ONE NSU MAGAZINE TOP 10 IMPROV TIPS FOR EXECUTIVES • Be fully invested when listening to a conversation. You can find many relatable things that can further your relationship with clients, friends, family members, or coworkers. • You are not a solo act. People need people. Find those who have a similar vision to yours. • N ever fully shut down ideas from those around you. Say yes and see where it takes you. • Trust is a large part of working with others and leading a group. • Surround yourself with people who uplift and motivate you—not those who drain or hold you back. Progress means moving forward, not in reverse. • Every moment matters. Make sure you are paying attention. • Failure is completely necessary in our lives. Take these failures head-on and learn from them. • Problems are future solutions. • No two people are the same. Pay close attention to both behavior and verbal cues. It may seem tedious at times, but these relationships deserve care and respect. • Commit to the bit—stick with what you start. Set your goals, put yourself out there, and stay the course. bring improv masters from Los Angeles and Chicago to do workshops and shows in Broward County. One thing This Is Improv excels at is ‘training the trainers,’ essentially showing leaders new ways to communicate with each other and those they lead. We have led similar improv workshops for several NSU colleges, which give students and staff members new tools they can use to collaborate and build incredible things together.” Through This Is Improv, the sisters give back to the community by volunteering their talents to a range of organizations, including the Florida Breast Cancer Foundation, the Dan Marino Foundation, the NSU Alvin Sherman Library, and Kids In Distress. They also return to NSU frequently to mentor and provide workshops for current students. GHOST TOURS— AND MORE In addition to running This Is Improv, the sisters are still indelibly involved with their mom’s company Ballonatics, Inc. Alexandra Zadak serves as director of design, while Angelica Zadak serves as event coordinator. As if they weren’t busy enough, the sisters also created an off-shoot enterprise called Historical & Ghost Tours by This Is Improv, which allows attendees to learn about Davie’s history, mysteries, and ghost stories during an immersive walking tour. “We did some research using references at the Alvin Sherman Library and the Old Davie School Museum. Just as we were approaching our first tour date, however, COVID-19 shut everything down, which stopped the tour but led to This Is Improv starting the podcast This Is Legends of Yesterday,” they explained. The podcast “served as a fun way to research Florida and how amazing and strange it can be. Because we’re history nerds, we created characters called the ConspiraSisters, which we used to create parody sketches on our YouTube channel,” they continued. “In 2022, these characters became the hosts of our ghost tour. We partnered with the Old Davie School Museum in 2024, so we currently hold our Legends of Yesterday Ghost Tour every fourth Friday of the month.” According to the sisters, their allegiance to giving back to NSU is lifelong. “As NSU alumni, we are honored to come back and continue working with the people who have done so much for us,” they said. “One group we’ve been working with as board members is the Alvin Sherman Library’s Circle of Friends, which comprises a group of determined and kind individuals, community leaders, and business leaders who expand and advance the resources and programs at the Alvin Sherman Library.” Although not everyone is going to be a fan of improvisation, Angelica Zadak believes it’s important to “keep exploring your sense of play and what feels fun for you. Play is so integral to who we are,” she stressed. “We learn about ourselves, each other, and the world through play. Keep playing. Keep learning. Keep exploring. Keep evolving. And above all else, have fun!” 59
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