Make your event meaningful

Keynote Speaking With Lessons From Improv

Improv is life-changing — and so are our motivational speakers. Kick off your event with a keynote that makes people laugh and think.

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Keynote Speeches That Energize, Engage, and Deliver Real Takeaways

Our keynote sessions introduce the core improv system—observing, connecting, and responding—to help audiences see new possibilities, embrace change, and make the most of every opportunity. We tailor each keynote to your group, whether it’s a small department meeting or a conference of thousands.

A keynote is perfect when you want to:

  • Kick off an event with high energy

  • Get people laughing while learning practical tools

  • Inspire a large group when a full workshop or ComedySportz® show isn’t the right fit

From 15 to 90 minutes, our talks blend humor, insight, and interactive demonstrations that leave people energized and connected.

Popular keynote topics include:

  • What Business Can Learn From Improv

  • Leading Your Group to the Extraordinary

  • Presentation Skills

  • Customer Service: Anticipate and Impress

  • Improv Skills for Sales Professionals

  • Working With Difficult People

  • Vision: Do Good, Have Fun, Make Money

Or tell us what you need—we’ll customize a keynote for your event.

Our lead speaker, Patrick Short, has more than 35 years leading ComedySportz® Shows and Applied Improv Workshops; he also spent decades in the high-tech industry, marketing to and selling to companies of all kinds. He gets how to relate improv concepts to actually doing business. And he’s very funny.

Contact us below to access our full roster of professional keynote speakers.

Ready to learn more?

What you can expect when you get in touch:

  • A 15-minute conversation that dives into your needs and answers your questions.

  • No hard sales or pressure to buy.

  • A simple, one-page contract (if it’s a good fit). Exciting!

  • Helpful information even if we’re not the right fit at this time. Consider us a resource. We love what we do.

training@cszportland.com
(503) 236-8888, ext 4

 Frequently Asked Questions

  • No! There is no performing. Our training involves group exercises where nobody is singled out or put on the spot. It’s not about being clever or funny. It’s never scary or uncomfortable.

    We don’t force people out of their comfort zones—we expand comfort zones.

  • Some people are skeptical of “corporate training.” Some people hear “improv” and think it’s going to be their worst nightmare. We get it.

    Across 30 years and more than 800 clients, we’ve gotten very good at presenting workshops that are so fun, so insightful, and so enticing that the biggest skeptics soon jump in to learn and play. We turn doubters into enthusiastic fans.

    Our professional trainers are experts at “Winning the first two minutes.” We don’t push and we don’t shame. Instead, we make it irresistible to participate.

  • We offer both in-person and Zoom-based training.

    For in-person sessions, we can travel to your location, you can come to our theater in downtown Portland, or we can help you book a space.

    Our Zoom-based sessions are perfect to help distributed teams connect and learn.

  • We charge based on the length of the engagement, the number of professional trainers needed for your group size, and the amount of customization required.

    All pricing is transparent and quoted up front after a short discovery call. No hidden fees or gotchas.

    We don’t require a deposit. You can pay the day of the event by credit card or check.

  • Yes! Clients sometimes bring us in for a learning workshop, followed by a performance by our professional improvisers. It’s a perfect engagement for an off-site event: learning + entertainment in one package.

    Entertainment is always customized to your company and we take willing volunteers to assist us in our games. It’s a winning formula that works every time.

  • Improv is for everyone and we’re skilled at working with differing physical, mental, and language abilities. There is no person who will ever be made to feel like less than a full participant.

    Improv teaches people to adapt. We adapt to your group and your people.

  • We are headquartered in Portland, Oregon—but our training goes wherever you are. Through CSz Worldwide and the Applied Improv Network, we deliver workshops across the United States and around the globe.

    In Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, you’ll work directly with our local team. For clients elsewhere in the U.S. or internationally, we combine our Portland-based trainers with a vetted network of certified professionals to deliver the same high-quality experience anywhere in the world.

    We’ve provided training in every U.S. state and in many countries worldwide.

    For distributed teams, we offer fun and effective Zoom-based training for groups of any size.

  • Absolutely! Introverts love our training because it’s all about listening and observing, something that introverts are expert in. There is no performing or being put on the spot in front of the group, ever.

    Shy engineers and number-crunchers love our training because the exercises can feel like problem-solving. We teach how to reverse-engineer communication. It’s not touchy-feely or woo woo.

    Best of all our training helps your organization create space for the quiet, shy, members of the team, so they can be heard too.