Greg Schwem

As a business humor speaker and corporate emcee, Greg Schwem’s clients have included Microsoft, McDonald’s, Southwest Airline and even the CIA! An award-winning, nationally syndicated humor columnist for the Chicago Tribune, Greg Schwem brings clean, customized humor and 30+ years of experience to your corporate event, whether speaking live or virtually.

Greg Schwem tells all his clients, “I’m here to make you laugh but, at the end of the day, I want to be your biggest cheerleader too!” That approach is why the Chicago Tribune recently proclaimed Greg “king of the hill in the growing world of corporate comedy while HuffPost calls Greg, “Your boss’ favorite comedian.”

Indeed, Greg Schwem's comedic take on the 21st century workplace and work/life balance has landed him on SIRIUS Radio, Comedy Central and the cover of Exceptional People Magazine. During the 2020 pandemic, Greg’s virtual keynote, You Can‘t Quarantine Laughter, was lauded by clients such as Cisco, Verizon, Merrill Lynch and his alma mater, Northwestern University. One participant called it “fantastic and just what everybody needed during this time.” +

Greg is also an author, an award-winning greeting card writer and creator of funnydadinc, voted one of the top Dad humor sites on the web in 2020. His recent business travels have resulted in a hilarious web series, A Comedian Crashes Your Pad, winner of a 2020 Telly Award for travel and tourism. He has shared the concert stage with the likes of Celine Dion, Jay Leno and Keith Urban.

What sets Greg apart from other corporate entertainers is his ability—and willingness—to customize material for his audience while working within the parameters of the corporate environment. That means no profanity or politically incorrect material. “That’s never been a part of my show anyway,” Greg recently told a reporter.

When Greg presents, live or virtually, at whatever time of day, audiences will see and hear the following:

• A heavily researched and customized presentation featuring material created with the help of Greg’s client. Greg doesn’t “phone it in.”
• Customized multimedia support that includes video, audio and screen grabs from a client’s website.
• A motivational message that uses humor and real world examples from actual companies that show the “do’s and dont’s” of succeeding in business. Let Greg tell your audience about his experiences with the highly successful American Girl Doll company!
• Greg’s preparation always includes a conference call with company executives --

Greg Schwem Speaking Presentations:

Keynote 1 – Humor is Serious Business But We Should Still be Laughing +

Discover Greg’s highly sought-after customized program “Humor is Serious Business,” ideal for a keynote or breakout session. With workplaces focusing on wellness and retention, humor’s role and what defines “funny” are hot topics.

Significantly while one generation may find jokes hilarious, another might label them “offensive” or “inappropriate.” In a witty yet compelling presentation, Greg challenges his audience to see that limiting humor stifles creativity and teamwork. Even if your company claims not to be humorous, Greg argues otherwise.

With real-world examples, Greg illustrates how humor can boost sales and counter negative publicity. Unlike self-proclaimed “humor experts” who offer no solutions. As a matter of fact, Greg guides you through navigating this fine line while keeping you entertained throughout. --

Keynote 2 - Work, Laugh, Repeat +

Perfect for any group that needs a humorous break from the serious side of business., live or virtually. Despite its therapeutic qualities, laughter is often absent from the business environment. Greg shows it is possible to laugh at work and about work, via a clean and heavily customized presentation. Audience members will put down their phones and laugh along with Greg as he good-naturedly discusses topics such as virtual meetings, business travel, "frequently" asked questions, and how everyone coped during a two-year lockdown. A leading financial software meeting planner remarked, after seeing Greg’s presentation, “I realize now we need to lighten up.” --

Keynote 3 - Turning Gut Punches into Punch Lines +

In 2024, Greg Schwem became a member of a frightening, yet inspirational category: Cancer Survivor. While battling Stage 2 colon cancer, Greg experienced, first hand, the powers of laughing at grim situations, and how laughter can assist with healing mentally, physically and spiritually. The outcome, other than a cancer free diagnosis, was “Turning Gut Punches into Punch Lines,” a hilarious and reflective keynote about the somber diagnoses we all face in our lives. Greg’s book of the same name, was published in the Fall of 2024. -- 

Keynote 4 - Rock, Roll & Laugh Your Way to the Top! (Live) +

Greg Schwem knows a thing or two about rock and roll. As a comedian who has opened concerts for stars ranging from Keith Urban, to Celine Dion, to Enrique Iglesias to (wait for it) KC and the Sunshine Band, Greg has seen how rock and roll is really a business. Like your business. In short? Every company and employee has "rock star" potential. Greg shows you how to achieve that potential in a highly motivational presentation that combines hilarious comedy, live concert footage and a musical soundtrack featuring everything from classic rock to country to Lollapalooza. Topics include "Why Every Office Needs a Keith Richards," and "Don't Let Your Company Become a Country Song." --

Meeting Emcee/Video Host +

A good emcee needs to multitask. He must keep the event moving, be adept at improvisation and work efficiently with all participants onstage. Greg Schwem has hosted everything from a one-hour awards ceremony for 200 BAE Systems engineers to a three-day conference for 6,000 McDonald’s restaurant managers, to a virtual webinar for IBM customers. He is equally at ease chatting with a company CEO live on stage, pronouncing (correctly) the names of awards recipients, or conducting humorous on-camera interviews with meeting attendees. --

Tradeshow Booth Narrator +

Ever wonder how Greg became a corporate humor speaker? It started when companies hired Greg to narrate their live tradeshow presentations. Greg is ear prompter proficient so he can easily recite a highly technical script. Some clients ask Greg to insert comedy into their presentations; others prefer a more serious delivery. It doesn’t matter. Greg will drive attendees to your booth and keep them there with a flawlessly delivered message. --

To inquire about comedian and speaker Greg Schwem's date availability & booking Greg Schwem, contact us.