The Professional Magician

#036 - Want to make BIG money in corporate performing? Offer motivational and educational programs! In this solo episode, I break down what I feel are critical components of success in corporate motivational performing for magicians. It was my primary source of income for several years so I have a lot to say on this subject! And in this week's Trick Talk, I review an amazing effect by Silly B...

#037 - In this episode, I am joined by my guest Joe Diamond! Joe and I talk about publicity and how to use it to increase your visibility and make more money. This is a topic where I am definitely the student! Joe has a wealth of knowledge in this area and I couldn't be more thrilled with how this episode turned out. Be prepared to talk a LOT of notes. Joe spills a lot of great secrets! And i...

#038 - Ever consider doing trade show magic? The pay can be very good, but this niche is not for the faint of heart. Trade show magic can be very fun, but the days can be long. There are also unique audience challenges you need to know before going into this field. In this episode, I delve into important aspects of trade show magic you MUST know if you are going to succeed in this lucrative but ch...

#039 - Are you using one of your most potent weapons in your magic show marketing arsenal? I'm talking about testimonials - the comments clients give you after you have 'wowed' them with your amazing magic. Most magicians don't do nearly enough with this potent weapon. In this episode, my good friend Jen Abrams stops by for a fascinating talk about testimonials! John and I disc...

#035 - Will this be the LEAST listened-to episode of The Professional Magician Podcast? In this episode, my guest Jason Carney outlines reasons why getting insurance for your professional magic business is so important. Jason is a legal and financial expert and a fellow copywriter. We swim in a lot of the same copywriting waters. It's not the sexiest topic possible for this podcast, but if yo...

#034 - In this week's episode, I take a closer look at a relatively unknown performing option for magicians. Teacher in-services are a great place to perform if you enjoy offering theme / educational programs for adults. The kind of show you offer would be similar to corporate motivational programs but without the alcohol! I have performed teacher in-services for years and find them to be ver...

#033 - In this episode, Anthony Lindan reveals the secrets of diversifying your business. You'll discover why diversification matters, what it is, and more. Anthony Lindan is an accomplished magician in both the corporate and kids magic niches. He's super creative and balances his creativity with sound business advice. With everything that's happened to our industry the last couple...

#032 - In this episode of The Professional Magician podcast, I open up about how the pandemic affected me. I reveal how I felt knowing my business had completely cratered. Then I detail the steps I took to dig myself out of the hole. It's an episode my wife has been encouraging me to record for some time. I didn't record it to make anyone feel sad or depressed. Instead, this episode is f...

#031 - In this week's episode, I interview the one and only Nick Lewin! Nick's been performing magic for half a century! That's incredible, and Nick's got a lot of stories to share. There is a gold mine of amazing lessons in this fun interview. From working comedy clubs to scripting, to changing a routine to suit you, to professionalism, and crazy stories of how things were in...

#030 - Corporate holiday parties are a great way to make a lot of money in a short amount of time. In this solo episode, I break down 24 key points when performing in the corporate market. While I'm most known for my work in the school assembly market, my work in corporate magic is what initially got me to the six-figure income level. I've got a lot to share (the good, the bad, you know...

#029 - This is the final installment of my three-part series with my dear friend Lauren Turner on the subject of fear. In this episode, Lauren reveals The Payoff - getting those incredible reactions detailed in Part 1. This is string stuff! And with it comes the possibility of disaster. Not only do we get into some of our greatest successes, but we also outline some of our failures, too. Things ca...

#028 - In this week's episode, we dive into "the Set-Up," how to 'hack' into the human mind to create truly memorable experiences for your audiences! While most episodes of the podcast are devoted to family entertainers and corporate performing, this kind of performing, mixing haunted houses with magic, is how I got into professional performing. Learn more about my magicia...

#027 - Do you love Bizarre magic? Have you ever thought of performing a scary show, haunted house, or another creepy event? My guest this week is an expert in fear! He's the person who introduced me to the world of magic when I was a pre-teen. He's one of the best actors I've ever encountered in the world of magic. And he's produced some of the scariest magic/haunted events I&a...

#026 - In this sure-to-be controversial episode, I tackle one of the great 'truisms' in magic: BOOKS! There are magicians out there claiming there is only ONE way to learn magic and that's by reading. I LOVE books. I'm a writer. I read and write every day. Books give you a LOT of detail in learning about the psychology of magic. The theories. The thinking behind great performan...

#025 - Do you want to be more creative in your magic but simply don't know how? You'll love my interview this week with Brian Richards! Brian has been a professional magician for decades and joins me to talk about creativity. Unlike other teachers, Brian's ways of tapping into creativity are practical and useful for anyone. It's a great interview, one I'm sure you'll...

#024 - Have you ever thought about performing in colleges? I'm about to drop a bombshell on you - movies and TV have lied to you. Colleges are not about chaos and non-stop parties like "Animal House" or (to use a more modern example) "Accepted." College shows are a lot of fun with the right material, but go in with the wrong attitude or ignore some of the advice I'm g...

#023 - Tired of all the 'woke' talk? Rather avoid all the PC talk? You can breathe a sigh of relief. This episode isn't about either of those things. It's about human decency. It's an exploration of one of the most important topics We've ever tackled on The Professional Magician podcast. It's all about the words we say and how they may affect our audience members...

#022 - Post-Prom and Grad Parties are amazing and fun shows. And because they are held late at night, you can work these shows around your performing schedule. After performing post-p[prom shows since 2005, I've distilled these shows down to 18 important tips for success. This week's Trick Talk features my review of Perfect Personalty Readings by Paul Draper and Jaime Salinas! By the way...

#021 - One of the biggest secrets to a successful career in show business is just that - show BUSINESS! In this week's episode, my guest Mitch Zeltzer tackles one of my favorite topics: business automation! It may not sound sexy, but this one concept can shave hours off the business side of your magic career and raise your income by thousands of dollars each year. Listen closely as Mitch spea...

#020 - In this week's episode, I interview the one and only Barry Mitchell! Barry is one of the most creative and respected people in magic. Both his props and scripting help hundreds of magicians create new routines and shows each year. Barry offers tips, tricks, and techniques for tapping into your own creativity. It's such a fun episode and is sure to get your creative juices flowing....

#019 - Want to break into a fun performing niche most magicians avoid? Consider the high school assembly market! In this solo episode, I break down the keys to success for this overlooked market. You'll discover who your main competitors are (hint: it's NOT magicians), the kinds of tricks you should perform, what the audiences are like, and much more.  Also, in this episode I review the...

#018 - Want an entirely new income stream? In this very special episode, I interview Richard Nongard. Richard is a hypnotist, book author, entrepreneur, and much more. In this interview, he talks about his distinction of being Eugene Burger's first magic student (and a hilarious revelation) and much more in his colorful journey in magic. But the real meat of the interview is Richard's re...

#017 - In this solo episode, I outline 5 lessons in magic from the old 80's TV show "Knight Rider." In case you're not familiar with it, the show featured a pre-Baywatch David Hasselhoff as a crime fighter partnered with a high-tech talking car.  The show WON'T go down as a well-respected classic! I analyzed the show and found several instances of bad acting and bad script...

#016 - If you're looking to book more shows, you need to learn 21st century marketing techniques. My guest this week is Ziv Raviv and he understands modern digital marketing more than just about any other magician I've met! The two of us have a great conversation about SEO, blogs, and more. It's a must-listen!  In this week's Trick Talk,  I review Sean Bogunia's incredible...

#015 - Want to tap into a market most magicians avoid? Middle schools are a great opportunity to make good money without nearly as much competition as elementary school assemblies. In this episode I outline what I feel are 31 keys to success in this demanding but potentially lucrative market. Also, in this week's Trick Talk, I review In-Flight by Nick Einhorn! By the way…whenever you’re ready...