💰Business Tips
Undercut: The Decision That Hurts Us All
I've been undercut, and I've probably undercut someone without knowing it. Here's what both sides taught me about pricing, burnout, and knowing your worth.
← All Authors
Roger Minton
FounderCertified Comedy Hypnotist, Mentalist, Technology Leader, Santa Claus
About Roger
Roger has spent more than 25 years building software and a lifetime on stage: a comedy hypnotist and speaker today, a professional Santa for over 15 years, and a magician since age six. The through-line has never changed, making people's lives easier, whether through wonder or through well-built tools. The whole Minton household performs, from Renaissance faires to community theatre. In his own words: “I run my Santa and hypnosis businesses on OvationCRM every week. Contracts, invoices, follow-ups, all of it.”
12 articles by Roger
🧮Business Tips
The Best CRM for Freelance Entertainers on a Budget (From a Performer Who Built One)
What makes a CRM worth it for freelance entertainers on a budget: the two-gig rule, must-have features, hidden fees, and when a spreadsheet is enough.
📣Behind The Scenes
From Kringle Tracker to OvationCRM
Kringle Tracker started as one performer's fix for his own business. Four seasons and a few thousand bookings later, it grew into something bigger.
⚡Bookings and Client Management
Speed Wins Gigs: Why the First Performer to Reply Gets the Party
A parent emails three magicians at 9pm on a Tuesday. It's not the best show that gets the reply first, usually it's just whoever answers first.
💎Bookings and Client Management
The Fortune Sitting in Last Year's Client List
Your busiest booking season isn't next year's new inquiries. It's the client list you already have, sitting in a spreadsheet, doing nothing.
📔CRM General Knowledge
CRM vs. Spreadsheet vs. Sticky Notes: What Performers Actually Need
I've run my business on sticky notes, a spreadsheet, and a CRM I built myself. Here's an honest comparison of all three, including when you genuinely don't need the third one yet.
🚦Business Tips
How to Stop Double-Booking Gigs (Without Buying Anything)
A near-miss with a corporate hypnotist show taught me exactly where double-bookings come from, and the two free fixes that stop most of them before they start.
🎈Industry-Specific Tips
Three Parties, One Saturday, Opposite Sides of Town: Spring Booking Lessons for Kids' Entertainers
Three parties, one Saturday, opposite sides of town, and the routing, confirmation, and deposit habits that keep spring birthday season from wrecking your business.
💰Hobby → Side Hustle → Full Time
When Should You Start Charging for Your Act?
Free gigs, the friend discount, and the exposure ask that taught me what my time was actually worth. When it's really time to start charging for your act.
🧾Business Tips
Your Shoebox of Receipts Is Not a Filing System: Tax Deductions for Working Performers
A grocery bag full of faded receipts taught me more about tax deductions than any accountant could. What working performers can actually write off, and why tracking beats memory.
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