1-Be Confident: Improv teaches us that confidence is extremely important. Having confidence in what you say and how it’s delivered leads the audience to the right reaction. The same goes for being an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs have to believe in themselves. They have to be confident in who they are, where they’re going and how they’re going to get there.
2-Think On Your Feet: Thinking quick and being flexible is vital in order to keep the show afloat. Just as in a business venture, entrepreneurs have to be flexible and roll with the punches.
3-Communication: On stage, good communicators succeed. The same can be said for owning a business. Having the ability to speak up and communicate your needs effectively and fluently help business owners build trust, strengthen relationships, and find support when navigating challenging times.
4-Listen: Improv forces you to listen so you know what move to make next. The same goes for entrepreneurs, where business partnerships, work teams, and external collaborators often result in a wide variety of objectives and goals. Being a good listener will lead to making the best decisions for the business.
5-Team Building: Entrepreneurs and actors alike have to collaborate with others in order to succeed. Being a dependable team member and trusting your colleagues is a staple in owning and running a business.
6-Overcome Fear: Speaking in public is one of the world’s greatest fears. Entrepreneurs have to overcome fears such as speaking in public, fear of the unknown or even fear of owning a business. Stepping out, taking risks, and overcoming fear is what will help an entrepreneur succeed.
7-Creativity: Creativity and risk taking are rewarded in Improv. In business, those traits look like innovation and finding new ways to grow your business. Influential actors and entrepreneurs are always seeking inspiration and new ideas.
8-Laugh It Off: Sometimes mistakes are made in Improv and there’s a moment of failure. What they’re told to do is just laugh it off and come back better than before. Sometimes there will be moments of failure but successful entrepreneurs just have to stand back up and try again.
9-Don’t Give Up: The show must go on, no matter what happens on stage. Success means you must keep moving forward, even if something doesn’t go as planned. Entrepreneurs have to have the same mindset to be successful- keep moving and never give up.
10-Say “Yes, and…”: One of the most important rules in Improv is to always agree with what is said and add to it. In order to succeed they essentially have to say yes and then keep the ball rolling. Entrepreneurs can do the same thing to keep a healthy work environment. Constant no’s are detrimental to working relationships. So it’s a great practice say yes and offer redirection if needed.
