Today we’d like to introduce you to Joel Zeff
Hi Joel, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I create energy. I am a keynote speaker, work culture expert, improvisational humorist, and author. My interactive performances invite members of the audience to participate in hilarious improvisational exercises that illustrate my central message: That organizations and individuals should CELEBRATE their successes to increase collaboration, productivity, passion, and innovation.
I have inspired audiences from Wells Fargo to Samsung to KPMG and even the IRS. Yes, the IRS. My spontaneous humor and vital messages have thrilled audiences for more than 25 years, and I have shared my insight at more than 2,500 events.
I started my professional career as a newspaper journalist. At the end of 1991, I lost my job. All great origin stories start with that line. I had a severance check and an enormous amount of free time. And that combination always leads to stand-up comedy, and then later improvisational comedy. I joined a comedy troupe that had a theater in Downtown Dallas. I loved performing. At some point, the severance ran out and I got a job at a public relations agency and then an advertising agency.
In 1994, I went on my own as a corporate communications specialist. I helped clients with their internal communications, media relations, strategy, and customer marketing. Throughout the consulting process, I realized my clients — many of them high level technology and telecommunications firms — needed more than marketing and public relations strategy. Many of my clients’ employees were starving for fun, passion, and a new perspective on finding success.
One of my PR clients at Texas Instruments knew I performed comedy on the weekends. The client said, “Can you come to our executive retreat and perform?” I asked another performer to join me. The audience loved the interactive improvisation games and had FUN. The lightbulb started flickering. I thought maybe I could do this for some of my other clients.
By 1997, I was speaking at more events, but I still didn’t think it was going to be my whole career. Allstate Insurance asked me to speak to their team in Irving. I asked a production company to record my keynote and create a demo video. I started sending the video out to clients. And just like anything, if you take care of your clients, they will refer you. And my speaking career was born.
When I speak to students now, I always advise them to figure out what work they would do for free. Follow your passion. I took my advice, and I started speaking because it was rewarding and fulfilling. When I first started, if the client gave me a Chili’s gift card as payment, I was thrilled. A few months ago, I spoke to an audience of 8,000 people from around the world. Amazing what happens when you follow your passion.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I would like to answer with an excerpt from my new book, “Make the Right Choice: Lead with Passion, Elevate Your Team, and Unleash the Fun at Work”.
I lost my job in 1991. Most of us will receive the “come clean out your desk and here is your severance check” phone call at some point in our careers. I received that call on a Sunday at the end of 1991. I had no idea that in a few hours a magic harmonica would save me.
Nobody wants to receive that phone call. Sitting on my couch in a one-bedroom apartment with little other furniture, I could not believe I had just lost my job. Six months before the phone call, I had moved to Texas to work as a reporter for the Dallas Times Herald. And now the newspaper was closing and would print the last issue the following day. Every employee of the paper was now joining the unemployed.
The call ended. Something strange happened. I experienced relief and not anger (insert screeching sound). Yep, I was elated. Weight lifted from my shoulders. To be honest, the job was overflowing with challenges. It did not take long after I joined the paper to realize I had jumped on board the Titanic right as it was leaving the dock. I can still hear the horn and someone yelling, “All aboard!” The Titanic passengers had no idea they were on a ship that would hit an iceberg. I, however, was fully aware I was on the newspaper Titanic. Six months after I moved to Dallas, the newspaper had hit the iceberg.
After the call, I took a breath. I thought about losing my job. Like many, I was not happy at my job. Still, it was a job. Now what? I thought about what I was going to do. Would I have to move to another city? How do I pay rent? How will this affect my career? Should I stop for lunch before going to clean out my desk or is that rude? What are the protocols for cleaning out your desk on a Sunday?
Walking out my door to head to the newsroom to clean out my desk, I grabbed my harmonica. At that moment, I did not think it was a magical instrument. I still have no idea why I put the harmonica in my pocket. This was not a normal activity. Full disclosure: I am tone deaf. I have no musical ability. I cannot really play the harmonica. I can make some semblance of sound that does not make a cat or baby wail.
I had purchased the harmonica in college. I attended a lecture and walked out with a new harmonica. I am guessing the guest speaker played the harmonica. I have no memory of the speaker. Someone was selling harmonicas, and I had some extra cash in my pocket. It made sense at the time. Who knew that this harmonica was magical or would change my life?
I always say that the day I lost my job as a newspaper reporter was one of the best days of my life. Walking into the newsroom, I noticed everyone experiencing a range of emotions: sadness, anger, confusion, defeat. To me, I just felt relief. I saw this day as opportunity and a new beginning.
As everyone cleaned out their desk and grabbed everything that was not bolted to the wall, I found myself on the back loading dock where the media covering the paper’s demise had assembled. The closing of a daily newspaper was a big deal in 1991. Television and news radio reporters gathered to cover the end. I surveyed the scene. I never thought, “Hey, I should go see who is hanging out on the back loading dock and play the harmonica for them.” It just happened. I took out my magic harmonica and poorly played a blues note. “Da-dana-dun-dun.” The lyrics went something like this: “I lost my job. I got no money … I just moved to Dallas. The newspaper closed. I have no money. I got the newspaper blues.” This went on for a few minutes.
The next part is just like a movie. Someone grabbed my elbow and told me to stop. I have no idea who said those words. I have lost that memory. I do remember them saying, “You will never work in this town again.” True story. I cannot believe someone said that to me – and meant it! It was just like a film noir movie.
I ended up on two local television newscasts, had my photo in the Fort Worth Star Telegram, and the story of me playing the harmonica after losing my job was picked up nationally. Remember, this is before social media. People from around the country would call me and ask, “Did I see you play the harmonica on the news?” Yep.
That evening, colleagues gathered to mourn the newspaper’s ending. We watched the local news broadcast. And there I am playing the harmonica. I could not believe it. A 112-year-old paper closed, and there is a 23-year-old idiot playing the harmonica. It was silly. And for a moment, I forgot the negativity and doubt about losing my job.
The magic harmonica forced me to choose my attitude. I chose how I reacted to change and disruption.
It is always a tough day when you lose your job. The magic harmonica taught me there is always something else out there. I had a desire that I was ignoring. A path I was not taking.
That magic harmonica (which I still have) taught me to embrace change and disruption. It taught me that fun and whimsy are part of my life. It taught me to stay in the game and create opportunity. Soon after the Herald closed, I started doing stand up and improvisational comedy. I auditioned and was asked to join an improvisational comedy troupe. Years later, I would use those skills as the foundation for my keynote speaking and emcee business. And that led me to writing this book. All because of a magic harmonica.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I love what I do. My wife tells people I only want to make people laugh and tell them what I think. And somehow, I have built a career around both.
When clients first started asking me to speak at their events, I had no idea this was an industry. I didn’t know there were people called keynote speakers. I always say this career chose me. I was meant to be a keynote speaker.
I have met thousands of people. I have spoken in 45 states, Puerto Rico and five countries (soon to be six). I have spoken to audiences with thousands of people and to one that had 8 people.
And when I do my job, I get a round of applause. How lucky is that? I do my job, and I receive applause. That is awesome. I love making an audience laugh. I love sharing my passion for improvisation and what I have learned.
So many people at different companies and organizations are struggling with stress or change. Or they don’t have the fuel for their passion. There is nothing better than bringing the laughter, energy, and fun to an audience.
I connect to the audience with humor that has them laughing so uncontrollably that their mascara runs, their cheeks hurts, and their bellies ache. And I don’t do it alone. Volunteers from the audience join me on stage and play an integral role in an improvisation game in front of hundreds or thousands of people — something the audience members have never done. I expect success. I expect the volunteers to focus and work together as a team; communicate effectively; positively support each other; and take responsibility.
I make the audience laugh so hard that they forget about the corporate nonsense of conference calls, “strategic deliverables,” PowerPoint presentations with upside triangles, or “paradigm shifts in a cross-functional organization.” I will make you laugh, and I will make you think.
Watching your colleagues jump on stage to play an improvisation game is a unique situation. The audience is more engaged. And because they are laughing, they are more open to the message. More importantly, when you are having fun and playing, it is easier to retain the message.
Laughing and having fun together builds community. It connects us. At every keynote I always say, there is no better way to spend an hour than laughing and having fun with your team, colleagues, and friends.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
I want to start a movement about the importance of FUN at work. Yes, fun at work. Every industry faces an uncertain future as the workplace continues to change and adapt. New technology. Return to office. Layoffs or mergers. Team members are facing change and NEED to reenergize their passion through FUN.
My new book, “Make the Right Choice: Lead with Passion, Elevate Your Team, and Unleash the Fun at Work” is a love letter to improvisation, fun, and passion. I was also inspired by speaking at 2,500 events and playing improvisational games with thousands of employees, managers, and corporate leaders at companies like Walmart, KPMG, T-Mobile, and PepsiCo. The audience volunteers taught me valuable lessons in the choices we make for successful teamwork and leadership.
Make the Right Choice delivers a blueprint on how to make the right choices that lead to better engagement, effective communication, a positive and successful environment, and more fun at work. The book also follows my keynote style: interactive, humorous, and highly entertaining. I hope the book will make you laugh, nod your head in agreement, and provide tools to help you lead with passion.
The book covers core topics including leadership, individual and organizational change, creating chemistry for success, and seeing fun, passion, and happiness as choices that we all can choose to make. Our goals at work should include being inspired and finding fulfillment. I share the lessons I have learned and give readers the tools to have more fun and be more successful.
Make the Right Choice is fun and packed with ideas to help managers, business leaders, and all individuals seeking a more fun and fulfilling approach to work. By the time you get to the last page, I hope you embrace my TA DA philosophy of creating opportunity and giving positive support.
Make the Right Choice is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and where you purchase your books. You can also visit my website at www.joelzeff.com.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.joelzeff.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thejoelzeff/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelzeff
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@JoelZeffCreative
- Other: https://www.amazon.com/Make-Right-Choice-Passion-Elevate/dp/1394278950/
