Meet John Shaw

We recently connected with John Shaw and have shared our conversation below.

Hi John, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

My work ethic comes from my family. My father, mother, and grandfather were all very hard workers.

They taught me that showing up on time or in most cases early was the way to get things done.

They always encouraged me to go after the things I wanted most. Whether it be show related or just the things I wanted out of life.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I first became aware of and interested in magic when I was in elementary school.
They had an assembly one day and a gentleman was using magic as a way to introduce children to science.
Although the science stuff was cool I fell in love with magic that day.
I bought my first magic kit when I was about 8 years old. I also discovered puppets as well due to the popularity of the Muppet Show. Which, ironically introduced me to Alice Cooper and KISS.
At the age of 10 I saw my first sideshow at a circus in NY and the sword swallower invited me on stage to pull the sword out of him and at that moment I was hooked.
I would put on magic shows for anyone and everyone who would watch.
I did my first public performance when I was in 3rd grade at the talent show at school.
I then met a magician at a party and he gave me the number to a gentleman named Stan who sold magic out of his house.
I’ll never forget the first time I stepped foot into his basement and the lights came on and the room was filled from floor to ceiling with magic tricks and books and so many colorful and cool things.
He helped me select effects that were in my skill range and then thought me some simple sleight of hand..
He helped me figure out what kind of tricks I liked the most and was really instrumental in helping me in my early years.
Fast forward and I’m doing pretty good with birthday parties, some private events, and local parks and recreation shows.
I meet a gentleman named Jeff McBride and he is doing stuff like I have never seen anyone do before. He has non traditional costumes, music, and is performing magic in a very theatrical style.
I befriend him and he helps mentor me and introduces me to his mentors Eugene Burger and Max Maven.
With Ethel help of these gentleman they help put me in the track for discovering who I am as a performer and creating my own style.
I now combine my love of magic, illusions, sideshow, comedy, and theatrical horror into one show creating my own brand of entertainment that I have traveled the world with.
I have also created a very specific and unique look that helps me stand out from the crowd.
This has led to me performing in many countries, to royalty, celebrities, rock stars, and many appearances on some of the biggest tv and radio shows in the world!!

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

One of the most useful things I ever did was get involved in scouting.
I started in Cub Scouts, then WebEli’s, and then later into Biy Scouts where I achieved many things including Order of the Arrow and Eagle Scout.
Being in scouts taught me how to problem solve, conflict resolution, outdoor survival, camping, fishing, hunting, tying knots, and overall life skills.
Having my father in my life was a huge part of helping me overcome adversity and learn that losing is ok and it makes you stronger and makes you try harder. It doesn’t matter how many times you fails as long as you keep trying until you succeed.
All of my accomplishments have been preceded by many failures. I just didn’t give up.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?

A book that has helped me in life was written by a dear friend of mine who over the years has given me many great pieces of advice
He passed a few years ago but the book is called The Golden Rule of Schmoozing by Aye Jaye.
His book helped me up my game in the art of negotiating and just overall interactions with people.
It’s a very valuable resource and I highly recommend it.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

SON STUDIOS
GABE GINSBERG

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Resilience
Where do you get your resilience from?

Resilience is often the x-factor that differentiates between mild and wild success. The stories of

Productivity
Beating Burnout

Often the key to having massive impact is the ability to keep going when others

Leadership Development
Finding Your Why

Not knowing why you are going wherever it is that you are going sounds silly,