Why should you listen to me?
Oh, right. Let me introduce myself. Hi there, I'm Jonathan W. Pritchard.
I didn't learn all this stuff by reading books, taking classes, or listening to some online guru promising the world.
I learned how to run a "one-man show" because my rent depended on me figuring it out, quick.
I got paid $200 to perform a 20-minute magic show when I was 13, and then I went on tour around the world.
That was 30 years ago.
Since then I've spent my life earning a living from my skills, my expertise, building attention, my judgment, creating products, consulting for people & companies, running workshops, and being a trusted advisor to ambitious founders & owners.
I had to learn positioning because “just another magician” is a commodity.
I had to learn marketing because gigs don't book themselves.
I had to learn sales because "you are so interesting!" isn't the same as getting a signed agreement.
I had to learn delivery because live audiences tell you immediately whether your ideas work or not.
I had to learn leverage because having to be physically present for every dollar eventually became the problem.
The point isn't that you should copy my career and become a world-touring mentalist.
The point is that you can build your own version of success on purpose, by yourself, right now.
Supremely Unemployable — why I stopped treating a job as the only legitimate way to make a living.
Build the business that gives you more options.
You need a business that sets you free instead of trapping you in the middle of your own personal nightmare.
Still thinking about it? That means you still have questions!
No. You can be a consultant, freelancer, creator, advisor, coach, expert, operator, guru, shaman, or someone who still has a day job. The point is that the business model is rock solid. Something small, expertise-driven, and done on purpose.
You're in a great position. You officially have your first investor nailed down; your boss. You're going to use your paycheck to fund your solo business venture. Build evidence before you make any expensive life changes. If you quit to follow your passion, you're going to regret it. Don't do it.
Fuck no. AI is the leverage layer. The business still needs positioning, marketing, sales, delivery, and your judgment at the heart of everything that happens. Sorry, but you can't automate away everything, no matter how much the gurus try to convince you.
No. You need enough of the right people to understand what you do & why it matters. In fact, if you have a large audience of the wrong people, it hurts you more than it helps you.