When I agreed to do a video with YouTube giant Dude Perfect in July of 2017, I knew that I would be a huge opportunity for me to expand my online presence – still, I never could have guessed that this collaborative project would change my life as profoundly as it has since then. That is why I am extraordinarily excited to announce that I will be working with the Dude Perfect team again to…
The life of an entertainer is one already packed with uncertainty – from traveling all over the country by plane and car to coming up with ways to keep the crowd excited on the fly when things go wrong, unpredictability is almost… well, predictable for me at this point. With that said, even the most seasoned industry veterans have had to change their plans as the coronavirus outbreak has brought the world to a virtual…
2019 was a year of travelling new ground for us at Rick Smith Jr., Inc; of course, we still did plenty of the same carrot and celery-cutting that we always do, but my team and I were lucky to take advantage of a number of cool new opportunities as our brand has grown (thanks largely to YouTube and social media). First of all, I have added a number of unique shots to my card-throwing arsenal which I am excited to show off in future videos and shows – while I continued to perfect the throws that have served as the base…
As the corporate side of my business continues to grow alongside the development of my YouTube/Instagram presence, I often think back to the online collaborations that served as building blocks for what I have now managed to turn into a fairly significant social media following (377K+ subscribers!). Without a doubt, the opportunities provided to me by my early online partners gave me the ability to make my name known across a number of internet platforms….
Repeat clients make up the backbone of my business, and I undoubtedly would not be where I am today without them. One of the businesses that has become a multiple-instance corporate client of mine is Avnet, for whom I performed at the Dell EMC in Horseshoe Bay, Texas. After the positive reviews I received regarding my magic show at that event, Avnet (in conjunction with computer manufacturer Lenovo) invited me to attend the Ascend FY20…
As I have progressed through my 20+ year career as a performance magician, I have undoubtedly adapted to the long hours of practicing, travelling, and putting on shows that come with the life I have chosen. Still, while the actual job itself may continue to become more fun and natural as the seasons go by, I have found that my personal life necessitates more of a time commitment than it did when I was just…
Ever since I was a kid, I knew that my goal was to one day become a professional magician and performer; practicing with magic kits and putting on shows for the neighborhood was my favorite thing to do growing up, and my intention to turn magic into a career was consistent all the way through college until I set out to start my own business. Still, the entertainment industry is a difficult one to make…
How I Have Achieved Near-Perfect Reviews As the old adage states, “word of mouth is the best advertisement” – no matter your industry or field, if you can manage to leave such a lasting impact on your customers that they will recommend you to their friends, you are tapping into the most credible form of publicity available. With the internet becoming an increasingly important source of information for consumers looking for high quality services, however,…
The beginning of 2019 has been busy for my team and I, both through our main entertainment business Rick Smith Jr., Inc. and also via our charitable organization Magic Gives Back. With different reward tiers corresponding to various amounts of ticket sales (autographs, backstage passes, pizza parties, etc.), we are getting students involved in the process of fundraising. In fact, the idea behind MGB is to make giving back fun; by encouraging students to sell tickets to a…
It’s no secret that the entertainment industry is quite competitive, and performers of all kinds must work tirelessly to become and remain the best as a result. Not only does this mean that I have to continue to perfect the tricks that I already have, but also that staying at the top requires constant improvements to my arsenal of tricks and illusions. Still, this doesn’t mean that I don’t love every second of my job…
