Trading Places: Jonah Babins with The Magic Guys

This week, Discourse in Magic looks a little different. Instead of Jonah interviewing a guest, we’re sharing an episode where the tables were turned. Jonah recently sat down with Josh Norbido and Nick Kay —better known as The Magic Guys —on their popular Australian-based livestream and podcast. The Magic Guys actually “robbed” Jonah of the FSM Award for top Magic Podcast this year, but there are no hard feelings here. Their show is famous for its high energy, active YouTube community, and hilarious banter, making this one of the most engaging “crossover” episodes yet. In this session, Josh and Nick grill Jonah on the inner workings of his business, his performance schedule, and his philosophy on growth. What You’ll Learn in This Episode The Toronto Magic Company Story: How Jonah built a brand that doesn’t just book him, but manages a roster of talent across the city. The FSM Rivalry: A behind-the-scenes look at the friendly competition between the top magic podcasts in the industry. The “Anti-Budget” Strategy: Why Jonah believes asking a client “What is your budget?” is one of the biggest mistakes you can make on a sales call. Managing a Roster: The logistics and ethics of taking a cut from other magicians’ gigs and how to provide enough value to make it a win-win. The Power of Community: How The Magic Guys built a “fitspo” for magicians through livestreaming and Discord interactions. Key Pillars of the Discussion The Business of Management Jonah dives deep into how the Toronto Magic Company operates. He explains the transition from being a solo performer to building a brand that clients trust, allowing him to book other magicians and take a management fee while ensuring the quality of the show remains high. The Perfect Sales Approach During the “grilling” session, Jonah shares one of his most important pieces of business advice: stop leading with budget. He argues that by focusing on the value and the specific needs of the event first, you position yourself as an expert rather than a commodity. Content and Coaching Jonah discusses his recent shift toward heavy Instagram content and his Magic Business Mastermind , where he helps performers scale from five figures to six figures and beyond. Mentions & Links Follow The Magic Guys: Check out Josh Norbido and Nick Kay on YouTube and their podcast. Toronto Magic Company: Learn more about Jonah’s local management brand. FSM Awards: The annual awards recognizing excellence in magic media. The Mastermind: Message Jonah the word “SALES” on Instagram @discourseinmagic to get details on his upcoming workshop. Ready to stop asking about budgets and start closing bigger gigs? If you enjoyed this deep dive into the business side of magic, make sure to follow the newsletter for tips sent out three times a week.

You can listen to Trading Places: Jonah Babins with The Magic Guys online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Trading Places: Jonah Babins with The Magic Guys is an episode from Discourse in Magic by Jonah Babins and Tyler Williams.

This episode is 1:08:48 long.

This episode was published on Mar 19, 2026.

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