Today, we have the pleasure of interviewing David John, a former IT Professional living in Japan who, for the past 12 years, has been performing magic on the side, along with the tourism business.
Please tell us something about yourself.
I started the tourism business 3 years ago. However, everything changed when the Covid-19 outbreak hit Asian countries.
Now I am a full-time Virtual Magician whose job is to spread a little happiness and joy to people worldwide.
How did you get into what you do right now? Please tell us more about your journey.
After I lost my tourism business due to the Covid-19 outbreak, I had to look around for other opportunities. Getting back to the corporate world was one option, so I started to apply for jobs again. Things were different after the Covid-19, unfortunately. Companies were cutting-off people instead of hiring new employees.
Earning some cash from magic was definitely not an option as well, because LIVE entertainment was just as dead as Tourism. I made a quick decision to grab any job, and the quickest one was registering myself as a rider for a food delivery service company. While I kept looking for other opportunities – until one day, I noticed Airbnb was pivoting their business from a vacation rental platform to an online experience platform. I told myself I should definitely give it a try with registering my virtual magic show there simply because I did not see any other better option.
That was back in mid-April. Today I have performed more than 200 shows virtually to companies and families around the world, with 200+ 5 star customer reviews.
Who are your role models?
David Copperfield, Lance Burton, Jim Carrey, Steve Jobs
What inspires you?
I seek inspiration everyday.
I am inspired by people who push themselves out of their comfort zones or people who feel enthusiastic about their job, their life, or their families. And then convey their enthusiasm or positive energy to me.
Please tell us more about what you do.
Self-Isolation and Social Distancing are in place everywhere around the world. Many people are worried about how they can spend a fun and meaningful time with their children, family, or friends.
Employers worldwide also constantly find ways to help their employees stay connected, healthy, and entertained.
I created my “Interactive Virtual Magic Show & Lesson” for the above purposes.
The human connection between the audience and me is what makes the magic happen in this experience, with only using everyday objects, without any special boxes or beautiful assistants. Although this is conducted online via ZOOM, it is a highly interactive experience as all the participants will be actively involved in the show. This whole experience is enjoyable for both children and adults.
The show takes around 30-40 minutes, which will then be followed by a 20-30 minutes magic lesson. With a little bit of practice, participants will have some mind-blowing easy-to-master magic tricks to show your family and friends even via a video chat without using any special props.
This experience is hosted in either English, Japanese, or Indonesian.
Which social media channels work best for promoting your work? What exactly do you do on the social media channel that makes it work for you?
Honestly, I am not very good at promoting myself through social media channels, but I am getting there.
My Facebook page is Virtual Magic Experience by David John, and still working on reaching 100 subscribers for my brand new youtube channel! Haha
What’s your greatest fear?
My greatest fear is not being able to provide for my family.
Covid-19 pandemic has brought me to my knees, but my magic skill and showmanship have got me up again in a miraculous way. I have learned a lot of lessons from this pandemic, and I will be ready if anything like this ever happens again.
Looking back, what’s one thing you wish you understood better before you ever got started?
Definitely, my social media presence!
I was too lazy to start a YouTube channel, although people around me have told me millions of times from years back. “You should definitely start to put your magic content into Youtube! You have that personality!” – I didn’t think I would have time for that.
It’s not that it is bad for not having an established channel now. Still, It would have been easier to catapult my virtual magic experience even further.
What are the strategies that helped you become successful in your journey?
Being myself – do not try to become someone else. Stay innovative and creative. Being genuinely kind to others without moving away from my business values.
What keeps you going when things get tough?
I have no choice other than to do my absolute best and deal with it any way I can. I am a big fan of The Serenity Prayer :
“Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And wisdom to know the difference.”
Any message for our readers.
If your life is being impacted by this pandemic, please don’t give up. Keep looking for opportunities around as you might not realize that they are probably already there in front of you. Do not be afraid to execute whatever ideas you have within your own reach (cost, time) because you have nothing else to lose.
How can people connect with you?
I am reachable at david@deejaymagicacademy.com or simply visit my booking website on Airbnb.