Ok. That’s not funny. Yes it is. Well… it depends.

Humor is relative. (No, I don’t mean your relative is funny. I mean that what is funny to some people in some circumstances isn’t funny to others, and that’s OK.)

I recently spoke in Colorado for the Kaiser Permanente Palliative Care department. We had nurses, doctors, administrators, chaplains, and hospice partners… the whole team gathered for a day of celebration and a much needed dose of perspective—through humor.

This is hard-working team of health care professional who are constantly dealing with a difficult heavy job. And, judging by the laughter and volume from this particular group they really needed a break.

So we laughed. We joked about everything from what was served for lunch, to the party going on upstairs, to the fact that they had an off-site on a Saturday. But we also joked about the difficult and serious parts of their jobs. We even joked about death, hospice, and used a bit of black humor. (Maybe not black, but certainly very dark brown.)

In my job as a comedian motivational speaker, I’ve found that the groups with the most grizzly occupations are the quickest ones to joke about stuff that makes most of us blanch. Cops, firemen, ER nurses, — and hospice and palliative care folks not only joke about stuff that many people would find “crosses the line” of good taste, they HAVE to joke about it. It helps keep them healthy.

Humor helps with stress. And folks super stressful jobs will often turn to gallows humor to help them stay sane.

So, after agreeing that the jokes would “stay in the room,” we went for it. And the laughter followed.

Often people complain about humor that is “in bad taste” without understanding that often that humor is “in good health.” I once worked for a bunch of intensive care nurses who finally put up a plaque outside of the ICU that said something like, ‘If you see us laughing please know that this is not evidence that we are taking the care of your loved ones less seriously. It’s our way of dealing with the stress that is inherent with this job. And in the end, our laughter helps us provide the care that your family deserves.” Brilliant. Beautiful.

Back to Kaiser: I was impressed with how quickly this group was to laugh. But as I lead them through some exercises to help them connect humor and levity to increasing their ability to provide care and to serve their folks — and how keeping themselves sane in the end serves their patients, I was amazed at how quickly they got to the point.

In other words, this audience didn’t just run through the humor in the workplace exercises and try to move on. They lingered. They enjoyed. And they went deep. I think I might have learned as much as they did. Scratch that…. I definitely learned from them.

Thanks Kaiser Palliative Care. It was my absolute pleasure.

Are you looking for a health care motivational speaker, or palliative care / hospice speaker? I’d love to be your speaker. Go to the contact page now.

Yours,
Brad Montgomery
Palliative Care Speaker, Hospice Speaker, and Fan if Kaiser Palliative Health

Related:
Hospice video on YouTube
Kaiser Health Care Speaker video on Youtube
Sex, Beer and Death : A blog being a speaker for another Hospice organization
Funny Health Care Speaker home on my main website.

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My kids and wife wanted to go skiing. I didn’t.  I’ve been on the road traveling as a motivational speaker to Florida and Pennsylvania, I wanted to sit home, eat Cheetos, watch the Olympics and veg out.   But I’m glad I went skiing…my family was right.  Doing ANYTHING beats doing nothing nearly all of the time.

(Besides, there was powder.  Lots of powder. : )

Check out my video message from ski slopes at Copper Mountain, Colorado:

Looking for a motivational speaker for your event? Contact me here.

Mobile Post: Posted on-the-go by Brad Montgomery from his iPhone.

For those of you who prefer to read, here is the transcription:

Hey, this is Brad Montgomery from bradmontgomery.com.

I got a message for you related to skiing. So, I’m in Colorado. I’m at Copper
Mountain. We’re at 12,000 feet. I just skied down that cliff. Check that out.
Okay, I didn’t ski down it well, but I did ski down the cliff and I had a good time.

Here’s my point. I didn’t want to go. I didn’t want to come today at all. If it
was my choice after being on the road in Florida and Pennsylvania, as a
motivational speaker, I was pooped and I really would have preferred to stay home
and watch the Olympics, drink hot chocolate, and, you know, read a cheap novel or
something. But because of my wife and because of my kids, we came up skiing
and Iím so glad I did.

So, here comes the message. I tell my audiences all the time this. What are you
going to do to create joy and happiness in your life starting today? What are you
going to do? And my choice was to do nothing and that was a mistake. I got here
and I had a good time and it’s awesome.

So, what are you going to do? Are you sitting around reading a book? Are you
watching the Olympics right now? Are you doing something that could be more
productive, that could be more fun? I’m pretty sure the answer’s probably yes. If
youíre like me, get going.

So, have fun. Make life fun. That means you got to actually do something to get
involved. If you like skiing, go for it. If you donít like skiing, find what you want
to do, have fun.

Looking for a motivational speaker?I’d  love to be your guy. Right now, I’m
going down there. Take care.

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Diabetes Speaker

I was flattered to speak at a diabetes forum in Canon City, Colorado recently.  I love my job as a speaker.  And I love being a Colorado Speaker because I live here.  (Yay, no airplanes today!)

But this one was personal:  my daughter has Type 1 Diabetes.  This is a big deal, requires constant vigilance, and is a huge part of our family’s life.  I don’t have diabetes myself, but because of my daughter our family has become experts in the management and lifestyle that is diabetes.

So speaking to a bunch of diabetics was very cool — and very personal.  I spend some time researching every audience.  But when it is as part of my life as diabetes, it’s easy to share my passion.

But what was fun for me was that I have almost no wisdom when it comes to staying upbeat in spite of the disease.  Or, more accurately, all of the wisdom I do have comes from my 12 year old diabetic.  I’m fabulously proud of her and her ability to adapt to this disease.  She is a rock star.  Sure, she is well aware that she has a health issue that makes her unique from her friends.  But here ability to shrug it off and just deal with it — without complaining….. much — is astounding to her mom and I.

When I asked her what I should tell this group of people dealing with diabetes, and what she would recommend they do to stay upbeat in spite of it all she blew me away.  She said, “Tell them that you pretty much have diabetes whether or not you like it.  And the only thing you CAN do about it is to take care of yourself.”   Such simplicity.  Such wisdom.  It ticked me off that she could be so articulate at 1/4 my age.

I was to speak to a bunch of folks are facing major life style changes.  They are going to have to give up (or severely limit) some of their favorite foods and find a way to like foods they’ve never met.  They are going to have to change the way they live — and I was tasked with helping them to make this transition with humor and grace.

So I took my daughter’s message… along with my own funny stories and humor … to this forum sponsored by St. Thomas Moore Hospital. And it went well.   The message was right on.  I only wish I could take credit for it.

Thanks Canon City!  And thanks Claire.  It was a blast.

Are you looking for a health care speaker for your organization?   Whether or not you need a diabetes speaker, I’d love to be your guy.  Go to the Contact Page now.

Brad Montgomery
Proud Father of a Diabetic, Diabetes Speaker, New Fan of St. Thomas Moore

Related:

Info about how this Health Care Speaker can help your group
See a video of Brad as a health care speaker here (from YouTube)
An article about being a diabetes speaker with my daughter
Another diabetes  article

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Years ago I did school assembly program called the Magic of Books.  It’s a motivational literacy program —

I use magic and comedy to demonstrate the cool things you can learn through reading.

I did at least 800 shows, and over 200 schools — nearly all of them in my home state of Colorado.  Recently, I donated the program to my kid’s school.  It was a hoot to have 2 of my kids in the audience, one of whom got up and did a magic trick on her own.  (My other kid was a “star” in a trick I did.)   To be honest, I thought this was the end of the story.

Check out this video we did at one of the schools here in Colorado:

But then in a fluke, a school from a nearby district called and asked me to do it.  “Yes!” I said before thinking.  (The assemblies are fun, but to be brutally honest, my corporate groups pay better.  Hey!  Kids need new shoes!)  Then I noticed that I had a spring in my step the whole day;  I was THRILLED to have booked the show because I love doing it.  Love it.

Guess what?  I’m back!  No, I’m not a school assembly guy.  But I am a motivational speaker who occationally likes doing school assemblies.  Because I love them.

I guess I could do it as an add-on to one of my corporate road trips.  But I’m assuming I’ll mostly do them here in Colorado in between speaking jobs.

Ok clients…don’t sweat it.  I’m not a kids performer.  But yeah, I love doing it and I’m gonna do maybe one school assembly per month.

Hey Colorado Schools?  Are you looking for a fun school assembly?   Offered by a guy who does it because of his passion?  Contact me here.

Yours,
Brad Montgomery
Occasional School Assembly Guy, Lover of School Assemblies, Believer in the Magic of Books

Related:
See the School Assembly program on Youtube.
More info on this School Assembly

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What’s cooler than being a motivational speaker? Being a customer of the very same people that you motivated.

I had the excellent fortune of speaking to the Colorado Dude and Guest Ranch Association a few months ago. It was a fun gig: we were in the Ritz Carlton in the Colorado Rockies. A great group of people shared motivational laughter and fun.

One thing I love about my job is I get to learn bits and pieces of many industries. In prepping for the Association keynote, I was coached on how ranches work, what the loves and stresses are, and where the industry is headed.

Normally this would be the end of a good story: I love my job and love speaking. But the story is just getting started…

My family and I recently returned from a stay with one of the member dude ranches of the Colorado association. We went to North Folk Ranch, in Shawnee, Colorado. It’s known for fishing and horse riding. And for full-on gourmet food. It was a TOTAL blast being able to see and experience the very same industry I spoke to. I think I would have enjoyed any ranch. But the North Fork in particular was total first-class, top-shelf joy.

Let me qualify the following story by saying that I had an outstanding time. The staff, the food, the views, the facilities, and Karen and Dean May (the owners) absolutely rocked. I recommend that all of you pick up your phone now and make a reservation at the North Fork Ranch.

I’d only offer one piece of advice for you, dear readers. Don’t get on a horse. Seriously. Don’t do it. They hurt.

They put me on a horse that was apparently large. (From my perspective, they are all flippin’ huge. I’m a city boy and I’m afraid of big dogs.) I had to get on some ladder thingy to mount my horse. (This is only slightly embarrassing…. none of the real horse people seem to need a boost.)

An hour and a half of bouncy excruciating horsing later, I was convinced that the fine folks at Guantanamo have it wrong: they don’t need water boarding. Just put terrorists on a horse for 90 minutes and bounce them though the Rockies and they will give up their best friend. Seriously, it’s a slow torture.

I couldn’t move. My legs were frozen. My butt hurt more than you can say, “Oh my gosh this saddle is huge.”

The wranglers practically needed a crane to get me off. (Getting off on my own was out of the question: The Abe Lincoln at the Wax Museum could move better than I could at that moment. After I got off I stood very, VERY still. I waited. Some blood came back. In 40 or 50 minutes I was able to walk again. (Ok, maybe not that long. But in Horse Time, it had to be forever.)

The wranglers were kind; they didn’t laugh even a little. (Until I left.) They told me the horse was too big for me. I’m certain they lied to make me feel less like an idiot. (Nobody else seemed to be in agony. Every other guest seemed to jump right off, pat their horse and head in for lemonade. But try as I might, my legs wouldn’t budge.) My kids thought that the fact that I was stiffer than an I-Beam was hilarious.

Still, I had a total ball. Nobody made me go on another ride — though they did take me on a couple of shorter rides on a smaller horse. Yes, it did hurt less. The smaller horse was no longer like being drawn and quartered. It was more like being pulled like a wishbone.

We retreated to fabulous views, gourmet luxury, a wildly unique “Mountain Man,” wonderful company, and even a late night, after-hours-under-the-stars visit to the hot tub.

My wife loved it. My kids loved it. And I loved it. But please, don’t make me go on that big horse again— I’ll say anything. I’ll admit to any crime. I’ll give up any secrets you want. Just don’t make me ride.

Hey North Fork! You guys rock. You made our week. Thanks so much. Keep up the great work. It’s easy to see why you are so successful. Thanks for sharing the love!

Do YOU need a motivational speaker (and promise not to make me ride a horse afterwards?) Contact me now.

Yours,
Brad Montgomery
Colorado Motivational Speaker, Urban Cowboy, Flexibility-Challenged Dude

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How to Use Magic to Make Yourself Happy

Why is being a magician so cool? There are a few reasons, but one of my favorites is working for special people and wonderful groups.

I recently volunteered for the Jewish Family Services of Colorado and their residences at the JFS Group Home. It was just a casual deal with a couple of dozen folks. But the best part was working with the residents — awesome adults with special needs. By the looks on their faces they had a good time.

But I’m certain that I got the better deal. I was the one who felt great that night. I was the one who laughed the hardest. And I was the one who left thinking it might have been the best show in ages.

What’s my point? If you want to help yourself, help others. If you want to feel good, make others feel good. To be honest, this is a lesson I often forget. But those great people made my day.

Thanks Kids. It was an absolute pleasure.

Hey! Are YOU looking for a magician, speaker, comedian for your group? (I need a better job title!) I’d love to be your guy…. go to the contact page now.

Brad Montgomery

Colorado Magician, Magician Speaker, Fan of the JFS Group Home

More:

Brad as a magician? Click here.

Brad as a magician speaker here.

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Ok, perhaps I should explain.  I just did a full-day seminar / training for the support staff at Colorado Mountain College.  This is a great group of folks that run the many campuses all over the state.

I commonly take groups for a 1/2 of training and motivation.  But I was lucky to get this group for a fully day.  (From a guy who used to do 20-minute magic shows, this is a big change.)  But with a full day, we’re really able to create some lasting change.

It was an absolute hoot for a dozen reasons.  But top on that list was that this group of folks were ready to commit.  They were ready to give what I had a try.  And the result was awesome.

Not all groups are so willing.  With most of my seminar and training clients it takes me a while to get the group to trust me and to be comfortable.  Sometimes that takes a ton of time and energy.  Don’t get me wrong;  I love a challenge, so wary and skeptical groups bring their own rewards.

But this group from Colorado Mountain College was gung ho (whatever that means, but I’m pretty sure it means they were up for anything that seemed fun and valuable) from the start.  Heck, they were laughing while I was being introduced.  (It’s disturbingly hard to take credit for that…. but I’ll find a way.)    They were kind enough to write a very cool leter.  Check it out:

Hi Brad,

I had several people tell me that our retreat was the best ever. One woman told me she had been to 18 of them and this was the best ever. Everyone had such a great, fun and valuable time. I owe most of that to you. Thanks – you’re great.

While we had only two people in the whole room that sit on the “president’s staff” I thought it was hilarious that you managed to pick them both – our CFO within the first few minutes and then our head of HR, Kelly, who will now forever be known as Ruth.

Today was our president’s time to present to the group. He asked our VP of Academic Affairs, Brad Bankhead, to assist. This guy was not invited to attend the retreat -(there is a “student services retreat” that is geared to those who work more on the academic side.)

He was asked to be there at 10am. He arrived to hear everyone raving about the great day we had with you, the great dinner, the belly dance lessons, the magic, the hot tub parties, card games and the great breakfast this morning (more than the cheesy thing). He got up on stage and started pouting saying “thanks for inviting me to your retreat and be here at 10 after the great dinner, belly dancers” ….etc….. “I had to get up really early and drive 3 hours to get here by 10 . . . . .” and simultaneously our group yelled out “lame!!!”

After looking a bit startled he continued and said, “yeah, you all had this great breakfast and I get here for my choice of soda or water……” and our group simultaneously shouted “how cool is that?”

Again he looked pretty baffled and everyone laughed hysterically.  Brad continued on with his PowerPoint presentation with several somewhat boring slides of statistics and the audience of 1/2 hung over people were fidgeting in their seats and then one slide came up with one sentence that said “the success of our college is measured by the success of our students” and our group simultaneously shouted “How cool is that?”

You made a lasting impact.

Thank you.

Mollie

[Note:  I have learning-sections in my training titled "Cool or Lame?" and another called, "How Cool is That?!"   She was referring to those segments in the seminar.]

Aw Shucks.  I’m absolutely thrilled it went so well.  And to hear those words, “You made a lasting impact” is like winning the Olympics (except without the medals, endorsements or Wheaties box.)

Thanks for taking the time to let me know, Kids.  How cool are you?

Do you need some teamwork and fun for your group or organization.  Are YOU reading for a lasting impact that will energize and motivate your team?   Give me a call!  Go to the contact page.

Cheers!

Brad Montgomery
Keynote Speaker, Colorado Mountain College Fan, Proud That it Went Well!

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If I EVER read another blog post on work / life balance I might gag. Yes, we all know that we should try to work less, and have fun more, right?

But Wii often miss that Wii not only need to spend time “not working”, but Wii need to spend time purposely “having fun.” In my motivational keynote speeches I encourage people to play and “Act Happy.” It’s  one of those Fake it Until You Make it Strategies. And it works.

My point? Pick something NOW that gets you physically involved in creatingf joy, fun or levity. It might be as simple as leaving a crank phone call for a pal, taking your dog for a walk, or stealing the neighbor-kid’s Wii for a couple of hours.

Wii don’t have a Wii at home, but recently tried one out with some Denver pals. Check out this  short video:

What are you doing today to physically get involved in creating fun?   Come one!  DO SOMETHING!

Leave a comment…. do you think this works?

Need a funny speaker who can inspire your group (with or without video games?)  Go to the contact page.

Cheers!

Brad Montgomery
Motivational Keynote Speaker, Joker, Fan of Wii

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Holy Moly.  Even I can’t believe I’m writing more about how Southwest Airlines uses humor, levity and lightheartedness to improve their bottom line.  I know it.  And you know it.  Humor + work = improved bottom line.

What amazes me is how United Airlines and the other struggling airlines are the only ones NOT learning from Southwest.

Corporate espionage would never be so easy:  United should put a single employee on a Southwest flight, have them notice how the fun attitude of the employees translates to customer satisfaction, and then…. copy them!   No cloak and daggers needed.   It’s not even stealing.  It’s just common sense.

I was just on an United flight and was chatting with a flight attendant about the safety announcements, and whether she thought humor was appropriate.  I’m not at all sure what the “official” policy is, but her understanding of it is that fun is NOT encouraged… or allowed.  And she shared some anecdotal evidence about her UAL peers getting chewed out for trying to make the safety demonstration fun.   Hmmph.   Oh, and guess how her morale was?   Yeah, lousy.

She is a nice woman, but her loyalty to her employer and her customers ends at her paycheck.

I live in Colorado… and as it is a hub for United I fly them a lot.  An awful lot.  An AWFUL lot.  I’m stuck with them.   But I don’t like them.   It’s clear to me that their employee morale is rock bottom.   They are worried for their jobs and future.  They don’t feel like the carrier is on their side.  And their employee dissatisfaction comes through loud and clear to folks like me.  Their customers.  I have dozens of stories about how United could have easily earned my loyalty but instead made my life harder. It’s too bad.  Especially because it doesn’t have to be that way.

They need — to be frank — me.   Bad.  Really bad.  But they’ll never hire me to talk to their staff with ideas about how to connect enjoyment of their jobs to creating an outstanding airline.    They haven’t noticed that the ONLY thing that sets them apart from their competitors is their people.  And their people are unhappy.  Very unhappy.   Just ask that flight attendent.

I don’t hold out much hope for United Airlines.  But maybe it isn’t too late for your organization.

Does YOUR company need to invest in your people’s quality of (work) life?  Do you agree that NOW is the time to make sure they are at their best, because you simply cannot afford a staff that isn’t fully on board?

[Hey United Airlines! Honestly, you need to hire me, like, yesterday.   Give me a buzz and I'll help your folks which will help you.  Guaranteed.   Come on, I dare you!]

Go to the contact page and let’s talk about how to ramp up your groups attitudes and loyalty, and how that will create a great impact on your bottom line.

Now, for a contrast… check out what the wacky and  successful Southwest Airlines is doing on board with their customers. Do these customers look happier than those you’ve seen on any UAL flight recently. You betcha. That, my friends, is what you call “a hint.”

Do you need to ramp up the attitude in your organization? You don’t even need to sing.  Contact us now! Go to the contact page.

Do me a favor? If you liked this article, Digg it for me right here:

Digg it!

Brad Montgomery
Motivational Speaker, Humor in the Workplace Expert, Funny-ist

Related:
Brad’s Take on the Pike’s Place Fish Market
Hooked on Humor Audio Subscription Program
Laugh-O-Nomics: Brad’s Motivational Humor in the Workplace Breakout Seminar

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I’ve been on a kick lately of having fun   -  with a purpose.

I tell my audiences  that happiness is an attitude.   It’s a choice.   But an often neglected portion of the happiness equation goes beyond attitude, mind-set and emotion.   To do it right— to be your happiest— you also have to get physically involved with creating some joy for yourself.

In other words, to be happy you’ve got to DO something.  Maybe it’s goof with skate shoes and your kids.  Or play a harmless joke on your work mates.  Or take piano lessons.  Or maybe it’s to take responsibility for making somebody feel like a million bucks and act on it.

I’m lucky because I have a ton of hobbies that bring me passion and joy.  One of my latest is Heelys.   I’m tellin’ ya, put some wheels on your shoes and go shopping and … BAM!  You’re in a great mood.

Proof? I’ve got it baby!  Check out this short video of my kids and I breaking every rule in the how-to-behave-in-a-store book.

I challenge you:  find something today that gets YOU involved in creating your own joy.  Build something. Plant something. Play with something.  And then…. Do it.  Notice your mood change?  Guaranteed or your money back.

Leave a comment and let me know if you agree.

Do you agree with me that happiness at work is related to excellence at work?  Do you need a speaker to help your organization to get there too?  I’d love to work with you.  It will be fun.   Promise.  Heelys optional.  Go to the contact page now.

Cheers.

Brad Montgomery
Motivational Keynote Speaker, Passionate Player, Adult Fan of Heelys

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Here is an invitation to the Women’s Realtors and Fort Collins Realtors event in February:

–

Howdy Folks! I’ll be your keynote speaker speaker for the Big Shin Dig on Feb 12th at the Lincoln Center in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Check out this video I made especially for you:

I’ve been a motivational humorist speaker here in Colorado for years, and absolutely pleased as punch to be part of your event. What can you expect? You can expect to laugh and have a great time. And because I’m a magician you can expect to see a magic trick or two. But most of all, you should expect to be reminded to take yourself less seriously — while still taking what you DO seriously.

You can learn more about me over at main site.

I look forward to being part of this event, laughing with you, and reminding each other in a very fun way to lighten up.

Questions or comments? You can contact me here.

Cheers!

Brad Montgomery
Colorado Motivational Speaker, Real Estate Speaker, Fan of Realtors

I am a proud member of the Mile High Magician’s Society.  We are a group of magicians — professional, amateurs, and simple magic fans — who meet regularly to celebrate, teach and perform magic. I’ve been a magician since I was a kid.  

But I my journey didn’t really start until my mom and dad brought me — after much begging and pleading — to the magic club that met at least 40 minutes from my home.   There I saw magicians of all shapes and sizes, of varying skill levels, and from very disparate backgrounds joining together to “magish.”  I was hooked.  

And still am. I was one of the many Colorado magicians who performed last night at a meeting of the club — and was reminded how much I like it. As I become more deeply involved in the professional speakers’ world, I’ve tended to let the magician side of me grow still.  

But after last night, I’m buzzed and hooked again. One of my favorite reasons for loving this magic club is that it makes me — as a magician — feel as though I’m part of something greater than myself.  Magicians have a rich and fabulous history.  But so too does our Colorado magician club.   And performing on the same stage (if you can call it that!) as magicians I’ve emulated, grown with, and performed with for years made me feel like I was part of something special.

My point?  Find  your passion, and then find a corresponding organization to join.  It’ll make you feel like you’re part of a rich tradition.  Are you a Magician? Then for crying out loud join a local club (Society of American Magicians or the International Brotherhood of Magicians.)  Or if you’re from Colorado, by all means contact me and I’ll hook you up with our club.

Check out some (admittedly amateur) footage of the show last night below —  you’ll see that we had fun.  You’ll see how casual it was, and that we enjoy each other.  And that we all love magic.

Cheers!
Brad Montgomery
Colorado Magician, Member of the MHMS, Part of Something Bigger

PS.  Here’s the video:

Just ask her dad.

My daughter has Type 1 Diabetes and because of that, our family has become involved with the Colorado chapter of the American Diabetes Association.  And through her involvement with a diabetes summer camp, she was invited to speak for a few minutes at a fund raising event about her experience as a camper at this camp.

Guess what?  She killed!  It wasn’t easy:  the event was super high end, with heavy production.  Fancy spot lights, fancy staging, professional sound people ushering us around the stage… the whole shebang.  After this elaborate video was finished, they turned a spotlight on Claire and me.    Again… a fairly high psych-out value for a 11 year old.  I spoke for about 20 seconds, told a joke and introduced Claire.  She spoke for about about five minutes, (which is roughly the same length of time as the ice age if you are a kid on stage speaking to a bunch of formally dressed adults.)

She rocked the house.  She was awesome.  She was a star.

What’s my point?  I got nothing.  I’m just a proud parent bragging about one of my perfect kids.

Read another article about my take on diabetes and speaking.  

Do you have an event where you need a speaker familiar with diabetes?  My kid is great, but if you need somebody with more experience I’d love to be your guy?  Diabetes Speaker?  Contact me here.

More info about my work as one of  the Colorado Speakers

Brad Montgomery
Diabetes Speaker, Dad of a Diabetic, Proud Papa

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Check out this funny video where I break every rule in the book.  

Wearing skate shoes is a naughty nasty thing to do in a grocery store. And no, my kids and I didn’t play with them at any Denver, Colorado area Safeway’s or King Soopers. No. We didn’t.

I’ve wanted to try Heelys for some time, but was chicken. I was afraid that I’d be lousy at them. I was afraid I’d never use them and they would sit in my closet mocking me. I was afraid that even if I did wear them in public, I’d feel like too much of an idiot to actually “skate.”

But like so many things in my life recently, my kids influenced me. They looked like they were having fun… and I love playing with my kids… and … and … and…. hello Heelys!

I have used them. I learned them fairly quickly. I wear them a bunch. I notice that adults to gawk and gape when I skate, but (perhaps I’m a fool but) I think they admire me for having fun. I think they think, “That looks fun but I don’t know if I could ever do that in public.” I imagine that a few people must think, “Look at that rolling idiot!.” But I also imagine that more people think, “Cool… there’s another adult on those cool skate shoes.. I wish I had the guts to try that!”

And the cool bonus is that the skate shoes work right into my philosophy I share as a motivational speaker. Much of what I teach is mental / attitude. But I also talk about the importance of DOING things that help us ramp up the fun at work. I hate to mention the “P” word (play) but let’s face it, it makes sense. Of course the definition of “play” for a business audience is tricky, but the concept is solid.

There is NOTHING more playful than skating through a Wal-Mart. It is impossible to be bummed about the sale that didn’t happen, your over-full inbox crammed with emails, and the super-long To-Do list your fretting over. When you play, our stress goes down, our creativity goes up, and we are better able to tackle whatever comes at us.

My point? If you want to make your life — and your job — more fun, and if you believe that if you enjoy your work more you’ll be more productive, than you need to ACTIVELY search out activites that physically engage you in life. You need to find ways that appeal to you.

I’ve found one that works for me: Heelys. I don’t care if you buy these cool shoes or not, but if you don’t, I ask you this: What are you going to do today to actively ramp up the joy and fun in your life? Come on…. do something!

Brad Montgomery
Motivational Speaker, Parent, Heely Wearer, Rule Breaker

PS.  Seriously, do not wear these shoes in public.  It is against the rules.  Seriously.  Don’t do it.  Really.  I’m not kidding.

Ok, so I’m guessing that most folks with a small office often use Starbucks as a second office.  I do.  But in this video podcast check out the reason why I HAD to go to this other office.

It turns out that as I was returning calls and answering emails for motivational speaker job here in Colorado, I was totally silenced.  There was some warranty work that had to be done to correct an error on our house.  We were surprised one morning when two huge guys with jackhammers just showed up and created the symphony of chaos.  (Hurry!  Somebody trademark that…. what a great name for a band.)

Anyhow, it cracked me up.  Hope you enjoyed the video.

If you’re looking to HIRE a motivational speaker (with or without the jack hammer) I hope you’ll contact me here.

Brad Montgomery
Colorado Motivational Speaker, Home Officer, Love of Jackhammers.

Folks, I’ve been speaking and performing for a long time. A very long time. Guess what: I actually:

1. Am not burnt out.

2. Still have family members that talk to me.

3. Still have that vest (I think – - or is that what I saw the kids lining the doghouse with?).

4. Still have my dignity. A little. Ok, not much.

5. I’m still learning. 

See, my first full-time performing gig involved the Colorado Renaissance Festival. I was fresh-faced, on-stage, making people laugh and getting PAID! I made a whopping $30 bucks a day, plus tips, which mostly totaled to about $35/day. (OK, I didn’t say I was good, just that I got paid). Although I didn’t get rich, it was an awesome learning experience.   Although working at the Renaissance Festival was often hard on my self confidence, (I considered quitting about 5 times a day) but with hindsight it was a killer experience every speaker or entertainer should have.  (Though for your sake I hope you don’t have to wear the vest.)

The festival attracted people from all over Colorado, of course, but also from places all over the country. Being on stage and in front of audiences at a young age allowed me to really, really hone my craft in those early years, and it has paid off. A lot of times, when we’re young we don’t realize that what we do then can affect us 10 to 20 years down the line.  I was performing and doing what I LOVE(D) to do and making money at it. (Barely…. can you say, “Brad lived with his parents!“)  And doesn’t it look like I’m having a great time?

It was a tough job — 6 shows a day in 95 degree heat for the TOUGHEST audience Colorado had to offer. I was horrible, but luckily, despite all the evidence to the contrary, I didn’t understand how truly horrible I was.  I can tell you this:  there are techniques I use in my current comedy and humor that I KNOW were influenced by those early years working outside.

The best part of this job was that it provided instant feedback:  the amount of tip money in our hat was evidence enough of our success — or in my case, failure.   I knew the instant I looked in my hat after my comedy and magic show and saw 59¢ and a piece of gum that I wasn’t getting the big tips that good performers earned.  I new I sucked.  I knew that I had to improve fast.  (Because that gum just wasn’t that filling.)  Again, I knew I was weaker than the other performers, but luckily I just thought I needed to get a bit better.  I don’t think my ego could have taken the real truth that I was absolutely horrible.  But I did know I was bad.   And that (limited) self knowledge and a desire to get better created a pretty steep learning curve.

I see WAY too many speakers, comedians and magicians who would never last in an environment like that because they have no idea about how weak their product is;  they don’t know how much they suck.  One show at the Renaissance Festival where 1/2 of your audience leaves and the other 1/2 gives you a 25¢ would give them the slap in the face they deserve.

Let’s admit it:  most audiences today are formal enough that it feels awkward getting up as a group and leaving shouting, “You stink.”   They stay in the audience whether or not the speaker is mediocre.   Even in a comedy club, the audience will put up with some pretty poor comedy.  That’s why that Renaissance Festival  job was so great for me;  it was great precisely because it was so hard and because it created that instant and negative feedback.

After performing and speaking for twenty years some of what I do feels pretty easy and natural.   I’d love to tell you that my current ease with audiences is a natural extension of my “gifts.”   Ha! It isn’t.  It’s the product of a gazillion shows, a shocking number of were horrible failures, hundreds of embarrassing on stage disasters, and well… twenty years of getting it right.  

My point:  If you want to be a motivational speaker, remember to give yourself time to develop, and find a place where you can develop your material safely.   And if you are looking to hire a motivational speaker, make sure your speaker has years and years and years of experience under his … er … vest.

What was your first job? Has it helped you in the profession you’re in today? Do you have an ugly vest in your closet too?  Share your stories!

Are you looking for a comedian speaker for your event?  Pick somebody with years of experience.  Pick me.  Contact my office here.

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Many of my pals have reported that just hanging out downtown and near the Pepsi Center has lead to a ton of cool and funny stuff to see and laugh at.  My dad did just that and wrote me this funny email.  

This week, I’m glad I live in Colorado. My Dad’s letter follows:

For those of you who decided to leave town for the DNC, you missed a fine time in Downtown Denver yesterday (Sunday). Nancy and I rode our bikes to the Art Museum for a look-see, then had a salad on the museum patio, watching ex-Governor Romer, the Mayors of Newark, Denver, and lord-knows-where-else talk about education. Big crowd, reporters and big men in black suits. I asked one of the suits if he was “security”. No, sir, he said. I wondered why so many in black suits, to which he replied, “There are mayors here from all over the country.” Oh, I said, and you are here to keep them safe?” “Yes,” he said.

Then we walked our bikes through Civic Center Park, jammed with vendors, people, including Am. Indians doing a dance, and a couple of kids holding a sign that said they were “Pro-Protests.” I said, “me too,” and they laughed.

The atmosphere was festive, and though we saw no parade, it felt like a parade and who doesn’t like those?

We wondered how we’d cross 15th street, heading for the 16th street mall, but as luck would have it there were several hundred people, some with bull horns, protesting the war right in the middle of the street, blocking both lanes. Horns honking, but no one really angry, and we managed to walk across the usually busy street with no problem, just in time to see a phalanx of battle rigged police heading for the crowd. They had no shields, but all manner of weapons, some of which I’d never seen before. All were holstered, and I saw only one tommy gun. The crowd quickly and quietly dispersed, and we continued to 16th street–just in time to avoid about 15 mounted police trotting down the way.

The police who dispersed the crowd, then walked back towards us and got into vans (red, white, black) with dark glass windows and drove off. There were also a couple of other vans(?) which had running boards on the sides and in the rear, on which about 10 policemen were hanging, ready, I suppose, to charge any big-disturbance. I’ve never see so many police in one spot before. My guess is that they were all pumped with adrenaline, but everything was peaceful.

On the 16th street mall, we saw several men on bikes wearing shirts saying, “Medic”. One told us they were ready to treat most anything from diabetes to heat stroke.

Nancy’s neighbor works downtown and will try to keep his law firm going during the convention. The firm was visited by Secret Service (or somesuchfolk) and told that there would be strict requirements for going in and out of the building, that snipers would be on the roof, and to report to them anything and anyone which looked like it (or they) didn’t belong there.

By the way, we heard a black suit at the art museum tell his guards that if anyone even looked like they had a big purse or backpack to send up a flare.

Although we intended to see the museum, have lunch, and take only a quick look, we stayed all afternoon. Great fun. Bikes were the way to do it.

Hope it stays calm.

Dad

Check out this YouTube video footage of me testing my jokes and humor in Minnesota at the Mayo Clinic

In my job as a motivational speaker, I feel strongly that customized humor is an CRUCIAL way to “connect” with the audience.

The following article was written (and posted at Speaker Net News) for speakers who are eager to learn how to “foolproof” customized humor. The truth, of course, is that there is no substitute for experience and humor “chops.” But, having said that, there are ways to make sure your humor is funny before you go on stage.

The best shortcut to connecting with any audience are jokes or short stories about them — meaning your audience. Their venue, their industry, their lunch, their hotel, their whatever. If you can make a current, fresh joke about them you win.

When you start with a fresh and topical joke they know cannot have been written in advance, they appreciate the joke — and you — more than any other type of material.

In other words, new, topical and customized humor has a lower bar for success, and greater chance for huge payoffs.

Of course the biggest problem is that you don’t know if it IS funny or not. Good news folks… I’ve got a system for testing these jokes, and you can learn it faster than you can say, “I’m Scared To Try New Humor for $500, Alex!”

Here’s the deal: as the audience files into the room, mingle with them. Test your story, your joke, your quip. Don’t tell them you’re testing it, just do it. For example, if you all had some
chicken dish for lunch and you want to joke about it, now is the time to get a feel for it.

If your first group laughs you know you have a keeper. If not, move to the next group and massage the joke a bit. Take mental notes and move on. If you do it right, you might get to try that material several times.

When you hit the platform with that killer joke about the chicken lunch, you’ve got a joke (or story/bit/line…. whatever) that you’ve tested several times. And now you KNOW it’s good.

And that confidence will help you deliver on stage!

Get it? You can try out (tell) those fresh stories and jokes and bits you just thought of a few minutes ago. And you can audience-test them by using small portions of the audience. And you can do it last minute (for VERY topical stuff.) And in the end, you are brilliantly funny…. even if you aren’t.

Looking for a comedian motivational speaker? I’d love to be your guy. Learn more here.

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I recently returned from California where I attended the National Speakers Association convention. I had many highlights, but one of them was seeing my good friend and and one of my fellow Colorado speakers Sarah Michel do a concurrent session.

She taught the audience how to increase the interactivity in their programs, and I gotta tell you, the room was packed with some of the top professional speakers in the business trying to learn from my pal Sarah.

She did a killer job. I learned a lot that I’ll incorporate into my program. It was a great job delivering great content. I was proud of you Sarah.

What’s my point? If you are a speaker — or if you are HIRING speakers, you should know that interactivity is crucial. In this day of multi-tasking, insta-media and fast-paced EVERYTHING, in order to really connect to a modern audience, successful speakers cannot just talk AT the audience.

They need to talk WITH the audience. Interactivity is no longer a “spice” that speakers can choose or not. Top professional speakers must connect with their audiences in a special and concrete way. And Sarah Michele — and the high-powered audience learning from her — helped ram that important message home.

Sarah…you did great. I’m proud to be one of your students… and your pals.

Congrats, Girl
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Photos can make me happy.

A while back I worked for a hardworking team at Arcadis US.

My job was to help this small team  – there were only 12 of us – find specific ideas to take themselves less seriously at work, find ways to incorporate more levity into their work relationships and basically boost up the fun quotient at work.

What I love most about these facilitated session with smaller groups like this one is that I get to do more leading and less talking.  Generally the best ideas come from them.  And this group was awesome in that they did come up with some great, specific and killer ideas about how to find and incorporate more humor in the workplace.

So what, you might ask, were their great ideas?

To name a few:

They decided to create a wandering kaleidoscope.  Because of the way kaleidoscopes help us see life with a different perspective, their plan was to pass this kaleidoscope to people who needed a gentle reminder to lighten up. (Way better than a slap in the face, eh?)

This department also had a huge white board, and based on our time together, they committed to use the white board to celebrate each other as well as to create some fun.   They adapted one of our creativity exercises into a white board project. 

As a team, they committed to “write” a story one word at a time.  One person would start it with one word, and then leave the board.  The next person to walk buy would add the second word, etc.    This team building activity seems way more cool  – and workable – then falling backwards into a team-members waiting hands.

And finally, the committed to pick a single song as their Marketing and Communications anthem.  They would use that song to “push” each other into more cooperative moods and to generally remind each other of their mutual desire to make work fun.

But I think the coolest outcome from this Aracadis team was non-specific.  Together we spent three hours brainstorming ways to be more glad at work.   Ways to make our time in the office more fun.  And when they saw how badly tghe reset of the team wanted what they wanted – to enjoy work more – they felt better about themselves and their relationships to each other and to their jobs.

As for me, don’t get me wrong, I love working with large groups.  But there is something very cool about taking a small team and moving them closer to a happy, mellow, and respectful work environment.

Thanks Aracdis!

Think your team could benefit from a very funny motivational speaker who also happens to facilitate team building events?  Hire me.  Go to the contact page. 

Brad Montgomery
Colorado Speaker, Humor in the Workplace Expert, Fan of Arcadis US

In this episode, I interview Peggy from the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority in Denver, Colorado. She was one of the originators of their employee recognition awards using a Garden Gnome and I wanted to get the inside scoop of this practice and it’s results.

The bottom line is that outstanding employees are given the Garden Gnome to put on their desks. And then the Gnome travels to other desks every couple of months.

The result is super positive, very fun, and very funny. Looking to add some humor to your workplace and don’t know where to start? Then you’ll love this podcast.

More about my work with humor and the workplace, seminars and keynote speeches here.

Cheers!

Read a more detailed write up of the garden gnome here.

Brad Montgomery
Motivational Humorist Speaker, Humor In the Workplace Consultant, Fan of Gnomes
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Yup, I’m a Colorado magician, and work all the time for corporate and association audiences performing my magician / comedian thing. But to be honest, nothing has made me so proud as watching my eldest daughter do some magic at a birthday party for her sister (my youngest kid).

Claire did some killer magic, fooled the kids, and did herself proud.

And yup, the hat was a nice touch.

Need a corporate comedian magician? I’d love to be your guy. And if I’m booked? Call Claire.

Brad Montgomery
Magician, Comedian, Proud Papa

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A good friend, and fellow Colorado magician Danny Archer was just profiled in the Society of American Magician’s magazine.

Danny is a good magician; and he has also invented many tricks for sale to other professional magicians. Besides that… he’s a good guy.

Congrats, Danny.

(Another cool connection: Colorado magician Lindsey Smith wrote the article about Danny. Lindsey also helped to edit my last book, Humor Us: America’s Funniest Humorists On the Power of Laughter.)
Learn More about my work as a corporate magician & speaker here.

Brad Montgomery
Corporate Magician, Stand Up Comedian,, and Fan of Danny Archer

Technorati Tags: Health, Magicians, Humor, Colorado.

Colorado Comedian Josh Blue just won Last Comic Standing.   Why?

Yes he was funny.  Yes he was talented.  Yes his jokes were good.  But the main reason why he beat the others is because he is likable.

All of the comics were funny.  (Ok, some more than others.)  But what Josh has is charm and a huge amount of charisma.  We laughed with him sure;  but we just really liked him and wanted him to win.  And that is his best (of many) assets.

That and the fact that his is knock down funny.:)
I saw him in a Colorado Comedy Club just a few months ago and loved him. It was great to see this guy, who obviously is dripping with charm and talent, pull out the top slot. And it was cool that the winner works totally clean.

Check out this excerpt from Colorado’s newspaper, the Denver Post:

Josh Blue is a different sort of comic-way different At first, you don’t know whether to laugh with him or at him. It’s OK to do both. Josh Blue doesn’t care. Either way is fine with him, as long as you laugh.

Blue is a 27-year-old Denver comic who has cerebral palsy. Or, as he jokes on his website, he’s “the comedian that puts the cerebral in cerebral palsy.”

He tells audiences at the beginning of his act, “I was hoping you’d laugh good and hard tonight. This is my Make a Wish.” Pause as the crowd erupts in laughter. He picks it right up. “If I had another Make a Wish, I would do things a little differently.” Another pause, then he says to an attractive woman in the front row, “It would be you, ma’am.”

Way to Go Josh.

Learn about my work as a corporate comedian here.

Brad Montgomery
Clean Corporate Comedian, Comedian Speaker and Humorist, Fan of Josh Blue

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My wife and I ( and a couple of pals) recently went to the Comedy Works comedy club in Denver, Colorado. We saw what we all agreed were three lame opening stand up comics. My wife was horrified when one stand up comic jumped from telling us about his new baby and his wife to a string of being-with-a-prostitute jokes. (Trust me; the jokes weren’t that funny… and there was no way he could win back my wife with that premise even with the best jokes in the world.) I’m amazed… these entry-level comedians were as blue as could be, but were still not very funny.

(Note to folks who want to know how to become a comedian: clean humor is just as hard as blue humor, but it opens a zillion more doors. As long as you’re investing in the time to learn comedy, you might as well learn comedy that you can use anywhere.)

Writing jokes is hard. Honing a quality comedy set is even harder. Why would new comedians waste time on all of those jokes and premises that prevent them from ever stepping into the corporate comedian or network-TV world? It just baffles me.

Need a clean corporate comedian or comedian speaker to visit your company or association? Visit my Official Website here.

Brad Montgomery
Clean Corporate Comedian, Humor Expert, Pro at Safe Humor

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I mentioned in my last post that my wife and I went to a Colorado comedy club and were totally unimpressed by the three opening comedians. Here’s the rest of the story:

We were saved when comedian #4 arrived. The headliner. (I admit, I didn’t know him.) I swear, my wife and pals and I sighed happily when after only 25 seconds of this guy, we realized we were with a total pro. (We were relieved that this trip to the comedy club wasn’t a total bust.)
For the first third or even half of his show, he worked pretty clean. He is black, and got a ton of milage about jokes about him hanging out with his white friends. He did a great imitation of white, suburban, country club white people. And the contrast between that voice and his normal speaking voice was really funny.

Then he started to work more blue. And he eventually got really blue. But this time we laughed. With this comic, we were willing to crack up. Why?

Because we liked him. The first three comics came out filthy, and it just didn’t work because we didn’t know them or like them. (My wife will never like they guy with a family AND a prostitute… but you get my point.) This last comic earned our trust and admiration, and only after he earned us did he take us on to the bluer topics.

He was a total pro. A funny comedian. Not an especially clean comedian, but a total pro.

When we left he comedy club the line for the second show was all the way around the block. It was only then that we realized we had seen somebody famous. (Are we the only people in Colorado who haven’t heard of this guy?)

Aries Spears is his name. He was on Mad TV and some other stuff, and was practicing for (what I think) is a Showtime Comedy Special.

Well… it was news to me. But I wasn’t surprised… he was great. (Note to the Coomedy Works: He deserved some way better opening comics. Those openers hurt more than they helped.)

One one final note to any of my corporate comedian clients: Aries was WAY more blue than I’ll Ever work. In the corporate world, I work clean… crystal clean. I’m not saying that dirty or blule humor is or is not my bag… I’m just saying that Aries was a pro at knowing when and how to use it. He was funny.

Thanks Aries…. you rocked.

Need a clean corporate comedian or comedian speaker to visit your company or association? Visit my Official Website here.

Brad Montgomery
Clean Corporate Comedian, Humor Expert, Pro at Safe Humor

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I wanted to give a shout out of thanks to my friend, fellow Colorado speaker and expert (and I mean expert!) facilitator for coaching me on a recent project. Sarah Michel is in my master mind group; we’ve been involved with Colorado Speakers Association together for years, and have been pals since we met.

She is at the top of her niche, she’s talented, and kind.  And most of all…. she is very, Very, VERY generous.

I was eager to learn a bunch of techniques from Sarah, and she was a rock star in answering my call. The main thing I was interested in learning is how to translate my message —that we need to take ourselves lightly while at the same taking what we do seriously — into action steps for my audience.

In other words, I wanted to do more than just teach my audiences about the importance of humor and laughter; I want them to leave with specific and usable humor tips and techniques that work for them. I wanted them to be able to make changes based on what they learned from our humor seminar.

Bottom line: it worked. And it never would have happened without Sarah’s continued help.  She is a star.
Sarah is a total pro, and her skills are awesome. And the fact that she shared so much of her knowledge with me is mind blowing.

Sarah is a rock star in so many ways.

Need some help in connecting to your clients, your co-workers, … with anyone?  (Sarah is a speaker and facilitator for all groups, but lately is specializing in the health care arena) Call Sarah!

Need a motivational humorist speaker to visit your company or association? Visit my Official Website here.

Brad Montgomery
Motivational Keynote Speaker, Colorado Resident, Humor Expert, Seminar Leader, Fan of Sarah Michel

Technorati Tags: Health, Motivational Speakers, Humor, Humor Facilitation.

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Yesterday, I did my motivational humorist thing for the good folks at Stewart Title of Colorado Springs. It was a great group, and a fun group and a wonderful day.

One of the main reasons this group invited me to speak to them is that they needed (and I mean needed) to laugh. Over the past two years, they’ve had more changes in their management and leadership than they would have liked.

Add to that the recent woes that all title folks have experienced recently with the increase of interest rates resulting in layoffs and a general downturn in business, and what you get is a bunch of people doing good in difficult situations.

My mission? Come in and show them the “other side of the coin.” Show them that in spite of their genuine difficulties they’ve experienced, life —and their work — is still good. That a fun and humorous workplace is still available to them; and essential for them.

How did we do it? What did I talk about? In addition to all of the same tips and ideas I share with most groups about learning to take ourselves lightly while taking what we do seriously, we went straight at the pain. We joked about the turnover in presidents. We joked that the current President, David Dickard was probably temporary too. (David gave me his blessing to joke about him.) We joked about the multiple sales managers, the loss of business due to the interest rates, and we even joked about what we ate at the lunch 42 minutes ago. We joked about how the new software was more of a pain that they would like. We even… check this out… mentioned the layoffs. (You’d be amazed at how many clients with recent layoffs instruct me not to mention the layoffs… as though their staff might forget them?)
I had two choices: either avoid talking about the problems they have had and go for the “life is good” bit, or go straight at the recent problems and difficulties, shine a light on them, and try to live with ‘em. We went for that second choice and I’m glad we did. Yup, things have been hard. Yup, the rates are up and that makes business harder. Yup, there have been layoffs. Yup, the leadership has shuffled more then they’d like. Yup, the new software package isn’t what they had hoped. “Now, what are we gonna do to 1) make sure that doesn’t happen again and 2) how are we going to try to stay sane (and happy!) in spite of the problems?”

One of my favorite parts of yesterday’s program was watching the difference in the group’s mood between where they were at the beginning of the keynote, to where they ended up. At the beginning, they were smiling, but still weary and guarded. At the end, at least from my perspective, they were just relaxed, “in the moment,” and in a much better (and louder) mood. Seeing the change in their body language, their faces, and even their volume was absolutely wonderful.

Hey Stewart Title of Colorado Springs! Favor? What was your “ah ha” from yesterday’s keynote speech? What did YOU take away with you? Can you comment below?

Brad Montgomery
Humorist, Motivational Keynote Speaker, Huge Fan of Stewart Title!

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Very cool! A Colorado mom and comedian, Rubi Nicholas, won Nick at Nite’s “Search for the Funniest Mom in America.” I haven’t met Rubi yet… but I’m thrilled a Colorado Comedian won. Congrats!
From The Denver Post:

Rubi Nicholas works long hours as an assistant vice president at a health care insurance carrier in Denver. At 36, she has two young daughters, a husband, a house in Castle Rock and dreams of becoming a comedian.

She’s a Muslim of Pakistani descent who married a Greek Orthodox man. Her husband converted to Islam, and became a stay-at-home dad so she could get her MBA and become a corporate executive.

Now she’s writing and performing jokes about her life as a working mom and Muslim. Last week, she won Nick at Nite’s Search for the Funniest Mom in America 2, a TV competition that resembles an “American Idol” for comedians.

And she will soon develop a comedic TV pilot about her life.

News Story from the Colorado paper here.

Technorati Tags: Colorado Comedians, Motivational Speakers, Humor, Comics.

I had the job today! Ehrhardt, Keef, Steiner & Hottman PC hired me to be part of the quarterly employee appreciation meeting in Denver, Colorado just yesterday. They asked me to be a funny motivational speaker… entertain the troops with laugh – out – loud comedy while at the same time giving them a motivational program with a message they could take back to work with them.

My topic was (roughly) humor in the workplace. But in the minutes leading up to my speech, as they celebrated their success, introduced new employees (you know the drill) It occurred to me that they didn’t need me… they already had plenty of humor in their workplace. Need proof? EKS & H has been honored as a Best Place to Work for a large-sized company.

So… what do they do right? Tons of thins. But here are some of the things that I saw that help create and maintain a positive culture and fun culture.
First, he leadership thanked their people (and let them know that they meant it.) The CEO, Bob Hottman in his remarks must have thanked his people a dozen times. But what struck me was that he meant it… he really meant it. I’ve been to dozens of similar events where the WORDS thank you come out of the leaders’ mouths, but somehow we know that it isn’t from their heart. This “thank you” came from his heart… and his people knew he meant it.

Second, the partners are very generous to their people. Flexible schedules, awesome benefits, and amazing training lead the list. But they also give gift certificates, bring in three meals a day (yes! I said three meals a day) during their peak times, subsidized health clubs, and killer snacks. But this morning, they did it one better… they gave EVERYONE in their company (about 250 people!) a new 60 gigabyte iPod. (That was a cool moment… when they announced this awesome gift it was like an Oprah show! “Everybody gets an iPod… Bring ‘em out! “:) )

Finally, they have a track record of caring about their employees. A long track record. They didn’t start today creating a culture of appreciation. They’ve been doing it for years. They totally support and appreciate their people all of the time… so appreciate “events” are the frosting on the cake…. not the cake. By now, their people trust and admire them. And (from what I heard from those employees) those employees are willing to work hard and perform for the company.

What’s the bottom line? EKS & H is doing great. (Record breaking great… it was amazing to hear.) What’s the lesson? Humor in the workplace… creating a culture of positive beliefs and support pays. And pays big. Can you laugh your way to the bank? You bet. Just ask Denver, Colorado’s Ehrhardt, Keef, Steiner & Hottman.

Brad Montgomery
Humor in the Workplace Expert, Funny Motivational Humorist Speaker, Fan of EKS&H

Technorati Tags: Clown Noses, Motivational Speakers, Humor, Humor in the Workplace.

Hey Kid! Get out of the street!

I just found this photo of me (aged 16 or so) doing magic on the streets of Denver, Colorado for tips. (Yup… it is weird to happen upon a photo of yourself; I found this in a Denver website.) I did a ton of work then as a street magician, doing magic tricks and telling jokes for tips.

I’m not certain that this was my best work as a magician, but hey! Everybody has to start somewhere.

If nothing else, it speaks to the fact that to be successful in this job (as a comedian, magician, speaker… whatever) you’ve got to have a TON of experience in front of audiences. Get it where you can.

Stagetime (or, in this case, sidewalk time) is crucial for anybody who wants to be an outstanding presenter. Looking at this photo reminds me of a hundred stories (like the time a drunk guy poured a beer into my hat as a “tip.” Yuck.)

Mostly though I have really great memories. I remember at age 16 doing a few shows in Larimar Square in Downtown Denver and made more money than I could have flipping burgers for a few sweeks. (I was so happy I felt high.)

Brad Montgomery
Speaker, Former Street Performer, Lover of Tips!

Check out my current work as a magician, comedian, and motivational speaker humorist here.

Technorati Tags: Colorado, Motivational Speakers, Humor, Magicians.

My family was with me as we sat in our mini-van (ooh, the sexy life we live!) waiting at a stop light. Next to us was a 55 or so year old couple in a REALLY fancy sports car.

My middle kid Ben said, “They look really sad.”

“What makes you say that?” I asked. I thought he’d talk about their car, or their facial expression or the fact that they weren’t talking to each other.

“They don’t have any kids to make them happy,” answered my first grader.

Now that’s funny.

I was the proudest of papas. Check out my eldest child, 8 yr. old Claire at her piano recital.

I was proud; rediculously proud. Being a parent is fun.

See more about my family.

Hear her play GRAND OL FLAG below!

What this has to do with Humor in the workplace? Nothin’…. but it sure made me laugh.

… but write. Er…. right.

My seven year old kid, Ben, just (out of the blue!) told me that,

“I think there must be a lot of pencils in Pennsylvania. “

How far do YOU need to look to find humor?

Here are some photos of my cute, little humorists!

Bob Larue is the current president of the Mile High Magician’s Society. He does a ton of good work for our club of magicians (and magic enthusiasts.)

Besides that, he is a darn good magician himself: one of Colorado’s best.

I like him for a ton of reasons… one of them is that he is smart, funny, and always one for trying new things.

He was a bit bothered by my blog posting about the publis magic show. Let it be said here: I meant no offense. Bob does great work. He’s one of my favorite Colorado magicians.

Thanks Bob!

Brad

I am a member of the Mile High Magician’s Society… a group of Colorado magicians and magic enthusiasts based in Denver, Colorado. It is a great group of people, a ton of magical talent. Mentors, friends, role models. There are many amateur magicians, many part time professional magicians, and a few of us pros.

They just did their annual fund raiser show. Seems to me like it was a short course in how not to promote anything.

I didn’t see the show, but understand it was filled with some great magicians. But what a shame…. almost no advertising. And what little advertising I saw failed to mention which magicians were featured, nor what type of magic these entertainers do.

I’m convinced in this world, a poster or announcement that says, “Magic Show” is pretty far from what it takes. People want personality, they want something unique, and they want it to be first class.

Lance Burton and David Copperfield brand themselves… not their “magic show.” They are more than a “magic show”…. they are an experience, and they market that.

The Colorado magicians club has a lot to learn, but it seems to me that it starts with a tiny lesson in marketing.

I recently saw Colorado Magician Dave Elstun perform at my local library. I saw it advertised and was thrilled to take my kids and see this old friend perform.

He was great! He has always been a great guy and a one of Colorado’s most professional magicians. But still, I saw some extreme improvement in Dave. He was funny and relaxed. He was playful and in the moment.

And besides all of that… he is a darned good magician.

The real judge? My kids loved him.

Dave’s website is www.emagicpro.com

Another of my favorite Colorado magicians is a guy by the name of John T. Sheets. (And no, I have no idea what the T is for.)

He is a sleight of hand expert…. he has a trick with a finger ring that just blows my mind. I know how it is done, and it STILL blows my mind.

He’s a good guy, and is also a member of the Colorado Magicians’ Society. He does great work.

Thanks John!

Comedian has gone to the dogs

Another of my favorite Colorado comedians is a guy named Kevin Fitzgerald. And here’s something cool… he is a full time veterinarian. And he’s still one of the funniest comedians I know. He works clean. And best of all, he is a really good guy.

Check him out.

Married to your work? Abracadabra

Two of my favorite Colorado magicians are Connie Kolina–Elstun and Dave Elstun. Cool thing? They are married.

Can you imagine two magician’s married? They must have some seriously odd conversatons.

“Honey, have you seen my deck of cards?”
“Yes, dear. You left it by the rabbit cage. And next time you come home put your magic wand away…. You know how I hat it when you leave your props out.”

They are nice folks and great magicians. (Kim and I hired Connie to work for our kid’s day care, and Dave and I have been pals forever!)

I think my friend and one of our fellow Colorado magicians Brian Dino did a great job of explaining close up magic, and why somebody might want it. Thanks Brian.

Magic of Brian Dino

Mix & Mingle

: Your guests are entertained right at the heart and start of the event. With no special lighting, sound or tables required, Brian engages —then involves— your guests in a close-up performance they may think possible only on television. Where people meet for the first time i.e. client hospitality, Brian naturally brings them together and provide the catalyst for interaction between them… something many companies are aware of as being a problem to overcome. Brian can easily provide the solution.

Well, not exactly. I was recently in the audience at the Comedy Works to see a a few Colorado comedians. It was an excellent show.

I had a huge “ah ha” moment when watching the opening comic. I learned from him that sometimes the set up can get a bigger reaction than the punch line. He set up the joke this way: “I LOVE that sign we have on I-70 that says TRUCKERS, YOU ARE NOT DOWN YET.”

This set up got a HUGE reaction. Laughter and anticipation. We loved it because we have passed that sign a million times. It was specific and niched just for those of us that live in the Denver, Colorado region.

I honestly cannot remember the punch line, but I remember that it wasn’t very funny. But the joke was still worth keeping because the set up rocked.

So, fast forward a bit to my work. I did a corporate comedian date later that week, and used many of the same type of set ups. Very specific set ups to THAT group. My punch lines were fine, but the most important part was that the premise was specific to that audience.

Anyhoo…I bet that is more about comedy technique than you ever needed to know. I think it is fascinating.

Learn more about my work as a clean comedian here.

Want more resources about humor techniques, and tips for speakers?

Just saw a young comedian named Josh Blue. He bills himself as the man who puts the cerebral in Cerebral Palsy. He headlined Denver Colorado’s comedy club, the Comedy Works and did an excellent job.

He is practically the poster child for self-depreciating humor. I bet 90% of his jokes were about him, his disease, and how it affects him. And the audience roared.

But honestly, my favorite part of Josh’s act was the part that he is likable. Really likable. He enjoys his job, he loves making us laugh, and best of all… he lets us know that he is having fun.

Great job, Josh.

Learn more about likable performers and what I call the “Dinner Rule” here.
Learn about my work as a corporate clean comedian here.

This is cool. Funny motivational speaker (and pal) Joseph Mitchelli is writing a book about Starbucks….

…. free coffee – and a free book- if you have a story about Starbucks.

Go here: www.starbucksstories.com

Joseph is a good guy… this book will ROCK!