What Improv Has Taught Me “Yes, And”—In Business and Life
- Ailsa Bracken
- 20 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Years ago when I left San Francisco State University after my freshman year, I moved back home to the San Fernando Valley, feeling unsure about what came next.
I hadn’t figured out my major yet, and if I’m honest, I felt a little lost.
I enrolled at Moorpark College in the hopes that I'd figure things out.
While scanning the course catalog, one class caught my eye: improv. I decided it might be a fun way to step out of my comfort zone, and maybe make a few friends along the way.
I had no idea it would end up changing the trajectory of my life.
Before long, I was invited to join the college’s improv group, Improv-A-Sutra.
It was here that I found a community of creative, supportive people, made lifelong friends, and somewhere along the way, improv opened another door: an interview at a small local web design company called Border7.
The role was initially for a part-time sales consultant.
When I first heard about it, my immediate thought was: I like playing video games and I know my way around a computer… but I don’t actually know much about web design.
That could have been the end of the story. Instead, I leaned into one of the core principles of improv: Yes, And.
What “Yes, And” Really Means
At its core, “Yes, And” is a mindset shift.
Saying “no” can feel safe. It can feel like a way of protecting yourself, avoiding risk, or maintaining control. But that instinct can also hold you back from growth, collaboration, and new opportunities.
“Yes, and” pushes you in the opposite direction. It encourages you to stay open, curious, and willing to build on what’s happening around you.
In improv, the concept is simple:
“Yes” = acceptance
“And” = contribution
It’s not about agreeing with everything someone says. It’s about acknowledging what’s been offered and then adding something meaningful to move things forward.
In other words, it’s about building instead of blocking.
Conversations—whether on stage, in business, or in everyday life—are built on give and take.
You listen first, then you contribute.
When you simply say “no” without offering anything else, the interaction stops. The flow disappears.
But when you respond with curiosity and add something to the moment, the conversation grows. People feel heard. They feel safe contributing their own ideas.
Over time, this habit shapes you into someone who looks for possibilities instead of problems, and those are the people everyone wants to work with.
How “Yes, And” Shows Up in Business
Once I started working at Border7, I began noticing how often improv principles show up in business.
Running a business is a lot like stepping onto an improv stage. You rarely have a perfect script. Plans change, clients have new ideas, technology evolves, and sometimes things simply don’t work the way you expected.
In those moments, you have a choice: block the moment with “no,” or move the story forward with “yes, and.”
A client might come to you with an idea outside the original plan.
The instinct might be to say, “No, that won’t work.”
A “Yes, And” mindset sounds more like: “Yes, that’s an interesting direction—and here’s how we could make it work on your website.”
Instead of shutting down the conversation, you turn it into a collaboration.
The same thing happens when something goes wrong, which, in business, something inevitably will.
A campaign doesn’t perform as well as you'd hoped, something takes longer than expected, or a strategy needs to pivot.
You could respond with frustration or self-doubt.
Or you can respond with: “Yes, that didn’t go the way I hoped, and here’s what I’m learning from it.”
That small shift keeps you moving forward, turns setbacks into lessons, and fosters creativity and resilience, the same qualities that make businesses thrive.
How “Yes, And” Helps Me Handle Challenges
If there’s one thing running a business guarantees, it’s that things won’t always go according to plan. Ideas flop. Something ends up taking longer than expected.
Sometimes you pour energy into something that simply doesn’t work.
Earlier in my career, those moments felt like proof that I had made a mistake or wasn’t good enough.
It’s easy to spiral into “I should have known better” or “Maybe this isn’t going to work.”
But, improv trained my brain to respond differently.
Instead of treating setbacks like the end of the scene, I learned to treat them like the next line: Yes, this didn’t work the way I expected, and what can I do next?
That question shifts you from frustration into problem-solving. It gives you permission to adapt instead of giving up. And it reminds you that progress usually happens through experimentation, not perfection.
“Yes, And” in Real Life
The lessons don’t stop at work.
Parenting, relationships, and everyday life rarely go according to plan. Kids have their own ideas. Plans change. Energy dips. Priorities shift.
“I hear you, you’re upset. Let’s figure out what will help.”
"Today feels chaotic, and we’ll still find moments of joy.”
The “Yes, And” mindset helps you respond with curiosity and openness instead of frustration.
It doesn’t mean you agree with everything or say yes to every request, it simply means you stay open long enough to build something better from what’s in front of you.
Over time, it changes how you move through the world. You become someone who looks for possibilities instead of problems, collaborates instead of competes, and keeps the scene moving forward.
And honestly, isn't that kind of life a lot more interesting than playing it safe?
The Takeaway
Life, business, and relationships aren’t about perfect scripts or always knowing the next move.
They’re about showing up, listening, and being willing to build on what’s in front of you.
Saying “Yes, And” doesn’t just help ideas grow, it helps you grow too. It turns setbacks into lessons, challenges into opportunities, and ordinary moments into something extraordinary.
The next time you feel stuck, uncertain, or unsure, remember: the scene isn’t over.
There’s always a way forward. Yes, and… what’s next?
