We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Martika Daniels a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Martika thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’ve love to hear an interesting investment story – what was one of the best or worst investments you’ve made? (Note, these responses are only intended as entertainment and shouldn’t be construed as investment advice)
I am a full-time circus and sideshow entertainer. I am not just an entertainer, I am also the owner of my small business. I don’t just handle what people see on stage. I also handle everything that people don’t see in order for me to put on a show. Meaning there’s a lot of office work involved behind the scenes. I am a variety entertainer so I booked a variety of events. I perform at corporate events, renaissance festivals, library programming, and college programs. Those are just a handful of types of events that I work at.
There are several ways for me to book the events that I work. One of the easiest ways for me to network is through attending conventions or conferences. At these events I can showcase. Showcasing is when you put on a short performance to demonstrate what your skill sets are. While I attend these events I get to meet national and international entertainers. Folks I would not meet if I did not attend these types of events. At these events I also meet booking agents, entertainment directors, and talent agencies. There are a lot of opportunities available at these events. In order for me to attend I have to pay not only a yearly fee to be a member but I also have to pay my registration fee, my booth fee, and a showcase fee. I also have to sometimes book plane tickets to fly out to these events. I also have to get hotels. I do not have a sponsor and I am a one woman run business. That means I’m the one fitting the bill for all of this. As a full-time entertainer it is a large investment to attend these events. I will typically attend anywhere from three to six of these a year. They can be my best and worst investments. Not just in my time to attend these events but also the money invested to attend.
Not booking anything from attending these events means I did not make a profit from attending. I don’t get any money back for the time invested. It can feel like a huge waste of my time and a large hit financially. I have attended these events for around 8 years now. I have attended some conferences and conventions that I didn’t book anything. In the moment it felt like it was my worst investment I had made. Thousands of dollars to attend and getting no profit from the conference. While I was dwelling on how this was the worst time invested and the biggest financial mistake I could have made. I started to think about the other entertainers that I met at those events. Even though I didn’t go home with contracts to future gigs. I did walk away with a lot of Pearls of Wisdom. While I was networking with entertainers from all around the world. I learned a lot about show business, and how to be a successful business owner in the entertainment industry. Even though it felt like it was a mistake. It was very beneficial for me to attend. After spending time meditating on what I was feeling. I realized that even if I don’t make a profit, attending these events is still the best investment I could make for my future success. Not just in my time but financially.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I am a full-time circus and sideshow entertainer. I call myself a motivational variety entertainer. I perform with circus acts, fire arts, and sideshow stunts. All while incorporating uplifting and informative messages into my shows. I got involved in circus and sideshow while I was in college and getting my veterinary technician degree. I was taking lessons from the top international entertainers. After I got my degree I got a job in a corporate laboratory. I worked there for a couple years until the company I was working for was bought out by a bigger corporation. That corporation owned too much of the market; they had to downsize our lab. I was laid off overnight suddenly. I decided to use my severance and unemployment to become a full-time entertainer. I was already booking events part time so I decided to put all of my focus into my business full time. I took all the official steps to make my business real. I got an LLC. I hired an accountant. I set up an official website. I started working for myself full-time around 8 years ago. I have not gone back to working in a corporate laboratory ever since.
I work at a variety of different events. I am able to do so because I am no one-trick pony. I am able to tailor my shows to fit any theme or function. My show is unique because I incorporate motivational speaking along with circus and sideshow acts. I am passionate about using my skill set to provide support and awareness of mental health well-being. I foster unforgettable, positive and uplifting fun to the events that I perform at. This sets me apart from my peers in this industry. I also innovate sideshow stunts like my signature stunts called barbed wire hula hooping. I bring a volunteer on stage to hold a balloon target in their bare hands. I hula hoop with a hoop made of only barbed wire. While aiming at that balloon target. I pop the balloon for a grand finale. I’m very proud of the signature stunt that I have created. I have been able to perform the signature stunt across the country and internationally.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
There are many rewarding aspects of being a full-time circus and sideshow entertainer. I get to travel around the world. My skills have been able to take me to places I never thought I would go to. I am very passionate about using my skill sets to help others. It is very rewarding to be able to use my own abilities to provide support and awareness to mental health well being. I talk heavily about my experiences with anxiety and depression within my performances. I talk about how my passion for circus and sideshow acts helps me with my struggles. It is rewarding to be able to share my story with folks all over the world.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
A resource that I wish I knew about early on in my creative journey was that there are places you can go to network and book events. There are conferences and conventions for every type of event that a performance artist can work at. Look up these events online. You can become a member to get access to additional information. These conferences or conventions can be per state. They can be National or International. No matter where you are in your creative journey, these conferences and conventions can help you fast-track yourself as an artist and as a business owner.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.themartikashow.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/themartikashow
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/martikamd
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MMD11