Judgment

Comedians Will Be the Last People to Lose Their Jobs to Robots: Learn from the World’s Funniest People

The following is adapted from Shtick to Business: What the Masters of Comedy Can Teach You about Breaking Rules, Being Fearless, and Building a Serious Career. (Royalty free image: https://www.pexels.com/photo/interior-of-office-building-325229/, Credit: Pexels / Manuel Geissinger) The industrial revolution is in its fourth phase. The first phase introduced the steam engine.

May 14, 2021

How the Science of the Comedy Club Design Can Inspire You to Create a Better Space to Succeed

The following is adapted from Shtick to Business: What the Masters of Comedy Can Teach You about Breaking Rules, Being Fearless, and Building a Serious Career. (Royalty free image: https://www.pexels.com/photo/people-at-theater-713149/, Credit: Pexels / Monica Silvestre) Due to the pandemic, more people than ever are working from home. You may already

May 13, 2021

When Acting Like a Comedian Will Get You in Trouble

The following is adapted from Shtick to Business: What the Masters of Comedy Can Teach You about Breaking Rules, Being Fearless, and Building a Serious Career. (Handout/MCT) Who doesn’t want to be the funniest person in the office? But as a behavioral economist turned humor researcher, I have stopped encouraging

May 5, 2021

Why Vaudeville Was the Epitome of the Lean Startup

The following is adapted from Shtick to Business: What the Masters of Comedy Can Teach You about Breaking Rules, Being Fearless, and Building a Serious Career. (Kobal/REX/Shutterstock) There is a saying in Silicon Valley, “Launch early and often.” To be successful launching early and often, it is critical to limit

April 28, 2021

Pick a Fight: How Controversy Earn Fans for Your Brand

The following is adapted from Shtick to Business: What the Masters of Comedy Can Teach You about Breaking Rules, Being Fearless, and Building a Serious Career. Comedian Sacha Baron Cohen offended some people with his lime-green mankini-wearing character Borat, but he was too busy listening to the people he made

April 20, 2021

Want to Build a Bolder Brand? Learn from Comedians and Create a Chasm.

The following is adapted from Shtick to Business: What the Masters of Comedy Can Teach You about Breaking Rules, Being Fearless, and Building a Serious Career. It seems like every other week, there is a comedian in trouble for a joke. But those jokes are going to keep coming—as long

April 12, 2021

How a Pen and Notebook Can Prepare You for Life Post-Pandemic

How a Pen and Notebook Can Prepare You for Life Post-Pandemic The following is adapted from Shtick to Business. A notebook—not a microphone–is the most important tool of the masters of comedy. And it could be the most important tool for you as you think about your next product launch, entrepreneurial

May 1, 2020

Constrained by Corona? What Squeaky-Clean Comedians can Teach You about Being More Creative

Constrained by Corona? What Squeaky-Clean Comedians can Teach You about Being More Creative The following is adapted from Shtick to Business. Freedom is a common war cry if you are a thirteenth-century Scottish warrior, but great comedy can be built on a lack of freedom—and as it turns out, a great

April 18, 2020