Avish grew up in “exotic” Poughkeepsie, NY and now makes his home in Philadelphia, PA. Though he performed all through high-school, he decided to stop performing when he went to college to “focus on his studies” (his parents were very proud of this decision).
That resolve lasted only a few months, as the first time he saw an improv comedy show he fell in love (his parents were slightly less proud). One week later he auditioned for the campus improv group, got in, and the rest is history. After graduating, he started Polywumpus Improv Comedy, which performed regularly in and around Philadelphia for seven years. Avish closed up Polywumpus to focus on the speaking and training side of the business – using improv comedy as a tool to teach valuable business skills such as creativity, and adaptability.
Weaving together humorous stories, jokes, audience interaction, and improv comedy games, Avish keeps the audience engaged while imparting a key lesson: Planning is Important, but Improvising is Essential! No matter how well you plan, things will go wrong, surprises will arise, and the Universe will throw you a curveball. Your success and sanity are directly related to how you respond these challenges. By the end of one of Avish’s presentations you will have key tools to flow with all that life throws at you. Avish has spoken to the very creative (actors and directors), the very un-creative (accountants), the very casual (college students), and the very business-like (sales professionals). The end result is always the same – smiles, laughs, and a new way of looking at life and business.
Avish is the author of Improvise to Success! and the Amazon bestselling, Say ‘Yes, And!’ (And yes, his parents are once again very proud.)
No matter how well you plan, things will go wrong, unexpected surprises will appear, and the universe will throw you a curve ball. Your level of success is often dictated not by how well you plan, but rather by how quickly and effectively you deal with the unexpected when it happens (and it will!)
In this energetic, fun, motivational, and interactive speech, Avish demonstrates how the same principles that lead to hilarity on an improv comedy stage can lead to massive success in life. Avish weaves together humorous stories, witty observations, and interactive exercises from improvisational comedy to get people laughing, learning, and motivated!
Avish will cover vital points to help them flow with the unexpected, deal with change, and be more effective. Your audience will learn how to:
- Have fun in the face of adversity (and why this is a critical business skill)
- React instantly and powerfully by only controlling the controllable
- Simply say “Yes, And” instead of “Yes, But” to instantly improve communication, flexibility, and personal success
All people are brilliant. Unfortunately, we all just do stupid things from time to time.
In this energetic and hilarious keynote, Avish points out the stupid things that people – yes, including himself – do, makes a lot of fun of it, and then explains the simple mental shifts anyone can immediately make to take their career or business to the next level.
“What mental shifts,” you say? I’m glad you asked.
Avish’s presentation will shake your audience up and shift them:
- From saying “yes, but” to saying, “yes, and” – and all the brilliance that unlocks
- From obsessing over inconsequential details to focusing on the big picture
- From complaining about things they can not control to taking powerful immediate action
- From going through their daily motions to seeing and seizing everyday opportunities they may be missing
- From being stuck in a rut to unleashing their natural brilliance
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