EP# 29 Louis Zezeran - Healing Estonia as an Australian with "Comedy Estonia"

In this episode we meet an Australian - Louis Zezeran who actually has Romenian roots, but calls Estonia home. For the past 10 years he has been building a stand up comedy scene and culture in Estonia with his start up company called "Comedy Estonia". 

We go back in time to explore how Louis did several "jumps" from the rational IT work to the world of creativity in theater production and project management.

What are the key elements of that journey and what does he suggest for others contemplating that kind of a jump? To jump right away or to set it up gradually?

You will get some new info about him which he has not been very public about before. You can hear him speaking Estonian and how amazing it is that only 1,3 million people have their own country with everything it comes with? 

You have to follow up the next episode as well as we deep dive into relationships and go very deep with some other topics Louis has not touched that way publicly prior as well. All in all the episode is full of deep wisdom, amazing laughter and positive energy. A tasty mouthful of goodness. Please listen, share and comment! 

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Summary:

 

05:00 Family history - parents are actually both from Romania but met in Australia

07:00 Why Louis ended up in Estonia?

07:37 Came to Estonia in 2006 in Tartu during student days and made friends

08:34 Wild West in Estonia while "nordicness" was still present

09:00 Estonian culture – 1,3 million people and have their own country

09:32 Skype developed by Estonians

10:02 Explored his abilities and character

10:15 Moving from IT world to creative world

10:50 25 years old going to a theater for the first time!

11:23 Theater people were so different

12:06 Who is a producer? A project manager! I can do that!

12:31 Creative people needed more structure and systems

12:51 Provide structure they needed but also emotional support

13:16 Discovered I was an actor too and started to explore my creativity

13:39 I help young Estonian comedians

14:40 Transitioning from the logical to creative twice

14:56 Leveraged my previous skills until I had enough to transition to the next thing

15:15 Did IT training till I was ready for the jump

16:01 10 years ago we established "Comedy Estonia" to train the market about stand-up comedy

16:37 You can not be creative if you are overly stressed about the essentials

17:00 Do not jump into the first thing

17:17 There will be a point where you get them even and then you can jump to the creative side

17:41 Fully established in the new area – but a very controlled and make it into a thought out leap

18:10 You will need to just jump in and go for it – be clever about it

18:32 Crystal Ra's experience with her company in Estonia for 2 years testing it

19:20 I am a producer, marketer and everything in one person

19:50 More work actually

20:12 I am a comedy guy now – after 10 years – great team, stable base and systems

20:30 I had stress for many years – for me to develop those skills

20:54 I love yoga, painting – I would love to turn that into work

21:05 That will be your work – not your hobby on the weekend – it is your job now!

21:23 That will be like your other job

21:46 Anything will become hard

22:17 I love old retro video games – huge nerd for old Sega and Intendos and have a huge collection

22:55 I do not want to sell any of the crap I have – it will turn it into business

23:09 It is hard when you turn it into business and may start to hate it

23:26 I had 2 years where I hated comedy but managed to push myself through it

24:04 I need help, I need a team and to delegate – first steps what to do?

25:00 You start not liking what you do – you do not have time to do your special sauce

25:28 Wants to do art, paint, write or sing. I need to build a team around it

26:07 Leader of the team and also a CEO and also be the artist too

26:36 You need to embrace – that you are the leader or have a partner – and you are the head artist

27:00 If you are just starting off – it is hard to just do the painting and you do the business

27:16 My business background helped to lean back to it, but not good at delegating and leadership

27:38 Leadership of people and business administration

28:00 Some skills were missing and I was unsure

28:12 You do not know if it is going to work

28:31 Very stressed and getting upset and "protectionist" and scared and insecure

29:00 Education of myself – studying leadership and how to guide and lead people

29:19 You know how to help the people around you the best

29:47 Decentralized command in your team – opposite for micromanagement

30:30 True path through this is to mentor and empower and trust them to make the correct decisions

educate how things are done and trust they can do the best they can – delegate and give that faith

31:02 It is simple but not easy – stop doing it myself – make time to help them – to give my experience

31:28 I am fast – explain the basics – do that much better. Trust you to do it

31:48 People work better – given trust, responsibility – do well

32:23 Dip into patience

33:20 Try to take a breath before reacting and taking a step back

33:38 Do I need to yell straight away or give the negative opinion? Take a sip of water

34:04 How can I have a new perspective?

34:33 Intent what he needs – but not all the steps. Work out the steps on themselves

35:19 Activate their initiative and creativity

35:38 Best way to grow someone is to give them responsibility

36:02 They will rise to that level

36:25 Lead your business in Estonia without speaking Estonian

36:53 Special challenge or strength?

37:06 Turn it into a positive

37:21 People are laughing

37:40 Rhythm, body language, flow

38:10 View the artist more holistically and be detached

38:54 Did the audience like it?

39:12 Team knows what they need to do and they make it happen

39:30 They fill me in what I need to know

39:45 Detached leadership style

40:00 Great comedians and great culture between them while they help each other

40:18 If you being reasonable and you are nice and you will be invited in

40:41 Group helps themselves

40:56 I do my own comedy – so they can see me in action

41:05 We have created this great culture

41:22 Estonians working with each other?

42:01 Our top comedians are young people – in their twenties

42:22 Foreigner may be a factor

42:40 Sander Õigus, Ari Matti Mustonen – they have a good attitude – want to help one another

43:01 Sander and Ari coming together

43:16 He is an amazing Estonian artist

43:33 As a comedian you start to change words – and manipulate them and bend them and change the order

43:51 Sander was the first who put the Estonian language to adapt it to stand up comedy

44:23 Myself – outsider, international perspective

44:49 50% of life is luck

45:00 So much of it is what happens

45:29 When we set up the culture – people will follow – giving respect

45:49 I am a role model

46:02 We are silly, poking each other – where is the line between teasing and bullying?

46:32 Example from the past of the contrary

47:20 That individual has become far better comedian

47:43 Huge lesson – we do not want negativity

48:11 Can you say Estonian words?

49:00 Comedy Estonia building was my gift

49:12 Minu nimi on Louis, ma olen austraallane ja elan Tallinnas

49:50 Therapy trick from Crystal's husband practicing Estonian

50:48 1 million Estonians speaking Estonian

51:00 1 million people have their own country – two blocks in NYC

51:14 Seat in UN and European Union - can you imagine?

51:58 Everyone in Estonia need more laughter!

52:17 Comedy Estonia – www.zezeran.com

52:56 How can I detach from this moment and how can you detach and calm down and consider what the other person is saying?

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To read more about Louis check out these pages: 

www.facebook.com/louiszezeran

www.zezeran.com

www.anchorfm/comedyguy

www.comedyestonia.com

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