My friend and student Martin Brock attended one of my classes in...

My friend and student Martin Brock attended one of my classes in Las Vegas several years ago. Already an accomplished performer then, he has put what he learned to good use and is now enjoying a highly successful career in venues around the world. 

Learn more and laugh with Martin here: http://martinbrockshow.com/. I’m sure you’ll enjoy the time you spend with him!

The next version of that class Marten attended takes place online starting August 13, and it is (in my opinion) a vastly improved version of the one Martin attended. You can learn more about the next session of the class here:https://buff.ly/2LALn5A

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Check out our new site...

For magician Jeff McBride. Always adding and improving…we’d love your comments! www.mcbridemagic.com

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This is a re-statement of something from today’s “Monday Morning...

This is a re-statement of something from today’s “Monday Morning Memo,” (mondaymorningmemo.com), one of my favorite weekly blogs. It’s by Roy Williams, who runs the Wizard Academy in Austin and published my favorite 3 books on marketing and ad-writing, the Wizard of Ads trilogy. Highly recommended.

As many of you know, I’ve recently posted dates for our next Beyond Applause classes…which follow the Wizard’s advice by providing you first with information, then leading you through making that information real knowledge by getting you to put it to use (experience). We hope you’ll develop proficiency…hence the class homework and feedback…but that’s about as far as I can take you in a class setting. You have to go out and get your own real-world experience–with my guidance as a consultant if you like–which will help you to build your own business and career as an independent performer.

Learn more about the class here: http://tinyurl.com/y6ctbd64. Not for everyone…but if you’re building your business as a performer or speaker, it might be for you!

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This is a slight re-statement of something from today’s “Monday...

This is a slight re-statement of something from today’s “Monday Morning Memo,” (mondaymorningmemo.com), one of my favorite weekly blogs. It’s by Roy Williams, who runs the Wizard Academy in Austin and published my favorite 3 books on marketing and ad-writing, the Wizard of Ads trilogy. Highly recommended.

As many of you know, I’ve recently posted dates for our next Beyond Applause classes…which follow the Wizard’s advice by providing you first with information, then leading you through making that information real knowledge by getting you to put it to use (experience). We hope you’ll develop proficiency…hence the class homework and feedback…but that’s about as far as I can take you in a class setting. You have to go out and get your own real-world experience–with my guidance as a consultant, if you like–which will help you to build your own business and career as an independent performer.

Learn more about the class here: http://tinyurl.com/y6ctbd64.

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One of the primary thing I teach in the Beyond Applause course...

One of the primary thing I teach in the Beyond Applause course is how to develop and use your own systems. Once you’ve figured out the basics of what your business is really selling–its purpose and its market–there is almost nothing more important for developing excellence and saving yourself time and frustration than having great systems you can rely on. 

If you are one of those “independent performers” the book was written for, we’re starting the next class mid-August. Those who take the class must buy and read the book first (available on Amazon now (http://tinyurl.com/yxa3ul7z). You will commit to 12 classes over six weeks, from August 13-September 20…each with homework. I’m currently planning to meet at 9am PST on Tuesday and Friday mornings, but am open to other suggestions. The class is limited to a maximum of 8 students.  Learn more and register here: http://tinyurl.com/y6ctbd64.

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Leaders take charge–it’s all about responsibility. But...

Leaders take charge–it’s all about responsibility. But it’s not enough that you know what to do, what questions you want to ask, or what message needs to be communicated. You must also be able to communicate clearly, pay attention to the responses you get from your team and your customers, and really communicate. Especially at the highest levels in any organization, the success or failure of all depends on the ability of those in charge to communicate effectively!

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The best story wins. This might not be immediately obvious, but...

The best story wins. This might not be immediately obvious, but it’s true.

Whether you’re selling something, raising money for your business, or trying to impress a new acquaintance–you’ll have more success if you use stories to make your case. And so spending some time learning what makes a good story can pay off in all of those instances.

Another side of storytelling that I find fascinating is the telling of your own story to yourself. The words and images you choose to describe the things that have happened–or will happen–to you can have an amazing influence on your overall success and happiness in life!

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Another insight from Beyond Applause.Marketing is not the same...

Another insight from Beyond Applause.

Marketing is not the same thing as sales, but selling is a part of it. A better way to think of marketing is to think of how to best serve a particular market or set of clients. What are their values, their problems, their needs? If you can see a particular point of pain within a group, and you have a solution that removes that pain…go and build the best version possible of that solution and offer it to that market, to those clients and customers. The better your product–whether it is a show, a talk, a training or something else–serves that market and relieves their pains, the more successful your business will become!

If you’ve found this insight to be valuable, and are one of those “independent performers” the book was written for, you might find my class based on the book to be of interest:

We’re starting the next class mid-August. Those who take the class must buy and read the book first (available on Amazon now (http://tinyurl.com/yxa3ul7z). You will commit to 12 classes over six weeks, from August 13-September 20…each with homework. I’m currently planning to meet at 9am PST on Tuesday and Friday mornings, but am open to other suggestions. The class is limited to a maximum of 8 students.  Learn more and register here: http://tinyurl.com/y6ctbd64.

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The following is an excerpt from my first book, Beyond...

The following is an excerpt from my first book, Beyond Deception. The book is all about building your creativity and power as a magical performer. I’ve enjoyed the many workshops and talks I’ve had the chance to give based on the ideas in the book…I hope this bit might inspire you!

Assume the Role
There’s a funny thing about human beings - we are remarkably affected by the roles we are asked to play. One of my favorite books as a young person was a science fiction novel by Robert Heinlein called Double Star in which a
professional actor is hired because he looks just like the ailing leader of the government of the independent colony on Mars. When he arrives, he is asked to take over as figurehead while the president recovers. He does so, and
enjoys it. The real leader dies, and the actor, who has led a relatively dissolute and irresponsible life up until that time, finds himself committing fully to the role he has been assigned and takes over, becoming a decisive leader and
reformer. The role completely changes the man. I think I like the story because it demonstrates that we are all just one commitment – one role — away from taking control and becoming the gifted, brilliant human beings we were
always meant to be.

So try this: Next time you want to create something,  just take a few moments and ‘put on’ the persona of a great creator. Perhaps you see yourself as a great painter — a Leonardo da Vinci, for example, or as the brilliant theatrical director Harold Prince, or maybe you would like to be George Lucas or Steven Speilberg. Maybe you are inspired by a great poet or songwriter. Whoever inspires you, take a few moments and “step into” the role of being just like them. You’ll find yourself thinking different thoughts, behaving differently, and taking on powers you never knew you had before.

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Beyond Applause was released almost a year ago, with no fanfare...

Beyond Applause was released almost a year ago, with no fanfare whatsoever. Since then, the book has received a wonderful reception. The book was designed as a text for a university level course in business and marketing for independent performers (think jugglers, magicians, speakers…almost any performer who takes individual gigs instead of working a steady job). So I decided the best way to make sure such a course would be viable would be to teach the first edition of it myself and put out the word earlier this year.

Just a few weeks ago the first class wound up, and I’m happy to report it was a resounding success! It took place completely online and was comprised of 12 classes, each 90 minutes long, based on the chapters and worksheets from the book.  As I suspected…this material is really only learned through practice, and although the book strongly suggests that one work through each questionnaire as one reads…I suspect very few actually do so. It’s a different thing when you’re meeting with a group, twice a week, and everyone’s work is examined in detail and discussed! Everyone learns from everyone else, and students feel a responsibility to the group to contribute. Experience really is the best teacher!

So…we’re starting another class mid-August. Those who take the class must buy and read the book first (available on Amazon now (http://tinyurl.com/yxa3ul7z). You will commit to 12 classes over six weeks, from August 13-September 20…each with homework. I’m currently planning to meet at 9am PST on Tuesday and Friday mornings, but am open to other suggestions. The class is limited to a maximum of 8 students.  Learn more and register here: http://tinyurl.com/y6ctbd64.

Watch this space for more free insights, and if you think you would be interested in the class but have further questions, use the contact information on this page to contact me at any time.

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