Book Description

Are you ready for some magic? There are solo magicians today who are making over $20,000 per performance, while those in the big leagues routinely bring in over $20 million a year. How did they get there and what are the keys to their success? What skills and techniques do they possess and deploy that can be easily adapted for your own personal use? In this book, you will learn of the key attitudes and practices that propel their success, as well as the path they have paved for other magicians and performers hoping to gain an entry into this competitive yet lucrative industry. We look at the magic industry through the lens of two of its most celebrated performers, Penn and Teller, who are not just as magicians and entertainers, but smart entrepreneurs running a global entertainment business. In parallel, we look at how the field of modern magic has evolved since its inception, what the outlook is for its future in our global, interconnected, always-on economy. We consider the successful careers of legendary magicians like Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin, Harry Houdini, Dai Vernon, Doug Henning, and others, and how they have shaped the growing magic industry and made it a force to be reckoned with. Through shows like Penn and Teller Fool Us, America’s Got Talent, Britain’s Got Talent, and The World’s Best, and through social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube, contemporary magicians have an unprecedented opportunity to make themselves known to a global audience. The success secrets followed by the likes of Penn and Teller, David Copperfield, David Blaine, Criss Angel, and newer stars like Shin Lim, Dynamo, and Ryan Hayashi, both as professional magicians and business owners, can be applied by entrepreneurs, business people and self starters everywhere who want to make a mark in their careers. Through constant efforts at design, experimentation, prototyping, and field testing with peers and live audiences, these performers have been fine tuning their craft for decades. With their passion, perseverance, commitment, and unique and creative ways of identifying and solving problems, these trailblazers show the way for a better - and more magical future. In this book, you will not only learn how these stars successfully overcame their challenges, but also how YOU can transform your approach to magic and business. ADVANCE PRAISE FOR MAGICAL A modern synthesis of magic that every conjurer should keep in their knowledge bag of tricks. - Ryan Hayashi, International Stage Magician, Motivational Speaker, Samurai Entertainer, and Winner of the FU Trophy, Penn & Teller Fool Us. Entertaining, fast-paced, and full of ideas that will challenge your assumptions and beliefs about magic, and it's connections to popular culture and business. - Laura Vanderkam, Bestselling Author of What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast and Off The Clock. A rollicking ride into the business of magic. The connections to innovation, creativity, persistence and service excellence are engaging and insightful. Every entrepreneur should own a copy. - Michael McGetrick, Founder and CEO, Spark 451.