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If it ain’t broke... maybe fix it?

Why top performers keep tweaking, even when things work.

Author

Kevin Hubschmann
June 25, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

In this issue of the Laugh.Rx newsletter, we’re diving into the power of small changes to drive big growth.

Whether you’re pitching to your team, interviewing for a job, or just negotiating bedtime with a toddler - you’ve got a schtick. Comics are a prime example that you don’t need a full rewrite, just one small tweak.

For Jumanji fans out there (not that Kevin Hart / The Rock garbage), the Workplace Meme of the Week will hit different.

LAUGHING & DEVELOPMENT

If it ain’t broke… maybe fix it?

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” was probably first said by someone who was about to go on vacation.

In business, once a pitch or presentation works, it’s tempting to run it on autopilot. Lord knows I’m guilty of this, especially when a client asks for a call at the crack of 8am. 

But comics know better: growth lives in the small, creative tweaks you sneak in alongside the hits. Jerry Seinfeld described it perfectly:

❝

“If I can get them to accept me, a lot of times I’ll take off on routines that I do normally and change them and take them a different way.”

- Jerry Seinfeld (Sick in the Head)

Trying something new has its risks - bombing is part of the bargain. That said, that feeling of being uncomfortable is also valuable. The more you hang out in that “uh-oh, this is tanking” space, the easier the next experiment feels. 

Mark Normand calls it building calluses:

I borrowed this playbook while refining my Laughing & Development pitch. The word “improv” fell flat and “comedy skills” sounded fluffy, so I logged five alternatives and tested one per call. Only the name changed - everything else remained the same.

“Laughing & Development” turned out clearer and easier to rally around - and bookings jumped. The four duds weren’t wasted; now I know what not to do. It’s all useful.

❝

"You will use everything you ever knew. You’ll fail at something and then later go, ‘Oh, I see how that’s useful.’"

- Steven Martin (Born Standing Up)

Top performers evolve slowly and intentionally - not with a full overhaul but with a single sentence, a new hook, a different opening slide.

Give it a go

Here’s what this might look like for you in a non-comedy setting:

  • Ask a new question that sparks better answers

  • Add a data point to build credibility

  • Personalize your pitch with a quick story

If it ain’t broke, don’t be complacent. 

WORKPLACE MEME OF THE WEEK

Disclaimer: These are memes submitted by real attendees from Workday Update describing their year. If you relate to them, please take a lunch break (or a Laugh Break).

TAKE A LAUGH BREAK

Disclaimer: No offense is ever meant—just a laugh I couldn’t keep to myself.

Sometimes getting picked on at a comedy club is someone’s worst nightmare. In this sketch, the roles are reversed.

See ya next week,