1 Min. with a Superhero: Comedian Don Packett
by Yolandi Janse van Rensburg on 18/06/10 at 11:54 am
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We’re so excited to chat to Don Packett today! Don is a comedian and; MD and owner of the innovative company Thunk! We asked the comedian to tell us more about his company Thunk! and the life of a comedian. Here’s what Don had to say:
Tell us what Thunk! Is all about?
Thunk! is a Perspective Lab. We work under the premise that when a group of smart people are sitting around a table trying to solve a problem, it’s not a lack of knowledge that’s holding them back, it’s a lack of perspective. We run facilitated labs with clients, bringing in smart people from our Brain Trust, to help solve problems. We love to use the line “It’s hard to read the label from inside of the bottle”. We come in and smash the bottle. Awesome.
You’re the MD of the company as well as a professional comedian – how do you balance your career?
Thunk! takes preference over comedy, but I try balance the two as well as I can. Running a lab has me in front of a crowd too, which rocks. We’ve gotten work through doing comedy, and comedy gigs through work, so they work well together. In the end it’s all about becoming famous. (Fingers crossed)
Share with us the craziest thing that has happened at Thunk!
Rich and I were at the office late one night discussing work and heard a loud ‘bang’ from downstairs. I, in my infinite wisdom, said “Nah, doesn’t sound like a gunshot” and we continued our discussion. An hour later the cops pulled up and told us Debonairs downstairs was robbed. The criminals shot the roof to get everyone’s attention. Luckily their roof (our floor) can take a bullet.
What would you define as a bad hair day?
Every day that isn’t a ‘perfect hair day’ is a bad hair day. I spend on average half a minute doing my hair in the morning, but sometimes it doesn’t wanna play nice and then I have to bring out the big guns. With the latest purchase of a Vespa, however, I’m reconsidering my hairstyle. Helmet-hair is so uncool.
What’s your best business lesson?
If you start a business, make sure you:
- Do it with someone you admire, respect and can high-five over the silly things
- Do something that will keep you learning. If you stagnate, and others grow, you actually get worse.
- Have fun. It sounds so cliché, but seriously. If you’re not having fun, someone else is, and that’s just not cool.
Thanks a lot Don for humouring us (pun intended)! We love your business tips and the way you guys do business. P.S. Your website is seriously awesome!
Yolandi Janse van Rensburg writes about social media, marketing, life and, of course, cars. We say “of course” because Yolandi is nuts about anything on 4 wheels and runs Autofemme, a blog about cars. Our Ideate sub-editor is also the Heavy Chef girl at World Wide Creative. You can follow her on Twitter @Yolandi_JvR View more articles by Yolandi Janse van Rensburg.
Tags: 1 Minute with a Superhero, business tip, entrepreneur, superhero, superhero interview
