An MBA is no joke. Or is it?
Comedian John Vlismas is co-owner, with Taffia Keight, of corporate entertainment and management company Whacked. He was awarded a scholarship by Henley Business School in 2017 for its creative and music industries MBA. David Furlonger put him on the spot
Do you consider yourself a comedian or an entrepreneur? When I started doing comedy there was no industry as such. I had to build one before I could succeed in it. We did that through the booking company, which we started to organise my schedule. Then we began to manage other comedians. Next step was a production capability because I needed it for my own shows. Then we realised we needed an awards programme, so we launched the SA Comics’ Choice Awards. I did all this business stuff to create a career for myself, then it spun off for others. As I get older, I’m more interested in constructing deals than in performing. I’ve seen the career trajectory for local comics. As they get older, they’re less relevant and financially viable. That’s why I see myself no longer being a comedian here after I turn 50. I’m 45 now. I recently started having success in Australia, so I’m going to spend about five weeks a year there for at least five years. It would be good to have a relevant voice as a ...
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