Science likes to break everything into understandable...

Science likes to break everything into understandable parts–but oftentimes a whole is much more than the sum of its parts. This is especially true for human beings. I think we do our young people a disservice when we separate the arts from the sciences. True understanding and mastery of almost anything are greatly enhanced by studying it in context. Students who learn to play musical instruments, or to create great visual art, tend to do much better in ALL of their other subjects as well.

So…what have you done lately to expand your own sensibilities beyond your specialties? When did you last have a deep discussion with people outside your industry or field of study? Have you traveled to experience cultures other than your own lately? If not–you have no idea what you’re missing!

That’s just one of the principles you’ll discover when you read The Wizard’s Way! (Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0977984389

from Tumblr https://ift.tt/32XwNe6
via IFTTT

Spencer Scurr is a magical performer from Toronto who is rapidly...

Spencer Scurr is a magical performer from Toronto who is rapidly becoming one of the city’s more sought after acts. His work for both private and corporate events is thoughtful, funny…and completely baffling! Learn more at http://www.spencerscurr.com/.

And, as for our Beyond Applause Seminar…we have classes starting again Oct. 1. Learn more at https://tinyurl.com/y6ctbd64

from Tumblr https://ift.tt/2IfYjeC
via IFTTT

We are starting another round of classes on October 1, and...

We are starting another round of classes on October 1, and continuing for the next 6 weeks, twice each week. Most solo entertainers are great at what they do…but not so great at building a business around those abilities. If you want to build a good life and strong business around your performing, this book and course were created for you.

Here’s where you can find the full details: https://tinyurl.com/y6ctbd64

The course is a fairly intense experience for most–similar to an upper-level course you might encounter at a university. There are chapters to read which introduce all the basic concepts surrounding running a business, and then worksheets you must complete in order to actually move the information from the articles into your own experience and make them real knowledge. By the end of the class, you will have had hands-on experience in defining your market, building systems to help you negotiate finance, legal, communications, sales and all the other aspects of running a business–and may even have built the specific systems you’ll use to run your own business.

As they say, “Hope is not a strategy.” Only those who take the initiative, who learn to direct their efforts and do the actual work of building and serving a market, are going to thrive as entertainers. The course can show you the way…but the rest remains up to you!

https://tinyurl.com/y6ctbd64

from Tumblr https://ift.tt/31Cyz42
via IFTTT

Although it’s true that when you run a business, you learn to...

Although it’s true that when you run a business, you learn to think like an entrepreneur more than just like an entertainer. But in thinking like the CEO of your business, it’s also tremendously important not to forget that you are selling an entertainment product. That part of your mission statement, your reason for the business to exist, is to entertain.

So make sure that you carry out that mission in all your communications. Your elevator pitch, your website, your business cards, every email you send…should deliver something that’s entertaining! If you can’t do that, how can you expect potential clients to believe you’ll be able to entertain them and their clients once they hire you?

That’s one of the many principles I teach in Beyond Applause…now available on Amazon. (https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Applause-Management-Independent-Performers/dp/0977984346/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=beyond+applause&qid=1568921649&sr=8-1)

from Tumblr https://ift.tt/31ArelB
via IFTTT

I’ve known Shaun Jay since he was a kid, performing as Harry...

I’ve known Shaun Jay since he was a kid, performing as Harry Potter and on the streets and at malls in his native North Carolina. He has moved on to performing more prestigious private and corporate events throughout the Southeast, and was recently featured on national TV on Masters of Illusion! Learn more about Shaun and his work at https://shaunjaymagic.com.

It has been a real pleasure to see Shaun and his business grow–based largely on principles I teach in Beyond Applause–both the book and the online course. We’re starting the next round of classes for the course on October 1…you can learn more and sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/y6ctbd64

from Tumblr https://ift.tt/2ArkCda
via IFTTT

We are starting another round of classes on October 1, and...

We are starting another round of classes on October 1, and continuing for the next 6 weeks, twice each week. Most solo entertainers are great at what they do…but not so great at building a business around those abilities. If you want to build a good life and strong business around your performing, this book and course were created for you.

Here’s where you can find the full details: https://tinyurl.com/y6ctbd64

The course is a fairly intense experience for most–similar to an upper-level course you might encounter at a university. There are chapters to read which introduce all the basic concepts surrounding running a business, and then worksheets you must complete in order to actually move the information from the articles into your own experience and make them real knowledge. By the end of the class, you will have had hands-on experience in defining your market, building systems to help you negotiate finance, legal, communications, sales and all the other aspects of running a business–and may even have built the specific systems you’ll use to run your own business.

As they say, “Hope is not a strategy.” Only those who take the initiative, who learn to direct their efforts and do the actual work of building and serving a market, are going to thrive as entertainers. The course can show you the way…but the rest remains up to you!

https://tinyurl.com/y6ctbd64

from Tumblr https://ift.tt/2I5XTHV
via IFTTT

I’m inspired by Seth Godin’s blog several times a week. If you...

I’m inspired by Seth Godin’s blog several times a week. If you don’t subscribe…think about doing so. They’re usually short, pithy bits of wisdom from a master marketer.

This one hit on one of my favorite subjects. As I work with many different kinds of solo performers, I’m often struck by their passion, their skill, their creativity…but also by their utter obliviousness to the idea that their work is for something, that it has a purpose. Once we discover the purpose our work serves, we can figure out who it serves best, and therefore who the market is for our work. And that translates directly in more engagements, more money, and a much happier career. It’s worth spending some time thinking, “What is the purpose of my business? Who do I serve?” The answers could make you rich!

from Tumblr https://ift.tt/2NVwDzA
via IFTTT

Every business has a business model – how you turn what...

Every business has a business model – how you turn what you do into income. But not every model is equal. Most performers have a model like the one Seth describes above, which means your business is just there to give you a job…it’s not what I think of as a “real” business at all. A real business can “make you money while you sleep.” 

How, you ask? Well…there are many ways. Create products–books, posters, t-shirts…whatever–that you can sell not only at your performances, but online or through retailers. Use the same creativity that you put into your performing or speaking to create more tangible products that others can sell for you. You can hire people to handle manufacture, marketing, and other aspects of your business, and thus leverage their efforts to create income for yourself. For most of us, this doesn’t mean we stop performing–only that we start looking at our performances as a way to build and market something larger–our Brand.

Learn more about building from my book “Beyond Applause,” or take a deeper dive and join us for our next online series of classes. We do 12 sessions in which we work through each of the sections of the book, actually “doing the work” to think through and build your business, one step at a time. The book is on Amazon now. If you’re interested in the class, drop me a line: tobias@yourmagic.com.

from Tumblr https://ift.tt/2zNm7SH
via IFTTT