From the moment his third-grade magic routine came to its hilarious conclusion, Daryl Hurst was certain his vocation was to be a magician, someone whose innate talent was destined to cement his hometown reputation. Indeed, Daryl’s school years were marked by steady acquisition of the tools and experience he needed to successfully perform his self-styled routines in a wide variety of settings.

As young marrieds, Daryl and his wife Kay acted on a bold dream, opening what became a series of stores that offered would-be magicians their own path to becoming established in the field. But being an entrepreneur was far more challenging than Daryl could have imagined. His succeeding years in retail taught him valuable lessons about his strengths—and weaknesses.