The Challenges of Growing a Comedy Business in Montreal (and What I've Learned So Far)

When I started Laugh It Off MTL in fall 2025, it was one host night at Bar Mollie in the Plateau. Today we run English and French standup shows across nearly 10 bars and restaurants in the city.

That growth has been amazing. It's also been a lot.

I've been doing standup in Montreal for about 10 years, so I figured I knew this scene pretty well. And I did, from the stage. Producing is a whole different job. You're the designer, the marketer, the booker, the person talking to the venue, and the person making sure the mic actually works.

Here's what I've learned along the way.

Finding the Right Look for Your Brand

People decide whether they're coming to a show before they ever step in the room. Most of the time, the first thing they see is a poster on their feed. If that doesn't grab them, you've lost them.

A lot of people lean on AI for visuals these days, and I get it. It's fast. Personally, I prefer building everything from scratch in Canva. It takes longer, but it feels like mine, and I think audiences can tell the difference.

My best inspiration comes from scrolling social media. When a post makes me stop, I ask myself why. Is it the colors? The layout? The way it tells you the vibe of the night in one second? I'm not copying anyone. I'm learning from what works and figuring out how to make it fit our brand.

The biggest lesson here is consistency. When someone sees our amber, red, and black, I want them to know it's a Laugh It Off show before they read a single word.

Learning Skills I Never Thought I'd Need

I never saw myself as a copywriter. Now I write captions, event descriptions, emails, ads, and yes, blog posts like this one.

Writing jokes helps. Both are about saying more with fewer words. But selling a show is its own skill, and I'm still learning it every week.

Then there's filling the room.

Montreal is one of the best comedy cities in the world. That's a blessing and a challenge. On any given night, there are tons of great shows competing for the same audience. You can't just post a show and hope people show up. You have to give them a reason to pick yours.

What I've learned: marketing isn't separate from the show. It's part of the show. If nobody's in the seats, it doesn't matter how funny the lineup is.

Working With Venues

Venues aren't just a place to put a microphone. They're partners. They're giving you their space, their staff, and their night.

That means setting expectations on both sides. I need certain things to run a good show for the audience: working sound, a room where people can actually hear, seating that faces the stage. The venue needs the night to make sense for them too, which means people ordering drinks and food.

Both of those have to be true for a show to last.

The lesson: have the conversation early and be honest. Most problems I've run into came from expectations nobody said out loud.

It's a People Business

I love working with comics. Truly, every single one. But this is a people business, and people have different personalities. That includes mine. I have to manage my own personality just as much as anyone else's.

Sometimes people clash. It happens.

When it does, I come back to what matters most to me: the show goes well, the audience has fun, and the venue makes money.

If you don't like me, that's fine. We just need to be respectful. You don't need everyone to be your friend. You need everyone to respect the room.

The Audience Always Comes First

If there's one thing I'd want every producer and comic to take from this, it's this one.

Everything depends on the audience having a good time.

If the audience isn't having fun, they won't come back. If they don't come back, the venue doesn't make money. If the venue doesn't make money, the show ends. And if the show ends, comics lose a room to perform in, work on their material, and get better.

It's all connected. The audience is the start of the chain, so that's where my focus goes first, every single night.

Watching Comics Grow (and the Same Joke Problem)

One of the best parts of this job has been seeing so many comedians come through our rooms to test new material, improve, and grow. It's honestly been a privilege to watch.

But here's the biggest challenge I face: regulars hearing the same jokes over and over from some comics.

I understand why it happens. You have a set that works, and you want to do well. It's also not my place to tell any comic what to do unless they ask.

Still, my preference is clear, and I encourage it every chance I get: keep writing. Practice new material, refine it, test it, and keep growing. That's how we build a recurring audience, and it's how comics get booked more regularly. Fresh material gives people a reason to come back.

Take Peter Bowen. The guy is constantly writing new stuff, and he crushes every time. He's respectful, fun to work with, and hilarious on stage. Aside from being classically late (which he always lets me know about in advance, so I'll take it), he's exactly the kind of comedian I look up to and get inspired by. And he's one of many in this city who push me to do better too.

Finding the Balance

Here's the part nobody posts about.

I'm a solopreneur. I'm growing a business, working a job, and trying to have a personal life at the same time. Some weeks, that balance is harder than any show.

Giving everyone an opportunity is tough too. There are more great comics than there are spots on a lineup, and I want to be fair to all of them. I don't always get it perfect. But I'm trying, and I'll keep trying.

What I've learned is that you can't do everything at once. You pick what matters most, do it well, and build from there.

What's Next

Laugh It Off MTL is still young, and I'm still figuring a lot of this out. But every show teaches me something, and I wouldn't trade it.

If you've been to one of our shows, thank you. You're the reason any of this works.

If you haven't been yet, come see what we're building. Bring a friend. Bring two. We'll save you a seat.