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Comedy empowers veterans careers: see how ASAP’s novel stand-up comedy training program helps the people who served enjoy meaningful lives and work.

The Armed Services Arts Partnership or ASAP is a nonprofit organization that uses stand-up comedy training to empower people to connect with beautiful dreams and meaningful work.

ASAP cultivates community and growth among veterans, service members, military families, and caregivers through the arts. But their real impact is in liberating people from fear, pain, and loss, to get them to a place of joy and empowerment. People who have benefitted from ASAP training and programming use their newfound creativity to confidently express themselves and their purpose, and find greater success and happiness in life and work. ASAP programming is available in the Washington DC metropolitan area as well as in Hampton Roads, Virginia.

To understand how comedy empowers veterans’ careers, we met with ASAP’s executive director Brian Jenkins. We also sat down with Monica Daly who performed her five-minute stand-up comedy set before a live audience at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, Virginia.

During this episode, recorded in the Fall of 2019, you will discover:

• What the Armed Services Arts Partnership is about. Starts at 2:28
• Comedian Monica Daly’s take on ASAP and the benefits that it provides her. Starts at 7:07
• A sampling of Monica’s stand-up set. Starts at 13:54
• What participants may expect during their stand-up comedy training program. Starts at 15:02

As comedy empowers veterans careers, we hope it can extend to the millions of front-line workers who are fighting the Coronavirus pandemic.

About our guests:

Brian Jenkins received a Bachelor of Arts degree in religious studies from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. His life path, which aligned with community building and social responsibility, prepared him well to be the Executive Director of the Armed Services Arts Partnership. Brian lives in Northern Virginia.

Monica Daly grew up in the Washington, DC suburbs of Northern Virginia and is a US Army veteran. A member of the federal government workforce, she is settling into a new assignment based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Before agreeing to relocate to Indianapolis, Monica made sure that there were plenty of comedy clubs for her to play.

EPISODE DATE: December 25, 2020

Social media:

ASAP website

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LinkedIn

Twitter

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In the Spring of 2017, we interviewed noted labor historian and academic David Jacobs, and we asked him: what does it mean to work?

Nearly four years have passed since we interviewed Professor Jacobs, and yet very little in the workforce has changed.

People who work still have to place their financial concerns above all other considerations. And yet, in this interview, Professor Jacobs describes the ways that our work can become meaningful and fulfilling.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What does it mean to work? Starts at 3:18
• The concept of “labor capitalism.” Starts at 5:12
• The current lack of a social safety net for workers. Starts at 10:31
• Where he believes that the workforce is headed. Starts at 27:37
• The emergence of the worker-activist. Starts at 28:44

What was true in 2017 remains true entering 2021: finding and doing meaningful work may not happen with employment in one job. Many of us are doing gigs and side-hustles to make ends meet, but also do work with greater purpose. Nearly four years later, we are still asking: what does it mean to work?

About our guest:

David Jacobs is an Associate Professor of Labor and Sustainability at the Graves School of Business at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland. What is more, he is the author of The Disunited States of America: Employment Relations Systems in Conflict. Professor Jacobs lives in Montgomery County, Maryland.

EPISODE DATE: December 18, 2020

Social media:

– Amazon.com book page

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When you discover your personality type, you can benefit in the future of work doing meaningful work.

Globally recognized Myers-Briggs expert Edythe Richards returns to podcast. By administering Myers-Briggs assessments, she helps people enjoy better life and work experiences.

In this episode, Edythe takes us through the utility and benefits of a Myers-Briggs assessment by reviewing Dan Smolen’s personality type results. To that end, knowing your Myers-Briggs type can help you engage better with others, and, find and do meaningful work.

In key interview segments, Edythe:

• Summarizes the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and its components.  Starts at 4:27
• Reviews in detail the results of Dan’s Myers-Briggs assessment. Starts at 5:21
• Differentiates between Extroverted and Introverted personality types. Starts at 8:51
• Contrasts Sensing and Intuitive personality types. Starts at 10:59
• Compares Thinking and Feeling personality types. Starts at 14:56
• Describes Judging and Perceiving personality types. Starts at 17:09

Clearly, when you discover your personality type success often follows.

“[Myers-Briggs] helps us feel more empowered to make better decisions for our lives and careers.”

About our guest:

Edythe Richards received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Delaware and a Masters of Arts degree in Counseling from Seton Hall University. Edythe is a globally recognized expert on Myers-Briggs and Emotional Intelligence. Her career counseling consultancy called A Top Career is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia.

EPISODE DATE: December 11, 2020

Social media:

– Website

– Myers Briggs Question Corner Podcast

– LinkedIn Page

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As the pandemic rages on and unemployment spikes, one online platform engages former employees.

Forward thinking brands that must furlough large numbers of people use online alumni community platforms. They help former headcount develop new skill, find jobs at other companies, or return to the company in new full-time employment roles or contracting assignments.

To that end, alumni communities engage former employees, because of tech innovators like James Sinclair. He is the co-founder of EnterpriseAlumni.

In this episode, James describes:

• The value proposition of alumni community platforms. Starts at 2:21
• Benefits associated with engaging former company workers. Starts at 3:21
• How the protests happening across the US in 2020 are driving corporate social impact. Starts at 11:01
• Two interview questions managers are now asking hired talent. Starts at 17:27
• The benefits of an agile workforce. Starts at 26:40
• How to achieve meaningful work. Starts at 36:23

What is more, by leveraging the EnterpriseAlumni online platform to engage former employees, James demonstrates the positive future of work impact of alumni engagement:

“One of the things that [companies] haven’t done that we start to see is tell you ‘Hey, take a moment and take stock of your life. Where are you? Where do you want to be? And, how do we help you get there?’”

About our guest:

James Sinclair is the Chief Executive & Co-Founder of EnterpriseAlumni, an online platform that engages former company employees. James’ background is in large enterprise innovation; previously, he worked for IBM, SAP & EDS. He lives and works in Southern California. 

EPISODE DATE: December 4, 2020

Social media:

– Website

– LinkedIn

– Twitter