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The first taste of magic<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Brandon’s introduction to magic came courtesy of his mother, who had a fondness for pranks. When he was a kid, she handed him the phone with one of her friends on the line. “I can hear her chewing something, and she said, ‘I’m eating a cookie. Do you want one?'” he recounted. While he was on the call, his mom was quietly slipping into the kitchen, materializing a cookie. “That was the first time I ever experienced actual magic,” Brandon said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Church also played a role, exposing him to miracles and moments that defied easy explanation. County fairs added another ingredient: hypnotists. “I would see people acting out of character and being under the control of the hypnotist,” he said. “And it looked so much like what I was witnessing in church. That was really confusing for me, because I thought, well, they look exactly the same \u2014 but what’s the difference?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Turning passion into a career<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
In his early twenties, Brandon was playing in bands and using magic tricks as a fun way to connect with people. The reaction kept surprising him. “People would always say, ‘Why aren’t you doing that<\/em>? Like, why are you doing this<\/em>?’ It kind of opened my mind \u2014 oh, people actually do this for a career. This blew my mind,” he said. As his study of magic deepened, his family quietly played matchmaker between him and opportunity, suggesting to a neighbor that Brandon perform at their July 4th event. The neighbor offered $50, and just like that, he landed his first gig.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPerhaps unexpectedly, Brandon doesn’t quite fit the typical mold of a performer. “I hate being a center of attention, and I don’t like being on stage, which is really strange,” he said. Focusing on what brought him joy, Brandon changed the way he performed to focus strictly on roaming magic. “I just sort of blend in, I’m quiet, I’m low-key, but I have a big, big impact,” he explained. “I think time is more valuable than money. And if I can spend my time doing things that make me happy, then that’s success for me, 100%.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n