Blog posts

What We Can Learn About Great Storytelling from Comedians

Submitted by Jack Milner on February 25, 2025

Back in the 80s, I got to be in the audience for Top of the Pops. I thought it was going to be a wild, electric, party-like atmosphere—the kind you saw on TV. The reality? Less rock ‘n’ roll, more school trip with grouchy teachers. Instead of dancing and soaking up the music, we were shuffled from stage to stage by an unimpressed floor crew. 

The Power of Playfulness in Creativity

Submitted by Jack Milner on February 18, 2025

My 13-year-old son, Kester, is the king of random. The other day at breakfast, he announced, “Did you know I’m the new face of Kinder eggs?”  

I laughed. “I didn’t even know Kinder had a face.”  

 “They do now. They’ve chosen me. And they’re launching a new range called Devil Eggs.”  

“What kind of chocolate would that be?”  

“Oh, real dark chocolate,” he said, “maybe with a bit of chilli.”  

Best Pitch Advice I’ve Heard

Submitted by Jack Milner on February 11, 2025

With Mark outside the Kalich Theatre in Prague, where Octopus Soup has been playing to full houses for 16 months

The other day, I had lunch with my mate Mark Stevenson, and in the middle of some general chat, he shared one of the best pitching tips I’ve ever heard.  

WIN-WIN: The Power of Flow

Submitted by Jack Milner on February 4, 2025

The other morning, after yet another Jurassic Park-style storm, I was taking my son to school. Roads were flooded, branches down, and parents were in full T-Rex (or Slade) “we’re all crazy now” mode — stressed, impatient, and desperate to get their little bundles of joy to school.   

Then we came to a T-junction. Total gridlock. Cars trying to go up the narrow lane, others squeezing down, and an AA truck with a BMW on its trailer, stuck with no way to reverse. I said to my son, “This is going to be a loooonnggg wait.”   

Are You Accidentally Sabotaging Your Feedback with Humour?

Submitted by Jack Milner on January 28, 2025

Have you ever given someone feedback, only to realize later they didn’t take it seriously—or worse, didn’t even realize they’d received any? Maybe you softened the message with a joke, thinking it would land better. But when nothing changed, frustration built, and when you finally told them directly, they said, “But you never told me!” Sound familiar?  

How (Small) Brands Use Humour to Compete Against Giants

Submitted by Jack Milner on January 14, 2025

I remember watching an episode of the Dragon’s Den, where the investors were pitched a new mobile phone brand.  It looked great but they all said no because it was just too difficult to compete against the Apples, Samsungs and Googles of this world.

I’m sure they were right. When you’re a small brand going toe-to-toe with industry giants, you need more than a good product. 

A Tale of Two Trees

Submitted by Jack Milner on December 13, 2024

Here’s a photo of me and my mate Charlie Curson in front of the Christmas tree at the Landmark Hotel. The trophy is the Titan Gold Award for Best B2B Event 2024, awarded for 'Leading with Laughter - A Stand-Up Approach to Strategic Leadership.' These workshops combined the power of strategic psychology (Charlie’s expertise) and humor to develop practical solutions to business problems. And it clearly worked: 89% of businesses reported improved team idea generation and problem-solving abilities.