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Greg Schwem
Corporate Funnyman
Greg Schwem
Corporate Funnyman
Biography
Greg Schwem tells all his clients, “I’m here to make you laugh but, at the end of the day, I want to be your biggest cheerleader too!” That approach is why the Chicago Tribune recently proclaimed Greg “king of the hill in the growing world of corporate comedy while HuffPost calls Greg, “Your boss’ favorite comedian.” Indeed, Greg’s comedic take on the 21st century workplace and work/life balance has landed him on SIRIUS Radio, Comedy Central and the cover of Exceptional People Magazine. During the 2020 pandemic, Greg’s virtual keynote, You Can‘t Quarantine Laughter, was lauded by clients such as Cisco, Verizon, Merrill Lynch and his alma mater, Northwestern University. One participant called it “fantastic and just what everybody needed during this time.” More than just a business humor keynote speaker and sought-after corporate emcee, Greg is also an author, nationally syndicated humor columnist for the Chicago Tribune, award-winning greeting card writer and creator of funnydadinc, voted one of the top Dad humor sites on the web in 2020. His recent business travels have resulted in a hilarious web series, A Comedian Crashes Your Pad, currently streaming on Roku and AppleTV. He has shared the concert stage with the likes of Celine Dion, Jay Leno and Keith Urban.
What sets Greg apart from other corporate entertainers is his ability—and willingness—to customize material for his audience while working within the parameters of the corporate environment. That means no profanity or politically incorrect material. “That’s never been a part of my show anyway,” Greg recently told a reporter.
When Greg presents, live or virtually, at whatever time of day, audiences will see and hear the following:
- A heavily researched and customized presentation featuring material created with the help of Greg’s client. Greg doesn’t “phone it in.”
- Customized multimedia support that includes video, audio and screen grabs from a client’s website.
- A motivational message that uses humor and real-world examples from actual companies that show the “do’s and dont’s” of succeeding in business. Let Greg tell your audience about his experiences with the highly successful American Girl Doll company!
- Greg’s preparation always includes a conference call with company executives and, in some cases, an onsite visit.
Speaker Videos
Introducing Greg Schwem
The Idea of Meetings
Comedy with a Byte
Speech Topics
Work, Laugh, Repeat
Perfect for any group that needs a humorous break from the serious side of business. In spite of its therapeutic qualities, laughter is often absent from the business environment. Greg shows it is possible to laugh at work and about work. Audience members will put down their iPads and Blackberries and laugh along with Greg as he good-naturedly discusses topics such as Smart Phone abuse, social network overload, never-ending conference calls, “frequently” asked questions, and home office workers. His preparation includes company web site research, phone conferences and maybe even a personal visit!
If Laughter is Healthy, Why Aren’t We All OK?
Greg’s latest and most requested customized program. Laughter is Healthy... perfect as a standalone keynote or a breakout session. As corporate America returns to work and struggles with topics such as wellness and retention, everyone is also talking about the role of humor in the workplace and the definition of “funny.” What Gen X finds uproarious, Gen Z might find “offensive” or “inappropriate” Who is correct? In a hilarious yet thought provoking presentation, Greg challenges his audience to realize that curtailing humor in the workplace also stifles creativity and teamwork. For those who say, “we aren’t a funny company” or “this isn’t a good time for us to be laughing,” Greg disagrees. Using real world examples, Greg explores how companies have increased sales and overcome negative publicity through humor. Unlike speakers who dub themselves “humor experts,” yet provide no answers, Greg, a 30-year standup comedy veteran, offers suggestions for how to navigate this slippery slope while laughing the entire time.
Rock, Roll & Laugh Your Way to the Top!
Greg Schwem knows a thing or two about rock and roll. As a comedian who has opened concerts for stars ranging from Keith Urban, to Celine Dion, to Enrique Iglesias to (wait for it) KC and the Sunshine Band, Greg has seen how rock and roll is really a business. Like your business. In short? Every company and employee has "rock star" potential. Greg shows you how to achieve that potential in a highly motivational presentation that combines hilarious comedy, live concert footage and a musical soundtrack featuring everything from classic rock to country to Lollapalooza. Topics include "Why Every Office Needs a Keith Richards," "Are you Team Taylor or Team Kanye?" and "Don't Let Your Company Become a Country Song."
Remove a Tumor, Find the Humor
In January 2024, while in the midst of a late in life divorce, corporate comedian and business humor speaker Greg Schwem was diagnosed with a malignant tumor lying flat on his colon. Divorce and cancer in one year. Other than that, how was the play, Mrs. Lincoln? Facing an uncertain outcome, Schwem was forced to adopt what he had been preaching to corporate clients such as Microsoft, Oracle and AT&T for years: Locate humor in the unfunniest of situations, during times when everything seems hopeless. With a laptop propped up on hospital pillows, Schwem began writing…and writing…and writing. The result was Remove a Tumor, Find the Humor, a hilarious, multimedia-fueled presentation that talks candidly, and comedically, about how triumphing over personal struggles, business challenges, or both, is so much easier when laughter plays a role.
Meeting Emcee/Video Host
A good emcee needs to multitask. He must keep the event moving, be adept at improvisation and work efficiently with all participants onstage. Greg Schwem has hosted everything from a one-hour awards ceremony for 200 BAE Systems engineers to a three-day conference for 6,000 McDonald’s restaurant managers, to a virtual webinar for IBM customers. He is equally at ease chatting with a company CEO live on stage, pronouncing (correctly) the names of awards recipients, or conducting humorous on-camera interviews with meeting attendees.
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