In this episode of Mic Drop, Jeff Civillico shares his remarkable journey from a childhood street performance volunteer to a Las Vegas headliner and professional speaker. He discusses the key moments that ignited his passion for entertainment, the lessons he learned from over 5,000 shows, and how he transitioned to keynote speaking. Jeff reveals his unique approach to creating impactful performances and highlights his dedication to charitable work. This episode offers valuable insights for both emerging and established speakers, as well as anyone looking to take their events or stage presence to the next level.
Jeff Civillico is an award-winning entertainer, speaker, and philanthropist. Known for his high-energy performances, Jeff has headlined in Las Vegas since 2009 and performed over 5,000 shows. He is the founder of the nonprofit organization Win-Win Entertainment, which brings smiles to children, patients, and staff in hospitals nationwide. Jeff’s keynote, "Work That Matters," blends inspiration, team building, and entertainment to deliver a powerful message on the impact of using one's platform for positive change.
The Path to Entertainment: Jeff's story from starting as a street performance volunteer to a Las Vegas headliner highlights the importance of seizing opportunities and following one's passion. His story underscores the value of embracing your unique path and the power of small moments in shaping a career.
Creating Impact Through Performance: Jeff’s "Work That Matters" keynote emphasizes the significance of using your platform to make a positive impact. For speakers, this means recognizing the influence they have and using their voice to inspire and uplift others, both on and off the stage.
Lessons from Nonprofit Work: Jeff's dedication to charitable work through Win-Win Entertainment demonstrates how giving back enriches one's professional and personal life. We can draw inspiration from Jeff's example to incorporate purpose-driven initiatives into our own careers, enhancing our overall impact.
Balancing Adventure and Career: Jeff’s adventurous pursuits, like juggling in zero gravity, reflect his zest for life and willingness to push boundaries. He showcases the importance of embracing new experiences, staying curious, and continuously challenging yourself to grow both personally and professionally.
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While proud of his business success, his roots are in the dangerous world of jazz music. Josh has been playing guitar in smoky jazz clubs for 40 years, studied at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, and has performed over 1000 concerts around the world. His experiences in both business and music led him to become one of the world’s foremost experts on innovation. Josh
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Jeff Civillico:
I remember very distinctly what it felt like to be in front of the audience, to feel the lights and hear the, the, the crowd that rush the adrenaline, even at seven years old.
Josh Linkner:
Hey friends, Josh Linkner here. Delighted to bring you season three of Mic Drop, the number one podcast for professional speakers and thought leaders on the show. We connect with experts at the top of the field, unpacking their success to help each of us grow and thrive from elevating your artistry to booking more gigs. Mic Drop is designed to give you the tools and insights you need to reach the next level. Together we'll accelerate the path to growth, success, and most importantly, impact
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The best keynotes, start movements and incite change. And when you couple an electrifying speech with a project that fuels audience engagement, the result is lightning in a bottle. What I'm talking about here is a book that's where our friends at Amplify Publishing Group come in With 20 plus years of experience and ho owned by some of the industry's most renowned veterans, including bestselling author and global superstar, Mel Robbins, the team at Amplify knows not only how to produce a fantastic book, but how to leverage that book and make it work for you, your brand and your business. And Amplify not only knows books, they know the world of keynote speaking and thought leadership. Having published CEOs and executives, they take positioning into consideration at every step of the way. Whether you have a one line concept or a comprehensive outline, amplify is ready to work with you. Visit amplify publishing.com/mic. Drop to schedule an exploratory call and receive an exclusive editorial one pager tailored to your concept. That's amplify publishing.com/mic Drop
Josh Linkner:
Today on Mic Drop. I'm joined by Jeff Seko, an entertainer keynote speaker and philanthropist whose path from a street performer to a Las Vegas Headlander is nothing short of extraordinary. Jeff shares the story of how a chance encounter with a street performer changed his life, igniting a passion for juggling that led him to perform over 5,000 shows in Las Vegas. Jeff dives deep into the transition from entertainment to keynote speaking, offering invaluable insights on how keynote speakers can learn from the world of entertainment and vice versa. He explains the format and content of his signature keynote work that matters, emphasizing the importance of using your platform to create positive change. We also explore Jeff's nonprofit work, including Win-Win Charity, and Laughter Without Borders. This showcases his desire not only to entertain people, but to really make an impact far beyond the stage. Jeff's adventurous spirit and his commitment to living life to the fullest from setting world records, to combining his passions for juggling and philanthropy provide a powerful inspiration for us all. Jeff, welcome to my drop.
Jeff Civillico:
Thank you so much for having me, Josh. It's great to be here.
Josh Linkner:
Well, I'm especially, especially happy that you're here considering your travel schedule. You're just sharing with me that you're bouncing all over the place, and I love your phrase that your calendar looks like a clown threw up on it,
Jeff Civillico:
It's a great question. I can trace my origins back to a very specific moment, which is a, a pretty cool, cool thing to keep in mind as I I kind of build this career and, uh, move along on this journey. I was picked to be a volunteer by a street performer when my family was visiting my brother Gene, who attended Harvard University. We were there on a family weekend. We were walking by, go get some ice cream, see a big crowd of people. So we go up and, uh, this performer selects me to do, uh, a little trick with a spinning plate. And that moment honestly changed my life forever. I remember very distinctly what it felt like to be in front of the audience, to feel the lights and hear the, the, the crowd, their rush, the adrenaline, even at seven years old. And, uh, my parents bought me a book at the Learning Smith store that was right there called Juggling for the Complete Clutz.
The Performer was a, was a juggler. And I, that's really what started it all. Uh, that the book came with these beanbags and we drove back from Boston to Philadelphia and I got outta the car and I started doing little juggling shows in my kitchen for my grandma. And I just never stopped. Uh, I kind of dreamed of having my own show in Las Vegas from that moment. I didn't even know what Vegas meant or what Vegas was. It's kind of a testament to the power that Las Vegas has as a, as a brand. I mean, I'm seven years old, eight years old. I'm like, I gotta get to Vegas, baby. Like, I gotta come on. Let's do this
And I modeled myself after this performer. And I would kind of do tricks like in his, uh, in his same kind of style. He always used to balance, uh, all these different things on his chin. I remember he balanced a shopping cart on his chin. So I got really into balancing. I still balance ladders and things on my, my chin and my show now. And, uh, the cool part of this story is that it came full circle. So when I got my own show in Las Vegas, I thought about how, how got here, this is a surreal moment. And I always knew that this street performer chose me to be volunteer. Well, I remembered his name, his stage name. He called himself Peter Panic. He dressed all in green and he juggled dangerous items. So I thought, lemme Google this guy. Of course, the website comes right up, uh, contact page, I call him, he picks up.
And we have this really powerful conversation where I, I'm really nervous, so I'm talking really fast, and I'm like, oh, hi. Hi Peter. My name's Jess Vko. Uh, 20 years ago he picked me volunteer, and I go through this whole story and we had this emotional exchange, like you could tell that he was really moved by me calling him and, and reaching out and saying thank you. And I didn't think much of it at the time, but when I decided to wrap up my Vegas run, I invited him to join me out for my final show. So I flew him out. I put him up, and I actually talked about him on that last show. And I brought him out, uh, from backstage and audience went crazy, uh, because, you know, they see these pictures of him years ago with me, and then here he is, uh, in, in real life, and he just killed it.
He comes out and he says, you didn't think I was real, did you? And the audience dies laughing, right? And we do a performance on stage. And, uh, it was really special. So I, I share all that. It's a long story, but I share all that because that kind of planted the seeds for, for my keynote because that, that whole idea of utilizing what you have where you are as a platform for positive change is really what I'm all about. And you could see that, Peter, you could tell that from the emotional response. He had never framed his work in that way. And once he had that reframing, you could tell all the shows he had done over years all took on a new significance, a new level of importance to be able to create these ripples that go well beyond awareness or understanding as evidenced by in me, you know, through, through this juggler that right? That kind of carry the torch and went on to create nonprofits and scholarships and, and do all these other things. He saw himself in me as he should, because he was, he was my origin story. He was my original mentor. So it's a long answer to your question, but it's got a lot in there about, uh, who I am, what I believe, what I stand for, what I try to, to teach out on the road as a speaker.
Josh Linkner:
It's such a beautiful story, and I also think it helps to spell a common myth. You know, people think about an entertainer, and I, you're certainly a proper entertainer. And you know, I spent time as a keynote speaker, but also as a jazz musician. So I, like you, I was drawn to the stage and, and I think the misconception is that, oh, it's all about me and I want the applause and the adoration. I think the best entertainers, you're, you're certainly in that category, are coming at it from a place of generosity. It's more about like, what, what's the impact you can create on others and are using that, that platform as a vehicle for change and, and influence and, and, and really beauty and, and at the, and also there's, there's an element of, of like mastering the art of it, which is also challenging, but it's almost for the, like, the, the applause is secondary. That that's not, to me anyway, what, what fuels me. And it sounds like that that is the same, uh, in your case, being an entertainer. Um, oh yeah,
Jeff Civillico:
Please. Well, Josh, just throw this out there. It's funny, as an entertainer, I'll do my show, and then the client will always say, oh, that's crazy. Did you know that this person could X, Y, z? I can't believe that's probably never happened, right? That's gotta be the only time. It's like, no, of, of course. Like I set it up so that the person quote unquote, steals the show because I want to make them the hero, right? So the first thing I do when I take the stage is I bring someone else up on stage with me to kind of break that fourth wall. And obviously their ability with me, I, I, I just based on, through improv, based on what they're giving me. But no matter what, that person is the hero. And once they leave stage, if I'm doing, uh, a corporate event, I talk about how courageous it is for that person to come up on stage in front of peers, in front of colleagues at these conferences.
And I say that, Hey, if that person was willing to take a calculated risk to join me on stage, to go all in, to throw themselves in, in this way, in this form, I'm a hundred percent sure they bring that same level of confidence and risk taking to everything they do in life, right? And, and I build them up so that afterwards people say, Hey, he had to be a plant. Was she a plant? I mean, there's no way. And that to me is the goal, right? Have someone else, quote unquote steal the show. I've done my job, if I can pull that off.
Josh Linkner:
So true. It's, uh, you know, it's not about you, it's about the audience. It's about the impact that you can make on others. Not like, look what I can do. It's more like, look what you can do. You know, along those lines, I mean, you know, some, some people are comfortable on stage, but man,
Jeff Civillico:
It's a great question. I think there are two aspects to it. You can learn a lot from the creative side, actual platform skills, on stage presence, and you can learn a lot from the business side of entertainment, especially in Las Vegas. So to speak to the creative side first, I would say the number one thing that doing 5,000 plus shows, uh, gives you is this sense of confidence. You kind of feel bulletproof, because no matter what happens, it's not that it's happened before, necessarily, oftentimes it has, but you know, you'll be able to handle it, whatever happens, because it, it kind of rhymes with something that's already happened. I, a huge Conan O'Brien fan, and he always talks about improv and, and these quick quips he has in the moment. And people say, oh, how do you think? And he's saying, it's that I know exactly what I'm gonna say, but somewhere in my mind that Rolodex is pulling up something from some show because he is done so many reps, and it kind of gives him this ability to, to draw from that experience and work it in the moment and, and pull off the exact right line or the comeback or the, the, the pivot to fix a situation or improve.
So I would say the, the confidence that comes at that level shows is something that, uh, that keynote speakers can take away, is honestly getting in the reps. I feel very fortunate that I did six shows a day, six days a week for years at theme parks when I was 15, 16, 17, before I ever thought about making this a career. Because once, once you're making it a career, you're thinking, oh yeah, well, the bureau's here, and now the client's here, and I've got, uh, you kind of pull back, right? You don't sometimes go full out and just allow yourself to be present in the moment and play creatively play. I'm fortunate that I was able to play before it really mattered, so to speak, you know, from a financial business career point of view, there was no social media. So I wasn't worried about, you know, someone posting it on YouTube being like, this, this juggling kid at the theme park isn't any good.
And me, you know, coming in and going to my shell because of that, I was able to just experiment. So there's a sense of authenticity that comes when you have that many reps. I can remember going out on stage, one of my first shows in Vegas, this is part of the business side here as well, is there's a bit of a, uh, a paradox with, with Vegas because you open up your show and nobody knows who you are and you're not on any of the ticket brokers, the, the websites, and you have to invite them to come see your show, to get on these websites and to get people to get the word out. But it's really hard to do a fun, high energy good show when there's like eight people in a 500 seat showroom. It's just the energy isn't there, right? So the first couple years especially, are so hard because you're just trying to get the barge moving.
And I think I established during that time just this sense of like, I'm gonna entertain the heck outta these people if there's six people in the audience, or 600 and it's gonna be a completely unique real experience that will never be able to be recreated again. And I think I got a good reputation for that because I would literally just talk to people when they're in the audience and there's 20 people in the audience. I, I would kind of address that, right? I would, I would kind of poke fun at myself and explain the situation and let them in. So we started doing all these really fun things. I was inviting them to bring things in, and I would try to juggle, and people knew that I was saying, Hey, where, where wear this kind of T-shirt and you get in free. I was trying all different marketing things.
I had literally, we had a a, a show once where I invited everybody up on stage and we sat in a circle and because there was like, there's nobody there, you know? And the bartender in the back, I brought, I had him come up and I brought everybody a, a free drink, you know? And, uh, and I literally joked and said, all right, you know what, let's just play duck, duck goose, you know, instead, right? Or let's share one hope, one dream, one fear. Like, and I just had the kind of unique experience where yes, I ended up performing and getting people involved, but it was nothing like what they were expecting. And I think on a certain level, they, they kind of could see what was going on. They said like, I'm rooting for this kid, you know, like, I, I want this guy to succeed because clearly the odds are stacked up against him.
So, uh, it, it drives me bonkers when I see, let's say a, a speaker, you know, come out on stage and I, if, if the room is half empty and they're kind of just speaking like, ladies and gentlemen, good evening. Like, they're kind of just going into their script, their patter. It's like, be real Mm-Hmm.
Josh Linkner:
The creek.
Jeff Civillico:
Yeah, exactly. Oh, how did I miss that line? I missed that joke. That's a great one. Oh man. I'd like a do over, uh, for that event. So anyway, I told bottom line, I told this story as soon as I hit the stage in the morning and I said, Hey, it's great to be here. I'll, I'll be honest, I almost didn't make it. This is embarrassing. But I said, I was so tired. I start typing in, see, I said, just so you know, alphabetically, like the other creek comes up first. So I know tonight you're at Disney Springs, you're at your event when you're calling your Uber, don't type in creek because there's two, right? And it was just like, oh, I like this guy. Immediately, you could kind of sense I wasn't taking myself too seriously. It was a real story, and it, it was funny, timely, relevant, and it immediately set the tone of like, this is not going to be, you know, greetings. Like, good afternoon, it's a pleasure to be with you here, speaking on the future of travel industry. Like, it was gonna be something that they were immediately gonna sit up and listen to, put their phone down and pay attention to. That's what I want.
Josh Linkner:
So. Good. I'm just reflecting a couple nuggets there. I mean, the, the, the situational awareness is key. You know, you're not just gonna barrel through your lines. You're, you're, you're adapting to the changing conditions, the venue, the size, et cetera. A notion about doing your reps and, and, and creative confidence. You know, creative confidence to me is, is, um, not thinking you're always gonna get it, right? It's knowing how to recover. And having done 5,000 performances, I'm sure you tripped on a line, did something wrong, and like you, you figured out how to recover. And so that confidence doesn't come from the perfection. And you perfectionist thinking like, Hey, I'm gonna be perfect. It's like, okay, I'm confident because I, I can bounce back. Yeah. And just on that note, 'cause I think often, you know, folks, folks that are, you know, kind of where, where we've been, you know, we think we focus on like the coolest stages we've ever been on. Let's just play a really fun game, super fast answers. Um, what's the, I'll do it too. What's the coolest stage you've been on and the lamest stage you've been on talking about doing the reps?
Jeff Civillico:
Okay. Coolest stage I've been on was, I hosted an award show for Erickson in the Maldives, and it was literally on the beach, and they had to bring in all the production from Sri Lanka and just absolutely picturesque gorgeous pinch me moment. Like, I'll probably never be here again. I'm very grateful for, for this moment and what I do. How about you?
Josh Linkner:
So my coolest one was, uh, you know, I've done big, big rooms and such several thousand people, but, um, I did one an event for, um, the CEO or the Chief Marketing Officer of Pepsi. They were, uh, uh, so it was, uh, actually sponsored by NBC. They were rolling out the carpet for the C of Pepsi, their biggest advertiser, and they did it at the, uh, studio eight h in, in rock center, which is where Saturday Night Live is. Mm-Hmm.
Jeff Civillico:
Are you kidding? That that's amazing. The coolest thing, ever's. Wow.
Josh Linkner:
So that was the cool one. But, but, but again, I think it's important for, for listeners to know that's not where it starts. Like I've, I've done keynote in the basement of churches. I've done, like, there's this thing called the Down River Credit Union in, in Detroit where, you know, you, you drive like 60 miles and you don't even make as much to pay for your gas. Yeah. And you know, like, so, but, but you're right. Like those, those, those lower stakes opportunities are the, what, what builds you that confidence and you get the reps in. So I really appreciate you sharing that with us. That reminds
Jeff Civillico:
Me of the pancake, the pancake talks, right? Uh, is that Ryan Estes is talking about like the pancake breakfast, like driving Exactly right. Driving all over. Yeah.
Josh Linkner:
So we gotta hear your, we gotta hear your lamest one. 'cause you told us the coolest one.
Jeff Civillico:
Oh yeah. Abso, oh man. Where to start? I would say, um, I only did one fair. So in entertainment, there's all these different markets, right? There's like theme parks and cruise ships and fairs, colleges, corporate events, schools, libraries. And I did one fair in Regina Canada, and it was the first and only fair I have ever done because it was such a bad experience. Um, I had to do a whole bunch of shows on this very bad stage. But what made it so frustrating is that there were like a bunch of punk teenagers that just parked themselves like right in the front row and made it their mission to just heckle the heck out of me every single show. So they stayed there the entire day, and there weren't many people in the audience to begin with. So this group of teenagers just relentlessly heckled me.
And I was really young in my career, so I didn't know how to handle it, and I didn't have more material, like they were gonna see the same three bits, like 10 times that day. So I had the same setups and they're all shouting the punchlines. Like, I couldn't, I couldn't adapt, I couldn't, you know, um, I make a joke about juggling not a red apple, but a green apple. And like, as I'm taking it out, they're like, green apple, you know, like stepping on all my punchlines and everything. And I just remember, I just remember thinking like, ugh, ne never again. This is brutal
Josh Linkner:
But yeah, because, and you got through it and, and, and here you're today. So switching gears from your, your work as an entertainer, um, you're now doing, in addition to, uh, entertainment, you do mc work, you do keynotes and your signature keynote work that matters, I was reading it's, uh, one third inspirational presentation, one third team building workshop, and one third entertainment show. Can you unpack that format for us? I, I found that fascinating.
Jeff Civillico:
Absolutely. So I think this comes from a, again, my background as an entertainer, um, and being able to kind of, uh, go in the moment based on what is responding, what is resonating to the audience. And I always kind of joke that I make my show up as I go along. Now, you know, same thing with phe. It's not exactly true. You know, you always have your signature stories or your, you know, your clothes. But if the audience has given you a lot here, like, all right, let's double down this, like this is responding, right? If they're not, maybe you, maybe you go a different direction. So I kind of realized that I had these three areas of the talk, and that if I allowed the client to help me customize by dialing up one of those, uh, that would give me kind of more flexibility and a little bit more of a differentiator.
So when I have my kind of discovery call with the client, I, I learn what's their intent, because a lot of times as an entertainment based keynote speaker, their pr their PR predominant, um, uh, goal for have having me is to laugh, to celebrate, to be entertained. Maybe I'm on their awards day, and that's really good info to know, because if that's the case, I'll dial up the entertainment, right? I'll, I'll, I'll make the entertainment 30, 40, 50%. Some groups they want to connect their, their conference theme is called Connect. Like their whole point is they're bringing together association members to meet each other. Well, okay, well, in that case, I normally have two kind of, uh, team building pieces or, or sorry, one team building piece, I mean, in my keynote, but I'll, I'll add the second one and I'll dial that up. Um, and then of course, the inspirational messaging.
If, if they're like, you know, what we want, you know, you are our keynote speaker for the event. Uh, and I can kind of tell there's a bit more of gravitas to it, so to speak. Even sometimes the layout will help me if it's theater style seating, I really cut back on the team building because it's very challenging to have people talking for a long period of time. You can't really do a table set up, right? You're just talking to the person left or right. So having those three modules and allowing myself to dial 'em up or down based on, uh, the what the client is looking for and what's happening in the moment, I feel like gives me a, a lot of freedom, flexibility, and, and is a differentiator.
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Josh Linkner:
So we talked about the format a bit. Um, let's talk about the content. So work that matters, that, that line really kinda landed with me. And, um, you spent a lot of time thinking about work that matters, obviously for your fellow thought leaders who are, uh, hopefully going out there to do work that matters. I mean, there's, there's economic gain, sure, there's other benefits, but, but I think many of us have been drawn to this type of work because there's a message on our, that we wanna share with the world. We're trying to do work that matters. Um, what are, what are, if you could help us understand that concept work that matters and, and how we can best apply it to the, the, to the thought leadership work that many of us are doing.
Jeff Civillico:
Yeah, absolutely. Well, it, it really came out of covid and this idea spoke about the street performer, Peter Panic, who chose me to be a volunteer. That idea that we all have a platform no matter who we are and what we're doing. So I love the kind of general nature of the topic of the talk and how it can be applied to any industry, to any event setting personally or professionally. So it's not just utilizing your platform as an executive, as a team member, but also as a, a mom, dad, brother, coach, minister, teacher, neighbor. And I think the story of Peter juxtaposed with myself is so powerful as an example, that full circle moment, it opens up the door to get people thinking about their own influence and impact both the influence and impact that they have received from others, that that's really created them, it's contributed to who that they are as a person.
It's much easier to recognize how others have influenced you. That's why I start with that idea, right? I talk about thanking Peter, this or that, but then that's only a jumping off point for us to look inward to think about. Okay, so if I'm recognizing that all of these people out there have contributed to my origin story, to me being who I am, where I am, obviously I have an impact on all the people I interact with every day in my work and, and personal life. So we flip, flip the, the script a little bit, you know, turn the spotlight on them to think about the power that they have within the context of their own work situation and beyond. And that's where the team building component comes in because they're sharing these stories of influence and impact. They start by sharing the influence impact that, that they have received.
And that's, again, that's easy, right? We talk about, you know, this coach, I had this employee, A lot of people times people thank other people in the room, and there's these special moments, right? And they'll say like, Hey, I, you know, they'll take the mic, they'll say, how many, how many people here, you know, have been influenced in a positive way by Frank, you know, Frank, so and so in marketing, and like everybody cheers, right? And you kind of, again, making other people the hero. You kind of see these people that have that stand out and then turning it on them. Now when they say it out loud, when they're articulate it to each other, I give them permission to kind of love on themselves, to brag, because when they say it out loud, it oftentimes becomes more real to them. It crystallizes in their own mind the power influence that they do have.
And it also oftentimes knocks something loose in other people. I see everyone nodding along, right? The, the messages resonating with other folks. So, uh, again, it it, it applies to all industries. Um, but it's, it's really, it's really remarkable because you would expect it to resonate with, uh, organizations, groups of teachers, for example, right? Like, okay, they're obviously making a difference in the lives of, of these students, um, nurses, you know, medical, et cetera. But it's, it's some of the groups that you wouldn't expect it, that I find the most fulfilling, uh, talking to like IT groups or things like that. And they, they'll, they'll kind of have this framing of them. They're being just an IT guy, right? And that's kind of like Peter, when he says, I'm just a, I'm just a juggler, right? We always use these kind of minimizing labels and, and that really kind of defer and deflect the, the, the spotlight.
So again, as it relates to, to thought leaders and speakers, I mean, the power of the platform, right? It's, it's so powerful and it's, it's an honor to, to be there and to get to serve others and to, to have the ability to turn the spotlight on other people and use yourself as an example, as a jumping off point, right? I think that's such a key part. I know, I know I talked to some budding speakers and they're just like, ah, well know what, what, I'm trying to figure out what my topic should be. And I'm like, eh, that's, that's not great. Like, you shouldn't really be looking for a topic, like your topic should be you and like who you are, your experience, your story as a starting point to connect with them and their world and bring out the best in them.
Josh Linkner:
I love the way you're really framing that about bringing out the best in others and making an impact. And I wanted to ask you, uh, a little bit about some of your non-profit work. So, uh, some successful people, they hit a level of success and they just keep craving more the next thing, the next toy. And you've done the opposite. You know, you're continuing to build your, your career, you're crushing it, but you're that rare person who really cares, who wants to give back. Uh, I was reading about you, you founded Win-Win Charity back in 2012, so that was, you know, 12 years ago. Uh, which brings smiles to children, patients, and staff and hospitals nationwide by ranging in-person and virtual hospital visits from professional entertainers. You also started a scholarship fund at the Las Vegas, Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, and you recently started a new program called Laughter Without Borders. How does your desire to create impact in the world show up in your speaking practice? And I, I just, maybe you could give us a little sense of where your mindset is on what's, what's calling you to this extraordinary contribution outside of the work that you're doing on stage?
Jeff Civillico:
Yeah, thank you so much. Um, I, I think this goes back to kind of what I said previously about, I wasn't looking for a topic. I wasn't like, what should I speak on? I, I realized this is how I live, and it's applicable out in the workforce and, and to others. So I, I try to walk my talk, or rather, I try to talk my walk, I guess
It was a show for a special needs school at 14 years old in Philadelphia. So I told you I learned how to juggle in the kitchen. I used to do these shows. Well, we had a service project in high school, and the task was to do something that takes you outside of your comfort zone and write a reflection on it. And my family encouraged me to do a show at the local special needs school that my father is a dentist. He served, he provided free dental care for them and, and their staff. So we had this relationship with them. I said, okay, I'll, I'll take my talents outside of the kitchen and put together a show. And that was the first time I ever arrived somewhere and said, I am your entertainment. Right? Like, did, did a show, set things up, got a costume outfit, and that show really had a formative role in my life because that, that was the first time I ever really entertained an audience outside of, outside of my family.
So I just never stopped doing those kind of charity shows. Um, I always kind of felt like it was a, a way to honor my origin story. And so for, for years throughout high school, college, I made it my goal to do one charity show a month. So whether it was at a special needs facility or a, you know, title one school or a hospital, a senior care facility, vets association, something. And I kept, I kept doing that. So when I got to Vegas, um, it wasn't anything different. I just kept doing that. And in Vegas things kind of exploded in a very good way because obviously there are so many performers here combined with having a, a larger platform of having my own show. Now. People were noticing, now social media was here. I was posting about my experiences and other performers were saying, Hey, that sounds awesome.
I wanna do that. So I kind of, I found myself being like a charity agent. No one was getting paid, but I was connecting these performers with these hospitals and these other nonprofit organizations and very organically just kept building and building and building for years. We operated exclusively in Vegas. And then thanks to other performers, many of whom are speakers and are in this community, we started opening up other kind of chapters, so to speak, other, uh, cities. And, uh, yeah. Now I'm proud to say that we not only do these in-person visits throughout the US at Children's Hospitals, but we stream a weekly virtual show called Win-Win Live that goes to 50 plus children's hospitals and also lives on demand in this platform called Leader Pass. So it's kind of like Netflix for kids in hospitals. They can log in anytime each hospital has their own unique login and they can experience all the content and live on demand.
And that just, it brings me so much joy to, to do this. I think entertainment especially can be so inherently self-centered. It's like, me, me, me, you're promoting yourself. Look at me how great I am here. I'm quoting myself, here's a testimonial, you should hire me. And I love this work because it is not about me. It's, it's so obvious to see that the, these ripples are going well beyond, um, where I ever could have imagined when I formed it into a nonprofit. And it's just a beautiful experience to see so many people giving back across the country, uh, who are very busy people. They're not looking, you know,
Josh Linkner:
So good. And I find too, when you're purpose driven like that, when you're impact driven the way you are, I ironically, the rewards are better. Like, it's this weird universal thing that I believe that if you are trying to grab onto every little thing you believe in scarcity, you actually seldom get it. But if you just, uh, you know, phrase give generously, don't keep score, but you're out there really trying to create i in others, the world has a way of rewarding you. Maybe it's not a direct linear connection, but, but it seems to come back to you and it, it, it certainly has in, in your case,
Jeff Civillico:
Josh, I, I want to pick up on that point. That is such a good point. Uh, I've been doing this, uh, you said since 2012 is when we got our 5 0 1 C3 and a couple years before that, even as doing these charity shows. And, uh, I will tell you that I'll be backstage at an event, and the client has never mentioned my nonprofit, and it's, it's, there's a philanthropy tab on my site, but I keep things pretty separate. I don't really wanna confuse the buyer. Um, and I'll be standing backstage and the, the executive will say like, oh, man, this is, this is going so great. I love so glad you're here. You know, it was down to you and this other guy, and we picked you because we started poking around and we, we learned about your nonprofit and the charity work you do, and really think that that really resonates with our, our business. Like, we share the same values. We, we, we like that. And I'm like, they never mentioned anything about that. I'm like, oh, that's cool. Like that, that's awesome that they were take the time. But you're right. It, it does, it does help, right? It does kind of, it makes you a more interesting person. It makes you a more well-rounded person to know that there's other, other things beyond your business that you're working on. And I do think that it, it comes back around. I've seen it.
Josh Linkner:
Yeah, I totally agree. Uh, you know, as we kind of wind down our conversation, I thought we'd have a little fun. One, one of the things I love about you is you're a bit wild, uh,
Jeff Civillico:
Oh, man, I just wanna live life to the fullest. I think that's all it is. I think I, I, I, to me, a a boring life is, uh, is one of the worst, worst things that could possibly happen. And I, I, I, I do a lot of different things, and a lot of people will say, man, you're all over the place. You're all scattered. You gotta pick a lane. And I'm like, eh, like, I don't know. I don't think I do. You know, I don't think anybody does. If you don't have to, if you like, if you like what you're doing, you, you're good at it and you're fulfilling, uh, if you find it fulfilling. I don't really believe in the pic a lane thing. I mean, who you are has to be congruent, of course, across everything that you do. But no matter if I am doing a show, hosting an event, doing a keynote, leading a workshop, bungee, jumping off a cliff in New Zealand, like, it's all Jeff, it's all the same level of high energy, kind of, uh, excitement and zeal for life. Um, connection and empowering, uplifting, fun, playful, clean, silly, like it's all there. So to me, it's just kind of how it manifests in, in the world through, through the qualities of that platform that, that you have in here to yourself.
Josh Linkner:
Well, Jeff, thanks for helping us all, uh, make the most of life and live life to its fullest. A great line and a beautiful place to end the conversation. Um, appreciate your insights and wisdom, uh, from somebody who's a incredible keynote speaker, mc entertainer, bungee jumper, philanthropist, and most of all cool human being. Jeff Ko, thank you for joining me on Mic Drop.
Jeff Civillico:
Thank you so much, Josh. Thank you for having me.
Josh Linkner:
As I wrap my conversation with Jeff sco, I'm struck by his relentless drive to live life to its fullest and his deep commitment to making a positive impact. I love when Jeff shared his origin story with Peter Panic, the street performer, and how it came full circle. We can all learn from this because it reminds us of the profound influence we have on others, often without realizing it, and how one life changed can really add up to greatness. Jeff's ability to integrate his own unique talents into his keynotes and non-profit kinda gives us a roadmap to doing the same thing for each of us. I know many of us have our own unique talents, and I love how Jeff seamlessly integrates that and really makes it part of his, his whole vibe. Also loved his adventures, his juggling marathons, his zero gravity stunts. I mean, talk about living life to its fullest gives us all inspiration to push beyond our comfort zones. Thanks for tuning into another episode of Mic Drop. And Jeff, thanks for sharing your story with us all. Whether you're juggling new opportunities or, or juggling bowling pins and chainsaws, I really hope that this Jeff's story serves as a reminder for us all to step into our unique abilities to make the biggest possible impact in the world.
Thanks so much for joining me on another episode of Mic Drop. Don't forget to subscribe on Apple, Spotify, Google podcasts, or wherever you get your favorite shows. If you love the show, please share it with your friends, and don't forget to give us a five star review. For show transcripts and show notes, visit mic drop podcast.com. I'm your host, Josh Linkner. Thanks so much for listening. And here's to your next mic drop moment.