Joel Zeff
Joel Zeff creates energy. His spontaneous humor and vital messages have thrilled audiences for years. As a national speaker and humorist, Joel captivates audiences with a unique blend of hilarious improvisational comedy and essential ideas on work and life. Corporations and organizations nationwide seek him out to motivate and energize their employees on such topics as creativity, communication, teamwork, passion and fun.
A former newspaper journalist and public relations executive, Joel started his own consulting business in 1994. His business initially focused on helping technology and telecommunications companies with marketing, advertising and public relations. As he came in contact with so many corporate cultures, he noticed the glaring need for employees to have more fun and reenergize their creative spirit.
Since 1993, he has performed with Ad-Libs, one of the country’s premier improvisational comedy troupes. Joel performs with Ad-Libs at the troupe’s theater in Downtown Dallas and across the country for corporate events. As an improvisational actor, Joel studied for a short time at the famed Second City Conservatory in Chicago, Illinois.
Joel fuses his knowledge of improvisation and his experience with the corporate world to create presentations that make a difference. His humor and style create a positive and comfortable environment for his audience that allows them to take risks and explore their creativity. His funny and poignant presentations have been met with roaring approval from hundreds of companies and organizations and thousands of audience members. Joel makes audiences laugh, but he also makes them think. Participants discover for themselves how to apply his messages to become better people and better employees.
When he is not speaking, Joel explores his own creativity and communication skills as an actor and writer. In Dallas, he was most recently seen as co-host of The Movie Zone on UPN 21. He has appeared in commercials for Mydiscountbroker.com, Time Warner Cable, Pizza Hut, McDonald’s, Eagle Country Markets, and Extraco Bank.
TOPICS:
The Strength of Laughter: Energizing your Spirit with Humor™
The Strength of Laughter, one of Joel’s most popular topics, focuses on reducing stress, increasing creativity and creating a renewed passion for our jobs. He highlights the importance of play in our work lives to create balance. During the session, he takes the audience on a hilarious journey using interactive audience surprises. You will walk away from his session smiling, motivated and rejuvenated.
Creativity in Communication: Yes, They Go Together™
This interactive and hilarious session focuses on the marriage between creativity and communication, examining key skills such as trust, listening, teamwork, risk-taking, confidence, positive environment and openness and flexibility to change. Part of the session focuses on the importance of a relaxed mind, increasing the possibilities, and overcoming fears and barriers to the creative process. The second part of the session builds on the symbiotic relationship between creativity and communication.
Learning to Think Without a Script™
(Creativity and Teamwork)
Do you need a creative jump-start? Do you want to focus on the skills that make teams successful? Are you looking to motivate your team and create passion and fun? This interactive workshop uses improvisational games and exercises to have fun, increase creativity, teamwork and problem solving. The workshop weaves the creative process into the team concept, examining the significance of working together to create ideas. The exercises allow the participants to discover for themselves how teamwork and creativity increases productivity, makes us happier and builds personal and corporate success.
Team Building for People Who Hate Team Building
Tired of college kids leading your employees in games with no message or application to your business? Tired of building boats with cardboard and dental floss? Joel’s sessions discuss communication, positive support, creating opportunity, leadership, listening, trust, initiative, and flexibility. His sessions involve the entire audience in hilarious improvisational exercises perfect for any level of employee. Joel also promises there will be no boat building.
Event Entertainment (Comedy)
Joel uses a unique blend of improvisational and traditional comedy for his event entertainment. His comedy is hilarious, interactive and perfect for any corporate audience. Joel can also customize his performances to include key managers and audience members. Here is what one of our many satisfied clients told us: “Our [participants] thought you were the funniest man alive.”
Managing Without A Script™
What makes a good manager? How do you create an environment that allows your employees to be more creative, productive and happier in their jobs? What do employees want in a manager? Using interactive exercises that will have participants crying with laughter one moment and thinking intently the next, Joel focuses on the keys to successful managing. This session focuses on dealing with change, reducing stress and creating a positive environment.
Marketing/Sales Without A Script
Customers are unpredictable. You never know what they are going to say. You never seem to know exactly what they will want. How do you prepare yourself? How do you deal with the constant change? Joel uses improvisational exercises in this fun and fast-paced session, pointing his messages directly toward sales and marketing executives. Through the laughter, executives learn the idea behind 50/50 communication; high-focus listening; and the importance of creating a positive environment.
Effective Communication Without A Script™
Communication is the most important tool in business. Just because we can talk and write, doesn’t mean we are communicating effectively. We must constantly refine our communication skills and become more detailed, patient and positive. Every type of business relationship – customer, vendor or colleague – rises and falls on the skill of communication. Joel Zeff, a former newspaper reporter and marketing consultant, uses hilarious improvisational exercises to break down barriers and explore skills such as trust, flexibility to change, opportunity, and listening.
