S3 #11: Stop Trying to Be Funny: Improv Skills are the Secret to Psychological Safety - with Kevin Hubschmann

When Kevin Hubschmann joined event management platform Splash as one of its first 10 employees, he simultaneously launched a comedy career that would eventually replace his tech job entirely. But he didn't quit corporate life to become a standup comedian—he discovered something more powerful: comedy skills are the ultimate professional development tool, and most organizations desperately need them.

In this conversation, Kevin introduces the concept of "Laughter as a Service" (LaaS) and makes a crucial distinction that changes everything: there's a stark difference between trying to be funny and using comedy skills to create moments of laughter. While the former leads to awkward jokes in meetings, the latter builds psychological safety, enhances emotional intelligence, and creates genuine human connection.

During the pandemic, when comedy clubs shut down, Kevin pivoted to bringing comedians to corporate Zoom audiences. But what started as simple entertainment evolved into something deeper—custom professional development programs that use improv and comedy techniques to address specific business challenges. From healthcare workers to lawyers, sales teams to C-suites, his team develops targeted curricula based on what organizations actually need: better listening, going off script gracefully, creating psychological safety, or simply having each other's backs.

The conversation reveals surprising insights about why improv training works so well in corporate settings. It's not about performance or making people laugh—it's about presence. As Kevin notes, many of our favorite moments from movies and TV shows were improvised, created by people being fully present rather than following a script. The same principle transforms workplace interactions.

We also explore Kevin's concept of the "after-work comic"—professionals who use comedy as a training tool for growth without quitting their day jobs. His advice for bringing humor to work is counterintuitive: forget the jokes, focus on presence, and connection will follow.

Resources & Links Mentioned

Kevin's Work

1. Laugh.events - Corporate comedy skills training and professional development
2. LaughRx Newsletter
3. LinkedIn: Kevin Hubschmann

Books Mentioned

1. Sick in the Head by Judd Apatow
2. Sicker in the Head by Judd Apatow