Wizard Academy was born out of two needs.

First, the kinds of things small business owners need to know, that actually make them successful, aren’t taught in colleges and universities. 

Second, Roy Williams, the guy who was teaching the things not taught in traditional schools, was ready to come off the speaking circuit.

And so it was Roy’s wife, Pennie, who suggested starting Wizard Academy. And in one brilliant move, there was a solution to both needs. 

In October of 2004, Wizard Academy became a 501(c)(3) non profit school in order to preserve this place as a center of learning and inspiration for generations to come.

In the last two decades, this school has also become the home of many world-class business leaders, artists, marketers, and scientists who are proud to teach here.

Origin of name

So, why call it Wizard Academy?

In the early days, the things Roy was doing in marketing worked like…well, magic. And so he earned the nickname the Wizard of Ads. It was no large leap, then, to call the school he founded Wizard Academy; the place you could come to learn the things that work like magic.

No actual magic is taught at Wizard Academy. Instead, you’ll learn the arts of communication as they are when rooted in real science.

“Magic” is just the term onlookers use to describe the effects of causes they do not understand.

We understand them, and so simply call it good marketing.

We also use the name as a filter. 

Anyone who takes themselves too seriously to go to a school called Wizard Academy is not ready to learn the things we have to teach. Because great learning, sudden understanding, and play all share a similar place in your brain. 

If you’re too stuffy to play then you won’t do well here. So, you might as well stay home.

Totally Not a Cult

Look, this is a real thing.

Some have described their first time visiting Wizard Academy as, “Disquieting until I figured out what was going on here.”

First, there’s the name. Then, you’ll drive out into the Texas hill country, pull onto a gated campus, and probably see weird art in strange places.

You’ll hear wind chimes and bells. You’ll see people that seem a little too happy to be here walking around with open containers of alcohol. You’ll be meandering along a path through the pewter green cedars, turn a corner, and bam; a wizard’s tower is staring you down.

There also always a chance of meeting one of our alumni who seriously loves Wizard Academy a bit more than is socially acceptable. They’ll rave about their affection for this place with such ardor you’ll wonder if this is some kind of religion.

It’s not.

It’s literally just a business school with a curriculum that focuses on marketing.

Here’s why it is the way it is.

Marketing, at its core, is just good communication. Communication in the Western world is mainly left-brain. There is a whole half of your brain that society has mostly ignored.

We don’t ignore right-brain communication. And so, if the right hemisphere of your brain is not used to being “talked” to, then the first time someone communicates with it, (and it answers back) it can be, well…disquieting.

But that disquiet quickly turns into delight. And the fervor comes in when you can’t get that right brain delight anywhere else like you can here.

So, yeah. Totally not a cult.

Just a really cool business school and some right-brain junkies.

Student-funded, Debt-free.

Wizard Academy is debt free because of hundreds of appreciative students who achieved success through what they learned here.

They step in anytime we needed something. And so we’ve been able to do everything cash.

It also doesn’t hurt that Wizard Academy is a 501(c)(3) non profit school. Which means any donations you make are tax deductible.

If you’d like to help fund a project or just want to encourage us to keep doing what we’re doing, then click here to donate.

We’ll probably put your name on a plaque because that’s just how we like to say thank you.