The Magic Industry Changed. Did You?

1. What were you doing for work back in 2019?
- Was working at a company as an IT specialist.
2. What was your big goal with magic at that time?
- Honestly, no goal, just to make people be at ease at work. Making the mood lighter, bringing joy and having fun.
3. What do you do for work now?
- Working as an IT manager.
4. What’s your goal with magic these days?
- Similarly as in the past, easing the minds of people, doing small shows both at work and at my free time, making people amused.
5. What’s standing in your way right now?
- Not much. Technically if I were to say one thing, that is time used to practice. Lately had been having less time for practice, less motivation.
6. How could Ellusionist help you get there?
- Giving some inspiration, some tips and assistance on improving. A group of same minded people to share these experiences, tricks and having people to talk with. A community.

Before 2019, I was working at Costco and doing magic tricks for fun. I found that doing a few card tricks along with a bit of mentalism at parties, got great reactions. I started thinking maybe this was something I could do as a side hustle. Learning tricks and perfecting “my craft” was the thing I really enjoyed,( dare I say, loved), then Covid hit and I became a pariah. No one wanted to hang out with a Costco employee (we were considered “essential workers”), so forget about getting invited to parties or gatherings.
It’s 2025 now, I’m still working at Costco and people have finally gotten over the virus. I keep working on my craft, (Now it’s just for my wife and dogs) but the bi-weekly paychecks and benefits keep me from making that big leap into doing magic full-time.
If I were chosen by Ellusionist to win a prize, I’d be ever so grateful. I would use the gift card to buy a trick that is usually out of my price range.
Thanks for reading, and good luck to everyone.

1. What were you doing for work back in 2019?
I was pouring concrete with the dream of being a magician still very alive. I had already been performing here and their for a few years at this point. I was already 15 years into the craft. At that time in my life I had left Alaska where my wife was pregnant. I left to pursue magic and did concrete to pay the bills. I landed in texas where I started college and used my veteran benefits to go to school and bring my gamily from Alaska. That’s when the pandemic happened and my son was born.
2. What was your big goal with magic at that time? My goal has always been the same to be best performer I can possibly be and become one of the top entertainers in the industry.
3. What do you do for work now? I’m hustling. Magic gigs when I land them and uber eats and Va benefits in between. On down time I street performer in Austin, San Antonio and New Orleans.
4. What’s your goal with magic these days? My goal is to be even more maniacal and squeeze every inch out life and do as much magic as possible. I have a show next week. My first ticketed event so my goal is also to grow that revenue with ticket sales with the help of a podcast and daily vlogs. As well as attaching paid courses teaching the art of performing magic and the phycology of performing live.
5. What’s standing in your way right now? Nothing is standing in my way. Im on my path. I’m relentless. The only thing that could stop me would be death.
6. How could Ellusionist help you get there? Im not sure. My biggest question is how can I help ellusionist ? My biggest strength is speaking I would love to host a podcast for ellusionist as well as vlogs. Basically hosting or performing anything for Ellusionist would be a dream. I’m an avid daily podcast listener. I do open mics comedy and magic on 6th street Austin Texas . Thanks for the fun questions.

1. I didn’t have a job in 2019, I was young.
2. I thought that I wanted to maybe be a performing magician, or a TikTok one.
3. I have a part time job cleaning cars and detailing them.
4. I want to maybe go full time in the future.
5. Money, and exposure.
6. With ideas and techniques.

1. What were you doing for work back in 2019?
Software Engineering

2. What was your big goal with magic at that time?
Perform and Show magic to people more. Focus on presentation and showmanship rather than just doing tricks.

3. What do you do for work now?
Software Engineering

4. What’s your goal with magic these days?
Presentation, Showmanship, Improving and perfecting existing sleight work.

5. What’s standing in your way right now?
My work and family (was blessed with a baby recently)

6. How could Ellusionist help you get there?
Release material that exclusively focuses on performances with live performance footages, etc. Something like UCM was amazing!