Introduction
Over the course of my life, I have literally met many hundreds of working professionals (medical professionals, legal experts, military professionals, real estate agents, business owners, management professionals, teachers, etc.) who not only had a great sense of humor, but were perfectly suited for stand-up comedy.
So, what keeps most working professionals with comedy talent from pursuing stand-up comedy? It’s certainly not a lack of comedy talent.
I think I have a pretty good idea of some of the things that keep working professionals from pursuing stand-up comedy and with any luck, those talented working professionals will at least consider taking a stab at it after reading this article.
Let’s talk about some of the things that working professionals may not realize about stand-up comedy and becoming a professional comedian outside the typical comedy club route that most are familiar with…
Advantages Of Working As A Corporate Comedian
Performing opportunities. There is a world of stand-up comedy outside comedy clubs. As a matter of fact, there are far more performing opportunities outside the comedy club market than are available in it as a corporate comedian.
Income potential. The income potential for a corporate comedian who can develop and deliver a clean stand-up comedy act is significantly more than that made by a typical comedy club headliner on a gig-by-gig basis.
Comedians who can establish themselves as a viable entertainment choice for corporate or corporate-type events and functions can command 2-5+ times the income of a doctor or attorney on an hourly basis.
Local work. In most metro areas, individuals who can develop and deliver a stand-up comedy act suitable for corporate or corporate type gigs can literally work locally for years without extensive travel.
As a matter of fact, comedians with a clean stand-up comedy show (whether as an individual or as a team) have the ability to tap into local talent agencies which won’t usually entertain comedy club comedians with an “adult” act because of the clientele they service.
Acceptable comedy material awareness. Because of the environments that working professionals engage in, they tend to be far more aware and sensitive to the types of stand-up comedy material that is acceptable and that is not for comedy work outside the comedy club market.
Networking skills. Working professionals usually have above average networking skills which is very advantageous for getting stand-up comedy work outside the comedy club marketplace – even in the beginning of their stand-up comedy adventures.
Business enhancement possibilities. People are automatically attracted to and want to be around those who can make them laugh, especially as a result of a professional stand-up comedy performance.
Depending upon the line of professional work the comedian is involved in during the day, stand-up comedy performances that kill can actually be a means to bring in more potential clients or customers when interacting with audience members after a successful show.
Comedian teamwork. It is much easier to work with a team of clean comedians for gigs outside the comedy club market which provides these advantages:
- Less time is needed initially by an individual comedian in order to develop and deliver a marketable stand-up comedy show.
- A marketable stand-up comedy entertainment product can be developed faster if multiple comedians are working together.
Conclusion
Stand-up comedy is a challenging but potentially highly rewarding endeavor for those who have comedy talent and want to take it to the professional level.
And it should be obvious that a working professional does not have to embark on the typical comedy club route to do that, specifically as a corporate comedian.
If you want to get a taste of the types of corporate gigs and income I was able to command before I retired as a professional comedian, check out my Corporate Comedy Secrets website.
And if you know any working professionals who may want to explore the possibilities of becoming a corporate comedian, please share this article with them. 🙂