson

Mind & Magic of David Berglas  

Vote for Daniel!

Daniel Martin has been nominated for Entertainer of the Year by Campus Activities Magazine! Let's help him out with a vote! VoteDM.com

Where can we find Daniel Martin?

DanielMartin.com

Twitter @iamdanielmartin | Facebook | Instagram

This is a bonus episode, something new I'm trying out. Don't worry, your regular scheduled interviews will continue uninterrupted.

This episode is just me getting behind the mic without an interview, talking to you and sharing whats on my heart and mind. I'm going to do these bonus episodes about once every month and I'm hopping this will be another way for me to connect with you all who listen to my show. If you like this, let me know.

If you don't like it, let me know. Let me throw this spaghetti against the wall to see if it sticks! :)  

Here's what I ramble about in this bonus episode:

• I introduce myself and tell a little about who I am. I know, I should have done this a looong time ago.

• Why am I doing this show? What are my hopes?

• My restaurant gigs and an interesting experience I had at a table a few weeks ago.

• My word for the year: Value.

• Some shoutouts.

• How can you help support the show? My Amazon Affiliate Link  

Thanks for listening. I really appreciate each and every one of you. Please let me know how I can serve you. :)

Drop me a line! ks@successfulperformercast.com | Facebook | Twitter @krissheppard