One of the things that sets Peppercomm apart is our embedding stand-up and improvisational comedy training into our management development programs.
There isn’t another firm I know of that has embraced comedy to the extent we have.
The benefits have been enormous and range from improving employees’ presentation skills, to knocking down silos and bringing our people together in new and unique ways. Another benefit is having been named NYC’s top workplace by Crain’s New York Business.
We’ve also tied-in comedy to raise money for a whole host of charities over the years. And, in those fundraisers, the Peppercomm employees have performed five-minute sets at major NYC comedy clubs. How many professionals in our industry can add that accomplishment to their C.V.’s?
It’s a beautiful thing, especially when you can hold a charity comedy fundraiser in honor of a fallen comrade.
That’s exactly what we did last Thursday night.
As many of you know, Dandy Stevenson, my longtime executive assistant, lost her battle with lung cancer in August. See my tribute to Dandy here.
Her family asked that any donations in Dandy’s memory be made to the ASPCA.
So, what did we at Peppercomm do? We took it to the next level and staged a Dandy Stevenson Memorial Comedy Show, invited four or five ASPCA executives to perform with our troops AND ended up raising more than $1,500 in Dandy’s name. Oh, and btw, we had a blast doing it.
Before I continue, I’d appreciate any, and all, friends of Dandy who have not yet done so, to make a donation to the ASPCA in her name. Here’s the link.
If you’d like to get a sneak peek at what the experience was like, click on this link and check out our very own Deb Brown impersonating Donald Trump. It’s great. The greatest ever. Beyond great. And if you don’t like it, it’s not Deb’s fault. Blame the Democrats.
Other firms might remember a fallen comrade with a one-off luncheon or a cocktail reception. Not us. We do it the right way. We raise money for our late colleague’s favorite charity, enlist our own employees to perform stand-up and turn what could have been a wake into a laugh out loud tribute to a woman who laughed out loud more often and far louder than anyone I’ve ever known.
Dandy: We miss you and will never forget you. Hope you enjoyed watching the show from whatever celestial cloud you may be currently inhabiting.
