Dan Chan Master Magician and "The Millionaires' Mentalist" teaches magic and mindreading

Find out more about Daniel

• 1) When did you start practicing? How did this passion find you?

  I started seriously practicing magic in early 2000, when I discovered Misdirections Magic Shop in San Francisco. That opened up an entirely new world for me. I became obsessed with learning, practicing, and studying the craft. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to study the work of more than 100 masters of magic and mentalism, including some of the world’s top competition performers and champions. What started as an interest eventually became my career.

• 2) Which artists or works affect you the most?

  Derren Brown has been one of my biggest influences, particularly in mentalism, psychology, presentation, and the way he creates an experience rather than simply performing a trick. But I’ve learned from many different performers and teachers. I believe you can take something valuable from every great artist while ultimately developing your own voice and style.

• 3) What are the qualities and skills required to succeed in this area?

  Persistence and practice are essential, but succeeding professionally requires much more than technical skill. You need to understand people, presentation, communication, business, and the market you’re working in.
  
  As a teacher and coach, patience is especially important. You have to be able to analyze each student's strengths and weaknesses because everyone learns differently. My job isn't simply to teach someone how a trick works. It's to figure out the fastest and most effective way for that particular student to learn it and eventually perform it confidently.

• 4) What is the most valuable advice you can give to help someone stay focused on creative projects?

  Practice every day, even if it's only 15 or 20 minutes. Consistency is much more important than occasionally practicing for several hours.
  
  Once you understand a move and you're developing muscle memory, you can even practice while watching Netflix. If you normally watch two hours of Netflix, that's potentially two hours of additional practice. Find ways to incorporate practice into your everyday life so that it becomes a habit rather than something you have to motivate yourself to do.

• 5) How would you describe your passion; how does it make you feel?

  Magic and mentalism allow me to combine creativity, psychology, performance, and human connection. After more than two decades, I'm still fascinated by the challenge of creating something audiences haven't experienced before.
  
  One of the greatest feelings is watching someone's reaction when something they believe is impossible happens directly in front of them. Teaching gives me a different version of that feeling. I get to watch a student go from struggling with something to performing it confidently for other people.

• 6) What creative achievements are you particularly proud of?

  I'm proud that I've been able to turn something I love into a career that has allowed me to perform around the world. I've won multiple competitions and performed for companies from A to Z, from Adobe, Airbnb, Amazon and Apple to Zillow. Google alone has hired me more than 70 times.
  
  I'm also proud of developing original magic and mentalism rather than simply performing other people's material. Creating something new, testing it in front of real audiences, refining it, and eventually teaching those ideas to others is one of the most rewarding parts of what I do.

• 7) Have you ever been surprised by a student; by their ability or quick progression?

  Absolutely. I've been surprised many times by how quickly students can progress when they're coached properly. Interestingly, I'm surprised less often now because I've developed a system for teaching.
  
  Things that used to take students much longer to learn can often be taught much more efficiently because I've become better at identifying exactly where they're struggling and what needs to change. My growth as a teacher is reflected in how quickly my students progress.

• 8) Being a Superprof is an art! What is your secret?

  Part of the secret is hard work. Part of it is experience. Part of it is understanding that every student learns differently.
  
  And the rest of the secret?
  
  You'll have to take a lesson to find out.