Marcel was kind enough to answer the following questions:

Q: The all important personal profile. How would a close friend introduce you at a social event? i.e. Name, age, company, interesting fact etc.

A: Marcel, Corporate Magician & Infotainer. “Marcel” is my real name: you’d be surprised how regularly people ask if it’s a “stage name”. I tend not to use my surname because either people don’t know how to pronounce it or they can’t spell it.

Q: Tell us something that not many others know about you. This could be anything from a phobia to your favorite movie.

A: I’m a qualified Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer & worked in the IT industry as a technical support manager for 3 years before going full-time. For the last 18 months of that job, I worked from 9 till 5 and performed in the evening at a restaurant from 9 till 12. I’ve been self-employed for just over 6 years now.

I hate thrillers, horrors and medical dramas – I can’t understand why people would watch stuff that makes you afraid! I reckon that since you only have limited time to watch TV or movies, you may as well watch something funny, educational or positive.

Q: What do you enjoy doing when you want to get away from it all?

A: Travelling with my family to the Garden Route, switching off all communications devices and doing as little as possible!

Continue to read the rest of the interview at
http://www.izimvo.com/marcel-oudejans/

Read more interviews with South African personalities such as Barry Hilton, Gary Player, Sasha Martinengo and Rob Vember at http://www.izimvo.com/

Marcel Oudejans has been a professional entertainer for over 10 years: due to his extensive experience (both internationally & in Southern Africa) & intuitive ability to understand each individual audience, he has gained the respect of both his colleagues & clients as a leader in the marketing presentation industry. As an entrepreneur & one of the few full-time magicians in South Africa, he has the exceptional entertainment talent & magic skill required to leave his audiences amazed & laughing, but also a thorough understanding of the challenges facing companies today – particularly in sales & marketing.

At age 8, Marcel received his first magic trick and discovered his passion for performing.  As he grew up, he started performing professionally for the hospitality trade, starting at family restaurants. By 2000, it was clear that he had sufficient talent and passion to take this career further! After being employed on long-term engagements for several restaurant chains, Marcel started a full-time career as a professional magician and speaker in 2003. (Read more here)

Marcel has spent over 5 years developing & performing shows that convey his clients’ messages in a fun, personal & engaging manner that have attracted their clients’ attention & left them with an indelible memory of the event. Having recently published his first book, “The Serious Business Owner’s Guide To Creating Customers For Life”, Marcel will understand your company’s event goals & prove that his exclusive marriage of Magic & message delivery will ensure that the key-points of your marketing message will be remembered. His dedication to providing effective business presentations lead him to receive personal training in the U.S.A. with one of the world’s most highly-respected & demanded trade-show marketers, Joel Bauer. After this invitation-only event, Marcel was certified as Africa’s only “Infotainer”: a master practitioner in persuasion & psychological sales techniques & speaking skills, that combined with engaging entertainment, has consistently proven to deliver positive results for clients worldwide.

Marcel believes that the key to effective communication & a successful event is to give the audience the opportunity to actively take part in the “show” so that your guests feel that they’ve been involved in the experience: encouraging them to talk about your event & your company for a long time after the event is over. As Marcel’s client, you’ll experience professional service & personal attention that will make you feel confident that he will provide an unforgettable performance that will be more fun, more personal & more memorable than any before.

Take the opportunity to view his list of previous clients & consider whether you wish to experience the same results for your event. Once you’ve experienced laughing guests & clients that rave about your event, you’ll understand why Marcel is the most requested Corporate Magician in Southern Africa.

Send us your brief today & allow Marcel to work with you to get your guests to participate in your fun, informative & memorable experience.

Accomplishments:

• Over 10 000 hours of professional performance experience, for over 100 corporate clients, for all types of events and audiences.
• Marcel took an interest in the Art of Magic at age 9 and started performing professionally from age 15.
• Performed at family restaurants until 2001.
• Over 3 years of performing 6 nights per week for “Cubaña” Bellville, where Marcel established his reputation as a talented performer.
• 6 months of performances for “Maestros on the Beach”, Milnerton.
• Over 3 years as the in-house magician for the infamous original “Madame Zingara”  and “Cara Lazuli” restaurants in Cape Town.
• Part of the performance crew for the first Cape Town run of  “Madame Zingara’s Theatre of Dreams“, 6 nights per week.
• Specially requested to perform for the IBM “100 Club” international sales conference dinner party at the Castle of Good Hope, Cape Town.
• Two VIP performances for international companies, including a presidential dinner, at Polana Hotel, Maputo Mozambique.
• Magic and entertainment performances throughout Southern Africa and Kenya.
• Retained as the hotel magician for Sun International “Zambezi Sun” hotel at Victoria Falls, Zambia, for Christmas and New Year entertainment, 2006 and 2007.
• Performed in London, UK, and part of the “Marvin’s Magic” staff at “Harrods” in Knightbridge in 2004.
• Invited to attend an exclusive conference for ‘Corporate Magicians’ as part of Joel Bauer’s “Infotainment” training, in Lost Angeles, CA. in 2007.
• Visited and performed at the world-famous “Magic Castle” in Hollywood, CA., in 2007.
• International guest performer and lecturer at “Vismayam 2008″, India’s largest ever magic convention.  Over 1 000 local and international performers attending this prestigious event in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, hosted by the Magic Academy of Kerala.  Marcel lectured on ‘close-up’ magic and performed on stage for over 1 000 people. He was awarded a trophy by the tourism council of Kerala.
• Guest lecturer at the 2009 South African Magic Convention, on the subject of “Magic and Marketing”.
• Currently the youngest registered Professional member of the Professional Speakers Association of Southern Africa, a member of the Global Speakers Federation.
• Current serving Vice-President of the Cape Town Chapter of the PSASA.
• Current serving director of the Upliftment Programme, an NPO providing care and attention to children in hospitals and disadvantaged communities across Southern Africa.