08 | The Business of Magic: From Teaching Tricks to Running a Real Business with Professor DR Schreiber

Loving your craft is a great place to start but it is not a business plan. Professor Dr. Schreiber has been teaching magic in Portland-area elementary schools for 15 years, full-time for the last five. He performs in an 18th-century style, but what he’s figured out along the way is that the hardest parts have nothing to do with the tricks. It's the scheduling conflicts, the enrollment that doesn't hit minimum, the 12 third graders who've collectively decided the school rules don't apply after the bell rings, and the administrative load that somehow multiplies every time you think you've got it under control. We get into what happens when enrollment falls short and why "cancel" is almost never the right first move, why the apps and software promising to fix your operations cannot save you if you haven't figured out how to manage a room, and the specific teaching model he's used for 15 years that keeps families coming back term after term, sibling after sibling. This episode is for anyone with a passion, a craft, or a specialty who is trying to figure out whether there's a real business in it.Episode Highlights1:30 Living off the calendar and why his performance schedule and teaching schedule are always negotiating with each other6:30 The Society of Young Magicians, 10 years as a certified mentor, and the teaching model he still runs today10:30 Day one of class, the magician's oath, and why philosophy comes before any tricks14:30 Knowing how a trick is done and actually being able to do it are two completely different things23:30 Why Professor caps classes at 12 students and what happens to the economics when enrollment is tight27:00 When enrollment falls short, the third option most operators never consider35:00 Canceling a full program term means those families almost never come back39:00 Why no app or software can save a program if the teacher isn't any goodResources mentioned- Book a class or explore performances of  Professor DR Schreiber → historicalconjurer.com/schedule- Free classroom and group management tips → enrichmententrepreneur.com/resources- Support and community for enrichment operators → getenrops.com/podcastGuest bioProfessor DR Schreiber, better known to some as Danny Schreiber, has been doing this long enough to have taught the older sibling and then watched the younger one show up to enroll. He's an award-winning full-time magician, performer, and instructor who has spent two decades teaching hundreds of students through after-school programs, parks and rec, camps, and private lessons. He's a member of the Magic Castle's Academy of Magical Arts, a member of the Society of American Magicians, a certified mentor with the Society of Young Magicians, and a past Disneyland cast member. He performs under the name The Historical Conjurer and specializes in 18th-century magic.Where to Find Professor DR SchreiberYou can find Professor DR Schreiber on Facebook and Instagram, book a class or explore his performances at www.historicalconjurer.com schedule, or reach out directly through the website...he's been doing this for 15 years and loves connecting with anyone who wants to bring magic to their community.That's a wrap. If this episode gave you something — an idea, a laugh, a story — share it with one person who needs it. Leave us a five star review because it helps other enrichment entrepreneurs find this show. Got a question or a story worth telling? Head to getenrops.com/podcast — you can submit your questions, apply to be a guest, and access resources to help you launch and grow your business. Again, that's getenrops.com/podcast. Until next time — keep learning, keep building.