Kostya Kimlat

Biography

Known as “The Business Magician,” Kostya Kimlat is a world-renowned sleight-of-hand magician, theatrical mentalist, and entrepreneur. He has spent 20 years as a living example of the American Dream, pursuing a passion and an art-form and turning it into a flourishing business.

Born in Kiev, Ukraine while it was part of the former Soviet Union, Kimlat was three years old when the nuclear power plant accident, Chernobyl, occurred, just an hour away from where his family lived. With the lack of resources and opportunities for the future, combined with the concern of the nuclear fallout, Kostya’s parents knew that a better life for the family existed outside of the country. Along with his mom, dad, grandmother and sister, the family flew in 1992 from Kiev to Moscow to New York, finally settling in Orlando, Florida.

His dad taught Kostya his first simple card trick when he was 8 in Kiev, but his interest in magic truly flourished in America at age 12, when he watched World’s Greatest Magic—an annual TV special on NBC. He began performing at local restaurants and hotels at age 15 and spent his formative years buying and reading every book on magic he could get his hands on. By 18, he’d written his first book for magicians, Card Work, Card Play.

Over the next 10 years, Kostya would solidify his reputation, becoming recognized for both his technical mastery and business acumen, speaking at magic conferences on the techniques, theater and business of magic. In all, he’s presented in 200 cities on 5 continents.

In 2010, Kostya founded See Magic Live, a company that trains, certifies, and books magicians for events around the country. As CEO of See Magic Live, Kostya’s experience has enabled him the unique perspective to understand the mentality and needs of his clients—business executives who value the customer experience. Kostya has retained the curiosity and imagination of an artist while embracing the foundations and systems of a business owner. He has become a role model for aspiring magicians and new entrepreneurs alike. By creating a national booking service for top-level talent, Kostya took the years of learning while attending his client’s corporate events and put those lessons—launching a startup, building a team, setting up a franchise model—into action.

In 2015, Kostya was invited to perform for Penn & Teller on their TV show, Penn & Teller: Fool Us — a show where the world’s best magicians are invited to perform for the famous Las Vegas duo and have one chance to fool them with their magic. Not only was Kostya one of the few to fool the legends of magic, his viral video was the stand-out hit of the season, with Penn picking up a chair and jokingly threatening Kostya: “I’m gonna break your hands!”. Entertainment Weekly called Kostya “the best fooler yet.” His outstanding performance on their show led to a live performance at their Las Vegas theater, where Kostya closed the Penn & Teller Show at the Rio Hotel & Casino by once again inviting Penn & Teller on stage and amazing them with his original magic. Even after learning how Kostya actually fooled them, Penn exclaimed on his Penn Sunday School podcast “*!#!*$! It’s just that good.” This is because Kostya’s specialty is difficult-to-master sleight-of-hand. Even when you know exactly how it’s done, all you can do is appreciate the skill level and years of dedication necessary to reach this level. He is one of the rare artists who combines technical mastery with a charismatic personality and showmanship.

Kostya became known as “The Business Magician” after over a thousand performances at business conferences, meetings and events nationwide. Using magic to break the ice with audiences and communicate key concepts from the stage, Kostya has trained thousands of people how to better read their audience and be more aware of how they are perceived by others. He’s shown executives how perception impacts their ability to be effective leaders. He’s taught teams of engineers to use critical and lateral thinking to approach problems. He’s shown thousands of customer service reps how to execute amazing moments of magical service. He’s brought clarity to marketing teams and HR departments. And he’s taught thousands of salespeople how to read the minds of their customers.

When the pandemic began in March 2020, Kostya pivoted his business to focus on performing and presenting virtually. He has now performed for thousands of employees and teams around the world, becoming an expert in digital leadership and presentation. Kostya now shares his secrets as a virtual magician so that business leaders can learn the tools to shine online.

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Testimonials

Kostya is the real deal when it comes to magic and capturing an audience! I've had the pleasure of seeing Kostya two times and every time he blows me away and hoping for a next time. His magic is flawless but his keynote presentation is as good (if not better) than his magic. He always knows who his audience is and speaks to them about relevant information to their industry. After having the pleasure of hearing his presentation last week, I am still using what he taught daily in my work and personal life. I highly recommend him to speak to any organization as they will be engaged and well as entertained. The best in the business!"

– Katherine F., Regional Sales Director

"I engaged Kostya to do a keynote for our conference which had over 200 attendees. His presentation was so engaging and inspiring that I engaged a corporate sponsor to have him speak as a keynote at our state technology conference. Years later, people still remember his presentation. Kostya does not disappoint. He is a consummate professional, and works diligently to tailor his presentations to connect with the audience. Whether the goal is inspire, message, entertain, or market, he gets the job done."

– George P., Chief Academic Officer

Kostya will have you entertained from the moment he begins! His ability to engage the audience and relate his information to your form of industry is refreshing and so exciting to see. HIGHLY recommend Kostya! He will instantly become one of your favorite keynote speakers!"

– Stefanie S., National Sales Manager

As a conference planner, the most important thing to me is to find someone that understands the audience and can also deliver a message that is replicable and can be taken back to their work. Kostya was the perfect match for that. He has the experience to understand the work that we do, as well as to really read the audience and understand how they need to get that information. I think everybody absolutely loved his message. He’s high energy. He really played well with the different people in the audience. He knew the industry—and they really, really enjoyed it. If you’re thinking about hiring Kostya for your event, I would absolutely recommend him. He was very easy to work with, his team was very professional, and he provided such a wonderful experience for our audience."

– Joy B., Vice President of Professional Development

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Reviews & Ratings

     Excellent  
     Based on 56 reviews 
    
 
 
   
 
 
        
   Waldo Waldman 
 May 19, 2024
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I’ve been Speaking professionally for 21 years and work with the largest agencies in the world. I’m a Hall of Fame keynote speaker and a New York Times best selling Author. I have can honestly say in full confidence that Seth Dechtman and his team at Keynote Curator is the best agency I have been honored to work with.
I’ve witnessed Seth’s client focused relationship skills On multiple occasions. His clients love him and he’s detail oriented and has great communication skillls.
But most importantly, I’ve been on the receiving side of his servant, focused leadership style. He treats me like a valued partner and emulates everything a wingman is.
  
 
       
   David Allison 
 May 17, 2024
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Seth and the Keynote Curators team are tenacious and determined to do right by their clients and their speakers. I appreciate our relationship so much, and highly reccomend this group to anyone looking to book a speaker for an event.
  
 
       
   Meir Statman 
 May 10, 2024
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. It is wonderful to join Seth in helping people reflect on their financial and life well-being and enhance them.
  
 
       
   Trevor Wilde 
 April 24, 2024
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. This was an amazing experience. the Keynote Speaker we had was perfect for our event and will definitely be having another for our next one!
  
 
       
   Sandro Forte 
 March 22, 2024
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Brilliantly hosted, with great content. An absolute ‘must add’ to any podcast list!
  
 
       
   Jon VanDeventer 
 November 18, 2023
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I've been working with Seth at The Keynote Curators for over 3 years. I always look forward to our meetings because of both his professional expertise and his enjoyable, engaging personality. We have fun during our virtual meetings while developing innovative strategies and accomplishing goals. It's obvious from working with Seth over a number of years that he is always making event planning and booking services an easy process and providing responsiveness that sets him apart. He's an excellent partner who gets invested in your business and collaborates through every step of a process that can sometimes feel overwhelming.
  
 
       
   Jason Galaska 
 November 7, 2023
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Seth and his team were fantastic to work with in 2023 and we look forward to working with Keynote Curators to find potential speaker matches for our events in the future.  Thank you, Seth, for your professionalism!
  
 
       
   Hailey Wilson 
 October 23, 2023
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. A Treasure Trove for Anyone Involved in Speaker Selection!

As someone deeply involved in the intersection of marketing and technology at AImpact, I find the process of selecting the right keynote speaker to be a critical part of any successful event. Seth Dechtman's "The Keynote Curators" podcast is nothing short of a godsend for anyone facing the challenges and opportunities that come with this task.

Seth brings an almost poetic understanding to the power of words, acknowledging that a speech isn't just a scheduled event but a transformative experience that can change the dynamics of an entire room. His enthusiasm for the craft is contagious, making each episode a joy to listen to.
  
 
       
   Nicole 
 September 14, 2023
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Seth is super knowledgeable about the needs of meeting planners to have a successful event and partners with you to find just that right fit!
  
 
       
   Duncan Sigurdsson 
 August 28, 2023
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Working with Seth Dechtman and The Keynote Curators is always true partnership.  In the three plus years that we have been involved in various projects, I can tell you that they always deliver.  We have done some really cool stuff together.  Any meeting professional, conference planner or event producer will greatly benefit from partnering with The Keynote Curators.  High praise to Seth and his team.