KickStart Your Week : Michael Kent

This week’s KickStart Your Week podcast features comedian and magician Michael Kent who went from performing the occasional magic show using vacation days from his marketing job to performing full time, spending 250 days a year on the road and regularly touring 40 states.

Michael provides after dinner-entertainment for dozens of high-profile corporations and has been seen in more than 300 colleges and 19 different U.S. military installations around the world.

Michael Kent has been nominated for multiple awards for his performances at colleges and universities, including “Best New Rising Star” and as “Entertainer of the Year for both 2012 and 2013.”

Co-host Tomas Lydahl and I had had a chance to discuss magic, performance, branding, and juggling (juggling priorities, not juggling balls) when you have a family and your job is to be on the road all the time.

Hot Tips:

1. Gain perspective from outsiders
By including those in your think tank who are outside your industry, you allow them to help you see your work in a way more similar to the way a customer or client might.

2. Don’t become married to your ideas
There’s something to be said for having passion for a unique vision, but when you’re turning a hobby into a career, you also have to make sure what you’re doing is commercial. Sometimes that means sacrificing and chipping away at your original concept.

3. Inject your personality into your work
When I work with someone, I want the interaction to mimic a social interaction with that person. That doesn’t mean a person can’t be professional. But if I feel like I would enjoy hanging out with you, I’m probably more likely to do business with you.

Connect with Michael Kent:

Website: www.michaelkentlive.com

Twitter: twitter.com/michaelkent

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/michaelkentfans

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/michaelkentlive

Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kentmagic/sets/

Learn how to do the free magic trick Michael mentioned in the program:
http://eepurl.com/drnKb

Help Michael win Entertainer of The Year:
http://michaelkentlive.com/blog/michael-kent-earns-nomination-for-2013-entertainer-of-the-year-vote-for-michael-here/