S7E10: Adam Wilber - Publishing Your Effects to Sell
Release Date: 10/09/2015
S8E14: Joe Monti - Great Advice on Show Business
Successful Performercast by Kris Sheppard | Successful Performer Cast | Weekly Interviews with Professional Entertainers | Show Business, Showbiz, Performer, Magic, Magician, Juggler, Comedian, Musician
In my final interview here in this chapter of Successful Performercast, I have Joe Monti who gives us some valuable advice when it comes to show business and shares some stores from his career that will have you at the edge of your seat. ...
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S8E13: Bill Gladwell - Stationary One Man Show
Successful Performercast by Kris Sheppard | Successful Performer Cast | Weekly Interviews with Professional Entertainers | Show Business, Showbiz, Performer, Magic, Magician, Juggler, Comedian, Musician
In this interview, Thought Reader Bill Gladwell who talks about the ins and outs of having his own stationary one-man, mentalism show and how he’s been able to make it a success. ...
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S8E12: Al The Only - General Practice Magician
Successful Performercast by Kris Sheppard | Successful Performer Cast | Weekly Interviews with Professional Entertainers | Show Business, Showbiz, Performer, Magic, Magician, Juggler, Comedian, Musician
In this interview, Al The Only talks about how he's found success in being a "general practitioner" of magic. He also talks about how he came up with his brand of Al The Only. ...
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S8E11: Steve Chezaday - Tips & Tricks from a Rockstar Magician
Successful Performercast by Kris Sheppard | Successful Performer Cast | Weekly Interviews with Professional Entertainers | Show Business, Showbiz, Performer, Magic, Magician, Juggler, Comedian, Musician
This week, I bring you an interview with Steve Chezaday who shares some advice and insights from his years performing full-time. Topics include dealing with clients, pricing, managing your money, and customizing and maintaining your props. There’s a lot insight to be gained from this chat. ...
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S8E10: Angela Parrish - Multiple Streams of Income
Successful Performercast by Kris Sheppard | Successful Performer Cast | Weekly Interviews with Professional Entertainers | Show Business, Showbiz, Performer, Magic, Magician, Juggler, Comedian, Musician
This week I have singer/songwriter Angela Parrish who shares with us about the importance of having multiple streams of income and how she runs her business. She also talks about how she saved for and completely self-funded $20,000 to record her latest album, . ...
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S8E9: Fantastick Patrick - Juggling, TV, & Generosity
Successful Performercast by Kris Sheppard | Successful Performer Cast | Weekly Interviews with Professional Entertainers | Show Business, Showbiz, Performer, Magic, Magician, Juggler, Comedian, Musician
In this episode, Fantastick Patrick talks about his juggling career which includes performing on TV, dealing with fear & failure, and having a mindset of giving. ...
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S8E8: Tom Ameen - Building a Career as a Musician
Successful Performercast by Kris Sheppard | Successful Performer Cast | Weekly Interviews with Professional Entertainers | Show Business, Showbiz, Performer, Magic, Magician, Juggler, Comedian, Musician
In this episode, Tom Ameen talks about how he's built a successful career as a classical pianist. Topics include restaurant gigs, getting private parties, and selling albums. He also talks about his new solo piano Star Wars album, which is awesome! ...
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Bonus: How are Jay Alexander & Christian Cagigal Building the Fog City Magic Fest?
Successful Performercast by Kris Sheppard | Successful Performer Cast | Weekly Interviews with Professional Entertainers | Show Business, Showbiz, Performer, Magic, Magician, Juggler, Comedian, Musician
I've invited back onto my show Jay Alexander and Christian Cagigal because they have been putting together a four-day festival of magic up in San Francisco called the Fog City Magic Fest and I wanted to get them on to talk to them about how they’re putting it together. They take us behind the scenes and talk about the nuts and bolts of how they're going about putting together this four-day festival of magic. ...
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S8E7: Katie Marchese - Running a Magic Biz & Working with Her Husband
Successful Performercast by Kris Sheppard | Successful Performer Cast | Weekly Interviews with Professional Entertainers | Show Business, Showbiz, Performer, Magic, Magician, Juggler, Comedian, Musician
Last week I interviewed Mario the Magician. Katie is his wife and other half. She works with Mario as a team and handles all the business and marketing aspects of their business. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s essential for your spouse to be onboard and supportive of your entrepreneurial efforts, and this week, we’re diving into that very perspective! ...
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S8E6: Mario the Magician - Generosity & Building His Own Props
Successful Performercast by Kris Sheppard | Successful Performer Cast | Weekly Interviews with Professional Entertainers | Show Business, Showbiz, Performer, Magic, Magician, Juggler, Comedian, Musician
In this episode, Mario the Magician talks about how he makes all of his own props. He also talks about generosity and gratefulness and how those play a part in his business. Mario is a magician who performs primarily on the East Coast entertaining children and their families. The thing that really makes him stand out is that he’s a creator and inventor, making all of his own props for his show including fun, educational robotics. He’s an advocate for the Maker Movement, STEAM/STEM educational initiatives, and can be seen on a recent episode of Sesame Street. He’s Buster...
info_outlineIn this episode, Ellusionist General Manager Adam Wilber talks about the ins and outs of publishing your own effects to sell. He also tells some of the ways he's drumming up his own business and booking gigs.
Boasting clients like CBS, NatGeo, SyFy, C|Net, and Discovery Channel, Adam spends his time in the corporate arena giving his clients “entertainment that doesn’t suck” with both close up and stage magic. Not only that, but Adam is also the General Manager for Ellusionist internet magic shop and has also created a number of products in their catalog including Pyro, which allows you to shot fire from your hands, and The Working Man, a video which takes you through some business strategy to help you start making money performing magic.
Success Mantra
Purposely stay busy.
Don't get too tied up comparing yourself with others because there's always going to be somebody far greater than you and somebody far less than you.
Don't compare your beginning to someone else's middle.
Ellusionist
• Talks about his role as GM for Ellusionist.
• What is Ellusionist looking for when adding something to their catalog?
• Who to talk to in order to pitch a product to Ellusionist and what to send.
• Do your due diligence
• How earnings are split between the creator and Ellusionist.
• Talks about his first trick he submitted to Ellusionist.
• It also needs to fit Ellusionist.
• They should me times point you in e direction of a different online magic dealer.
• Talks about some of the bad submissions he gets.
• Take a look at some of the other new tricks out and see what they are and what some of the best selling products are.
Failure Moment
Tells about a failed emailing he did that went out to 400 emails where there was a very unfortunate typo.
Favorite Success
Bigget Professional Challenge
What Would He Have Done Differently?
Other Topics Covered
• Having a destination or goal for what you're working towards.
• Mentions the miracle morning book.
• Talks about how he got involved with Ellusionist.
• Talks about what he's doing right now to start marketing himself in Boston having just moved there.
• Contacting a company in a creative way using magic to break the ice.
• Unique selling point
• Defining who you want to work for, and going after them.
• The magic isn't about you (the magician), it's about your client, the guest of honor, the product your selling, etc.
Parting Advice
Stay busy with a purpose.
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:
Seth's Popup Creator for Squarespace
Books
Strong Magic by Darwin Ortiz