Blog – Page 2

April 14, 2026

Are You Comfortable Being Uncomfortable?

The skill underneath every other skill — and why your team probably needs it At the bottom of all improv training lies an astoundingly useful skill: Being comfortable being uncomfortable. Whenever I run workshops, that’s the real outcome I’m aiming for. I don’t usually announce it. We just play games, move around, laugh, and think […]

Eric Douthirt

Toby provides a unique and wonderful service at our graduate student orientations. It is amazing to watch a room full of strangers transition into friends and colleagues in just a few hours with the help of his workshop!

Eric Douthirt

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Dave Rowley

Things moved a lot more quickly than I thought. I had some really great early shifts even in the first week of working together. Your personable and easy way of working through my issues made me feel comfortable the whole time. Not only was it not painful and scary, it was really enjoyable.

Dave Rowley

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Arvee Robinson

What Toby teaches is something different and beyond the norm that I didn’t have a lot of experience in.
Thank you so much for sharing your expertise, your knowledge and love and support with all of us tonight!

Arvee Robinson

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Anthony Russo

Toby’s workshop was out of my comfort zone for sure, but they were great! Total fun!

Also, if you are in the corporate world or have to do any public speaking, Improv will give you confidence before an audience.

You will actually *enjoy* just going with the flow with them, which will make you less nervous, more genuine, and thus a more engaging speaker/presenter.

Did I mention it was totally fun?!

Anthony Russo

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Birgit Zacher Hanson

I had a blast!

Initially, I signed up for the Improv training to learn something new and get out of my comfort zone. Specifically, I wanted to learn a way to lighten up and use humor in my speeches.

But your class was much more than that. It was a paradigm buster. You gave us lots of tools and exercises to get out of our own way and become “green-light thinkers.”

This training is incredibly valuable not just in the one’s own personal life but also in the area of team and leadership development.

I look forward to more!

Birgit Zacher Hanson

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Michael Hamlin

I wanted to thank you for the lively, fun, and provocative time in your Improv class. I joined with the hope of acquiring skills that would help me become more competent at speaking.

When I started with the Improv class I might have been thinking it was not the best choice for me, I had no aspirations to become an actor! The benefits of the Improv class snuck up on me.

The exercises loosen up your mind, make you more confident, and unlock your brain to make you more spontaneous. After one class I made a noticeable improvement on my presentations.

The exercises you use in this class should be a part of every sales training program!

Michael Hamlin

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Chloe Roberts

What a great improv class! I took it a few years ago and get nostalgic thinking about all the fun we had. Thanks Toby for helping me to live my life a bit unscripted!

Chloe Roberts

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Kathryn Fenderson-Scott

In a mediation that was almost complete, I recalled an idea that I learned from Toby’s workshop and I made $10,000 more on that case!

Kathryn Fenderson-Scott

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Debra Redalia

I decided to take your Improv class because I wanted to have more ability to create spontaneous communication. The Improv exercises have been a lot of fun, but also showed me my “box” and how to break out of that.

By the end, I was seeing that life is a continuous Improv and that I could be spontaneously creating life in every moment instead of falling into living on automatic.

I’m looking forward to more Improv!

Debra Redalia

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Bryan Register

Toby’s workshop helped me progress significantly toward my goal of becoming a great communicator. The hands-on drills sharpened my mind to think and communicate confidently in the moment.

Toby also guided discussions that led to a much better understanding of effective communication and how it works.

I’ve found the skills I developed in this workshop very useful already and, best of all, each session is a ton of fun!

Bryan Register

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Coni Notter

Due to my increased awareness from Toby’s Improv classes and seminars, I have been able to increase my income more over the past quarter than I did during the previous year. I closed a single sale worth over $4500 because of one exercise I learned from Toby’s classes.

Coni Notter

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Jeff Butera

Toby gave me exactly what I was looking for: New ideas on how to better communicate on-my-feet and on-the-fly.

I completed his course with a better understanding of myself and a better approach to spontaneously interacting with others. It’s going to make a big difference in my business, and I believe it would help many in other industries as well.

Just make sure you dive in and are willing to be a little silly. When you’re feeding off Toby’s non-stop energy, it won’t be hard!

Jeff Butera

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Dana Nellen

Toby Martini is one of a kind and the perfect answer for my prayers!

Toby is nothing short of awesome. He is fun, funny and warm as well as really knowing his stuff. After 3 sessions, I have improved measurably and I look forward to doing the next improv workshop as well.

I would recommend Toby Martini with absolutely no reservation!!

Dana Nellen

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Richard Patenaude

Your workshop was so much fun! I would highly recommend it to anyone who for whatever reason wants, needs or just prefers a fun safe way to expand their personal space in public with confidence. Your personality and energy truly make the experience a sheer delight.

I really look forward to attending the workshop the day you conduct it for 1,000 people. Heartfelt best wishes for continued success.

Richard Patenaude

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Elizabeth Correa

In the “Improving Communication” class, Mr. Martini takes a team and, in a safe, friendly environment, allows them to see that fear is an illusion. The class employs several Improv exercises that help participants immediately see that there is nothing to fear in collaboration.

Thinking fast on your feet is a skill that takes practice. The exercises Mr. Martini employs empower the participants to grow their skills and feel more confident at work.

Mr. Martini’s style and manner set the audience at ease and allowed them to have fun while learning.

I recommend his class to anyone who needs to empower their team to work together more efficiently.

Elizabeth Correa

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Greg Stark

Over the past 14 years of managing companies whose annual sales revenue range from $15 million to over $100 million, I have been through more trainings than I can even remember. I think in every person’s professional journey there comes that time you need something different, unique, refreshing.

Toby Martini’s Improv workshop is just what I needed to create that breakthrough moment. Toby, using tried and true Improvisation techniques, shows you how to magnify your target, elevate your talent, and strengthen your teamwork.

Greg Stark

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Rick Furbush, DTM

I was very impressed with your presentation. You not only have a gift for speaking but for connecting with your audience and being able to deliver the information in such a way as to really teach your audience new ideas.

Rick Furbush, DTM

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Andrew Velker

We all immensely enjoyed the event and I personally found it to be very profound.

For a sales team, there were many concepts and ideas they took away that they have already started applying in the field. This will help them every day they are faced with having to think quickly on their feet.

Andrew Velker

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Dr. Jim Anderson

I just wanted to thank you for your presentation to my team. As the manager of a highly skilled group of engineers, I struggle every day with trying to get the members of my team to do a better job of interacting with both other departments and vendors.

Your presentation was just what they needed to hear. I know that they really enjoyed the Improv parts of your speech – everyone was laughing and that’s what they talked about after the event.

Since you spoke, I’ve seen an amazing transformation in my team. They really seem to have heard what you said and on a daily basis I’m able to watch as they put it into action.

The information that you presented and how you shared it with us has made a lasting change in my team and I will forever be in your debt. I’m going to tell all of my peers about just how effective your message is and I’m sure that you will soon be getting a number of requests to come back and once again share your message with us!

Dr. Jim Anderson

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Eileen Canady

We are always looking for ways to set the bar higher from our previous year’s event.

One of our focuses this year was sharpening our member’s presentation skills and Toby did a fantastic job in making everyone feel at ease and transforming public speaking into something fun and enjoyable.

Toby ‘s insight provided us with ideas on how to transfer our data into dynamic, and most importantly, memorable presentations with actionable items.

We look forward to continuing applying Toby’s lessons to our future national conference presentations and recommend Toby Martini for your next corporate event.

Eileen Canady - Conference Chair

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Jim Donatelli

Your program helped our team create personal bonds and gave us tools that will improve our leadership. Who knew that improv would be useful in corporate America?

You made the improv experience educational, meaningful and most of all, fun. Our team bonded and pushed ourselves out of our comfort zone and grew. We connected in a way we previously had not and have a better understanding how to work together.

Thank you for a great experience.

Jim Donatelli

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Sunitha Pillai

What a fantastic time I had, Toby!

My head would be buzzing with all the new stuff that I learned at the end of each session. The session gave me a positive outlook in life and approaching difficult situations.

I am a better listener and communicator because of “Yes and…” and other techniques we learned. I can stand up more confidently in front of people and speak because I know if I falter, I have a dozen of your techniques to pull me out of it.

And most importantly I know how it really feels to work as a team with a diverse set of people and have fun!

Sunitha Pillai

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Umashankar V.

Your Improv session was great!

You had planned the session so well with innovative exercises that kept the audience engaged from the moment you started the demo on the concept being introduced all the way until the end.

Although I saw the participants doubting if they’ll be able to do it (seeing you do it), it was fun once they started doing the exercise. I liked the way you sequenced the exercises, your choice of the exercises, your examples, and the best of all, your delivery!

Umashankar V.

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Dave Crandon

As a 50-year-old sales professional, I have been to many sales meetings and rallies. At those events I listened to many speakers, some good and some very good. You fall in the latter.

Your approach is unique. You not only kept our undivided attention, you managed to get all of us engaged in fun, meaningful activities.

I wish you continued success and I will be sure to recommend you to any organization that needs a top notch speaker.

Dave Crandon
Direct Sales Representative
Actsoft Inc.

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Ramakrishna Gude

I recently attended this class “Thinking on your Feet” as part of Verizon’s training program. This was a 1 and 1/2 hour class, and Toby conducted it very efficiently. He did it in such a way that everybody enjoyed the class very much.

It is full of enjoyment and fun at the same time learning the most basic yet most difficult thing to follow – Coming Out of Your Comfort Zone when you are thrown in a crowd of total strangers.

It dealt with making relationships, and thinking out of the box when you are on your feet and living in that moment.

I really enjoyed the class and would like to attend such classes in future whenever I get the chance.

I recommend to everybody to attend Toby’s class on this and I am looking forward to more such classes from Toby.

Good Job, Toby. Well done!

Ramakrishna Gude

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Raj Mohan

I really enjoyed playing the games in the training and it was really fun. The exercises that you provided really helped me to think fast on my feet and feel more confident at work.

Raj Mohan

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Julio Ramirez

The program you put together for our team was a hit. Or better said “It was AWESOME”. It was “real” when compared to other similar types of sessions. You really helped our sales team learn to network and connect with clients, which I know will translate into better numbers.

I hope we can stay in touch and look for other projects to work on together.

Julio Ramirez

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