Successful Performercast by Kris Sheppard | Successful Performer Cast | Weekly Interviews with Professional Entertainers | Show Business, Showbiz, Performer, Magic, Magician, Juggler, Comedian, Musician

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Syndication

I'm currently taking a holiday break from my regularly scheduled episodes, so for the next few weeks, I'm running my six most downloaded episodes. I'll be back on the first of the year with brand new episodes! In the mean time, enjoy these "Best of" episodes.

Mark Kornhauser's interview is my most downloaded episode of all time! In this episode, we talk about his career in magic, what it takes to perform in casino showrooms, his successes, challenges, and how hard work really pays off.

Mark Kornhauser is one of the most successful comedy acts in the world boasting 25 years plus, consistently performing in and producing shows in the most prestigious casinos in Vegas, Reno, Lake Tahoe, and Atlantic City. We’re talkin’ Harrahs, Planet Hollywood, Mandalay Bay, Flamingo, Tropicana, and Hilton, just to name a few.

He’s opened for more than a few top name entertainers like Tom Jones, Elvis Costello, Frankie Valli, Terry Fator, David Letterman, and Tim Allen.

He’s also been featured on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Masters of Illusion, NBC, FOX, Comedy Central, and HBO.

 

Success Mantra:

Hard work, clean living.

 

Working in Casinos:

• Fitting into a time slot

• How the casino venue has changed: catering more toward headliners than variety entertainers

• How he stays in the game: develops and grows new material • Mistakes he sees people make in the casino market

• What he sees as the future of performing in casinos

 

Failure Moment:

Did a Le Pétomane (flatulence) act that initially bombed.

 

Favorite Success:

His current act with his dog Zsa Zsa.

 

How Does Mark Differentiate Himself?

Makes his act vastly different from anyone else.

 

What's Worked Well for Mark's Business?

Maintaining relationships with clients.

 

Interesting Story from His Career

Listen in to what happened when Mark ran into James Brown at a bathroom sink.

 

What's Been Mark's Biggest Professional Challenge?

Staying through the difficult times

 

Other Topics Covered

• Success and how it's different for each person.

• Talks about how Doug Henning played a part in his journey.

• Listening to your audience.

• Talks about his inspiration and creative process.

• Gives us his take on magic on TV.

• You can no longer be an "expensive act," but you can be a "cheap show."

• Tells about his column in Magic Magazine.

 

Parting advice:

Hard work, clean living. And courage.

 

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!

 

Resources

Have a place to collect your thoughts. Also, keep a lookout for a compilation of all of his articles from Magic Magazine.

 

Magic Books

Hiding the Elephant: How Magicians Invented the Impossible and Learned to Disappear by Jim Steinmeyer

The Glorious Deception: The Double Life of William Robinson, Aka Chung Ling Soo by Jim Steinmeyer

The Last Greatest Magician in the World: Howard Thurston Versus Houdini & the Battles of the American Wizards by Jim Steinmeyer

Our Magic by Nevil Maskelyne

 

Other Books

Whack to the Side of the Head by Roger von Oech

Kick to the Seat of the Pants by Roger von Oech

Whack Pack by Roger von Oech

The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron

Audible Free Trial

 

Where can we find Mark Kornhauser?

Mark's Website  

Direct download: SPC_Best_Of_1_-_Mark_Kornhauser.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:09am PDT

I'm currently taking a holiday break from my regularly scheduled episodes, so for the next few weeks, I'm running my six most downloaded episodes. I'll be back on the first of the year with brand new episodes! In the mean time, enjoy these "Best of" episodes. Lou Serrano's interview is my second most downloaded episode.

In this episode, we talk about Lou's career, how he's always working, and we also talk a little about his public speaking ventures and his thoughts on that.

Lou Serrano is a professional magician and a frequent performer at the Hollywood magic castle, a corporate entertainer, keynote speaker, and author, Lou is also a marketing expert and consultant who has helped countless other magicians and entertainers go after their chosen markets and kill it! It’s certainly no question as to why he’s been referred to as “the magician who is always working.”
 

Success Quote:

A lobster, when left high and dry among the rock, does not have the sense enough to work his way back to the sea, but waits for the sea to come to him. If it does not come, he remains where he is and dies, although the slightest effort would enable him to reach the waves, which are perhaps within a yard of him. The world is full of human lobsters; people stranded on the rocks of indecision and procrastination, who, instead of putting forth their own energies, are waiting for some grand billow of good fortune to set them afloat. — Orison Swett Marden  

Lou on Public Speaking

Lou is currently working on stepping into public and keynote speaking. He gives some of his insights on breaking into this market.

• Talks about the two ways to approach public speaking

• Tells about his topic, The Magic of Communication or How to Command the Attention of an Audience, and how he decided upon that topic.

• Talks about some of the lessons he's learned so far in this journey.

• Tells how he connects a topic points to a magical effects and gives an example.  

 

A Moment of Failure:

A $9,000 infomercial that ultimately flopped. It yielded absolutely no results. Find out what he learned.  

 

Biggest success:

Releasing his Steel Ball Routine which sold like hot cakes and ultimately helped him get through The Great Recession.  

 

How does he differentiate himself?

Lou differentiates himself from others in his genre by how he performs and how he does business. He ultimately wats his clients to get the best, even if that means he needs to hire someone else to fill their needs.  

 

Has he "made it?"

Yes. He "made it" the moment he started moving toward his goal of becoming a professional magician.  

 

What's working for him business-wise?

Keeping a database of clients & prospects and keeping in touch with them. Answers the question: "What if I only have a handful of people on my list?"  

 

Is there anything he would have done differently up to this point?

He would have been wiser with money early on. He wouldn't have been as careless with it as he had been at the beginning.  

 

Other topics touched upon:

• Lou brings us into his incredible journey of finding himself in music, then in magic, and how he'd actually hit rock bottom, finding himself without any real marketable skills and having to get a job driving that paid $5 an hour at the time. Find out how he got out and was able to transition into performing full time.

• The importance of having a list of clients and prospects and keeping in touch with them.

• How the Magic Castle has helped him in his career.

• Tells about why he gives a 20% commission to people that refer him shows and how effective it has been for him.  

 

Parting advice:

Treat your art as a business if you want to be successful. It's never too late to start.

People to study:

Jeff Walker - Product Launch Formula

Brendan Burchard - Experts Academy

Dan Kennedy - Small Business Marketing Strategy

Marlin Sanders - Amazing Formula  

 

Special Offer for Successful Performercast Listeners ONLY!

Lou is offering 20% off of his marketing course for magicians. This is a great course. It's what got me to take the first steps in marketing my magic business and has helped me tremendously. Visit www.sixfiguremagic.com and use the coupon code KRIS at the time of purchase and you'll automatically get 20% off!  

 

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:

Squarespace  

 

Performance Specific Book

Maximum Entertainment by Ken Weber  

 

Non-Performance Specific Book

Goals!: How to Get Everything You Want — Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible by Brian Tracy

  

Where can we find Lou Serrano?

LouSerrano.com - Magic Website

SteelBallMagic.com - Close up magic routine

LouSerranoMarketing.com - Free marketing tips & advice

SixFigureMagic.com - Marketing course for magicians (20% Off with Coupon Code: KRIS)

 

Twitter @LouSerrano | Facebook

Direct download: SPC_Best_Of_2_-_Lou_Serrano.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

I'm currently taking a holiday break from my regularly scheduled episodes, so for the next few weeks, I'm running my six most downloaded episodes. I'll be back on the first of the year with brand new episodes! In the mean time, enjoy these "Best of" episodes.

In this episode, I talk to paranormal magician Joe Diamond. We go into detail on publicity stunts and how to get the press to notice! We also have an interesting discussion on "Pay What You Want" pricing structures and he mentions an awesome resource that you probably already have but just aren't using!

Joe Diamond is a paranormal magician from Chicago Illinois. Just in his twenties, Joe has been able to turn his fascination for the paranormal into a full time career and has an amazing understanding into the workings of the strange & bizarre, often defying the boundaries between what we assume can and can't be done.

He was the youngest First Place winner of the “Close Up Magic Classic,” an award given in Colon Michigan, the Magic Capital of the World and now performs his paranormal magic all over the country for private parties, corporations, and theaters.

Four years ago, Joe performed the world’s largest mind reading demonstration: completing a 33 acre cornfield maze while blindfolded, finishing in less than three hours. In fact, with his public demonstrations, Joe has been able to get more attention from the press lately than a good old fashioned Hollywood scandal. Magician

Jay Sankey says it best” "Joe has great skill, a marvelous sense of humor and more energy than any other four magicians combined! What more could you want?"  

 

Success Mantra:

Dream like you'll live forever, live like you'll die today. — James Dean  

 

Failure Story:

Joe tells us about a specific "hell gig" story that he had to endure where he was getting paid too little for too much, and was generally just a horrible experience.

 

Favorite Success:

Solving the world's largest corn field maze blindfolded!  

 

Publicity!!!

• Talks about his first venture into getting publicity.

• Tips where he got his idea for the blindfold corn maze walk. Hint: It's Corinda's!

• Putting different spins or angles on otherwise "classic stunts."

• If you fail a stunt, the only people that will know are you and the reporter. And you can always find another reporter!

• Getting the word out about your stunt.

• Getting the photos and videos of your stunt.

• Be safe! Do your due diligence. You don't have to do something dangerous. Joe has never done anything dangerous in his stunts.  

 

Other Topics Covered

• Always being ready. "What would I do if I had to do it tomorrow night?"

• Touch on Joe's venture into a "Pay What You Want" pricing structure.  

 

Publicity Consulting

Joe offers consulting on publicity and publicity stunts. Shoot him an email for more info.  

 

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!  

 

Resources

Use your camera phone to get video of your show and video testimonials.

"Do you mind if we record this next trick?"

"Would you mind if I get a quick 10–20 second review of my magic?"  

 

Business Books

Buzzmarketing by Mark Hughes

Little Red Book of Selling by Jeffrey Gitomer

Thinker Toys by Michael Michalko   

 

Magic Books

Magic by Design by John Carney (Out of Print)

The Shiels Effect by Tony Shiels (Out of Print)

The Jinx by Theodore Annemann

The Phoenix  

 

Where can we find Joe Diamond?

Joe's Website

Youtube  

Direct download: SPC_Best_Of_3_-_Joe_Diamond.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

I'm currently taking a holiday break from my regularly scheduled episodes, so for the next few weeks, I'm running my six most downloaded episodes. I'll be back on the first of the year with brand new episodes! In the mean time, enjoy these "Best of" episodes.

Mac King! Mac tells us about his early days performing in comedy clubs and talks about how he keeps things fresh in his show at Harrah's in Vegas.

I probably don’t have to say this, but if you’re a magician and don’t know who Mac King is, I hereby revoke your magician card.

That said, Vegas Headliner Mac King is resident magician at Harrah’s Hotel & Casino and has been there for 15 years. This makes him the longest running magician in Vegas to be working at the same hotel!

He’s appeared on TV in countless shows on a variety of stations and in multiple countries. He also performs at corporate events for a select number of clients each year.

He’s authored and co-authored three books on the subject of magic, wears an awesome couch-plaid suit, and has a Fig Newton complex. Yet, according to his wife and daughter, he is a fine husband, a great dad, and all around swell fellow.

 

Sponsors:

Click Convert Profit — This episode is brought to you by Josh London's Click Convert Profit and his book Flying Solo, the Smart Solopreneur’s Guide to Making Money Online. Click here to get $10 off and for my listeners only, the free ebook "4 Ways to Find Your Most Profitable Keywords”.  

 

Success Quote

Big slumps come before big jumps. — Mac's wife  

 

Keeping his show fresh

• He really makes an effort to keep things fresh in his show. 

• Keeps a dialogue open with the audience.  

• Doesn't just use audience members "as a prop."

• Has a script for structure yet tries to find "little detours" to stray from the script and add variance to his shows.

• Talks a little about burnout and how it's affected him.

• Doesn't really add material, but he finds ways to tighten it.

• Things evolve and change over time.

• How he uses his show to test fly things he'll perform elsewhere, for example the suspension he performed at the Academy of Magical Arts Awards.

• Likes to "feel rushed" right before going on stage. It helps him to think on his feet and discover new things.  

 

Failure Moment

Tells who he ended up vomiting up a goldfish on stage and how the audience seemed none-the-wiser. And the lessons he learned.  

 

Other Topics Covered

• How your brain still works while you sleep and helps you work out problems.

• Tells his journey in magic which included a lot of hard work in comedy clubs.

• Working as a magician and sharing the stage with comedians.

• Laughs-per-minute.

• Recording and listening to your shows to make improvements.

• Emulating what you see other successful performers do.

• Having a beginning, middle, and end to your show.

• Finding his niche in Vegas.

• Tells some of the pitfalls he had to overcome before starting his current residence at Harrah's.  

 

Parting Advice

Do as many shows as you can and be a good listener.  

 

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!  

 

Resources:

Keeping a count of all the props you have in your pockets before you go up on stage. Be sure to set up a retirement account.  

 

Books:

McComb's Magic by Billy McComb

Learn Magic by Henry Hay

Harpo Speaks by Harpo Marx   

 

Where can we find Mac King?

Mac Performs at Harrah's Casino in Las Vegas every Tuesday thru Saturday at 1 & 3 PM.

Mac King's Official Website

Twitter @MacKingShow | Facebook  

 

 

Direct download: SPC_Best_Of_4_-_Mac_King.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

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