Do Ridiculous Things: Unlocking Your Limitless Potential with Melanie Curtis

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Do Ridiculous Things: Unlocking Your Limitless Potential with Melanie Curtis"

Podcast: What Are You Made Of?
Host: Mike "C-Roc" Ciorrocco
Guest: Melanie Curtis
Date: April 8, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode features Melanie Curtis—professional skydiver, keynote speaker, coach, and comedy enthusiast—in a lively discussion with host Mike "C-Roc" Ciorrocco about unlocking individual potential through embracing discomfort, pursuing unconventional paths, and finding joy and authenticity even in high achievement. Melanie shares personal stories from her journey, spanning a career in investment banking, breaking world records in skydiving, coaching and leading others, and her recent foray into comedy and creative expression. The episode is a blend of humor, practical wisdom, and insight into high-performance mindsets, geared towards those passionate about entrepreneurship, personal development, and peak performance.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Defining What You’re “Made Of”

• Melanie’s Philosophy of Self ([00:49]–[02:44]):
  • “I am a ball of light. I think we all are.” – Melanie ([00:51])
  • Melanie describes herself as "a ball of light," emphasizing the journey toward becoming one's truest, most positive, and authentic self—an ongoing process central to growth work.
  • The importance of assessing and aligning one's energy and identity to show up authentically in the world.
• Assessing Feedback & Identity ([03:06]–[03:51]):
  • Mike and Melanie discuss the value of self-inquiry by asking, “Am I?” when receiving feedback, as a tool to fuel self-awareness and improvement or reinforcement.

2. The Skydiving Journey: World Records and Staying Engaged

• Achievements & Breaking Records ([04:22]–[06:51]):
  • Melanie recounts her journey to over 12,000 skydives and maintaining interest by approaching skydiving as a space for continuous challenge and service.
  • Details on the 2022 world record: “The largest all-female vertical formation—80 women, upside down at 200 miles per hour, out of five aircraft.” ([06:17])
  • Quote: “If you get bored in skydiving, that’s on you.” – Melanie ([04:34])
• Elite Performance & Preparation ([07:27]–[08:52]):
  • “Dirt diving”: Meticulous on-ground visualization and practice of skydiving formations.
  • Importance of detail and routine akin to Olympic athletes.
  • Selection for such feats requires high pre-existing skill; entry is by mastering basics over years.

3. Team Dynamics & Lessons in High-Risk Performance

• Teamwork under Pressure ([09:22]–[11:09]):
  • Regardless of setbacks mid-jump, each skydiver must complete their role for safety—mirroring the importance of commitment to one’s individual responsibilities within teams.
  • “You can’t really abort the mission once people have exited the aircraft…” – Melanie ([10:27])
• Working at Extreme Limits ([11:16]–[11:55]):
  • Jumps are from 20,000 ft, requiring supplemental oxygen—“It’s cold up there” even in summer ([11:16]).
  • Safety demands: Must maintain tactile ability for emergency parachute deployment.

4. From Investment Banking to Coaching and Leadership

• Roots of Leadership and Coaching ([12:01]–[15:35]):
  • Melanie describes a journey from investment banking to skydiving pro to coach after an “intuitive hit” that achievements alone weren’t enough ([12:08]).
  • The transition sparked personal inquiry, leading her to life coaching—despite skepticism about its legitimacy at the time.
  • Importance of listening to intuition and being open to new, even seemingly “uncool” or uncertain, paths.

5. Entrepreneurship, Branding, and Marketing

• Building a Business and Brand ([15:50]–[18:05]):
  • Melanie’s entrepreneurial approach: relentless creation and willingness to lean into discomfort as a means to personal and professional growth.
  • Early days: “I remember when someone first paid me 25 bucks to talk to me, and my head exploded.” ([15:50])
  • She attributes growth to "doing the doing," and not letting discomfort prevent action ([18:05]).

6. Mind-Bending Keynote Speaking & Lessons from Skydiving

• “Delivering Mind-Bending Experiences” ([18:36]–[19:59]):
  • Melanie uses 360-degree videos of world-record skydives to inspire keynote audiences, likening teamwork in the sky to teamwork in business and life.
  • Quote: “Not one person that I’ve ever talked to after has ever not been like, whoa.” – Melanie ([19:49])
• Taking Care of Your Role for Collective Success ([19:59]–[21:39]):
  • Mike and Melanie discuss parallels between large-scale skydiving formations and business, family, and community success—everyone focusing on their contribution makes collective achievement possible.
  • “We have to be detached from the outcome to make the outcome most likely possible.” – Melanie ([21:04])

7. The Power of Comedy and Joy in High Achievement

• Comedy as Creative Expansion ([22:02]–[24:23]):
  • Love and hilarity as primary values: “Love first, no matter what… but I also—when I am not laughing, when I am not able to access my own dorky self—something’s off.” ([22:08])
  • Leaning into fun and lowbrow comedy as a public-facing creative outlet and a way to give others permission to bring their true selves into corporate spaces.
• Creative Process and Intentionality ([24:26]–[25:10]):
  • Incorporates themes from her lived experience into comedy & reels: fear, discomfort, support, intuition, breaking autopilot, and healing.
  • “Intention is what directs your attention.” – Mike ([25:10])
• Community and Expression ([25:27]–[26:22]):
  • Engagement in flash mobs, poetry open mics, and creative community-building as outlets for expression and healing.

8. Role Models, Inspiration, and Making High Performance Sustainable

• Favorite Comedians & Lessons from Role Models ([26:53]–[28:11]):
  • Influenced by Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Zarna Garg, Kristen Wiig; admires entrepreneurial comedians who are unafraid to “go for it” and persist relentlessly.
• On Mixing Intensity with Joy ([28:11]–[29:12]):
  • Fun and comedy are essential for sustaining the intensity of high-performance pursuit.
  • “It’s the only way to make that stuff sustainable. If we’re not really genuinely having a little bit of fun… it’s very difficult to do the hard part in a consistent way.” – Melanie ([28:11])
  • Intensity and fun are not mutually exclusive; “It only amplifies it.” ([29:00])

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Self-Awareness:
  “Am I? What is that?” – Mike ([03:06]), encouraging active inquiry into internalizing feedback.
• On Growth:
  “We can do so much with consciousness… we can amplify however we so choose.” – Melanie ([03:51])
• On Relentless Creation:
  “If I want to do something, I am going to find a way to do it and I’m not going to be dissuaded by the discomfort on the path.” – Melanie ([16:55])
• On Teamwork:
  “Each individual person brings contribution, their unique value… and caring to bring their unique value.” – Melanie ([20:41])
• On Outcome Detachment:
  “Only when we can… detach from that outcome… can we optimally perform our singular task in the team environment.” ([21:04])
• On Fun & Intensity:
  “My intensity and my commitment and my unwavering focus on my goals is not mutually exclusive to me having a good time and making a joke…” – Melanie ([28:43])

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Important Timestamps & Segments

• [00:49]: Melanie’s philosophy on “what I’m made of”
• [04:22]: The journey of 12,000 jumps and evolving roles in skydiving
• [06:17]: Breaking the largest all-female vertical formation skydiving record
• [10:27]: Teamwork, safety, and commitment during skydiving records
• [12:08]: Leaving investment banking for skydiving and coaching
• [15:50]: Early struggles and rewards of coaching entrepreneurship
• [18:47]: “Mind-bending” keynotes—bringing awe and learning to audiences
• [19:59]: Lessons on teamwork and focusing on contribution
• [22:02]: Melanie’s journey into comedy and creative expression
• [24:26]: How comedy content is created intentionally
• [26:53]: Comedy influences and role models
• [28:11]: The necessity of humor and fun in sustaining achievement

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Resources & How to Go Deeper

• Melanie Curtis’s Website: melaniecurtis.com
• Instagram: @melaniecurtis11
• LinkedIn: Professional profile available

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Melanie embodies a philosophy of growth through action, authenticity, and joyful boldness. Her playful energy and insightful candor make this episode inspiring for anyone wanting to stretch their limits, lead with love, and not take themselves too seriously while aiming high.

Transcript

[A]

Welcome back to the what are you made of show. It's your boy C. Rock here and I have the awesome, amazing Melanie Curtis with us. What's up, Melanie?

[B]

Hi. I'm psyched. I'm fired up. We're twinning today.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Black shirt.

[A]

All you gotta do is wear a black shirt every day and you'll twin with me. Most of the times I'm in a black shirt.

[B]

I was just talking about the Steve Jobs uniform where you don't have to make a decision if you're always wearing the same outfit.

[A]

Yeah. You know, even when I go to events and speak on stages, a lot of times you'll see me in a black T shirt.

[B]

I. Yeah.

[A]

You know, I've dressed up, you know, for 20 years in the mortgage business. I just don't feel like wearing button ups all the time.

[B]

Yeah, man. You know, I support this. Full support.

[A]

But don't, don't get me wrong, I know how to dress up when I need to.

[B]

Totally, totally, totally.

[A]

They say you dress up. Well. All right, well, listen, we start the show the same way every time. And that's with the question, what are you made of?

[B]

What am I made of? Oh, my God. Well, this. I can go so many directions with that answer. But I mean, honestly, what I typically would say is I am a ball of light. I think we all are. That. That's sort of the really spiritual answer. But I really believe that, like, I. We each are this sort of radiating ball of life and life force and energy and love and how we choose to deploy that. So for me, what am I made of? Yes, that. But then it's like, what is all that process to sort of uncover that? How do I touch that part of me such that I can be in the world in a really true and authentic and powerful and positive way? So, like, that's been the lifelong journey of just becoming myself, as I think anybody in growth work knows for sure, for sure.

[A]

And it's like, you know, making sure your light's in alignment and shining as bright as it can.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You know, I noticed a difference. When I'm in. When I'm in, like, alignment, people will say on those little 15 minute calls that we did, like, I'll do these 15 minis all the time and they'll say to me, I love your energy.

[B]

You know, I hear that all the time, man. I heard that so many times through my life. That specific sentence of, you have the most amazing energy. I would hear that all the time. So much so that I finally was like, what Is that about, like, in just my own internal inquiry, to be like, what. What are people noticing about me such that they're saying this to me so consistently? And so, yeah, like, that's been a part of my growth journey as well. Like, I could certainly point to intensity, drive, grit, you know.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[B]

Hilarity, love. Like, I could point to tons of different qualities about myself and things that make me kind of how I, like, show up in the world.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But at its core, it's like, it's uncovering that, like, truth and so that you can be in the world in such a way that people, when they see you, when they meet you, when they engage you, they're like, that's a real person.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know what I mean? She's not trying to be something she is not. She is in the world in a calm, powerful, albeit energetic and enthusiastic way.

[A]

Yeah. You know, I. When I hopped around schools when I was younger, you know, I'd have people, you know, picking on you, bullying, because you're new. Right. And I would always have this. This little phrase I would say afterwards. Am I not to them, but to myself? And I think that's a great question to ask yourself also when they say, I love your energy or you got this thing about you or whatever, Am I? What is that? And to really assess it, because then you can say it's true or false.

[B]

Curiosity about it.

[A]

Right. Because you can't fix things that you don't assess and measure. And so if you say, am I? And the answer is no, disregard. But if it's yes. Okay. If it's bad, what can I do to improve? If it's great, what can I do? To put the gas pedal down.

[B]

Absolutely. Pull on those threads. Totally. With. We can do so much with consciousness when we're actually aware and mindful and know kind of consciously what's going on, we can amplify however we so choose, which is we can dovetail certainly into my work and whatnot. But like, that, that amplification, that. How do we reach the kind of far reaches of our potential? That's always been a very curious life experience to me, which is why it sort of maybe like, kind of naturally became my work as well.

[A]

Yeah. Well, first of all, how did you keep. Because you've done over 12,000 jumps. Skydiving.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

How did you keep it interesting? Because, you know, like, when you do something so many times, the novelty wears off.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, totally. Yeah. But it's just skydiving is just like anything else. Where there's so much more nuance and so much more to the space sport of skydiving, the community of skydiving, the way skydiving can be deployed and participated in, in the world, how it can be used to sort of be in service. There's like a million different things you can use and do in skydiving. So I used to say as a coach and pro skydiver, back in the day, I was basically like, if you get bored in skydiving, that's on you. You know what I mean? And it's not to say that you have to continue to be in skydiving for the rest of your life or whatever. Like, I don't jump as much as I used to at all. And that's just because I want to do other things in my life. It doesn't mean that there isn't more inside the sport of skydiving I could explore. But yeah, to more directly answer your question, I've done a lot of different things in the sport. I have a period of my career where I'm a competitor, you know, I'm competing at the highest levels. I have a period and part of my skydiving career where I'm coaching around the world and I'm traveling around as a headlining pro skydiver, meeting thousands of people around the world, helping them learn to jump out of certain airplanes and fly their bodies and navigate the weird community that is skydiving. All of that stuff. I jump into stadiums now. That's sort of what I do now is sort of using skydiving as this vehicle of amplification, amplification of messages that make a difference. So we did a world record in 2022 that was in service to the core mission was to inspire women and girls to basically take up unapologetic space in the world to be bold and brave in their own ways. So it's just so many things I could tell you.

[A]

What, what was the record that you broke?

[B]

The world record that we broke in 2022 was the largest all female vertical formation. So it's 80 women going upside down at 200 miles per hour, coming out of five different aircraft, converging to build a predetermined formation that becomes the next world record. Even one grip is off and it's not a record. Yeah, it's an incredible feat of teamwork and peak performance, which is largely why I use that example in my keynote speaking when I talk about accessing potential and peak performance threads.

[A]

So, okay, 80 women doing that. Oh, man, how many, How Many aircraft? Was it?

[B]

Five.

[A]

Five aircraft. Okay.

[B]

Yeah. Five information. If you go to my Instagram, there's a video on the top pinned to the top that. That shows it. It's. It's pretty incredible.

[A]

16 ladies in each aircraft, coming out of each aircraft.

[B]

20ish. Yeah. But I mean, this is because we. Because we were also building 100 ways. We built an unofficial record. It's not a record if it's not the whole thing. Right. We had a 97 way, but we built 96 women. But it wasn't a record because one grip was off.

[A]

Wow. All right, so how do you practice that? Do you do. Obviously you're in the air practicing it too, but do you do it on the ground first, kind of to choreograph it?

[B]

Absolutely. Yeah. You do it on the ground. It's called dirt diving.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

But it's basically. You're walking in the. Basically formation, but also the trajectory in which you will approach the formation. What you're seeing, obviously it's not the exact visual because we're all on the same plane on the. On the ground, but it's a. Definitely a way to make sure you're visualizing. You are walking and taking your time. You are waiting before you take your grips again. It's just like any other thing that you do at an elite, like, truly world level, there is the detail that goes into it. You look at an Olympic athlete and you're like, they select their shoes and they're like, they are thinking a certain thing before they get into the. They walk up to the block in the same way every time. You know what I mean? Those types of details are sort of baked in. And the dirt diving on the ground, but it's also building basic skills. I mean, anybody even invited to the record already has a lot of skill building and camp training time under their belt. Otherwise they wouldn't even be invited.

[A]

And whether former military people as well,

[B]

military folks usually don't. This is a civilian effort. But if a military person is also a civilian skydiver and actually goes after this level of skill, then certainly military folks could be on there. But it's definitely not something that this level and this, like, high, high level of skill is not usually taught to the military. They're dealing with rucksacks, and they're dealing with a different skill set than this.

[A]

And then. And then on an average outing that you go to skydive, how many jumps do you do per outing on average? I know it can vary.

[B]

Depends. Yeah. But if we're say for example, we're training for the world record and we're doing like, group jumps. Maybe we're doing 20 ways out of one airplane or two plane formation load as a training for the world record, you'd probably do five, six jumps a day at the most. Because it's a lot of work. You know what I mean? If I'm traveling, organizing, coaching, and doing events around the world like I described earlier, I could do eight to 10 a day. That's also really rigorous. It's sort of sunrise to sunset. Because it's an event, it's like you go hard for those three days, and then you drop down and drool for three days after the event's over. Yeah, recovery, you know what I mean? So it really just depends. Like, I've done a stunt for a charity one time where I did 25 jumps in a day, but that is totally not what you would ever do in a regular day.

[A]

And if somebody messes, misses a mark, or what have you. Are you guys trained to just keep going with everything else, or do you abort mission right away?

[B]

Well, you can't really abort the mission once people have exited the aircraft. You really have to fly it and see it through, even if you know it's not a record. You have to just do your job the entire time. And because. Because the breakoff, when you have like 80 or 100 people in the sky together, the breakoff where we turn and separate from each other so that we have clear airspace to open our parachutes safely away from each other, all of that matters. If I turn away from the formation and go the wrong direction, I could hurt someone and. Or myself. It's very important that you do, like, your job the whole time. And that's also that if something does go awry, the person who's having a challenge knows what's happening around them.

[A]

Yeah. Okay, gotcha. Makes sense. And then is at that altitude that you jump, what's the rough temperature?

[B]

It's cold.

[A]

You can feel it.

[B]

We're jumping from like 20,000ft. Yeah. Because we need that extra time, so we're breathing supplemental oxygen above 12,000ft. And. Yeah, it depends on the time of year, of course, but it's cold. It's cold up there.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Even if it's in the summer.

[A]

Like, not frostbite. Like, you don't get frostbite.

[B]

No, no. Because that's like, you can'. Really? I can't. I wouldn't do it. That's unsafe. You know, like, you need. You need to have your Hands to have tactile, like you need to be able to grip things and also deploy your parachute if you have an emergency with your main parachute, you have to be able to pull your handles and deal with your reserve emergency procedures and whatnot.

[A]

Gotcha. Okay. And then, and then. So you've also done a lot of coaching and leading?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So how did that all get started? Like, did you always think that, like you're a leader, younger or how did that all get started?

[B]

You know, it's a, it's a good question only because I would say yes, it sort of naturally was me and who I am. I've always been an achiever, you know what I mean? I've always really enjoyed trying to be excellent and just doing the like further, taking things further than quote regular people normally would. That's sort of my vibe, but if I'm honest. So like I worked in investment banking right out of college. I made a lot of money and I was already a skydiver. I did my first jump when I was 18. My whole psyche was fundamentally altered in a single jump. And then after that, all my decisions were really about how do I have skydiving in my life? So I have this job, I'm making a lot of money and I'm spending it all getting good at skydiving, growing in my competitive career, my skydiving coaching career. And then I leave the investment bank again, longer story. But I become a full time professional skydiver at 26. So I'm a pro, pro athlete in the sport at a very young age. And I'm living this dream life that I could never have thought up because I'm on the super uber traditional path. Straight A's, college job, making the money, whatever, right? And then I have this very big divergence at a young point and I'm living this dream life. Running events at this drop zone, competing, getting paid to have fun with my friends. And I couldn't even fathom that, much less doing anything else but what happened. And this, I'll never ever forget this moment. I was walking across the drop zone one day. There was like this gravel driveway. I'm walking across the drop, I'm very happy. And as I'm stepping on the gravel, just sort of walking across the drop zone, I have this very subtle like, like super sort of quiet intuitive hit that is basically like, this is not gonna be enough for you. And I didn't really understand what it meant, but I, I heard it and again, it wasn't like this Mack truck moment, but it Was like, like, you're happy now, but just be. Be advised this is not gonna be enough. And so I. Basically, because I listened, I started going into this, like, well, damn. Like, if I didn't do this, what would I do? Like, what do I. Like, what am I good at? You know, it just sent me on this personal inquiry, which led me to life coaching, which, by the way, 20 years ago, not cool. Sounded like a bullshit scam. I'm sorry, this is not a profanity podcast, you know, And I did a lot of research to figure out, is this coaching thing a real thing. Long story short, found a friend who, like, had done this program that I wanted to do, and I realized it was a real thing, but it was definitely one of those things where I'm like, either this is a total scam or this is a part of my calling. And I was so annoyed by that because it's life coaching sounded so lame. I was like, this is the worst program. It was the IPEC coaching program. Ipec. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I was. I'm still an ambassador for them. It was a great program. I highly recommend them. But anyway, my point is, that's what got me into coaching.

[A]

Okay. Do you remember the founder?

[B]

I think I. Bruce Schneider.

[A]

I think I've met the founder before.

[B]

Sounds familiar.

[A]

Okay, and then. And then. So you. You decided to go into that, and then, like, how long did. Did it take for you to start making some money at it?

[B]

It's a good question. I mean, they're par. They were parallel. You know, much like many entrepreneurial pursuits, I got. I'm very into what I am into. Like, that's basically how I roll. Check out my Instagram right now. It's like, I'm all in on my comedy now. It's so much fun. Yeah, it's super fun. I'm so enjoying it. And keynote speaking, of course, is my main focus now. But, like, yeah, it took. I mean, that's a good question. Maybe like, two years I was making. I mean, like, I remember when someone first paid me 25 bucks to talk to me, and my head exploded. I was like, what? People pay me money to talk to them on the phone? Yeah, yeah. But now it's. It's a large part of my work. I'm. I'm scaling back a little bit from my coaching. I'm just. I'm not publicly advertising it as much because I'm so centered around building my keynote speaking business, which is great, and I'm loving that. But the coaching naturally comes from that because it's such a, it's now just very, very rooted in what I do.

[A]

And how did you get, how did you get your customers? What were you doing for marketing?

[B]

Yeah, I was, I had a personal brand. You know, just like everyone else. You voraciously, relentlessly create. You know, I'm a voracious creator. I'm a deeply creative person. So I always, usually, even though it was hard for me to put myself out there and I was tortured as a writer, I just, I'm a very gritty person. If I want to do something, I am going to find a way to do it and I'm not going to be dissuaded by the discomfort on the path. And so that's something I talk about now as a keynote speaker about discomfort and type two fun and all that. But. But yeah, so doing Facebook lives, sweating out of my armpits, my throat closing, feeling like an idiot, dry mouth, like doing all of that kind of iterating to grow in the skills, putting myself out there on Instagram, holding my cell phone up, writing a blog, trying instantteleseminar.com back in the fricking day, before anybody had any avenue to digital products, like all of that stuff, I was just very willing to try everything and gain experience by doing.

[A]

By doing. That's the answer I was looking for. By doing. Most people just don't do. They don't do.

[B]

Gotta do it.

[A]

Got to do the doing.

[B]

Yeah, more fun when you do the doing. You're not afraid of falling on your face.

[A]

Like you got to do the doing. But, but before you do the doing though, you got to be who you, the identity that you want to be putting out into the world and.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

And yeah. And then you start getting things from doing. It's amazing how that works. Most people just don't. They skip those first two steps. Identity and then the doing.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

All right. And so then there's something in here on your bio I picked up on and I want to know more about it. It says delivering mind bending keynote experiences. Can you give us some examples of the mind bendingness?

[B]

Yeah, well, this is the, so the skydiving, what we talked about, the world record stuff that is, it's unfathomable when you actually even just see that video and hear the sound of the wind, the aircraft, the exit moment when you hit the wind and then actually on a huge screen, see this, what these people are doing. And from my vantage point, because I have a like 360 degree camera mounted on my head so you can like, see my face. You can like see what's happening. It is unbelievable. I did it. And I'm like, what in the heck is even hap. How is that even a thing? It's that crazy. That's just one example. There's other examples of what I talk about in my keynotes, but that's, that's the main example. And Pete, no, not one person that I've ever talked to after has ever not been like, whoa.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And I'm sure there are plenty of people that are not impressed. It's not to say that everyone's impressed, but more to say that it's just a really, really unbelievable, weird thing.

[A]

Yeah. You know, I don't know if you talk about this. If not you should. But in your talks maybe if you don't have this, we may. Is the idea of accomplishing a feat like that with eighty hundred people, it's not, you know, people shouldn't focus on the whole. They should just focus on the fact that they got to do their job. And if they do their job and everybody does their job, the whole comes together. And this goes to absolutely. The relationships and families and marriages and kids. Business goes to communities and networks like what we deal with at that one. We, we have amazing network. And it's not, you know, one person doesn't make the network. I started it. Yeah. But I'm not the one that makes it like it's each individual person that

[B]

brings contribution, their unique value. Totally, totally. And caring to bring their unique value. It's a tough thing. Right. Especially when we're talking about elite status type stuff like being on a world record team. There's a lot of people that get really attached to that outcome, understandably. Right. You work hard for a goal, you want to be a part of the sort of official thing. And ironically, of course, only when we can actually detach from that outcome of actually getting that like actual feather in the cap of. Of status or whatever it is, can we optimally perform our. Our singular task in the team environment such that we will more easily and readily likely get that outcome. So it's like that whole like irony and almost dissonance around. We have to be detached from the outcome to make the outcome most likely possible.

[A]

Yeah, for sure. For sure, man. Pretty. It's pretty. It is visualizing 80 people in the air at the same time.

[B]

I know. It's nuts. It's nuts. I'll share some links. You can share them after.

[A]

Yeah, I'd love to take a look at it. All right, so going into now, the comedy stuff, how did that, what catalyze that and take us through that journey so far?

[B]

Well, I've always been a big giant dork, so there's that. But I really quite just forever. I've said love and hilarity are the two most important things in life in that order. And so like love first, no matter what, you know, if you're coming from a place of love sounds really cliche, but the truth is I'm as gritty and as, as like intense as they come. But like I'm grounded in love and I want people to feel that and experience that when they're in my presence. And again, this doesn't mean that everyone gets access to me. I have hardcore boundaries. It means though that I am in that energy as much as I possibly can be. And if I'm not, I'm. I'm sussing it out with my support team to get myself back to where I'm kind of best. But I also, when I am not laughing, when I am not able to access my own like dorky self and find things I find a lot funny in the world. I've done improv comedy a long time. I've done, I did stand up like a stand up class. I am not a stand up comedian. Very hard to do, but I just love, love comedy. And so I've really have enjoyed leaning into that side of myself. It's not new. I've made funny videos for a million years in skydiving and out of skydiving and on my own personal brand and all that. But the Instagram stuff is just an easy channel where I'm growing my audience as a keynote speaker. And so I'm like, I'm just gonna play, I'm gonna have fun. This is what I wanna do. And it's totally working. I've got a bunch of viral reels now and stuff. But the truth is, is that it's, it's low brow by design and it's just really fun for me. And people I think feel that energy and I like that it gives people permission when especially someone like me that is in corporate spaces. Right. I feel like quite strongly that I don't want to be someone. I'll wear an amazing suit. Like to your point, I will wear an amazing suit. I will respect the space I'm stepping into. But I also really think it's in service to people who are in boxes to be able to witness someone who is, doesn't like feel constrained by that box.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. Well, how do you Come up with your ideas.

[B]

I watch other people's reels and whatever I find funny, that's in line with my brand pillars. So I'm talking about accessing the far reaches of our potential. So I'm talking about peak performance. I'm talking about the pillars that are in my keynote speeches. So I talk about fear, I talk about discomfort, talk about support systems, intuition, autopilot habits. I talk about healing, deeper healing work, that type of stuff. Right. So any joke that's sort of in line with those things I can make a joke about. So I just look for it. You know, if I'm like, oh, that's a hilarious easy reel, but then I make a caption that fits with my brand.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, because you don't. If you don't set intention that you're looking for that stuff, you won't see it.

[B]

Correct?

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I always talk about that with. Intention is what directs your attention.

[B]

Totally. And I'm in a dance group. I'm in a flash mob group in my local community. I love my community. And so, like, I'll rope my friends in to do stupid reels. It's, you know, so it's awesome.

[A]

And, and you, where do you live again? Do you remember?

[B]

I live in Maplewood, New Jersey, outside New York City.

[A]

Right, right.

[B]

Yeah, New York City.

[A]

So how often do you go to open mics or those kind of things?

[B]

I host poetry open mics because that's another avenue for my creative self. Again, I'm a pretty voracious person. C Rock, like, it's just, it's prolific. It's almost crazing down. But yeah, that's an avenue for my own healing, for my own creative expression and my own desire to create community centered around shared experience. Experiences that have depth and, and intrigue and interest. You know what I mean? Giving people a space to be witnessed for their creativity. That's really exciting and cool to me as well. So do I do open mics for comedy? Hell no. That is not. That is not what I do. No. But I would go to them and support comedians.

[A]

Why not try it?

[B]

I mean, I could, I could. I mean, I'm. You have to sort of be a comedian in. As a keynote speaker, but it's not really like a comedian where they're getting laughs in every like 90 second intervals. That is not. Not my, My jam.

[A]

Yeah. My favorite is when they build up. Build one up. Right. And the punchline doesn't come until the end set. Those are my favorites. Who are some of the people that you look up to as far as comedians go, or do you look at any. Or do you have any favorites? Like, you kind of remind me of Glazer a little bit.

[B]

Yeah. I've heard that more than one person have said me that, so. Has told me that. Well, I can't not talk about comedy and not point to Amy Poehler and Tina Fey. Love them to the hilt and to the end. But I also have to call out my friend Zarna Garg. She and I were in a Mastermind together before she blew up. Why I point to Zarna is that she is also an entrepreneurial, absolute powerhouse. Her story is so inspiring. She is hilarious. But she's also a person who doesn't give a F in the best way. She will try stuff. She will go for it. She's relentless. And I just love, love that about her. And you can just see it in her story. So I. I encourage anyone to follow her stuff as well. She's really funny.

[A]

Yeah. You know who one of my favorite ladies, too, is? She was in. She was in Bridesmaids, and she was recently in a Netflix show, I think.

[B]

Kristen Wiig.

[A]

Yeah. Kristen Wiig. Oh, my gosh.

[B]

Yeah, she's awesome.

[A]

The airplane.

[B]

Yeah. I mean, I could go. I could list on and on.

[A]

Yeah. The airplane scene when she gets drunk on a plane and has pills or something. Mrs. Iglesias. She tries to sneak into first class. Like, my wife and I, like, we recite those lines all the time. I love comedy, man. It is. It's one of my favorites.

[B]

It's the only way to make, by the way, the intensity that we live our lives with and we build our businesses with, it's the only way to make that stuff sustainable. Like, if we're not really genuinely having a little bit of fun or a lot of fun, it's very difficult to do the really, really hard part in a consistent way.

[A]

Yeah, for sure.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I need to. I need to start incorporating more of that in my life because I think I. I take things too seriously sometimes, outwardly. But like, in my house, I'm joking with my family and kids all the time. But outwardly, I. I don't think I lean into that enough.

[B]

And it's not mutually exclusive. My intensity and my commitment and my unwavering focus on my goals is not mutually exclusive to me. Having a good time and making a joke and having some laughs.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

That. It doesn't affect it at all.

[A]

Right.

[B]

It only amplifies it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

That's what I believe.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Which is why I'm such a proponent of it. But I think a lot of times people think, oh, if you're joking around, you're not serious. That is the furthest thing from the truth as far as I am concerned.

[A]

Well, as kids, like in school that we're taught that, like, you know, we're goofing off and stuff and being the class clown or what have you, and you get into trouble.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

And so we're, we're like kind of guided in a direction away from it. And. Yeah, I mean, I don't think that's good.

[B]

Yeah, totally agree.

[A]

Well, Melanie, we're up against the clock. Where can people go deeper with you? And you've been amazing today. Where can they go deeper with you?

[B]

Well, first of all, I'm so glad we connected. Thank you, C Rock, for reaching out to me on Instagram. I really appreciate that because that is not a typical way I would connect with someone. Normally I'm like, who is this person? No way. But you were like, clearly legit. Your energy is amazing and I'm truly grateful we're connected so people can find me. Melanie curtis.com is my website. Instagram is Melanie Curtis11. And my professional profile on LinkedIn is another social that I maintain. But yeah, reach out anytime, Mel. Melanie curtis.com. i'm happy to connect with any of you.

[A]

All right, love it. Go check her out. Melanie curtis. That's Melanie Curtis 11 on Instagram. Melanie curtis.com. hey, Melanie. Thank you so much. Hang tight while I wrap this up, folks. That's this episode of the Woody made up show with your boy, C Rock and Melanie Curtis sharing what she's made of. Make sure you hit the subscribe follow button to top your favorite podcast platform and keep coming back until next time. Be that one.