Why did the chicken cross the road?

Today I am starting my post with a well-known (at least in our household 😉) and well-worn joke as I reflect again on the similarities between being a successful stand-up comedian and building a successful business.

Firstly, it strikes me that stand-ups are ‘out and about’, testing their material and gaining valuable first-hand feedback about what works and what doesn’t.

I’m sure that most successful comedians have had their fair share of poor reviews, ‘tumble weed’ moments, and times when a particular gag or complete routine ‘fell flat’ and did not resonate with their audience.

They would have had their fair share of playing to indifferent or even hostile audiences before they started to hit their stride and develop their unique style and approach.

I think there is much to learn in business from how comedians operate. They continually develop new material for new shows, and I imagine they must draw on their strengths, experiences and observations to produce that material.

Collaborating with other comedians and comedy writers could help them build a following. From what I can gather, it might take a team to produce a good joke.

Writing and then telling a joke is not just about the words but the context, nuance, timing and pitch-perfect delivery for maximum impact and laughs. Much like perhaps making a presentation or a ‘sales’ pitch. For the stand-up comedian, this takes time to master and hone, and most successful comedians do not spring onto the circuit and establish instant, overnight success.

Starting and running a business may be the same.

So, how are you testing your materials, products and service as a business or a writer? Will people part with their hard-earned cash for what you offer? Have you taken on the feedback from your potential customers/clients? How well have you tested your potential market? Are you delivering what people want?

‘Fail fast, learn fast’ is a phrase I have come across, and though it seems strange to say, it occurs to me that is what successful comedians do quickly. They are not slow in getting their material out there.

Even a big name must take a risk and try out new material at some point. No successful comedian churns out the same material year in and year out. So why should your business or career do the same?

And in case you haven’t heard this joke before, the punchline is:

To get to the other side — I can’t help myself; it still makes me laugh 😊.

I believe this all applies to building a successful writing career too.

Until next time

Janice Taylor

Adapted from my original Carereresilience post — why did the chicken cross the road?