They Want the Magic… Not the Grind Behind It

You know the saying—people want what you have, but not how you got it. Well, here’s how I got it. At 10, I sat mesmerized as Copperfield vanished the Statue of Liberty. Magic became my obsession—but as an Army brat, it wasn’t easy. We moved constantly. No magic buddies, just library books and me practicing card tricks solo.

I fell in and out of magic as I grew up—other hobbies, girls, life. Then, in 2000, I saw David Blaine’s street magic. It was raw and real. I grabbed Roberto Giobbi’s Card College and never looked back.

A magic shop in Oregon (shoutout to Mark Benthimer) showed me magic was bigger than I imagined. Still, I thought it was a hobby—until I returned to California. I started doing kids’ shows in a purple suit. Fun, but I didn’t realize I was building something.

Then came the Magic Castle Close-Up Gallery auditions. Three years of rejection. It taught me patience, creativity, and the obsession to improve. That same energy built “The Man in the Purple Suit” brand. In 2025, I jumped to full-time magic. It wasn’t luck. It was terrifying—mornings wondering if I could pay the bills. But I had Jamie, my family, and my purpose.

Today, I’m blessed. Not because I have it all, but because I get to live my calling. If my kids see me chasing joy and choose to chase theirs, that’s the real magic. So if anyone wants what I have—just know it’s the grind that makes the joy shine.

-Jonathan Molo

The Man in the Purple Suit