#72 Erin Diehl: The Fail-fluencer Behind The Business of Joy—Laughing Through Limbo — Part One

Part One. Today’s guest is Erin Diehl, founder and CEO of Improve It, a company that uses improv to help teams grow and thrive. Like me, she’s also a top podcast host! From a young age, Erin dreamed of becoming a talk show host. Why did she choose that path? And how did her journey lead her to combine improv and business? I told Erin, “You’re in the business of joy.” But beyond joy, we also talked about failure. Erin calls herself a “failfluencer”—a blend of failure and influence. This two-part series dives into her unique approach to joy, failure, growth, and learning. Key Highlights of Our Interview: Improv Meets the Corporate World “I didn’t plan to merge improv and business. But during my nine-to-five at a recruiting firm, my nights were dedicated to stages at Second City and ImprovOlympic. Suddenly, I saw how listening, empathy, and quick thinking from improv transformed my work life. The dots connected.” United We Innovate “Pitching an improv workshop to United Airlines was a gamble, but it paid off—literally. What started as a passion experiment became a calling when United became my first paying client. Improv wasn’t just for the stage anymore.” The Teacher’s High “That feeling of guiding someone toward growth is intoxicating. It’s a high I kept chasing, and the more I taught, the more I wanted to do it. Seeing others find joy became my own source of joy.” From ROI to ROO: The Objective Shift “We don’t measure ROI; we measure ROO—Return on Objective. Every engagement starts with a consult call to pinpoint your specific challenges and objectives, ensuring everything aligns with the participants’ needs.” Connect with us: Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Erin Diehl Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously. Experiential Human Intelligence for Growth Progressives Global Top 3% Podcast on Listen Notes World's #1 Career Podcast on Apple Top 1: US, CA, MX, IE, HU, AT, CH, FI, JP 2 Millions+ Downloads 50+ Countries --Chief Change Officer-- Change Ambitiously. Outgrow Yourself. Open a World of Expansive Human Intelligence for Transformation Gurus, Black Sheep, Unsung Visionaries & Bold Hearts. EdTech Leadership Awards 2025 Finalist. 20 Million+ All-Time Downloads. 80+ Countries Reached Daily. Global Top 1% Podcast. Top 5 US Business. Top 1 US Careers. >>>180,000+ are outgrowing. Act Today.<<<