Conrad Alampay: The business of street magic

If a stranger taps you to ask if you want to see something, just say yes. Chances are it will be Conrad Alampay, the professional street magician. At 6’1”, Conrad attracts curious onlookers who are intrigued by his presence. As he performs his magic acts right beside his audience, this 30-year-old bachelor gets thrilled at his viewers’ amazement when they find a ball or card that’s magically appeared in their hand.

“It’s all about practice,” he claims. Behind the scenes, he practices his sleight of hand in front of a mirror. There are many secrets that magicians will not share, so Conrad had to learn many tricks on his own. From the time he lived in Indonesia till the time he moved back to the Philippines, our close-up magician explored his passion for astonishing his viewers with illusion.

Today, Conrad sees himself as an entertainer — one who sets himself apart from others in a gentle way. What started as a hobby has bloomed into a business, with over 40 corporate accounts calling on him to entertain their guests. “ I realize that you can earn a living doing something fun,” he says.

What helped me to conquer fear was to go out there and do it, then realize it’s never as bad as I thought. With stage fright, I surround myself with people in the same industry who encourage and mentor me. They give me the confidence and added skills to succeed.

One of my fears was starting a conversation with a complete stranger. It is not easy to go up to a complete stranger to ask them if I can show them something. I was always shy, never the sociable person, but after magic, you can relate to people easily and carry on a conversation.

After having my own business, I learned that whatever you get depends on how much effort you really put into it. How to get your name out there, how often you practice and how much time you devote to it. Even how important it is to manage your time wisely and shuffle your different interests.

I choose my employees based on their attitude. Yes, their skills count, but from their first interview, I judge their outlook on life, if they are problem solvers and not afraid to raise their concerns. Many Filipinos are shy and hesitant to talk about problems. They choose not to be confrontational until it is such a big issue.

One of my goals this year is to do shows on a regular basis in an established venue where people can come to watch me. Also possibly work on performing illusions onstage for larger audiences.

My personal style signifier is my white sneakers. I can wear them with my everyday shorts, corporate events and sometimes even with my suit. I have at least six pairs of white sneakers. There is a saying that you can judge a person by his shoes. Makes me look presentable and neat.

A while ago I was browsing Manny Pacquiao’s website to see if Mayweather is agreeing to fight Pacquiao.

The site that inspires me is TED.com. TED is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out in 1984 as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: technology, entertainment and design. To quote their mission, “We believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately, the world. So we’re building here a clearinghouse that offers free knowledge and inspiration from the world’s most inspired thinkers, and also a community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other. This site, launched April 2007, is an ever-evolving work in progress, and you’re an important part of it. Have an idea?”

My style icon: I don’t really have a personal style icon, but I like and admire the style of Will Smith and David Beckham. Beckham carries his clothes well. Simple but on special occasions, he is very classy.

In school, I learned how to ask questions. Sometimes people think that asking questions makes you sound ignorant, but being honest about what you don’t know can really help you learn. Also learned to work as a team for projects as well as with the basketball team; manage time, develop discipline and study habits.

The books I am reading now are on magic because it is the best way to learn.