Greg Schwem’s comedic take on the 21st century workplace and work/life balance has landed him on SIRIUS Radio, FOX News, Comedy Central and the pages of Parents Magazine. More than just a business humorist, Greg is also an author, nationally syndicated humor columnist, award-winning greeting card writer and creator of funnydadinc, voted one of the top Dad humor sites of 2016. He has shared the concert stage with the likes of Celine Dion and Jay Leno.
A graduate of Northwestern University’s prestigious Medill School of Journalism, Greg never envisioned a career in laughter. Instead, he settled in Florida, becoming an award-winning reporter for NBC-owned WPTV in West Palm Beach. But the comedy bug bit Greg hard and he returned to his hometown of Chicago, where he honed his standup act in nightclubs. When he began inserting material about business and technology into his act, audience members approached him and said, “You really should come down to my office and tell those jokes.” Behold! A new approach to comedy was born.
Greg’s two keynotes – “Work, Laugh, Repeat” and “Rock, Roll & Laugh Your Way to the Top” – provide hilarious looks at today’s corporate environment and the latest tools used to conduct business. Indeed, Greg’s client list includes such corporate heavyweights as McDonald’s, Microsoft, General Motors, IBM, Hyatt Hotels, United Airlines and Cisco Systems. What sets Greg apart from other corporate entertainers is his ability—and willingness—to customize material for his audience while working within the parameters of the corporate environment. That means no profanity or politically incorrect material. “That’s never been a part of my show anyway,” Greg recently told a reporter.
When Greg hits the stage he already has perused the company’s Internet site, combed the internal message boards and even sifted through numerous PowerPoint presentations. “There is no such thing as too much information,” Greg says. “I know corporate audiences like to laugh at themselves so the more ammunition I get, the funnier it will be. Just don’t give me a 10-K report. There is NOTHING funny about that.”
Greg’s preparation always includes a conference call with company executives and, in some cases, an onsite visit.
Customized Material from Past Shows
John Hancock: You sell the U.S. Global Leader Growth Fund. Is there a U.S. Regional Follower Growth Fund as well?
Michigan Realtors Assoc.: Your organization has been around since 1915? What kind of sessions did realtors attend at the 1915 convention? “The do’s and dont’s of selling that log cabin!”
Campbell’s Soup: You make “premium organic” baby food? Don’t you realize that, after the baby eats your incredibly healthy food, he’s gonna grab a fistful of the cat’s hair and eat that too?
Besides customized material, Greg entertains audiences with stories about tedious business meetings, SmartPhone addiction, “frequently” asked questions and his fascination with the American Girl Doll company. In addition to his hefty speaking schedule, Greg writes a weekly humor column nationally distributed by Tribune Content Agency. He also is the author of Text Me If You’re Breathing: Observations, Frustrations and Life Lessons From a Low-Tech Dad and The Road to Success Goes Through the Salad Bar: A Pile of BS (Business Stories) From a Corporate Comedian.
Check out Greg’s latest and most requested customized program. If Laughter is Healthy…is perfect as a standalone keynote or a breakout session. As corporate America returns to work and struggles with topics such as wellness and retention, everyone is also talking about the role of humor in the workplace and the definition of “funny.”
What Gen X finds uproarious, Gen Z might find “offensive” or “inappropriate” Who is correct?
In a hilarious yet thought provoking presentation, Greg challenges his audience to realize that curtailing humor in the workplace also stifles creativity and teamwork. For those who say, “we aren’t a funny company” or “this isn’t a good time for us to be laughing,” Greg disagrees. Using real world examples, Greg explores how companies have increased sales and overcome negative publicity through humor. Unlike speakers who dub themselves “humor experts,” yet provide no answers, Greg, a 30-year standup comedy veteran, offers suggestions for how to navigate this slippery slope while laughing the entire time.
