We were lucky to catch up with Nicole Tran recently and have shared our conversation below.

Nicole, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I learned how to become an artist through training by takings art classes such as drawing, interior design classes, fashion design classes starting the year of 2010 at community colleges located in Northern California. They are called Canada College in Redwood City, Ohlone Colleges in Fremont where they provide excellent training in Art, Performing Art.

I learned how to become a professional comedian: First, I joined a very well- known public speaking and leadership association called Toastmasters where I got training for technical presentations through power point slides, storytelling skills, humorous speech contests. Toastmasters is very well known that provides excellent public speaking skills and leadership skills for regular members. Their membership fee was only $50 for one member for six months. Being a member of Toastmasters, I improved my public speaking skills and leadership skills tremendously. Being a Toastmaster member of many clubs, I got a chance to speak at many high tech companies like Yahoo, Google, Intel, IBM, and many others. After 6 years of working on my public speaking skills, I completed 40 technical presentations and I visited so many companies in Bay Area to learn networking skills. I also competed for Humorous speeches at many high tech companies in Silicon Valley for 8 years.

Then a fellow Toastmaster invited me to a comedy club in Sunnyvale called Rooster T Feathers. I started joining comedy competition contests and I won a several ones.

Later on, I met a few professional actors who strongly encouraged me to become a professional entertainer.

Then I started developing my comedic skills further by listening to so many great professional mentors: I started taking acting, dancing, comedy scripts writing classes, improvisation, music, Accent Reduction classes at Ohlone College, Canada college, and Foothills community college.

Then 2012, I decided to move to LA to be serious about my entertainment career so I am taking acting classes at Ivana Chubbuck Studio, the Groundling Improv school, UCB Theater, commercial classes, etc.

I continue taking classes to improve my artistic skills.

I obtained my Master Degree in Business Administration. If I had known that I am good at comedic skills, singing, and my great creativity for Art, I should have obtained a different degree that means a degree in Theater, Performing Art, minor in tap and jazz dance, minor in Art. I should have taken more English writing classes, creative writing classes, improvisation classes to advance level. I also need to learn how to be savvy about social media more to promote myself.

I think the most essential skills I have learned with Toastmasters international is teamwork, great communication skills, American professionalism, speaking with confidence, networking skills, improvement of my English communication, strong artistic skills.

I wish I could speak English as my first language so my thoughts of joke writing process could have been faster.

I sometimes face bullying in the industry because I work very hard and a few colleagues have tried to play silly games to block me from being booked at comedy shows I truly deserve a spot. My hard work ethic and a my continuous training for professional development cause jealousy and I am cyber bullied and sometimes I am treated without American professionalism at comedy clubs. However, I always try to keep positive energy and cheerful attitude and I don’t allow negative energy to slow down my determination to succeed through diligence and my cheerful personality. I can be a very inspiring voice for young upcoming artist who speak English as a second language like me. I will give them the most sincere suggestions for them to succeed as well so they can listen to me about what it takes to become very skilled in a field they have chosen.

Nicole, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I got into comedy after I joined Toastmaster International Association, a very prestigious public speaking and leadership organization where I was trained to become a confident and humorous public speaker.

I started performing stand up comedy in 2013 in Bay Area, CA at small comedy clubs, theaters, wineries, restaurants.

I take my work very seriously. I hone my craft very regularly at open mics, showcases. I decided to move to LA in 2022 to be serious about my entertainment career.

Currently, I am taking acting and improvisation classes to improve my skills and at nights, I practice comedy at different venues.

What set me apart from others is I have developed my own artistic style, my cadence, and my joke delivery style.

I am very good at networking to get information about the entertainment industry.

On Feb 20 2024, I had my first comedy special taping in Sarasota Florida at Mccurdy Theater.

My most proud professional achievement is I performed music and comedy at HEB Austin Arena in front of 10,000 audience during New Year Eve 2023 and I also developed my comedy merchandise.

I am also invited to perform at some comedy clubs where I did very well and performed with other great artists.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I would love to know more about acting industry in West Hollywood such as how to get a theater agent, how to get on TV as a clean comedian, how to get booked at a more advanced comedy level,

Los Angeles is so big in many aspects in entertainment so it is hard to find out many details about topics that I want to dig deep. I wish I know more about Netflix series for comedian Amazon Prime, Tiktok followers, social media building because many entertainment followers are now constantly online to look for the trendiest topics, how to sell theaters or comedy shows.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @nicoletrancomedy
• Youtube: https://youtu.be/RZ-BIImFzEY?si=AqAMr5aU-LxfePPu

Image Credits
Zaugh Photography