We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Josh Weidner. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Josh below.

Josh, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

For most of my time as a magician, the answer to this question would have been no.

After the pandemic ended, I found a mentor to help me learn some things that would help my business to grow. After working with him for a couple of years, I was able to build my business up into a really lucrative side business and last year, I was able to take the leap and go full-time.

The biggest things that helped me achieve this goal were having a group of like-minded people there to help keep me motivated and also not being afraid to invest in my business. Investing in good marketing materials, software, coaching, anything. If you can see how learning the skill, acquiring the software, or getting the help will lead to more leads, a better close rate, or a higher price, you should probably invest in it sooner rather than later.

There is a saying about show business: “Show Business is two words and the bigger word is BUSINESS.”

If you’re any kind of artist hoping to make a living from your art, you need to accept that you are going to have to become a businessperson first and an artist second. It’s a tough transition if you hope to do magic full-time but the truth is, you will probably spend 80% of your time doing business tasks (answering emails, sending contracts and invoices, making calls, etc.) and 20% of your time onstage. At least at first.

Josh, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m Josh, a magician, mentalist, and comedian who specializes in making company events unforgettable. My journey into magic started like most, seeing a trick as a kid and being absolutely hooked, but unlike most, I never grew out of it.

Instead, I grew into it. I’m an introvert and when I was younger, I was really shy. Magic kind of gave me a super power. At first, the magic was what I led with but after spending years honing my craft, blending sleight of hand with humor, I was able to create a style that’s interactive, engaging, and, most importantly, fun.

I primarily perform for corporate events, fundraisers, and conferences, offering both strolling magic (where I mingle with guests, performing up-close magic inches from their faces) and full-scale magic shows that combine comedy, audience participation, and mind-blowing magic. Whether it’s a sales team needing an icebreaker or a gala looking for a unique entertainer to impress their donors, I help clients create memorable experiences that keep their guests talking long after the event ends.

What sets me apart? It’s not just about the tricks. Plenty of magicians can fool you, but my focus is on entertainment first. I believe magic should make people laugh, lean in, and feel like they’re part of something special. My shows aren’t just “watch me do this cool thing.” They’re interactive, immersive experiences where the audience is the star.

I’m most proud of the fact that my work creates real moments—those rare, shared experiences where people stop scrolling, stop checking emails, and are just present. That’s the real magic. Oh, and I’ve also had the privilege of performing for some pretty big names, including Wells Fargo, Costco, and Mastercard, which is a nice bonus.

If you’re looking for entertainment that’s not just impressive but actually fun, I’m your guy.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

You know, honestly, you guys are doing amazing at that. I run a public magic show twice a month called Disbelief: Cocktails & Conjuring with some other magicians we sell out every single show. People are loving live entertainment and they are willing to pay for it.

You occasionally get some strange people who refuse to pay for entertainment but everyone is different. There are over 300,000 people in St Louis, where we do our show and another 2.5 million people outside of that. There are plenty of people who love live entertainment enough to come out and support us.

Many people even come back and bring their friends.

But I guess to answer your question, the answer is: Keep up the good work. Keep going to shows. Consider hiring a live performer for your wedding or other event instead of just putting some music on and having Susan from HR run a trivia game contest. It keeps live entertainment alive and also fosters better connection between your team. Wins all around.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I REALLY wish I had learned sales and lead generation earlier.

Finding people with a problem you can solve, learning the details of their problem, and then offerings solutions is really the only way to make it in this business unless you’re famous in some way.

I’d say open all your lead channels and spend most of the time on the phone with clients listening to them. If you’re giving pricing and pitching solutions before you have even spoken with your client, STOP. You don’t know what they need. You might as well tell them you’ll fix their car before finding out what’s wrong with it.

Focusing on what the client needs first is so important.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.joshweidner.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshweidnermagic/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshweidner/
• Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@JoshWeidnerMagician

Image Credits

Jesse Bader
Josh Weidner