Originally published in the Solterra Stroll, this profile has been updated for online readers.

Ross Shafer is a man of many titles—six-time Emmy® Award–winning comedian, bestselling author, successful entrepreneur, and now, proud Solterra resident. From growing a career that spans stand-up comedy to high-stakes business consulting, Ross brings a unique blend of humor and hustle to everything he touches. With a sharp wit, a relentless drive for reinvention, and a deep love for family, Ross is a master of turning life’s detours into unforgettable punchlines.

A Family-First Funny Man

Ross Shafer might be a national name, but to him, family comes first. “I have three children—and thankfully, none of them followed in my career footsteps,” he jokes.

His son Adam Shafer owns a mortgage company in Washington and has two children with his wife, Holly. Ryan Shafer, a Digital Marketing Executive at Levi Strauss, also has two children with his wife, Anh. Lauren Shafer, the youngest, is pursuing her education at the University of Colorado Boulder. Despite his achievements, Ross beams with pride over his role as a father and grandfather.

Ross made the move to Solterra just five months ago to be closer to his fiancée, Allison Dalvit. “I absolutely love this community,” he says. “The Italian-style architecture, the scenic clubhouse, the views of the mountains, and being so close to downtown Denver—it’s everything I was looking for.”

Business Brilliance (With a Side of Humor)

Raised by a German father and a Blackfoot Indian mother, Ross learned early that resilience and a sense of humor were critical tools for success.His father wanted to fly airplanes but couldn’t afford lessons, so he bought plans for a full-size aerobatic biplane and built it in their garage—for $100. When the plane was finished, he taught himself to fly in airshows.

“My dad only had a 10th-grade education,” says Ross. “But he didn’t let that stop him from achieving great things...When I saw my dad fly upside down for 1,000 people, I knew my life had no limits.”

Ross caught the entrepreneurial bug early. By third grade, he was buying junk bikes and skateboards to refurbish and flip. In college, he bought his first house with a $600 down payment and sold it for a $10,000 profit. At 22, he bought a bankrupt stereo shop and added a pet store in the back—branding it as “Woofers & Tweeters.” ( Yes, really).

That kind of creative marketing became his calling card—and it led to buying and selling 23 businesses. “Make ’em laugh and they’ll remember you longer than any paid ad ever will,” Ross says.

From Open Mic to Emmy Gold

After a stressful week as a young entrepreneur, Ross wandered into a comedy club for relief. He had so much fun, he thought: “What if I could make strangers laugh? That sounds like a fun job.”

He obsessively studied comedy, taped late-night sets, and performed at open mics. Within two years, he was headlining. Five years in, he hosted his own Emmy-winning talk show, Almost Live! on NBC.

When ratings dipped, Ross turned to marketing again. He started a campaign to change the Washington State song to the rock anthem “Louie, Louie”. The stunt went viral, landing him on national talk shows. Esquire Magazine even gave the movement its Dubious Achievement Award.

The campaign’s success brought in new opportunities—from hosting Match Game on ABC to emceeing Days End and The Fox Late Show, competing directly against legends like Johnny Carson and David Letterman.

Ross has performed across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Europe, and even in Saudi Arabia. One highlight?

“Sharing the stage with my comedy heroes like George Carlin, Albert Brooks, Jonathan Winters, and Shelley Berman. It was one of the most surreal, validating nights of my life,” says Ross. Also in attendance?  Ross’s friends Bill Maher, Jay Leno, Drew Carey, Richard Lewis, and Kevin Nealon.

A Star Is Born… and It Wasn’t Ross

While producing Almost Live!, Ross hired a quirky Boeing engineer as a comedy writer named Bill.

“He didn’t contribute much until one night our lead guest canceled. Billy said he could do something funny with liquid nitrogen,” Ross recounts. “I thought, is this guy a terrorist?”

Ross improvised: “Please welcome a staff member we like to call… Bill Nye the Science Guy!”

The rest is history. Bill Nye became a cultural icon and recent recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Best-Selling Author (Accidentally)

Ross never set out to write books, but after repeated requests from corporate audiences, he wrote ten. Three became bestsellers:

• Are You Relevant?
• Nobody Moved Your Cheese
• Cook Like a Stud

“The other seven? They look great on a shelf,” he quips.

The Secret to Success?

“Resilience, enthusiasm, and confident effort is the difference between being fulfilled and being miserable.” Ross adds,  “Getting to the summit of any profession has a myriad of challenges, lots of rejection, and taking risks. You might experience a broken dream. Just keep working. Nobody fails in their career. Some people just quit too soon.”

What’s Next?

Ross is currently a high-demand keynote speaker, corporate comedian, emcee, and game show host. He’s also working on a new stand-up comedy special. From rebuilding brands to punchlines and presentations, his story is one of reinvention—and it’s far from over. Just don’t ask him to fix your stereo or fly a biplane.

Looking to energize your team, inspire your leaders, or bring unforgettable humor to your next event?
Ross Shafer is not just a six-time Emmy® Award–winning comedian—he’s a business reinvention expert who knows how to connect with audiences on both a personal and professional level. Whether you need a motivational keynote speaker, a quick-witted emcee, or HR-safe corporate comedy that brings real ROI, Ross delivers presentations that educate and entertain.

Don’t settle for a generic speaker—book someone with real credentials and unmatched versatility. Hire Ross Shafer for your next event!

The post Meet Ross Shafer: Solterra’s Newest Neighbor appeared first on Ross Shafer, Funny Motivational Speaker - Official Website.

…I didn’t know that writing jokes and telling carefully crafted stories were being noticed by my heroes. So, I was blown away when The Tonight Show Host, Johnny Carson, sent me a handwritten note saying, “I like your stuff.”

Some writers and authors have a knack for using language that can really move people. Some writers and authors have been able to influence millions with their words alone. What does it take to become an effective and successful author or writer?

In this interview series, called “5 Things You Need To Be A Successful Author or Writer” we are talking to successful authors and writers who can share lessons from their experiences.

As part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Ross Shafer. Ross Shafer is a former headlining standup comedian and Emmy-winning talk and game show host. He has written (11) books on performance, market growth, customer friction, and leadership. Ross’s latest book (2021), co-authored by Allison Dalvit, is titled: “RATTLED — Crazy A** Stories of Extreme Resilience to Help You go from Shook to Solid.”

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?

As a 10-year-old, I was a secret smart ass. When I heard adults talking, I thought they were boring. So, I would whisper wisecracks to myself. As I got older, I stopped whispering and would finish other kid’s sentences with non-sequitur remarks. My friends would laugh because my words and thoughts surprised them. From then on, my school writing assignments were sprinkled with surprises the teacher didn’t see coming. The revelation that “properly placed” words could illicit emotions like laughter and tears, was my gateway into a standup comedy style. Winning standup comedy competitions led to hosting TV shows. TV became a platform for writing books. And the books propelled me into becoming an Intl. corporate keynote speaker. Every jump in my career came as a result of being able to tightly string the right words together.

Can you share the most interesting story that occurred to you in the course of your career?

I didn’t know that writing jokes and telling carefully crafted stories were being noticed by my heroes. So, I was blown away when The Tonight Show Host, Johnny Carson, sent me a handwritten note saying, “I like your stuff.” Jay Leno told me, “You’re one of the funniest guys I know.” I got the same comment from President George H.W. Bush and actor Michael J. Fox. Practically all of my media heroes acted like they knew who I was. Getting that kind of acceptance was the greatest validation an aspiring writer/performer could hear.

What was the biggest challenge you faced in your journey to becoming a writer?

The greatest challenge for any writer has to be editing. In the beginning, I was disorganized and overwrote everything as if I was recording my life in real time. I suffered a lot of rejection because editors would say, “You take too long to get to the point.”

How did you overcome it?

An editor for a local paper took me under his wing and said, “You can cut out half the words in your story and nobody will miss them. He was right. A shorter story was more dramatic and read faster. He also told me, “Stop burying the lead of the story.” I didn’t know what that meant until he explained, “I want you to grab the reader by the throat in your first sentence. The backstory doesn’t get the reader’s attention. Before anything else, tell me who died or who was rescued. Brutal editing gave my stories more pace and tension. And, I got a raise! More money motivated me to be brief and interesting.

Can you share a story about that that other aspiring writers can learn from?

As a standup comedian I was doing pretty well on my own but I wanted to make the leap the TV Show circuit but I didn’t know how to do it. A fellow comic, Wil Durst, told me to spend time with a comedy coach named Jim Richardson in San Francisco. Jim made me watch three dozen comedians who were guests on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. We would use a stopwatch to count how many laughs per minute these comics would get. Six laughs per minute was the magic number. I went to work shaving down the set-ups of my jokes to fit that formula. And it worked! I thought a pretty funny 20 minutes but when I cut it down to 8 minutes I was immediately funnier and my career took off like a rocket. I’d encourage every writer to read your favorite authors and take note of how they exercise brevity to structure their characters, their chapters, and their words. If you want to write a book or a story that is a “page-turner” edit out every single word that doesn’t drive your idea forward.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I was the opening comedy act for hit singer Eddie Rabbitt (Driving my Life Away). Each night I would hear him tell the audience: “People ask me if my name is really Rabbitt. Yes, it is. We are known as the Rabbits of Tennessee.” It didn’t get a laugh and I thought he was wasting what could be a funny moment. One day, I thought of a joke for Eddie. The joke was, “People ask me if Rabbitt is my real name. It is. It was tough growing up with the last name Rabbit. It was especially hard for my sister, Bunny.” He loved that joke and couldn’t wait to tell it on stage that night. Sadly, Eddie told it like this, “Rabbit is my real name and it was really hard for Bunny Rabbitt…that’s my sister’s name, Bunny Rabbitt.”

That lesson underscores how important word placement is to a story. In a joke, the last word (punchline) is what reveals the unexpected surprise. I wrote the joke to send the listener in the wrong direction. The last word pays off the set up with his sister’s name. Eddie revealed a confusing punchline too soon. If you want to build tension into humor or drama, wait until the last word or two to jolt the reader.

In your opinion, were you a “natural born writer” or did you develop that aptitude later on? Can you explain what you mean?

I wasn’t a natural born writer. I was a natural born listener. I could find humor in the context of a conversation. But I didn’t know how to put down on paper what I wanted to say, in the proper order. It took time to acquire a toolbox of writing forms to choose from. Every writer should learn how to employ the devices of simile, paradox, non-sequitur, context, metaphor, juxtaposition, red herring, distinct character traits, and authentic sounding dialog. Those tools will keep the story interesting for the reader…and for you.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

Myself and my co-author, Allison Dalvit, just finished my 11th book: “RATTLED — Crazy A** Stories of Extreme Resilience to Help You go from Shook To Solid.” This is the book we always wanted to write for our five children. RATTLED is a jaggged tour of our lives…the tragedies….the triumphs…and how we got back up when our collective asses got kicked hard. Every writer who has made a living ‘writing on assignment’ has always wanted to finally sit down a write a tale they think needs to be written…without worrying if it will be a commercial success or not. For us, this was an 19-month project we did during the Covid lockdown. We are extraordinarily happy with how it turned out.

Here is the main question of our interview. Based on your experience, what are the “5 Things You Need To Be A Successful Author or Writer”? Please share a story or example for each.

1. EXTREME DISCIPLINE: In my lifetime, I have studied who succeeds, who fails, and why either of those outcomes happened. I did it as an observational kid. I did it in high school and became our Student Body President. As a college football player, I saw what differentiated the best players from the rest. The hardest workers never wavered from their plan. They ate well and got more sleep. They got to the gym early. They studied more game film. If they screwed up, they had a short memory for failure and went back on the field to do better. The same is true in writing. When I was a comedian, the two hardest working joke writers were always Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno. Both of them were very busy performers. With their cross-country travel schedules many of us wondered how they could have time to write? However, they never went a day without spending hours writing new material…often times into the middle of the night. Today, they are arguably the happiest and wealthiest comedians in the world.

2. REWRITE, REWRITE, REWRITE: Writing is hard. Most times it’s a lonely pursuit. There is nothing worse than writing in a vacuum. If you are the only judge of your writing, how do you know if it’s any good? At some point you will have an editor who can help you get through the rough spots. But I also have a few trusted pals who are willing to read my first and fifth drafts. They tell me when a passage doesn’t make sense or when I’ve under-explained a core premise and when I have repeated myself. All I can say is, don’t trust that your first draft will be your last.

3. KILL YOUR EGO: Writers cannot have a thin skin. If you want to be a great writer you will have to risk your fragile ego in order to put your unbridled imagination on paper. In the beginning of my career, I was afraid to do or write anything that would embarrass my father. I admired my dad and he was the judge by whom I measured all success. I had graduated from college and took a job as an advertising copywriter. One night I went to a comedy club and left thinking, “That was amazing! I bet I could do that.” Months later, (and countless open-mic nights) I was finally moonlighting as a comic. When my dad showed up at a smokey nightclub to see my act, he was disgusted, “You are gonna blow up your college degree for something like this? Are you on drugs?” No, I wasn’t on drugs. I was trying to find something more rewarding than writing men’s T-Shirt ads. At some point I had to kill my ego — stop trying to let my father force my path. For years, he would look at me and shake his head. Finally, he was proud of me when I was named the host of a big league network talk show…a TV show I couldn’t have landed if I hadn’t logged hundreds of hours in smokey nightclubs.

4. DON’T GET MARRIED TO YOUR BOOK TITLE TOO EARLY: It is a mistake to give your embryonic book a title even before you have written the book. If you title the book too early you will try to write to the title instead of letting ‘the book’ find its own way. I’ll use my current book RATTLED as an example. For months, we were living with the title, TWO WORDS. The premise was that we could crystallize all manner of fresh advice into simple two-word phrases. As the book’s content evolved, the less we liked our title. That led to dozens of alternative titles. We couldn’t agree on a single one. Then, we looked at our book through a totally different lens; a lens that made us focus on the real guts of the book. It wasn’t about the two words. It was about the trials in life we manage to overcome. One word, RATTLED, said it all. We could finally get some sleep.

5. DO YOUR OWN MARKETING: Nobody will care more about your writing than you do. So, don’t expect that some company will hear about your book idea and volunteer to make it into a bestseller. I’ve been paid an advance from major book publishers who exercised control over the content, the title, editing, and the marketing. I’ve also self-published books so I could take a chance with my own instincts. In both cases, if I wanted the books to actually sell, I had to dig in and promote the books myself. That’s just how it is. If you don’t know how to promote your book, learn. The web is full of “How To Sell Books” and “Best Author Practices” articles and videos. You can also publicize your book on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, and by contacting “influencers” who will review your book for a price. Contact your local bookstore and offer to do a book signing. Propose a book event where you, the author, shows up and reads passages from your own book. Otherwise, you will grow old and sad waiting for the extra books in your garage to sell themselves.

What is the one habit you believe contributed the most to you becoming a great writer? (i.e. perseverance, discipline, play, craft study). Can you share a story or example?

Discipline for sure. But not just the discipline of establishing a daily writing goal. For me, it’s the discipline of constantly being mindful, “What’s in this for the reader?” “What value am I providing for the reader?” “Am I making the reader care about this subject?” “Does the reader want the protagonist to win?” “Is the reader going to stop reading because I am over explaining?” I never adopt any arrogance about my writing. Quite the opposite. I think writers should approach the project with humility and curiosity. Most writers know that the story will likely evolve. As writers we should always be surprised by what comes off the page next. That comes from my standup days. I would write jokes for hours — jokes I thought would “destroy” the audience that night. But in the end, the audience always judged whether I was funny or not.

Which literature do you draw inspiration from? Why?

As a kid, it was comic books. I probably had 300 comic books. I loved the heroes and the villains. I loved the drama and the story lines. I even loved it when the cover would say, “Superman Dies!” Even though I knew that was impossible, I suspended reality until I finished the last page. Today, I am drawn to whodunnit crime dramas. (Elmore Leonard, Dan Brown, David Baldacci, Arthur Conan Doyle), I love to learn something and not be able to predict the ending.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

This was a question my coauthor and I thought about a lot when writing RATTLED. It was cathartic writing gut wrenching stories we had locked away for decades. We would like to start a movement where OTHER PEOPLE would have a place to tell THEIR stories of triumph over tragedy — a series of RATTLED books for teens, grandparents, couples, etc. We don’t want other people’s life lessons to be lost to their own families. There is a legacy in every family. A legacy that would inspire children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren to know how their ancestors lived, loved, worked, and survived.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

www.RossShafer.com is the website. Allison and I have a fun, short web tv series we publish each week on www.YouTube.com/User/RossShafer

Thank you so much for this. This was very inspiring!

Note: This article incorporates insights from Ross Shafer’s interview in Authority Magazine, which can be read here.​

The post 5 Things You Need To Be A Successful Author or Writer appeared first on Ross Shafer, Funny Motivational Speaker - Official Website.

An Interview With Fotis Georgiadis of Authority Magazine

Meet Ross Shafer

Ross Shafer is an Emmy-winning television host, best-selling author, and former stand-up comedian turned keynote speaker. With over 2,500 paid speeches and 11 published books—including his latest, RATTLED — Crazy A** Stories of Extreme Resilience—Ross has helped thousands of professionals and executives navigate performance, leadership, and reinvention.

“Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to get to know you better.”

Q: Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
I grew up in Oregon and Washington State. My parents were hilarious and hosted their friends regularly. At seven, they enrolled me in accordion lessons, and I became the house performer. Countless times, my dad would wake me up at midnight to come down and have me play “Lady of Spain” for his coworkers. That early exposure to “the stage” erased any fear of public performance—and gave me an edge when I ran for student body president later on.

Q: What led you to this career path?
After college I was determined to become a millionaire. (I had no idea how to do that). I started in business, buying and selling 23 bankrupt companies. But a chance visit to a comedy club rekindled my love for performing. I eventually won a comedy competition in Seattle, toured with stars like Diana Ross, and hosted national TV shows like Match Game and Almost Live. When the comedy boom waned, I fused my business smarts with my performance chops—and became a corporate keynote speaker.

Q: What’s the most interesting experience you’ve had as a speaker?
Having lunch at the Vienna Opera House—where Mozart once performed—before giving a paid talk there. The travel perks and global exposure are definitely career highlights. I’ve been flown first class to give speeches in Paris, France, London, England, Johannesburg, South Africa, Dharan & Riyad, Saudi Arabia, and Vienna, Austria.

Q: Funniest early mistake?
Speaking at the Mall of America with a terrible PA system and scattered audience.I heard no laughs. I saw no smiles. I did see a fair amount of Chamber members get up and leave. Even though I was dying on stage, I pretended I was charmed and thrilled to be there. I finished my 60-minute set in 24 minutes, thinking I nailed it. I learned: Always assess the venue. Ask the right questions. Sound, seating, and environment matter.

Q: Who helped you along the way?
Nobody succeeds alone. Early on, I got a lot of encouragement from a comedy team of Mack Dryden and Jamie Alcroft. Seattle comedians Mike Neun and George Miller were mentors who guided me to my first network TV appearance. Comedians and friends like Jay Leno made big time standup success accessible for me. In the speaking world, Joe Griffith taught me how to market myself as a corporate speaker—he told me to join NSA and create a hilarious cassette tape. (Yes, tape!)

Q: What advice do you have for aspiring speakers?
Be bold. Practice by speaking for free at places like the Jaycees, Kiwanis Clubs, or community college business classes. It’ll take 90–100 speeches before you’re ready to charge. Know your material. Know your audience.

Q: What keeps you going?
Now that I’ve reached financial stability, my drive is legacy and impact. It is a privilege to be paid to speak to an audience and I take that responsibility seriously. My life has been a roller coaster. I’ve failed, been broke, and rebuilt—and my message of resilience resonates because it’s real. I speak to help people bounce back from adversity.

Q: What’s next for you?
Allison Dalvit and I released RATTLED — Crazy A** Stories of Extreme Resilience to Help You go from Shook To Solid, written during lockdown. It’s the book we wanted our five kids to have—stories of real-life grit. We hope to inspire a series of RATTLED books for other groups: teens, couples, veterans, and more.

Ok, thank you for all that. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective Public Speaker?”

Ross Shafer’s “5 Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective Public Speaker”

1. Confidence
When I first went to comedy clubs, I was curious to see why some comedians snagged the headliner spot (highest paid) while others were stuck for years as “opening acts.” Confidence was the differentiator.Confidence calms the audience. Even if you’re nervous (you probably are), practice until you appear unshakable. Fake it until it becomes real.

2. Structure
As a young comedian I was hired as the opening act for deep-voiced singer Lou Rawls. One night he came into my dressing room to give me some advice. Lou said, “You have some funny stuff but you need some structure, man. Your funniest bits are in the middle and your act gets weaker at the end. If you want people to remember you, you have to have an unforgettable closer.”

Build your talk like a great concert. Open with your second-best material, end with your best. People remember how you finish. (Thanks, Lou!)

3. Credibility
If you say something bold, back it up. Use research, stories, and stats. Your authority depends on trust.

4. Consistency
No excuses. Even on a bad day, it’s your job to deliver. The audience doesn’t owe you energy—you owe them value. I mentored a talented young speaker who was finally getting some companies to pay him to speak When he tanked, he blamed it on the audience and told me he was having an “off day.” I said, “Professional speakers don’t have “off days.” Blaming your failure on the audience was assigning blame to the wrong people. It is not the audience’s responsibility to make you great. That’s on you.” Effective speakers take responsibility for making the speech great without excuses.

5. Humility
Don’t let success go to your head. Entitlement kills careers. Treat every audience like they matter—because they do. My humble advice is to be nice to everybody, all of the time.

Bonus Tips From Ross: How To Overcome Fear of Public Speaking

1. Know your first five words cold. They’ll launch you once you start talking, you’ll realize you can continue the rest of your talk.

2. Remember: nerves are invisible. Even legends like Johnny Carson were anxious backstage, with heart rates of 145 beats per minute, but nobody saw anything but cool, collected Johnny Carson. People don’t notice your nerves either.

3. Repetition is your secret weapon. Rehearse until your message becomes second nature.

Want More Ross Shafer?

Contact us to book Ross for your next event, or pick up a copy of RATTLED on Amazon. For aspiring speakers, don’t miss Ross’s speaker training tips on his YouTube channel.

Read the full interview with Ross Shafer at Authority Magazine!

The post 5 Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective Public Speaker appeared first on Ross Shafer, Funny Motivational Speaker - Official Website.