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Any comedian will tell you comedy can be hard work. Adelaide’s Ben Darsow found a novel way to make it a bit easier.

 

The up-and-coming “standout” comedian honed both his business and his performance skills with support from Mission Australia’s New Enterprise Incentive Scheme (NEIS)* and started 2011 with a diary booked solid through to June.

 

“The program made it clear to me that developing as a performer and managing the business side of being a performer were very different tasks and reinforced the importance of focussing attention on both of them,” he said.

 

“It was a real transition phase. I moved from performing as a hobby for pocket money to being able to sustain a new mortgage and a suitable lifestyle solely off being a professional stand-up comedian.

 

“The mentoring and interaction with other fresh business owners really helped me with my marketing, admin and decision making about my professional direction and I feel worlds ahead of where I was 12 months ago.”

 

Immediately after completing the program Ben was able to quit his casual job and start a new work  and schedule that will include regular performances atmajor events such as the Adelaide Fringe and Melbourne Comedy Festival.

 

“Given the idea of the program is to help people progress past needing other sources of income that was uncannily fitting,” he said.

 

 

"My current momentum and positive feeling is in no small way linked to the nfvaluable time I spent on the NEIS program!"

 

  

“Most people don’t think of someone in the creative or performing arts when they think of successful small businesses but the arts add millions of dollars to the Australian economy every year and employ thousands of people.

 

“There’s no reason people with a creative gift like Ben’s can’t learn to turn their passion into a livelihood. NEIS’s was to provide the support, guidance and expertise to assist them to make a go of it and channel their talent in a targeted and professional way.”

 

Reviews suggest Ben has the comedy skills to match his new business prowess. He’s been called “a genuinely funny bugger” and “hilarious and self deprecating comedy gold”.