How We Built a Magic Company from Scratch
Twelve products. Four years. One Kickstarter. A Bicycle Playing Cards collaboration. Here is what Adam Wilber and Felix Lenhard learned building Vulpine Creations.
The Business Story
In late 2019, Adam Wilber — a world-renowned magician with decades of product design experience — reached out to Felix Lenhard, an Austrian strategy consultant who had picked up magic as an adult hobby. Adam's pitch was simple: combine their skill sets and build the magic company they wished existed.
They registered companies in Austria and the US. Two weeks later, the world went into lockdown. Production costs exploded. Shipping costs went through the roof. Factories shut down. They spent weeks on Zoom calls, developing 12 products while everything stood still.
Six months later, they shipped their first product. Over the next four years, they released 12 original products, maintained a 4.9-star average rating with zero returns, earned a Bicycle Playing Cards collaboration, and built a 1,000+ post blog.
In 2024, the company was exited. Product rights were sold to Alakazam Magic and other trusted partners. The brand lives on as an archive.
What Worked
Real-World Testing
Every product was road-tested in real performance conditions — restaurants, living rooms, private shows — before release. Demo videos are not the same as real performance. This discipline led to zero returns across the entire catalog.
Kickstarter as Validation
Bonfire Pasteboards launched on Kickstarter and earned the "Projects We Love" badge within hours. Funded before lunch. This validated demand before committing to a full production run and caught the attention of Bicycle Playing Cards.
Complementary Founders
Adam brought decades of performance and product design experience. Felix brought strategy consulting, systematic thinking, and the outsider perspective of an adult learner. The combination produced products that were both creatively strong and commercially viable.
Content as Foundation
Over 800 blog posts created a substantial content archive that brought organic traffic and established authority. The blog was not marketing fluff — it was genuine educational content that served the magic community.
What We'd Do Differently
International Shipping During a Pandemic
Registering the company two weeks before a global lockdown meant shipping costs were unpredictable for the first 18 months. Building with a single-region fulfillment model from the start would have reduced operational complexity.
Fewer Products, Deeper Distribution
Twelve products in four years is ambitious. Focusing on fewer products with deeper distribution partnerships earlier might have created more sustainable revenue. Quality was never the issue — bandwidth was.
Exit Planning from Day One
Building with exit in mind from the start — clear IP ownership, transferable partnerships, documented processes — makes the eventual transition smoother for everyone involved.
Go Deeper
Product Development Masterclass
Over 4.5 hours covering idea generation, rapid prototyping, 3D printing, and manufacturing. Everything Adam and Felix learned through decades of bringing ideas to market.
Limited stock — contact Felix
Professional Magician 101
The business side of magic. From first paid gig to sustainable career. Marketing, show structure, and real business advice from working professionals.
Limited stock — contact Felix
Subtract to Ship
Felix Lenhard's product development framework, born from the Vulpine Creations experience. Start with what the user needs, remove everything else, ship fast.
The Vulpine Creations Blog
Over 800 posts on magic, performance, and the creative process. Written during the active years of the company.
Read the Full Company Story
The homepage contains the complete Vulpine Creations narrative with photographs, milestones, and product histories.
Visit the Homepage