Fun Formula Keynote Speaker
I wrote The Fun Formula because I watched too many talented people burn out chasing someone else’s definition of success. After 45 years building companies, writing 17 books, and speaking on stages around the world, I discovered that the people who thrive long-term share three traits: relentless curiosity, a willingness to take calculated risks, and the ability to create conditions for serendipity. Those three dimensions became The Fun Formula.
The Fun Formula Framework
The Fun Formula is built on three measurable dimensions:
Curiosity. The people who stay energized in their careers are the ones who never stop asking questions. Not idle questions. Purposeful ones. They follow threads that fascinate them, even when those threads don’t obviously connect to their job description. That’s where breakthroughs come from.
Risk-Taking. Not reckless risk. Calculated risk. The willingness to try something before you have permission, to raise your hand for the project nobody wants, to say yes before you feel ready. Every meaningful career leap I’ve made started with a risk that made me uncomfortable.
Serendipity. Luck is not random. The people who get the best opportunities are the ones who put themselves in positions where good things can happen. They show up. They start conversations. They say yes to invitations that don’t have an obvious payoff. Serendipity is a skill, not an accident.
Why Joel
I bought my first computer in 1982. I launched one of the world’s first commercial websites in 1995. I built the number one app in the App Store in 2008. I co-hosted The Bad Crypto Podcast to over 10 million downloads. I’m a New York Times bestselling author of 17 books, a TEDx speaker, and a Guerrilla Marketing Hall of Fame inductee. My enterprise clients include Microsoft, IBM, Cisco, Alibaba, T-Mobile, Twitter, the United Nations, and Harvard.
Every one of those milestones started with curiosity, required risk, and was accelerated by serendipity. That’s not a resume. That’s The Fun Formula in action.
When I bring The Fun Formula to your stage, your audience doesn’t just hear about it. They assess themselves against all three dimensions and leave with a specific plan to increase their score. It’s practical, personal, and immediately actionable.
What Your Audience Will Walk Away With
- A personal Fun Formula Score across Curiosity, Risk-Taking, and Serendipity
- Two specific actions they can take this week to increase their curiosity
- One manageable risk to take in the next 30 days
- Three changes to their routine that create conditions for serendipity
- An honest assessment of the gap between where they are and where they could be
See Joel in Action
Try It Right Now: The Fun Formula Audit
Seven questions. Three dimensions. One honest look at your work-life fulfillment.
Answer seven questions about your work and career, and the Fun Formula Audit scores you across three dimensions from Joel Comm’s book The Fun Formula: Curiosity, Risk-Taking, and Serendipity. You get dimension scores, a current pattern assessment, and specific actions to close the fulfillment gap.
“I wrote The Fun Formula because the most successful people I know are also the most fulfilled. Those two things are not separate. They are the same thing.” — Joel CommBook Joel for Your Event →
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Fun Formula?
It’s a framework built on three dimensions: Curiosity, Risk-Taking, and Serendipity. I developed it from 45 years of building companies, writing 17 books, and observing what separates people who thrive from people who just survive. It’s the subject of my book The Fun Formula, published by Thomas Nelson in 2018.
Is this a motivational keynote?
It’s practical, not motivational. Your audience leaves with a personal score, specific actions, and a framework they can apply immediately. I don’t do empty inspiration. I give people tools.
Can you customize this for our industry?
Every time. I research your audience and tailor every example to their world. A healthcare conference gets different stories than a tech summit.
How long is the keynote?
45 to 90 minutes for a keynote. I also offer half-day and full-day workshops where teams work through The Fun Formula together with hands-on exercises.
How far in advance should we book?
Three to six months is ideal. My calendar fills up during peak conference season in spring and fall.
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