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

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In this interview, Brian Glow and I talk all about corporate entertaining. We discuss everything from customizing your shows, targeting your marketing, and communicating with your prospects!

Brian Glow is a corporate magician based out of Winnepeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Brian specializes in corporate magic shows melding the companies message, theme, logos, products, and services into his magical performances wowing and educating all that witness his presentations. He’s performed over 7,000 corporate shows in over 40 countries for Fortune 500 and local businesses alike, including, but certainly not limited to Ford, Canon, Apple, Air Canada, and Hewlet Packard.

The Chicago Tribune says, "Joy and cleverness seem to pervade his work.”

 

Success Quote:

To be good is not enough when you dream of being great! — Anonymous  

 

Corporate Magic

• Creating and customizing material that fits with your clients.

• Gives specific example of creating material with a custom presentation.

• The magic is secondary to selling product or the corporate message.

• Tells how he broke into the corporate market.

• Having loyalty with your clients and not jumping ship to go with their competition.

• How he markets himself.

• Finding trade show directories.

• What makes you different from everyone else?

• Keeping in touch with contacts to keep Top of Mind Awareness.  

 

What's worked best for growing his business?

Cold calling!  

 

Biggest Professional Challenge:

World touring and all that goes with it.  

 

Failure Moment:

A one year contract was negotiated with a company in China, and the deal was killed because of the SARS outbreak. It left him with a huge hole in his calendar that he had to fill again.  

 

Favorite Success:

His children.  

 

Other Topics Covered:

• Having a good website.

• Social proof: video testimonials, etc.

• Having your marketing materials targeted to who you're going after.

• Responding quickly to inquiries.

• Losing luggage and being prepared for everything.  

 

Parting Advice

Be prepared.  

 

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:

Lists! For packing, traveling, prop lists, pre packed shows, etc.

Show Cues - iOS App  

 

Books:

Life is a Contact Sport by Ken Kragen

It Takes Guts, Dammit by Paul Diamond

All Jim Steinmeyer Books

Tarbell's Course in Magic | Ebook Version  

 

Where can we find Brian Glow?

CorporateEventEntertainmentMagician.com  

 

 

Direct download: SPC_046_Brian_Glow_-_Magician.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am PDT

In this interview, Christopher Lyle and I talk all about restaurant magic! He offers some great insight into landing gigs, keeping them, and working with the restaurant staff as a team.

Christoher Lyle, also known as the guy in the yellow suit, is a magician, comic, daredevil, and balloon twisting genius! Some have described him as a “modern day cartoon."

Based out of Dallas, TX, he offers 10 different types of shows that he performs for audiences of literally all ages at private parties, restaurants, fairs, festivals, and anywhere else you can think of.

He’s taken his act across the globe, on television, and has also become a much sought-after coach for other performers wanting to improve their acts and he was also a columnist for the Magic Menu.  

 

Success Quote:

Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. - Ferris Bueller  

 

All About Restaurants

On the Magic Cafe, it's been said that Christopher Lyle can walk into any restaurant he wants and walk out with a gig. He details his strategy in this post at The Magic Cafe.

Christopher offers some insights into performing at restaurants.

• How he qualifies restaurants before he approaches them.

• Which restaurants he will and won't go after.

• How he pitches restaurants in person.

• Free performance incentive.

• Keeping your gig once you have it.

• Why he doesn't do contracts with the restaurants.

• Promoting outside gigs at his restaurants.

• Business card magic.

• Signage at the restaurants.

• Talking to the restaurant owner about card on the ceiling.  

 

Sleightly Delusional

If you've ever wanted to work in restaurants but just didn't know how to get started, or have been working restaurants for some time now and need a fresh perspective on how to change it up, then THIS is the book for you.

"Slightly Delusional" is available as a digital eBook for sale for $30.00USD. Pick up your copy here!  

 

Failure Moment:

How he ended his run at a pizza joint after ten years.  

 

Favorite Success:

His ten-year run at the pizza joint mentioned above.  

 

Biggest Business Challenge

Learning how to play well with others, especially online.  

 

Other Topics Covered:

• How he started getting gigs after moving to Dallas.

• Perform as much as possible for as many people as possible.

• Diversifying your work.

• His online image, mainly on the Magic Cafe.

• Targeting your marketing efforts.  

 

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:

Show Cues - iOS App BOSE Sound Dock  

 

Books:

The Magic Menu by Jim Sisti | ebook version

The Restaurant Magic Reader by Jim Sisti | ebook version

Christopher Lyle's Sleightly Delusional

Fitzkee Trilogy | ebook version

Jeff Hobson's Multimedia CD on running a successful business, only available directly through Jeff.  

 

Where can we find Christopher Lyle?

ChristopherLyle.com | Twitter @guyinyellowsuit | Facebook

Direct download: SPC_045_Christopher_Lyle_-_Magician.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am PDT

In this interview, Dan Holzman and I talk about his ups and downs in his juggling career. We cover some great topics like how to find creativity, the power of positive thought, and exercising your comedy!

Dan Holzman is a comedy juggler who’s juggled with the Raspyni Brothers as well as a solo performer.

He's opened for the likes of Robin Williams, Dana Carvey, and George Burns. He’s appeared on countless TV shows including The Tonight Show with both Johnny Carson and Jay Leno, Entertainment Tonight, and the Howie Mandel Show. He’s also performed for top name corporate clients including IBM, Kraft Foods, McDonald’s, Macy’s, and Sears.

He’s skillful enough to be a great variety act…funny enough to be a comedy club headliner. - Mike Lacey  

 

Success Quotes:

Don't say no to yourself. Take care of the day-to-day, but also swing for the fences!  

 

Failure Moment:

he hasn't focused on a target market yet for his solo juggling endeavors.  

 

Favorite Success:

Being able to rise to the occasion when the risk is high. He gives an example of when he opened for Robin Williams.  

 

Differentiates himself:

Tries to "out-clever" people.  

 

Interesting story:

Dan tells about when he was part of the Raspyni Brothers and they had the opportunity to fly and perform in Europe for one of the wealthiest people in the world. All because they were seen performing at a Renaissance Faire.  

 

Other Topics Covered:

• How he finds time to work on new projects.

• How he ads variety to his shows.

• Comedy is like a muscle. You have to exercise it.

• Connecting with your audience.

• Targeting your marketing efforts.

• Talks about how he ended up broke and then learned how to handle money.

• Acting calm when you don't feel calm.

• The power of positive thought.

• Constructive criticism.

• Life is like a crap sandwich. The more bread you have, the less crap you have to eat. :)  

 

Creativity

• Finding your flow. • He finds a happy medium in doing what he wants and what people want to see. • Being creative within constrictions. • Organic Creativity vs. Inorganic Creativity. • Taking established ideas and reworking them so they're unrecognizable from what they started as. • Direct your thought towards a creative problem. • Men create, monkeys imitate.  

 

Parting Advice

Bruce Lee philosophy: using no way as way, having no limitation as limitation. Michelangelo philosophy: cutting away what isn't your masterpiece. Don't get in your own way.  

 

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 stopwatch and journal to keep track of how he spends his time.  

 

Books:

Comedy Writing Workbook by Gene Perret

Eccentricks by Charlie Frye

The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy  

 

Where can we find Dan Holzman?

DanHolzman.com

DanRaspyni.com

DanielDaVinci.com

BrainDrizzles.com - Dan's Coaching Website

Drop Everything - Dan's Juggling Podcast  

Direct download: SPC_044_Dan_Holzman_-_Juggler.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am PDT

In this interview, Justin Willman and I talk about his career in magic and TV and cover a great deal of topics like how he's gotten TV appearances, performing magic for a TV audience, and some business and marketing tips he's used to help him get where he is today.

Justin Willman is a magician, actor, comedian, TV host, and all around fun guy. He’s been a regular guest on TV shows like The Tonight Show, Ellen, Rachael Ray, and Chelsea Lately as well as hosting the Food Network’s Cupcake Wars and Disney Channel’s Win, Loose, or Draw. You may have also seen him on such shows as Gilmore Girls and Disney’s the Suite Life on Deck.

In addition to all this, he’s been touring his comedy and magic show “Tricked Out” around the country to great success and acclaim.

With all this going on, I’m amazed that he was able to find time to talk to me for this interview.  

 

Success Quotes:

Stop chasing the money and start chasing the passion. — Tony Hsieh of Zappos

If you set your goals ridiculously high and it’s a failure, you will fail above everyone else’s success. — James Cameron

Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm. — Winston Churchill.  

 

Failure Moment:

Justin tells us how he tried to pitch a magic reality TV show idea with a friend and how nobody liked it. He learned all about how to pitch a show.  

 

Favorite Success:

The Boston kid show market. This was his first venture into creating a successful business where he was actually turning shows down because he was booked.  

 

Biggest Professional Challenge:

Relinquishing control of his booking. not micromanaging. You have to trust the people that you hire to work for you.  

 

Worked best for growing business:

Creating a brand and having a mentor.  

 

Interesting story:

Justin tells us about a show he does every year out of tradition and how it ultimately caused him to get heckled by The First Lady while performing a Halloween show at the White House.  

 

Other Topics Covered:

• Likability. When people like you, they book you.

• Pitching ideas for TV shows.

• Magic Meltdown web series.

• Tells us about a pilot he's working on right now with Comedy Central called Sleight of Mouth.

• How he created the Justin Kredible brand.

• How he morphed his kid shows into something that would work for colleges.

• Looking at your competition's marketing efforts and doing something vastly different to stand out.

• Having an assistant to answer your phone and an agent to help with booking shows.

• How he got on talk shows like Rachael Ray and Ellen as a guest.

• Performing magic for a TV audience.

• Working with a publicist.

• Making the people who hired you look great.  

 

Parting Advice

Never "phone it in."  

 

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:

Voice memo app on his iPhone that he uses to record his shows.  

 

Books:

The Magic of Michael Ammar

Maximum Entertainment by Ken Weber

The Tipping Point and Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell    

 

Where can we find Justin Willman?

JustinWillman.com

Twitter @justin_willman | Instagram

Direct download: SPC_043_Justin_Willman_-_Magician.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am PDT

In this interview, Doug Scheer tells us all about creating themed educational magic shows!

Doug Scheer is a magician and an expert at creating customized educational shows.

He’d originally worked in the auto industry for two decades creating custom magical presentations for General Motors.

And now he’s found success in offering 13 different shows to the educational school show market creating and performing shows that teach lessons as well as amaze!  

 

Success Quote:

I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody. — Bill Cosby  

 

Theme Shows:

• Brainstorming ideas for themes.

• How to match tricks with topics.

• How to choose a topic to teach on.

• How bolding a theme show is like building a house.  

 

Doug's Book and a Contest!

Entertaining Education: A Comprehensive Guide to Creating & Performing Educational Magic Domestic Shipping | International Shipping

This book teaches us Doug's method of creating educational magic shows and includes 18 scripts to different tricks, a DVD of one of his theme shows, a graphic novel-styled-book to go with the DVD, and a bunch of his promotional materials he uses to promote that show.

Contest: I have one copy of Doug's book to give away which includes all of the items mentioned above.

Enter to win by leaving a comment at the Show Notes Page and telling us who your favorite interview has been and one thing you've learned and implemented in your business.

I'll randomly pick a winner from the comments and announce it on my next episode!  

 

Other Topics Covered:

• What it's like working with your spouse.

• A really cool story about how his show helped a single mother and child.

• Increase your credibility by writing a book.

• Connecting and working with special needs children on stage.  

 

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:

Verbalink.com  

 

Books:

Ultimate School Show Secrets by Joe Romano

When I Stop Talking, You'll Know I'm Dead: Useful Stories from a Persuasive Man by Jerry Weintraub  

 

Where can we find Doug Scheer?

DougScheer.com

Wacky Science Franchised Show

Direct download: SPC_042_Doug_Scheer_-_Educational_Magic.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am PDT

Learn how to bring the value in this interview where I talk to Dean Hankey, the DEAN of Success! We also talk about testimonials and he gives us some great practical business tips!

Dean Hankey, The Dean of Success, is a magician, public speaker, author, trainer, and marketing expert out of Reno, NV.

This guy has been successful in so much, it’s hard to know where to start! Dean has performed in casino show rooms like Harrah’s, Hilton, Bally’s Grand and Peppermill, corporate engagements for top companies like IBM, Apple, Kodak, and American Express, for famous celebrities like Robin Leach and Bill Cosby, and he’s been featured on a number of TV stations like ABC, NBC, CBS, BBC, Fox News, and CNN.

Through his extensive performance career, he’s gained tremendous insight into business and marketing techniques which he now teaches others to help grow their businesses and generate real world results.  

 

Success Mantra:

1. Never leave the site of a human interaction without creating value.

2. Leverage everything.

3. If you breathe, record it.  

 

Failure Moment:

While he was on tour, he performed a show that he thought just didn't play well with the audience. When the client came back to talk to him he said, "Wow! I can't believe how wild the audience was!"

Perspective is everything.  

 

Favorite Success

Performing in theme parks and casinos. Those are literally "five star" shows to perform for.  

 

Talking About Testimonials

Testimonials are the strongest tool you can do for your outbound marketing.

Script to get a great testimonial: "If you were telling your best friend how much fun you had at my show, what would you tell them to get them to come see my show?"  

 

Business Tips from the Dean of Success

• Build relationships

• We do business with people we know, like, and trust

• What would you do for your best friend that you wouldn't do for a customer? Serve as if you're serving your best friend.

• Make custom videos for your inquiries. With smart phones, we have no excuses not to.  

Other Topics Covered:

• Great ways to add value in our daily interactions.

• Be seen, be good.

• People don't pay for "good magic," they pay to be entertained and transformed.

• Being homeless.

• Relationship marketing.

• Find ways you can serve people and fill needs.

• Present yourself as a solutions provider.

• The barometer of success is not always money.  

 

Extra Value

Success Satisfaction Survey - Word Document - Listen to the show to find out how to use this.

The Dean's List - Facebook Group

 

Parting Advice

• Be mentored and mentor.

• Be of value to others.

• Always be in the learning process and teach what you've learned to someone else within 24 hours.  

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:

Animoto.com  

 

Books:

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini

How to Persuade People Who Don't Want to be Persuaded by Joel Bauer

Maximum Entertainment

Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh of Zappos  

 

Where can we find Dean Hankey?

The Dean's List - Facebook Group 

ClickButtMarketing.com

Direct download: SPC_041_Dean_Hankey_-_Magician.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am PDT

Listen in as I talk to magician Shawn Farquhar! He shares with us how and why he only does business with friends and gives us an amazing business card hack that constantly keeps him busy!

Shawn Farquhar is a magician from Canada who spends his time entertaining people around the world.

He’s performed for corporate clients like IBM and Konica, and has been featured on some of the most luxurious cruise lines like Norwegian Star and Radiance of the Seas.

You may have seen his magic on TV shows like the Fringe and Arrow, or movies like Spooky House and The Fly 2.

As for accolades, he really is a Magic Champion, being a two-time winner of the Magician of the Year Award by the Canadian Association of Magicians, Grand Prix D’Honneur from the P C A M, both Stage Magician and Sleight of Hand Magician of the Year by the International Brotherhood of Magicians, and his most prestigious award, Grand Prix World Champion of Magic from the Olympics of Magic in Beijing, China given in 2009.

Shawn also tours giving talks and lectures in the magic community at some of magic’s top conventions and events.  

 

Success Mantra:

I’m a small part of a really big show. - Shawn Farquhar  

 

Failure Moment:

Not asking enough questions about a show and having booking agents correctly represent you.

Hear how Shawn was asked to perform for what was essentially a memorial service without fully knowing what he was getting into. He also tells how he would have changed things in the show had he known from the get go what he was getting into.  

 

Favorite Success

Selling 6.5 million dollars worth of client’s products during a trade show.  

 

What’s Worked Best for Shawn’s Business?

Relationships. Shawn does business with friends.

He also tells us how NOT having a business card has gotten him countless bookings! This is a business hack that he uses all the time.    

 

Biggest Professional Challenge

Time and travel.  

 

Other Topics Covered:

• Being easy to work with and how to not be a PitA act.

• You can learn more from a bad act in what NOT to do.

• Top Ramen and Ketchup. You know what I’m talking about.

• Importance in relationships in business.

• Tells how he gets repeat bookings doing business with friends and fostering relationships.

• How he learns about client’s products and understanding the companies he’s working for.

• How and why he’ll refer clients to other magicians.

• Negotiating with clients.  

 

Parting Advice

Everybody succeds based on TALENT.

Tenacity
Attitude
Likability
Energy
Naturalness
Tenacity  

 

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:

His iPhone which he can run his business from.  

 

Books:

Maximum Entertainment by Ken Weber

Whack to the Side of the Head by Roger von Oech

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie  

 

Where can we find Shawn Farquhar?

Shawn's Official Site

Palmer Magic

facebook | twitter @magichampion | instagram

Direct download: SPC_040_Shawn_Farquhar_-_Magician.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am PDT

In this episode I talk to Zach Waldman! We cover a lot of great topics like pricing, adding value, and how Zach overcame debilitating anxiety and depression. This is a good listen.

Zach Waldman is a magician and comedian in and around Los Angeles who caters to high end, corporate clients, and celebrities.

He's performed for the likes of Al Gore, Seth MacFarlane, Pete Carroll, Chris Rock, and Gene Wilder, not to mention his corporate clients which include Microsoft, BusinessWeek, Absolut, and Anheuser-Busch. Zach is also a frequent performer at the world famous Magic Castle in Hollywood.

More importantly, for us, Zach is a marketing expert with various products that help other entertainers book more gigs and make more money doing what they love.

As one of his clients says, "Zach is an amazing fountain of knowledge that will give you the tools to get booked and be successful."  

 

Success Mantra:

Goals. Writing down your goals and taking responsibility for yourself.

Basically everything in Brian Tracy’s book GOALS! How to get everything you ever wanted in life faster than you ever thought possible.  

 

Failure Moment:

Being too rigid on what he charged for his shows early in his career. Instead, be flexible but for a reason.  

 

Zach Waldman on Pricing

Mentions Dan Kennedy’s book No BS Marketing to the Affluent

• Price isn’t the only thing people are looking for. They’re looking for value and will pay more for it. Example: For a kids show, you might charge $150 but you can charge more if you create an experience and add value. Consider this: 30 minute magic show, balloon animals for each child (special ballon for birthday child that nobody else gets), goodie bags for kids, and they all learn a magic trick. With all this, you’ve created a full experience that you can charge more for, perhaps $300.

• Always add value.

• People also pay for the experience.

• If they flinch at the price, you can always take things away to lower the price. Always have a reason for lowering the price.  

 

How Zach Overcame Anxiety & Depression

This is a very sensitive topic. If you're dealing with anxiety or depression, please seek help from a competent professional.

In this section, Zach talks about how he dealt with debilitating anxiety and depression, ho it effected himself, his shows, and how he overcame it. He went through the course Attacking Anxiety & Depression

• combating negative self talk

• monitor your bad thoughts and replace them with good ones.

• change the things that you think about.

• Exercise and eating right play a huge role in alleviating anxiety & depression.

• Get into therapy. Seeing a therapist helped Zach out tremendously. It’s certainly a good idea to seek out professional help.  

 

Other Topics Covered:

• Sit in your own audience. Assess how other see you.

• When you compete, compete against yourself.

• Be giving and generous.

• Don’t try to please everyone.

• Go to war with the army you have, not the one you wish you had. If you wait for everything to be perfect, you’ll never get started.

• Becoming a self actualized person.

• Learn everything you can, then forget it all and carve your own path.

• Don’t give up, push through the dip.

• Write down your goals.

• Be good to people. It’ll come back to you.  

 

Resourceful books:

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!  

Goals by Brian Tracy

No BS Marketing to the Affluent by Dan Kennedy

The War of Art by Stephen Pressfield

Turning Pro by Stephen Pressfield

Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse  

 

Where can we find Zach Waldman?

therestaurantmagician.com

undergroundmagicsecrets.com

zachwaldman.com

facebook | twitter @zachwaldman | youtube

Direct download: SPC_039_Zach_Waldman-Magician_and_Marketing_Expert.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am PDT

In this episode I talk to Brian Brushwood!!! We cover a lot of great topics like how he got on the Tonight Show as a guest, passive income, and what really happens when you botch a prediction on live radio!

Brian Brushwood is a magician, TV host, Podcaster, author, and internet celebrity.

Magic-wise, he’s performed his bizarre magic show around the country at colleges and universities. He’s the host of Discovery’s Scam School where he teaches all sorts of magic tricks and bar bets that you can use to score free drinks from your friends at the bar. He’s also authored six books on the subject of magic.

Internet-wise, he’s been featured on a number of shows and podcasts like the NSFW show, Weird Things, Too long Didn’t Listen, Cord Killers, Night Attack, and he’s been a frequent guest on Leo Laporte’s show This Week in Tech. I guess you can say he’s sort of a big deal on the internet.

As if that isn’t enough, he can most recently be seen on TV hosing Nat Geo’s Hacking the System.  

 

Success Mantra:

Fail faster. If you want to double your success rate, double your failure rate.  

 

Failure Moment:

Speaking of failure, Brian tells about a time where his show failed to register and connect with his audience. They really didn't get it or like it and someone even threw fruit at him after his show.

He later in the show talks about a prediction failure that happened to him while being interviewed live on the radio.  

 

Favorite Success:

Being a guest on the Tonight Show. Brian talks about what went into getting there. Spoiler alert: persistence!

 

What's Worked Best for Brian's Business?

Not sitting around waiting for things to happen for him.  

 

Biggest Professional Challenge:

Questioning whether or not he's doing the right thing.  

 

Other Topics Covered:

• Working harder than everyone else.

• How a raise helped him realize what he really wanted to do.

• How he prepared himself for jumping ship still work.

• Persistence.

• We become what we think about most of the time. Earle Nightingale in the strangest secret.

• How he gained a large audience online.

• Being real online.

• Failure is an unpleasant side effect of trying and caring.

• Impostor Syndrome.

• Balancing travel and touring with family.

• His approach to Passive Income.

• Trading time for money vs. creating something and getting paid over and over for it.

• His correspondences with Teller.

• His experience on AGT  

 

Parting Advice:

Try. Don’t be the bitter guy knocking everyone else’s acts.

In life, we exist as trends not individual actions. Trend in the right direction.  

 

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

Audible.com - Audiobooks  

 

Books

Make Art Make Money: Lessons from Jim Henson on Fueling Your Creative Career

Born Standing Up - Steve Martin  

 

Where can we find Brian Brushwood?

brianbrushwood.com

Scam School - Web Show

Night Attack - Podcast

Cord Killers - Podcast

Twitter @shwood

Direct download: SPC_038_Brian_Brushwood-Magician.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am PDT

In this episode I talk to magician Suzanne! We cover various topics like what she learned studying under Al Schneider and what you can learn about your audience from a horse!

Suzanne is a world class magician and expert story teller from Minneapolis/St. Paul MN!

Using her magic as a vehicle to play with her audiences, Suzanne specializes in performing close-up magic for corporate and private audiences as well as at a number of restaurants in her area. She’s also a favorite at the Hollywood Magic Castle where she's been the only female magician to not only be nominated for, but also win Close Up Magician of the Year which she received in 2010. She’s also appeared on the covers of Genii and MUM magazines.

She makes shy people shine and bold people laugh.

Jonathan Levit says "Her routines are masked in stories that touch your heartstrings and tie into her mystical imagination.”  

 

Success Quotes:

Follow your bliss. — Joseph Campbell

Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!” — Hunter S Thompson  

 

Failure Moment:

This isn't a failure per se, but Suzanne talks about her struggle with cancer and what she took away from that. She learned how to stand up for herself and how to separate work and personal life. She also tells how magic, her bliss, helper her through this challenging time.  

 

Favorite Success:

Being so accepted at the hollywood Magic Castle.  

 

Lessons from Al Schneider

Suzanne had the opportunity to study under Al Schneider. A couple things she learned from him are in magic, all your movements need to look natural, whether you're putting a coin in your hand or faking it. Also, when you create a moment of magic, give your audience the time they need to fully process what they just experienced. Don't just plow through it. It's very personal to them.  

 

Lessons from a Horse

Believe it or not, there's a lot to be learned about your audience from a horse!

• Magicians can be likened to a predator and the audience, prey.

• Communicating subconsciously.

• Reading body language and adjusting your performance accordingly.

• Putting your audience at ease.

• Be aware of your own body language.

 

How Does Suzanne Differentiate Herself?

The magic is not about her, it's about how she makes her audience feel.  

 

What's worked best for growing her business?

Word of mouth.  

 

Biggest Professional Challenge

Breaking the preconception of the magician and teaching the lay audience about magic.

 

What would she have done different?

She wouldn't have tried to do everything. She would have hired people do do things like marketing and other tasks she's not good at.  

 

Interesting Story from Career

Suzanne tells about her first interaction with The Professor, Dai Vernon.  

 

Parting Advice

Always do what you love.  

 

Other Topics Covered

• The importance of having support from your spouse when pursuing your dream.  

 

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

Google

TED Talks  

 

Books

Al Schneider on Coins

Finding Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi 

 

Where can we find Suzanne?

SuzMagic.com

Suzanne's Black Rabbit Magic DVD

Jonathan Levit's Black Rabbit Magic DVD

Upcoming Restaurant Magic DVD

Direct download: SPC_037_Suzanne-Magician.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am PDT