We had the good fortune of connecting with Mary Lemmer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mary, can you tell us about a book that has had a meaningful impact on you?
Just one?! I’ve read over 150 books over the past five years, so that in itself will illustrate the impact of the book I’m going to share.

Between Two Kingdoms by Suleika Jaouad

I binge read this book.

I like it because it’s a beautifully and deeply written book about an experience that could be really hard to talk about especially in such a way that made it difficult to put this book down.

The impact it had on me is multifold. First, it inspired me to view my own health and illness from an updated perspective, perhaps with more acceptance and gratitude. Second, it inspired me to write more and write more courageously and vulnerably. Third, it introduced me to more of Suleika’s writing, her community The Isolation Journals on Substack, and further connected me to the music of Jon Batiste. If I could enjoy dinner with anyone I haven’t yet dined with I’d choose Suleika and Jon. So, there you go. If you’re reading this Suleika and Jon, you’re invited to dinner.

Thanks to my mom for recommending this book to me, and introducing me to Suleika’s writing.

Runner up is The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy. I’ve read and re-read this book multiple times and it was a huge inspiration for my illustrated book A Girl and Her Horse. I love when the power of story and illustration can appeal to and empower children and adults, and I think this book does so beautifully.

What should our readers know about your business?
My business, Improve, offers team building workshops, leadership training, consulting, and coaching programs built on principles of improv combined with research-backed methods, so that individuals and organizations, like it says in our name, improve. Individuals and companies come to us when they want to improve creative problem solving, team communication and collaboration, adaptability and resilience, or improve some important aspect of their life or work, be it wellbeing, a team offsite, new product development or business growth.

We help people and companies handle the inevitable change and uncertainty in life and business, in what I think is the most fun way possible.

The story behind it – As a teenager I started a business (shoutout to Iorio Gelato, still kicking it thanks to my business partner / brother) and I really struggled when work and life didn’t go as I expected (which, was often!)

I signed up for an improv class and my life was never the same.

I experienced how practicing improv was helping me as an entrepreneur and human to better creatively problem solve, navigate change, and situations outside of my control. There was a noticeable difference in my ability to calmly confront curveballs and communicate amidst changing circumstances. When I was working in venture capital I noticed that many other entrepreneurs and business people could benefit from these intentionally designed improv exercises too, so I started designing and facilitating “Improv for Entrepreneurs” and it grew from there.

Over the past 10+ years I’ve been practicing improv and incorporating improv inspired principles and practices into work and life, designing intentional improv techniques to support people and teams. Combined with my business background and studies at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business, The Human Side of Entrepreneurship, Organizational Leadership, at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, I also studied improv comedy at The Second City, The Groundlings, and the Upright Citizens Brigade among other improv theatres. It hasn’t always been easy and I have more stories than would fill this page of all the lessons learned. I’ve led workshops and trainings for tens of thousands of people around the world, at large companies and small ones, Fortune 500s, universities, and nonprofits. I even gave a TED talk about it, “How Improv can improve your leadership and life”. Along the way I incorporated tried and true business frameworks, elements of neurolinguistic programming, mindfulness, and other research and performance backed methods to really use improv to improve.

In our Improve trainings participants report improving communication skills by 30%, listening skills by 25%, adaptability by 49%, with a 95% NPS score and a 5/5 enjoyment and 4.8/5 learning experience rating. It’s like eating candy packed with vitamins – it’s fun and it works!

And now you know why my company’s name is Improve.

And though I am a huge proponent of improv comedy as a means towards serious personal and organizational transformation, I also create entertaining humorish things with an eye toward impact. I wrote, directed, and performed in the award winning short film Dating Apps In Real Life, associate produced award winning documentary Act Social featuring Colin Mochrie. I created and hosted Startup Late Night, a late-night comedy show featuring business leader guests, and have performed improv and comedy all over the country, including at Gilda Radner’s Laughfest, The Punch Line in San Francisco, and the Lady Laughs Comedy Festival.

What do I want the world to know about our brand and story?
There is SO much in life and work that is outside of our control. We need to be able to improvise. The principles and techniques improv performers use to navigate uncertainty and create onstage, when intentionally used, can help us navigate uncertainty and create in our lives, offstage. All you gotta do is say “yes, and!” There, I did it. Couldn’t not share all this without including those two words.

I write a lot about this topic, sharing all sorts of techniques and principles that anyone can practice to improve in life and work. The best place to go for that is chooseimprove.substack.com

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My recommendations always depend on the interests of the person I’m hosting, and there are SO many great things to do, foods to eat, places to see in LA, so to keep this within an appropriate word limit I’ll share some of my favorites at the moment. Absolutely check out at least one of LA’s many great farmers markets, comedy shows, hip coffee shops, cafes, and restaurants. By day of week…

On Wednesday we’d walk around Echo Park Lake, grab dinner at Elf Cafe, and then head to Bar Bandini for the Better Half Comedy Show.

On Thursday we’d check out the Peacock Show in Atwater Village, perhaps grabbing a quick bite to eat at Dune beforehand.

On Friday we’d go for a morning hike in Griffith Park, and on one of the many hidden staircases in LA, followed by a great cafe and Skylight Books bookstore in Los Feliz.

On Saturday we’d head to the Marina del Rey farmers market and then walk to the beach across the Ballona Lagoon Bridge, walking through the sand to just north of the jetty for, what I think is, one of the most beautiful beach spots to hang and spot sea lions. Then, we’d head over to Gjusta in Venice for lunch, followed by Will Rogers State Historic Park to go horseback riding around Inspiration Loop and perhaps even catch a polo match. Or we’d do a Saturday east side day, checking out the Silver Lake farmers market and take a walk around the reservoir, later catching a show at Dynasty Typewriter or The Virgil.

On Sunday we’d go to the Atwater Village farmers market and then check out the thrift shops on Glendale Blvd. Or we’d go for a morning hike to the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook, then to the Mar Vista farmers market, followed by The Village Well Books & Coffee shop in Culver City and dinner at Citizen Public Market and possibly some kind of seasonal event happening near The Culver Steps. Or a downtown day, making sure to see The Last Bookstore and then there’s LACMA. Okay, so there’s a lot to cover with just a visit!

And at some point we’d go to an Erewhon because that is an LA cultural experience not to be missed.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My parents. Absolutely deserve a lot of credit and recognition in my story. Without them, there’d be no story. Nor would there be any opportunity for all the other amazing supportive people in my life to play a role in that story, and there are many.

Website: https://www.marylemmer.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maryimproves

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melemmer

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MaryLemmer

Other: www.chooseimprove.com
www.instagram.com/chooseimprove
https://chooseimprove.substack.com

Image Credits
1. Dave Symonds
2. TED

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.