First Steps as a Working Magician

Hi! My name is Ollie, and I work as a Customer Service Wizard at Vanishing Inc. I’ve been doing this for around four years now. I also work at The Session every year, which I absolutely love.

I’ve been around magic for about six years, but more recently, in 2026, I decided to put my main focus into performing, getting gigs, and trying to become a full-time professional magician.

First, some background.

I got into magic through a friend who showed me a quick trick, and I instantly fell in love with the community and everything magic offers.

I love the feeling of creating impossible moments and the reactions you can get from people. Like most magicians, I started learning simple tricks and moves, but over time I became much more interested in performance and how magic makes people feel.

Why Start Gigging?

I got to a point where I realised I didn’t just want magic to be something I practiced at home. I wanted to challenge myself and actually perform for real audiences.

Seeing a lot of our customers and friends performing at weddings, restaurants, and events made me want to start taking performing much more seriously.

How I Booked My First Gig

I started by simply letting close family and friends know that I wanted to take magic more seriously and start performing professionally. From this, my father-in-law secured me a booking at one of his work events.

Pre-Gig Feelings

The nerves beforehand were definitely the biggest thing. The gig was in the evening, and I remember not sleeping the night before or even eating properly during the day. I think every magician worries about bothering people, being judged, or messing up.

Once I got there and started performing, everything changed. After around twenty minutes, the nerves settled, and I realised people just wanted to be engaged and have fun.

The gig was a close-up setting for around 25 people, but when you’re actually performing and interacting with people, the time goes incredibly fast.

From that event, I actually secured a second paid gig at the opening day of a local pub. I performed there a few weekends ago, and again it went really well. The nerves were still there, but once I got into performing, my confidence started to grow.

What I brought with me:

I didn’t go with the traditional “three sets of three” that everyone advises. I’d been changing sets constantly for months and struggled to decide what to perform. Eventually, I realised it was becoming an excuse not to get out there and perform.

So instead, I took material I genuinely felt comfortable with and decided what to perform depending on the situation. I also wanted to improve my improvisation and ability to adapt to different groups and environments.

I took with me:

• Industrial Revelation
• Cubemix Cards
• Rainbow Card & Wallet
• Snaps
• Sketch Artist
• Persona
• X-Ray Envelopes
• Grandma’s Miracle
• Mental Die
• Omni Deck
• Sponge Balls
• Elastic Bands
• A deck of cards

With the cards, I performed effects including Chicago Opener, Dr. Daley’s Last Trick, Ambitious Card with a Paperclipped and Omni Deck ending, along with other card effects.

I also have my own routine combining Snaps and Sketch Artist, which became one of my favourite things to perform.

The Hardest Part Isn't The Tricks

Honestly, the hardest part of the gig wasn’t the magic itself — it was approaching people for the first time and actually showing up as “the magician.”

I think a lot of magicians build up this fear that they’re interrupting people or that groups won’t want them there. That was definitely the biggest mental hurdle for me.

Once I got through the first couple of performances, everything became much easier. You realise most people are happy to be entertained, especially when you approach them in a relaxed and friendly way.

Another challenge was controlling nerves and shaky hands while still appearing confident. Even if you know the material well, performing for strangers feels very different from practicing at home or showing friends.

I also realised how important pacing is, and learning to adapt on the spot is something you only really improve through experience.

How I'm Feeling Now:

I feel proud of starting down this path.

The nerves beforehand were far worse than the actual gig itself, so once it was over I felt relieved and much more confident.

It also made everything feel real. Up until then, gigging was something I’d thought about doing for a long time, but after that first paid performance it became, “Okay… I can actually do this.”

The reactions helped massively too. Hearing people talk about the magic afterwards and seeing how much they enjoyed it gave me a huge confidence boost.

What I Would Change:

Honestly, I’d probably relax and trust myself a bit more. Looking back, I put a lot of pressure on myself to make everything perfect, when really people just wanted to have fun and be entertained.

I’d also carry less. I think a lot of magicians feel like they need loads of tricks ready, but realistically you only need a handful of strong routines you genuinely feel comfortable performing.

My Advice For People Who Want To Start Gigging:

Just go for it.

I think most magicians wait far too long because they’re trying to reach some imaginary level where they finally feel “ready.” The truth is, most confidence comes from actually performing for real people.

You also don’t need a massive act to start gigging. A few strong effects, good people skills, and the ability to stay relaxed will take you much further than trying to perform the most complicated material possible.

Honestly, the hardest part is usually just taking that first step. Once you do the first gig, everything feels far less intimidating afterwards.

If anyone is thinking about starting gigging or has any questions about performing, feel free to comment on this post. I’m definitely still early on in my own journey, but sometimes hearing from somebody who’s recently taken those first steps can be more helpful and relatable.