Funny Business: Build Your Soft Skills Through Comedy - Paperback

by Bill Connolly (Author)

Laughter, they say, is the best medicine. Well, it also happens to be a pretty effective tool in the workplace. Most people would not associate the world of comedy with corporate America but surprisingly there are many lessons that comics can teach executives and those looking to build a career. Comedy is about communication, and relating to your audience, and ultimately, so is business. Still, in today's market, companies emphasize a skill-set heavy in technology, which often leads to a workforce that is lacking in the 'softer, ' more intangible skills needed to succeed. Business, just like comedy (and everything else in the world) is still about people. This book is also about people. Written by Bill Connolly, a branding expert and professional improvisational comedian, Funny Business outlines comedy lessons that can be applied to other areas of your professional and personal life. Over 50 individuals are featured in the text, including 10 in-depth case studies with comedians, executives, professors, a dating coach, and even America's first Chief Comedy Officer. Funny Business will help you to improve your professional and interpersonal relationships to position you for success no matter what your goals might be. And you won't even ever have to get on stage to do it! What people are saying about Funny Business: "Funny Business helps people develop the critical soft skills they need to increase their communication, networking, and leadership expertise. By combining his experiences in comedy and business, Bill Connolly gives readers the tools to better understand people, and themselves. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to achieve the life that they want, and have fun doing it!" - Susan RoAne, keynote speaker and author of the classic How To Work a Room(R) and Face To Face: How To Reclaim The Personal Touch. "Funny Business should be required reading for everyone, but especially for students. It shows us that it is not only possible that fun can co-exist with success, it's practically a pre-requisite." - Andy Aylesworth, PhD, Associate Professor of Marketing, Bentley University & Improvisational Comedian "Bill has a great love for, and knowledge of, improv, comedy & life, and it shows in the way he links it all to business! His writing is insightful, entertaining, and educational. This is a thought-provoking book, communicated through a truly authentic voice! Buy it or die trying!" - Bob Kulhan, Co-Founder of Business Improvisation and Baby Wants Candy - Improviser, Writer, Actor, Teacher

Author Biography

Bill Connolly is a marketing/personal branding expert, career advisor & improvisational comedian. He works as a Marketing Manager for a Customer Engagement Agency, and independently, consults both individuals and organizations, helping them to build and maintain successful brands. He is the host of "Funny Business" on the UR Business Network, and is a frequent author on the topic of "Soft Skills" for career success. His work has appeared in top media outlets such as: The New York Times Online, Yahoo!, Business Insider, AMEX Open Forum, Customer Think, and Personal Branding Blog/Magazine. In addition, he has presented branding strategy to organizations like TJX and NASA. He frequently speaks at conferences and for organizations on the topics of personal/corporate branding, building soft skills through comedy, and career development. Bill is also an improv comedian, performing with the professional NXT cast at Boston's Improv Asylum, as well as with the independent group, "What Up D'oh?" He is also the co-founder of a food blog entitled, "CookingforBill.com." For more information, or to contact him, visit his website at TheBillConnolly.com, or follow him on Twitter: @billconnolly.