Marc Kaye calls himself a “restless creative”—a musician, writer, and comedian who loves to tell stories and make people laugh. He also, through his company, VitalConex, uses those skills to help develop the vital connections needed for focused, united teams and creative problem solving. Marc tells me how—and why—he took the leap into stand-up, how his comedy and his writing skills have influenced each other, and how he takes both of those, and his business partner’s therapy background, and creates programs to help teams create a sense of psychological safety that lets them do difficult work from a place of greater unity.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Childhood creativity shapes lifelong passion for creation.05:37 Piano, writing, science, marketing, stand-up comedy.07:49 Email to Gary Goldman about Last Comic Standing.11:48 Got hooked on comedy, performed sporadically. Kids grew.15:32 Song critique circle provides valuable but diverse feedback.18:26 Improving character portrayal in writing and comedy.21:41 An exercise in making unexpected connections.23:45 Comedy, improv, and creativity in storytelling.27:23 Adults miss suspending belief in harmless ways.31:03 Comedy clubs are a past entertainment trend.34:24 Challenges with DEI initiatives and team building.36:42 Avoiding the “consultant” label40:33 Using humor to build real interpersonal connections.43:12 Identifying strengths and weaknesses through team activity.46:24 Human experience involves shared emotions and perspectives.52:26 Humor is crucial in navigating change.54:38 Finding humor in life is a superpower.

Check out the full show notes at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.

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Want more? Here are handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in writing and theatre.