There is tons of great insight on here! I have a question relating to things being said here.
Benji, you said you charge no less for 1,000$ a gig and won't turn back, I know that Rick does primarily kid's shows, where 1,000$ seems more than not out of the question.
So my question is, what is the best route to take if you are going to take magic as a career, or at least a second job as opposed to "something on the side." Corporate or kid's shows? My first few experiences with kids has not been the best, and I'm really debating if I should continue in kid's magic and plan a birthday party show, or if I should begin to focus on older clients. Obviously since I'm just starting out, I can't charge a whole lot because my act isn't completely fine tuned, but once it is, I doubt I could get away with a ton more simply because that kind of market doesn't really allow for the parents to do a lot of spending, except in certain circumstances. A single mom with 3 kids can't really shell out as much as a business can.
Would doing both be too much to take on? Like if I work at a more family oriented restaurant (like I do now) on the weekends, but then on other days I'm at places where it's people higher up on the financial ladder. It seems like targeting both would lead to generating more gigs potentially, right?
I just don't see kid's shows being super profitable longer down the road, that's my main concern. Plus all the kid's I've had so far have been terribly difficult.
The one thing you need to think about is Quality over Quantity. Also I don't know if it would be possible to focus on both, maybe it can be done but it would probably more than likely burn yourself out quickly. You need to focus on ONE group or target and just let the other one go. If kid shows aren't working for you, then stop doing them and start looking for gigs at higher end places where you'll get bookings for weddings and Companies.