Greg Schwem

Work! Laugh! Repeat!

Nancy’s Note
“With a fantastic stage presence, Greg’s smart and witty rhetoric has him flying high with corporate America and all kinds of associations. Because he does his homework on each client, audiences are surprised when he throws out material only they could relate to. The last time I booked him, the client said, ‘Greg is the BEST speaker we’ve had in our entire history.’ It doesn’t get any better than that!”

Greg Schwem

Work! Laugh! Repeat!

Nancy’s Note
“With a fantastic stage presence, Greg’s smart and witty rhetoric has him flying high with corporate America and all kinds of associations. Because he does his homework on each client, audiences are surprised when he throws out material only they could relate to. The last time I booked him, the client said, ‘Greg is the BEST speaker we’ve had in our entire history.’ It doesn’t get any better than that!”

Expertise

Humor, Motivation, Emcee, Wellness, Culture, Teambuilding, Entertainment

Travels From

Chicago, Illinois

Speaking Style

Hilarious, Energetic, Truth Teller

About Greg...

One of America’s most celebrated corporate comedians, customizing every presentation so audience members, while rolling with laughter, know his session is just for them.

Watch Greg in Action

Check Greg Schwem's Availability

Presentation Topics

The Will Smith slap. The Dave Chappelle/Netflix controversy. High profile incidents like this have corporate America 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, renowned business humorist and award-winning Chicago Tribune humor columnist Greg Schwem challenges his audience to realize that curtailing humor in the workplace also stifles creativity, teamwork and employee wellness. 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. Learn how to “engage but never attack” and why it’s best to avoid the “humor cop.” Greg also shows how humor helped lift this country’s emotions during the COVID-19 crisis while helping businesses cope with the worst possible scenarios. Don’t believe that’s possible? Then you haven’t heard of the suburban Chicago restaurant that offered a free roll of toilet paper with every takeout order!

Greg has delivered this presentation for the toughest of audiences, including the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Society of Government Meeting Planners (SGMP). Hey, if those groups can laugh, so can yours. The ability to research his audience and tailor his content is why companies such as Microsoft, McDonald’s, Southwest Airlines and even The CIA have turned to Greg for laughs, and why HuffPost referred to Greg as, “Your boss’s favorite comedian.”

This presentation is approved for SHRM credit.

Perfect for any group that needs a humorous break from the serious side of business.  Despite 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!

This keynote can be delivered Live or Virtual.

In this live presentation, 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.”

Whether live or virtual, 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.

Books