Today we’d like to introduce you to Steve Cotariu.
Hi Steve, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1979 and spent 13 years in the Army, rising to the rank of Major. After leaving the military, I earned an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1994 and followed a traditional path into corporate leadership, eventually becoming an executive at a public company.
Along the way, a chance encounter changed the direction of my life. I began volunteering with a nonprofit that provides bedside magic to children in hospitals. I had been an amateur magician since high school, but seeing the impact magic could have on sick kids inspired me to pursue it more seriously.
I began studying magic professionally and performing under the stage name Hudson, a subtle nod to West Point, which sits along the Hudson River. In 2013 I left corporate life to perform magic full time. Today I provide corporate entertainment and serve as Headmaster of Twin Cities Magic Academy, where we help young people build confidence and communication skills through the art of magic.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Like anyone who makes a major career change, there have been challenges along the way. But sometimes those challenges open unexpected doors.
During COVID, all in-person entertainment disappeared overnight. Like many performers, I suddenly had time to rethink what I wanted to create next.
I had wanted developing character-driven show, so I used that time to work with my magic coach and build something entirely new from the ground up. Drawing on my years in the Army, we created a comedy magic show that playfully sends up my military experience.
Today, in addition to my traditional corporate magic show, I also perform this military-themed comedy act. What started as a difficult moment turned into an opportunity to expand what I do on stage.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
With a background that spans the military and the corporate world, I’m a bit unusual among magicians. I’ve worked everywhere from the shop floor to the boardroom and understand the audiences I perform for. That perspective helps me fit naturally into corporate events rather than feeling like an interruption.
It’s important for a stage show, but it’s especially valuable during cocktail-hour strolling magic, Because I’ve spent years in those environments myself, I know how to engage executives, employees, and clients in a way that feels authentic and fun.
I really enjoy creating moments where people who may have been strangers a few minutes earlier are suddenly laughing together and sharing an experience they’ll talk about long after the event is over.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
I was in first grade when our family moved into our new house, The house was still empty, our furniture wasn’t in yet, and my father set up his camera to take a picture of the entire family in the corner of the living room. I remember the pride on my parents faces and all of us being excited about the new house. That photo sits on my desk today.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://HudsonMagic.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/18VmVBMfkN/
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hudson-the-magician-0ba65a9a
