Stand up comedy is brutal. When you’re hustling and trying to make it as a comic, you can expect to wait hours upon hours for just four minutes up on the stage. Add on to that a full-time 9 to 5 job and you’ve got a recipe for stress. Not for the faint of heart!

This week on the Dope Ass Podcast, Andrea is talking to Vik Pandya ( http://www.teamuscomedy.com/vik ) , a rising comic in the Chicago comedy scene. Part of why Vik is crushing it so hard right now is because his corporate job taught him key organizational skills that help him with scheduling and promoting.

Vik and Andrea talk about the dumbest things they spend money on and why being on the stage is such a high. Vik also shares the secret to getting any side hustle off the ground…micro-goals. If you’ve got a side hustle you’re trying to make happen, this is the episode for you.

* [00:10] - Living as a white-collar comedian

* [04:11] - Starting a comedy career

* [06:22] - The ultimate compliment

* [07:13] - Private events

* [09:56] - Daily development

* [12:58] - Following your calling

* [17:13] - Audience rapport

* [22:34] - Charming asshole

* [25:56] - Crowd work

* [30:46] - Dating compatibility

* [38:58] - Day drinking

Vik Pandya ( https://www.facebook.com/vpcomedy/ ) is a nationally touring stand up comic based in Chicago. Known for his sharp self-deprecation, observational humor on dating, & hilarious crowd work, his comedy album 'Friends With 401(k) Benefits' debuted #1 on iTunes & Top 10 on the Billboard Charts. Vik has opened for both Roy Wood Jr. & Michelle Wolf and performs regularly at Zanies Comedy Club & The Laugh Factory in Chicago. He was featured in San Francisco’s Sketchfest in 2020, and NBC's Breakout Comedy Festival in 2018. He's shared the stage with mainstream headliners such as: Godfrey, Dan Soder, Big Jay Oakerson - as well as international acts like Vir Das, Zakir Khan & Atul Khatri. Follow him on facebook/instagram @vpcomedy ( https://www.instagram.com/vpcomedy/ )

On the Dope Ass Podcast, Andrea Levoff ( https://www.andrealevoff.com ) and her roster of hilarious, inspirational, and always-opinionated guests are tackling everything from motherhood to fashion to travel and spirituality---with a seriously dope ass lens. But don’t take our word for it. Learn more about your dope ass host and her mission to make everyone see the world through hot pink-colored glasses at https://www.andrealevoff.com/.

If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Dope Ass Podcast in Apple Podcasts ( https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dope-ass-podcast/id1486279007 ) , Google Podcasts ( https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5zaW1wbGVjYXN0LmNvbS82WVJoa0pwVA%3D%3D&hl=en ) , Spotify ( https://open.spotify.com/show/7zb7WfZQKu5JsGWL7k7nXB ) or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts ( https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dope-ass-podcast/id1486279007 ). It really helps others find the show.

This podcast episode was produced by Dante32 ( https://www.dante32.com/ ).