Advertise on podcast: Laughing Matters

Entrepreneur, author, professor, podcaster and business humorist David Mammano joins Paul Merchan and Steve Cody on this episode of Laughing Matters to explore why humor and wit can take business culture to the next level. From winning comedy contests in college to advising business leaders on culture, David shares why there is inherent wisdom in bringing fun back to the workplace - and why having dance moves like Seinfeld’s Elaine didn’t stop him. Tune in to hear David talk about: Why AI can never replace humor, experience and witHis affinity for humorous insurance company campaigns A story from his best-selling book about a 20-something business owner who had every one of his employees reapply for their positionsAn embarrassing personal story that proves it’s important not to skip human anatomy class

From FedEx to ITT to the classroom, Tom Martin has built a career on authenticity, wit, and mentorship. Now Executive-in-Residence at The College of Charleston, Tom joins Laughing Matters to share how humor helped him navigate global rebrands, ease the tension during meetings, and inspire the next generation of communicators. Tune in for: The story behind his eponymous mentorship program for up and coming professionalsHow listening (and laughing) led to iconic rebrandsExample of some of Tom’s favorite examples of humor in brand campaigns

What do laughter and learning have in common? According to Tony D’Angelo, Professor of Practice in Public Relations at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School, they’re both essential to building trust, engagement, and resilience in the classroom and beyond. In this episode of Laughing Matters, Tony shares how humor helps educators connect with students, why civility is in crisis, and how a self-deprecating joke turned a stressed-out student into a creative powerhouse. Tune in for: How humor lowers the temperature in high-pressure classrooms and encourages productive disagreement. Insights on how colleges and universities can differentiate themselves in a sea of sameness and deal with disruptive challengers like LinkedIn Learning.His insights on a recent study on civility in America… shameless plug, Tony will be on a panel discussing this topic at the PRSA Icon Conference on 10/29; fellow panelist and IW Chairman Bill Imada also did a recent podcast on civility. 

In this episode of Laughing Matters, recent college graduate Emilia Feltner shares how her generation is shaping the workplace, why leaders should never underestimate the power of a well-timed joke, and what she’s learning as AI reshapes the career ladder. Tune in to learn: Her amazing experience interning in her mother’s native LithuaniaWhat’s new with AI, Gen Z’s entrepreneurial spirit and using humor as “medicine”Why you should probably not leave your phone with her!

In a 24/7 newsroom, pressure is high and the headlines can be serious, but David Gaffen, Editor-in-Charge at Thomson Reuters, believes humor is essential to surviving it all. In this episode of Laughing Matters, David shares how he keeps his team grounded, why smart wordplay still has power, and what it takes to stay sharp in a chaotic media landscape. Tune in for: How gallows humor keeps newsroom teams resilient under pressureThe art of writing witty headlines without crossing the lineA MasterClass in keeping journalism rigorous, relevant, and humanLaughing Matters will be taking a summer hiatus—we’ll be back in September with a new season full of lessons, learnings, and laughs.

What do stand-up comedy and marketing have in common? A lot more than you'd think. Just ask Matthew Bryan, Head of Marketing at Resource Capital Funds, part-time comic and full-time Steve Cody’s Nephew™. In this episode of Laughing Matters, Matthew shares how bombing on stage taught him to fail forward, how humor builds creative safety in teams, and the time he accidentally hit Reply All to make a major personal announcement. Tune in for: The surprising connection between punchlines and performance marketingWhy self-deprecating humor = professional superpowerA workplace email snafu that taught him to think carefully before hitting send

Can a leader who embraces self-deprecating humor also help grow a company from four employees to 120? Mikayla Hopkins is laughing while she leads marketing at Tracksuit (the word also happens to be what New Zealanders call sweaters). She joins Laughing Matters to share her journey of building a brand from the ground up and finding humor in the process. Among her insights: The unique contrasts between self-deprecating Kiwi (New Zealand) humor and the direct, punchy style of American comedyGrowing Tracksuit from 4 to 120 employees and maintaining a light-hearted company culture throughout this massive expansionA hilarious story of a melatonin mishap, subway confusion, and a wardrobe malfunction during an important meeting in New York

You’re a leader at a global pharmaceutical company and a once-in-a-lifetime worldwide pandemic hits. How do you manage that with bold leadership and resilience - all while maintaining a sense of humor? Sally Susman, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at Pfizer, shares how she navigated the unprecedented, along with some hilarious stories from her career: The power of admitting you’re wrong and sharing your biggest mistakesHer future boss’ witty answer when someone offered to trade her for a couple of cows An embarrassing interview about her footwear with one of the nation’s largest newspapersWe also encourage you to pick up a copy of Sally’s fantastic best-selling book, Breaking through: Communicating to Open Minds, Move Hearts and Change the World,” published by Harvard Business Review Press.

When we think of autonomous vehicles, many of us may envision the Terminator, Transformers or some other sci-fi flick. But they’re a reality on our roads today, and having a job in this field can require a unique perspective on humor. Andrew Culhane, Chief Commercial Officer at autonomous trucking company Torc Robotics, joins Laughing Matters to share some of his experiences in nearly two decades espousing self-driving tech: Navigating vastly different approaches to humor – from truckers to miners Watching someone play live frogger, filling potholes with a bag of asphalt in the middle of a busy highway while dodging speeding vehicles Staying at the cringiest pink hotel room in Berlin in the early days of their startup

Thinking of cracking a joke next time you’re in a job interview? Jamie McLaughlin, CEO of recruitment firm Monday Talent, tells Laughing Matters that while this could be a good approach, you should take a step back and make sure you read the room! He also goes into details on:  The importance of the right humor in interviews, especially as most today are virtualWhy sarcasm can be a quick way to humor but isn’t always the best way to help people relaxAn embarrassing story of an interviewer who tried to weaponize humor 

Join us on this episode of Laughing Matters as we chat with Pat Fitzgibbons, Senior Public Relations Manager at M&T Bank/Wilmington Trust, whose career journey is filled with humor, from newsroom antics to his family’s political legacy in New Jersey. Pat shares: ·       Tips on how to prepare for a career in communications and how to infuse a daily dose of LOL in college  ·       How his father and grandfather used laughter to forge connections and navigate local politics – and why he feels his own election win was “rigged” ·       His memorable elevator encounter with the CEO of Bear Stearns that turned a potentially awkward situation into a laughing matter.

Life is a highway for most of us, but especially for Jenni Ruiz, the Bronx native who works as a senior marketing manager for trucking software company Transfix. Jenni is our latest Laughing Matters podcast guest, where she talks about why humor is essentially a job prerequisite in trucking & freight, as well as:  ·       Why her first career was tough and the importance of working somewhere you can be yourself ·       How she learned to watch where she’s walking the hard way ·       Her passion for comedy and acting (check out her film “Playing Sam” coming to streaming services this fall!)

On today’s episode of Laughing Matters, Brandi Boatner, Manager of digital and advocacy communications at IBM, joins us to talk about how she uses humor as a dynamic public speaker and advocate for her profession. Her insights include: How she linked an IT infrastructure campaign with yoga poses. How humor can play a role in attracting students from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds into communications. A hilarious cringeworthy moment in Grand Central Station that taught her valuable lessons about resilience and self-acceptance.

In this episode of Laughing Matters, Paul Merchan and Steve Cody interview Gloria Rodriguez, the founder and president of Comunicad, a Ruder Finn company, and a pioneer in multicultural communications and advocacy for the Latino community. She shares some of her amazing stories and insights from her career, such as: ●      The time she took clients to Puerto Rico to help support Hurricane Maria relief efforts and helped expand the aid to our furry friends ●      How she uses humor to bridge the gap between Latino and mainstream cultures and to overcome challenges and stereotypes in the media industry ●      How she convinced a former U.S. president to restore funding for job training programs for Puerto Ricans in New York  

Tune in to the latest episode of Laughing Matters, featuring David Dye, President of Let’s Grow Leaders and co-author of “Powerful Phrases for Dealing with Workplace Conflict.” David shares tips on what to do when faced with a workplace conflict, including results from the study he conducted for his book. Among his insights: The difference between productive and destructive conflict and the role of humorHow to navigate hot-button issues when others see the world differently than you doWhich countries in the study experienced the most workplace conflict (spoiler: US is high on the list but did not finish #1, believe it or not)