Joel Zeff on the Power of “Ta-Da” and Celebrating Life’s Small Wins
National keynote speaker, MC and author Joel Zeff joins Logan Pratt on this episode of the Meetings Today podcast to talk about the necessity of a good MC at events, the power of "ta-da," celebrating life's small wins and how the power improv can change people's lives for the better.
Joel Zeff is the author of Make the Right Choice: Lead with Passion, Elevate Your Team, and Unleash the Fun at Work. And for nearly 30 years has been using the tools of improv and comedy to increase collaboration, productivity, passion and innovation by celebrating life's small wins, or "ta-da" moments.
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Transcript:
Editors note: The following transcription was facilitated by AI program Otter.ai and proofed by our editors. Although it is very accurate, there inevitably will be some mistakes, so please consider that when reading.
Also please note this podcast was recorded in April 2025.
Logan Pratt
Hello and welcome to this Meetings Today Podcast, I’m Logan Pratt, Digital Content Coordinator for Meetings Today and today I am joined by keynote speaker and MC Joel Zeff.
Joel is the author of Make the Right Choice: Lead with Passion, Elevate Your Team, and Unleash the Fun at Work. And for nearly 30 years has been using the tools of improv and comedy to help groups celebrate small wins and realize the power of Ta-Da moments. Welcome to the show, Joel.
Joel Zeff
Thank you, Logan. I'm excited and I just want all the listeners to know that I'm wearing a gold sequin jacket for this audio-only podcast.
Logan Pratt
Yes, Joel was very disappointed that we did not have video for this podcast, but he does look very dapper in his gold sequins jacket, just so everyone knows.
Joel Zeff
I was all excited. I was going to be special. I was like “Meetings Today. Come on, this is the big time. This is huge.”
Logan Pratt
But yeah, thank you so much for joining the show, man. So I want to start off with how you got your start a little bit in, you know, keynote speaking and stuff and how did you know that this was something that you wanted to do for the rest of your career?
Joel Zeff
Yeah, you know what? I didn't even know there were conferences. I didn't know there were speaker bureaus, meeting planners, sales kickoffs. Had no idea.
And I was working at a PR agency, and at the same time I was doing improv comedy on the weekend, stand up and improv, and one of my clients was Texas Instruments. And they were having an executive retreat. And the client said, “Hey, I know you do improv on the weekend. We're having this retreat. Can you come up, speak to us before dinner, and play some of those improv games?” And I said “Sure, yeah!” And they paid me a nominal amount, right? But it was exciting. And I would like to stop and say the audience was all men, all VP level and all engineers. So not the greatest group of people for an audience in the room for laughter and humor.
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Logan Pratt
Famously down for anything, those guys, yeah.
Joel Zeff
Yes, right, right. This is this is the comedy audience that you want to start your career.
Logan Pratt
Yeah.
Joel Zeff
But they were awesome. They had a great time. More importantly, I had a great time. And that's when the light bulb started flickering on. I'm like, “Well, maybe I could offer this to some of my other clients.”
And just like anything, when you're passionate about something and you love something, people are interested. They want to pass your name on. They're going to refer you, and that's what happened. And I would have clients call me and say, “Well, we have 200 people. Can you talk about teamwork and do some of that improv?” And I'm like, “Yeah, that sounds great. And there was no plan. And it wasn't even “This is gonna be my career.”
And around ’97, 1997, a long time ago. I did a demo video and the… I started sending it out on VHS, if all the if all the Gen Xers and Boomers can remember. And started sending that video out, and it just exploded. And next thing I know, 2,500 events later, I'm here in a gold sequin jacket, talking to you, Logan! For Meetings Today! That's how my career went.
Logan Pratt
Yeah, it's crazy that you blew up kind of pre-Internet as well.
Joel Zeff
Absolutely.
Logan Pratt
And kind of…. So yeah, you sent the tape out to just meeting planners? Or just different people or….?
Joel Zeff
Anyone that would want one.
Logan Pratt
Yeah.
Joel Zeff
So yes, I would… Yeah, and back then, actually I did a lot of MPI events when I was first starting out. And just kind of understand the industry, and meeting people, and did a lot of pro bono for a lot of different organizations, MPI being one of them. And, you know, just meeting people and sending out that tape to everybody.
And what was awesome was… there's lots of funny speakers. And there's lots of great speakers with a great message. Well, “I want a great speaker with a great message and is funny.” Now we're talking about a lot fewer people.
And then when you add in, “I want you to engage my audience, I want it to be interactive. Now that, especially back then, that was a very small group of people. Funny, great, powerful message and interactive engaging with the audience. That's a small group. Even now, that's not a lot of people.
And so I had this niche, and I was passionate about it. I love to share improv with my audiences and the clients and people gravitated toward it because it's engaging, it's fun, it's unique. And then there's this great, powerful message that goes along with all the fun and laughter.
Logan Pratt
Yeah, I know you've talked about that message before and kind of… Your big thing is the “ta-da” moment. Do you kind of want to tell our listeners a little bit about… what is a “ta-da” moment? And why is it becomes so integral to your messaging and why do you think that it's so important for people to celebrate these small wins and stuff?
Joel Zeff
Right! People, you know, we want that passion. And we had to fuel that passion. It just doesn't happen. There's no job requirement that says “You have to have passion for your job.”
We have to create the foundation for that passion to exist. And part of it is appreciation and positive support and celebrating each other. And I have the whole audience stand up, and we all stand up and raise our hands up and say, “Ta-da!”
Just like when we were little kids. When my kids were younger, everything was a ta-da. Right? We celebrated everything. They eat a cheese sandwich. We're like “Ta-da! You did it. You ate the whole sandwich.” You know, my son touched the ball, you're like “Ta-da! You threw it! It's amazing. You're going to be a star.”
We celebrate everything. And what happens [is] their confidence builds, they're excited and they're supported, they're positive, they're appreciated, they're going to do more of whatever we're celebrating. And so when we get older, we still have these moments, we just don't celebrate them. We think they're just part of the day. And it's these little moments each and every day.
Just being on this podcast is a huge “ta-da” moment. That’s awesome! Right? To have this opportunity. And Logan, you're just such a great interviewer!
Logan Pratt
Aw, thanks!
Joel Zeff
And it's just… it's a great “ta-da” moment. And we… when we celebrate these moments it fuels our passion. And that fuel makes us better leaders, makes greater teammates, communicators, innovators. And it's all about fueling that passion.
Logan Pratt
Do you do you kind of find that people need to kind of… People talk about their inner child a lot, and kind of needing to unleash their inner child. Is that kind of what you aim to do? And where do you think people lose that in their journey and how can they maybe reclaim it in their day-to-day life?
Joel Zeff
I think a lot of people… All of a sudden we make a lot of small decisions that aren't based on fun. You know, my kids are 18 and 21, probably 90% of their decisions are based on “Is this fun,” right?
And when we get older, we start making choices based on career and family and responsibilities, and all of a sudden we're starting making choices that aren't based on fun, but based on something else. And next… You know, we wake up and we're not having fun, we're not passionate about what we do.
And so we need to really refuel, step back, appreciate and make sure that we're having fun in what we're doing. And every audience I've ever spoken to, and I've done 2,500 events [in] every type of industry, we all want to play. And sometimes we're just not given that opportunity. And when we play, that's a very powerful way to learn. It's a powerful way to really engage with the message, retain a message and be open to a message.
And so I just kind of introduced the thought of play, we play some improv games, we laugh, have fun, and then we talk about some of these key messages that really are important in great teamwork and great leadership. And it really carries, and it hits home. Especially when we're talking about a message like change and disruption, which is such a huge topic right now.
Logan Pratt
Yeah, and I know you mentioned that you've been to a lot of conferences, I think you mentioned over 2,500. And obviously our audience is all meeting and event planners, convention planners. There's a lot of talk about you know, “What should we add to events?”
And I think a lot of times we think that we need to add education sessions, and kind of all of these networking sessions, so that people feel like they get a lot out of the event. That it was worth their time, worth the investment they put into it.
Do you agree with that or do you kind of feel like people maybe need to add in more opportunities for fun? And what do you see as the benefit of that?
Joel Zeff
It's about connection. And I think you've got a couple things that you're asking there.
One is, absolutely. I think, fun and engagement should be a part of every conference. People connect when they're laughing and having fun.
We have lots of opportunities for great education and powerful messages, but sometimes we just miss that little… sprinkles on the cupcake of the conference, of fun. We want to engage. We want… There's nothing like an audience laughing together because… You know, when you listen to a great song, you put a memory with that great song, right? That song will always be attached to that memory. Maybe it was a moment, you know, a first date moment. Or a moment, a celebration moment, there's a memory.
Laughter is just like that. When you have a great moment of laughter, you're going to attach it with a memory, and that memory is going to be forever. And so whether that memory is about the conference, or the memory’s about that message or that speaker, it's a very powerful tool. And just the engagement and that connection is what makes, I think, conferences exciting. And if you wanna know my opinion…
But after all that you ask, “What should we be doing in conferences after seeing so many great ones, and a lot of not-so-great ones.” Here's my quick tips. One, eliminate the deli lunch. I don't care what your budget is, do not have a deli sandwich lunch. That will defeat everyone, right? We're there all day, we gotta have a hot lunch. A deli… I don't care what the budget is, I do not want a ham sandwich for lunch. That's number one.
Logan Pratt
What is your favorite meal that you've had at an event then? What's your ideal meal?
Joel Zeff
Oh, there's been any type of wide range of foods you know. You know it, when there’s like a chicken dish, or a fish dish and some great salad. You know, and some other… you know, fun. Anything fun, unique. You know a great lunch. And I will say “This is a great lunch.”
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Logan Pratt
Yeah, I think sometimes people… We sometimes overthink, you know, food and beverage and stuff at events like, “Oh, we need to have all these crazy concoctions and we need to be experimental with it.” Sometimes, just like a good… a good steak is like all that you need sometimes to fuel you for the rest of the afternoon and stuff.
Joel Zeff
I like that you're high budget, Logan. You're giving everybody filet.
Logan Pratt
Yeah, filet… I only do filet mignon.
Joel Zeff
Yeah. Logan's like, “We gotta have steak at lunch! Or this conference does not work!”
Logan Pratt
Yeah, steak and lobster.
Joel Zeff
Actually, I had a conference not too long ago and they had a water station where… Okay, that sounds pretty cool, but they had like 15 different things you could put in the water, in your water. Like different fruits, mint, herbs, it was… I'm telling you, there was a line out the door for this water station. Cuz everybody was “I'm gonna put cinnamon, and lemon, and some mint, and an artichoke in my water.” It was amazing, right? It was super cool.
If you feed your participants, that's an... That's one point on any evaluation. If I have great food, I don't care what happens. Like, “Yeah, this was a great conference. This was awesome.”
Logan Pratt
Definitely.
Joel Zeff
And my other big thing is I think sometimes clients over-schedule. They do like “We're gonna have breakout sessions. We're gonna have… We have 200 people, we're gonna have 15 different breakout sessions.” And so now there's, like, 10 people in every breakout session.
Or we over schedule the day, right? We start at 8 and end at five, and then there's an evening event and a cocktail hour. I think there has to be just a little white space time for people just to connect and meet and talk and network. I think that is a huge part of great conferences.
Logan Pratt
Yeah, that's something that we've been noticing a lot from a lot of the planners that we've been talking… A lot of our articles have been revolving around this trend where less is more, a lot of the time. You know, over-planning, kind of over-packing people's schedules.
You know, you think you're providing a lot of value, but I think it just drains people towards the end of the day.
Joel Zeff
It does, yeah.
Logan Pratt
And they actually end up having… They feel like they got less out of it because they're just so tired at the end of the day.
And I also want to ask you a little bit about attendee engagement. Because I think that's something that a lot of meeting planners want to do, and maybe they try to add something in. I'm thinking about my generation as well, Gen Z. There's a little bit of cynicism sometimes in younger people, but also of people of all stripes, where you try to plan something fun, but people just aren't into it and they aren't able to kind of let their guard down and relax.
And I know a big part of your keynote is kind of breaking down those barriers and making people feel comfortable in, sometimes, what is… what can be an uncomfortable or stuffy, you know, professional environment. Where, like everyone's in suits and ties, if it's like a professional sales conference or whatever.
How do you break down those barriers and what can meeting and event planners do to kind of make it a more comfortable space where people feel like they can have fun?
Joel Zeff
I think it's about connecting to the audience and really understanding your audience. And that's, for me, the most important thing is just spending time with the audience. Not just being there for the keynote, be there for the reception the night before, be there for all morning. And so I really understand who my audience is and so I can make that connection. And so much of my humor is based on that connection. So it's really understanding that audience.
‘Cause I want a unique experience that is just for that audience and whatever generation you are that makes a connection. Because they know that humor is unique and it is just for them. It's not a cookie cutter. It's not I'm playing the greatest hits from every other conference. I'm doing something special just for you. And I think that really creates an energy, and creates a level of fun.
And I will mention, you know, I think you made a great point about sometimes you create these things like a scavenger hunt or, you know… And people have the wrong attitude when… and they're, you know, they kind of have that attitude. But eventually, they will participate. Because you're… Again, you're just giving them the opportunity to play. And if you have the right guide, and that right person's gonna guide them and create that energy, people are gonna want to join in.
Because no matter what you do, having fun, doing a scavenger hunt at a conference in Orlando, is gonna be a lot of fun compared to just another day of accounting, IT, engineering, marketing, distributing, selling, whatever you do every single day, right? So it's fun to just to have that moment to refuel and play. And play, I think is a really important part of the conference environment.
And when I… When we talk about keynotes… but when I MC… And think that's a big part of it too is having the right MC that connects, the audience and is like, is a guide, and is helping the audience find their way, and create these moments that are fun, create these moments that set the tone, and create energy for everybody that comes onstage. And, you know, a great MC is a hype man, and he's an Energizer, or she, is a connector. All these things happen when you MC, but it's all about connection. It all starts with connection.
Logan Pratt
And I know you've talked about hiring the right MC and stuff. I think sometimes, you know, especially with like budget cuts and stuff, many planners might think, “Oh, sometimes we may not need an MC. We don't need somebody to kind of be that controller.”
What are some of the main benefits that you've seen of meetings that maybe don't have an MC? Versus those who do have an MC? And what, like… What are the main benefits of that? Like people are like “We really do need somebody like that to help control the crowd and make sure everyone's having a good time.”
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Joel Zeff
I don't think a lot of a lot of planners realize how beneficial a great MC is. Because a great MC, hopefully, is also a keynote speaker. And that… Now you're getting a two-for-one.
So when I MC, I take parts of my keynote. You know, I'm doing a bank next week, an MC, a two-day conference. And I'm gonna do, this is my third year with them, and I'm gonna do elements of my keynote. You know, as part of my presentation. So in that 10 minutes that I open, I introduce somebody, before that, just to kinda set the stage, I might do a little five-minute improv game or create that energy. And so…
And if there's another MC that does other things, they're gonna bring that with them, so you're getting that two-for-one. And it's also a great MC, I think, energizes the audience, engages them, like I said. They're a guide, and they're gonna guide them through the conference, through the one piece, the thread that goes through the entire conference. And so they're… A great MC is going to be experiencing everything that the audience is experiencing.
I was at… I was doing this huge event in Vancouver, and there was multiple Fairmont hotels. And everybody was getting confused of what Fairmont they were staying at, and they met somebody like, “Hey, meet me at the Fairmont.” And then you're meeting at a different Fairmont. And it was just kind of this running joke. And I kind of presented that, and the audience just grabbed onto it because I'm one of them! And I'm kind of saying what they're thinking. And so now we have something that we all relate to and connect with and that, again, creates this special moment.
And so the MC, I think, is the voice of the audience, is a guide, is an energizer, is a hype-man, engages with the audience and also needs to set the stage to create this positive, supportive environment for everything that happens on that stage. Every speaker, every panel, everything that happens.
I just did an awards presentation last week, they never had an MC. And the CEO was… Couldn't… Just was amazed at what an MC brings as far as creating this night and making sure that this night is special for the award recipients. Making sure that the audience is engaged, making sure that the right energy is happening in-between the awards and the presentations and the rest of the evening. And so there's just… I think a great MC does all of those things, and it makes… Whether it's an awards presentation, general session. It is the connecting tissue that really… the sprinkles on the cupcake, is what I call it.
Logan Pratt
Yeah, and I know you specifically use improv a lot in your keynotes to kind of get people comfortable and everything.
Joel Zeff
Correct!
Logan Pratt
What are some of the, like…. Why is improv such an important tool for you? And what are some of the lessons from improv that you hope audiences take away from your session? And like, why improv, you know?
Joel Zeff
Right. Well, I love improv. I'm passionate about it, and I love sharing what improv gave me. And it's a special art form, and I love sharing my love for improv. And I love seeing audience volunteers jump on stage, play an improv game. And the audience is surprised, the audience volunteers are surprised, because they're creative, they're working as a team, they're listening to each other, they're taking ownership, they're accountable, they're great teammates. All the things that we want our teams to do is happening right here in this art form. And so it's… I think it's just a perfect visual tool.
And that's what I use improv as, is a visual tool. As a storyboard for these messages. Instead of PowerPoint, I'm gonna bring some audience volunteers to the stage. We're gonna play an improv game, the audience is gonna laugh and create energy.
So that's… If that was it, it's a great, great keynote. But I want to talk about some of the choices that my audience volunteers make. And I'm gonna highlight those choices. And that's the message.
And some of those choices are about change and disruption. You know, being more prepared, being more open and flexible. Some are about teamwork helping each other be successful, some are about leadership, the importance of creating opportunity and positive support, some are about communication being more detailed, some are about just staying in the game and being more present and in the moment. These just really powerful messages that improv teach us.
Logan Pratt
Yeah, definitely. And I also want to ask you about the role of humor in kind of, you know… 'Cause I think a lot of people can bring in a lot of different types of keynote speakers, and I think a lot of planners want there to be, you know, some sort of big take away like, “Here's how you, you know, maximize your life. Here's how you change your life. Here's how you generate more profits or whatever.”
But what do you kind of see as the role of humor, especially nowadays? And why should meeting planners consider hiring, you know, somebody who might bring a little bit more levity to their event?
Joel Zeff
I think laughter is powerful. And I think it's a great tool to deliver very powerful messages. Yeah, I mean, we're going to have fun and laugh, but I'm talking about some really serious, powerful messages about teamwork and leadership and change and communication.
And I think the most successful way to convey that to an audience is through fun and laughter. Because improv, one, it’s unique. So they haven't seen it, or they haven't seen it very much. Two, it's interactive, so the whole audience is involved. Three, it's engaging. That's your friend, your colleague, your manager, your peer that's up on stage. I have a vested interest! Am I gonna look at my phone? No, I'm gonna watch Bob and Lisa play this improv game because they're my colleagues, friends, people in the same association. And so I've a vested interest in what happens. And so now you're more engaged in the message, you're more open to the message. And you're gonna retain it because, again, you're creating this memory with this with this awesome fun moment of improv.
And I think humor is just a very powerful way to deliver a message. And I think there's nothing more energizing, when you put a room full of people… When you have a room full of people all laughing together. And that just creates a very special moment.
Whether it's a user's group, whether it's a leadership, whether it's an all-hands, whether it's a sales kickoff. It's very powerful and it creates an indelible memory that is going to stick, and that's what we want when we have conferences, we want to have these moments that stick, and these moments that create memories because that reflects on the company, the association, the organization that put together the event.
Logan Pratt
Yeah, and I think a lot of planners really want, like you mentioned, like getting people off their phones and stuff. You know, everyone's addicted to their phones nowadays, and it is really hard to kind of put down the world of the Internet and put that aside to focus on being in the moment.
And I think a lot of planners try to go super big with it, you know, with like big, like rock bands or, you know, Cirque du Soleil, like, really expensive stunts and stuff.
Joel Zeff
Yeah.
Logan Pratt
But it sounds like you don't need any of that. It's just, you know, you and a few people in some chairs and you're still able to, like, capture people's attention, and really keep them in the moment with that.
Joel Zeff
Right. Again, you know, it's entertaining. And it's one of the first things I say when I start my keynote is like “If all you get out of this is an hour of laughter, I am totally cool.” There's no better way to spend time with your friends, colleagues, and peers than through laughter and fun.
It's just… it creates a bond. It creates, you know, it’s a connection. And that's what meetings are all about, we're trying to make connections. And when we have these moments together where we're bonding through laughter. It's just very powerful.
And then when you add a message. Because you wanna find out, these audience volunteers that are up on stage, you wanna find out why were they successful? Why were they… They might not even know each other. And they were creative, and they made the audience laugh. How did that happen?
And so now you wanna know what choices they made that allowed them to be successful, how they helped each other be successful, how they created opportunity, how they were open and flexible to change. How they’re present and in the moment, and these are very powerful messages.
Logan Pratt
Yeah, definitely. Well, thank you so much for being on the show today, Joel. Where can people find you and like, do you have any big projects or new things coming up that you're excited to talk about or want to mention?
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Joel Zeff
Yes, I appreciate that, Logan. Obviously my website is the easiest way to get a hold of me. And it's just my name. Joelzeff.com. J-O-E-L Z-E-E-F dot com. You can also… LinkedIn is my preferred social media, please connect with me on LinkedIn.
And I tell you what, if the first couple people that connect with me on LinkedIn say “Hey, I heard you on Logan's awesome podcast, you have to send a note or post something like of that, I will send you a copy of my brand new book. That's my big project, my brand new book “Make the Right Choice. Lead with Passion, Elevate your Team and Unleash the Fun at Work.”
And the book is just a love letter to my keynotes and all the great messages, and it's a fun, engaging read. Lots of great stories about conferences. In fact, you did a story, Logan, a few weeks ago, you asked me for some funny stories and I said, “Well, I gotta… I have my favorite introduction of all time in 2,500 events, which I put in my book among many, many meeting stories that I sent you for your awesome story about Bob reading the introduction of the wrong speaker.
Logan Pratt
Yeah, of course. And you guys can find that on Meetingstoday.com as well, and in Joel’s new book. And Joel is an avid poster on LinkedIn. So even if you weren't getting a free copy of the book, he also provides a lot of great insights on his LinkedIn. So make sure to go check it out.
All right, well thank you so much for being on the on the show, Joel.
Joel Zeff
Logan, I appreciate it. Big, huge “ta-da”! Thank you, Logan.
Logan Pratt
Big ta-da, thank you so much.
That was Joel Zeff, keynote speaker, emcee and author of Make the Right Choice: Lead with Passion, Elevate Your Team, and Unleash the Fun at Work. Once again, I’m Logan Pratt, Digital Content Coordinator at Meetings Today. To find more podcasts like this, head on over to Meetingstoday.com/podcasts to learn more. And as always, thank you so much for listening.
