Business Without Bullsh-t Can Improv Make You Your 1st Million? - Insights from Neil Mullarkey
EP 404 - Can improv and humour make you a better leader - and even grow your bottom line?
Neil Mullarkey (Comedy Store Players co-founder with Mike Myers, seen on Whose Line Is It Anyway and Austin Powers) shows how improv’s “Yes, And” mindset, listening with intent, and affiliative humour boost leadership, sales, creativity, and team culture.
We unpack practical tools Neil teaches at London Business School and in boardrooms across 25+ countries: running better meetings and Zooms, building psychological safety, using Pixar-style “plussing,” navigating change, and why funny people make better leaders.
What you’ll learn:
How improv drives creativity, collaboration, and faster decisions
The difference between affiliative vs. dis-affiliative humour (and why banter can backfire)
Listening with intent: the leadership meta-skill that wins deals and trust
Running high-energy meetings (in-person & remote): chat prompts, quick polls, and participation hacks
Why “Yes, And” beats rigid scripts for sales, client work, and stakeholder buy-in
*For Apple Podcast chapters, access them from the menu in the bottom right corner of your player*
Spotify Video Chapters:
00:00 BWB with Neil Mullarkey
01:20 Neil's Journey in Comedy and Improv
05:42 The Birth of Comedy Store Players
08:12 Improv Techniques and Their Applications
19:13 Improv in Business and Leadership
24:05 Effective Meeting Strategies
32:31 Innovative Meeting Strategies
33:35 The Role of Improv in Leadership
36:07 Handling Resistance and Transformation
41:45 Humour in the Workplace
47:32 Improv Skills for Personal Growth
56:27 Quickfire - Get To Know Neil
57:54 !Business or Bullshit Quiz!
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If you'd like to be on the show, get in contact - mail@businesswithoutbullshit.me