What SNL can teach us about product delivery

John Krewson | Vistage

An unserious approach to unlocking serious value

“Every presentation I have seen from John, has met me where I am. They are meaningful no matter where someone is on their journey and focused on supporting our people and the organization.”

Jerret Batson, Agile Coach | Federal Reserve Bank

“John delivered a captivating keynote blending the worlds of software development and sketch comedy, offering a reminder that innovation thrives where discipline meets delight. His insights have the power to inspire transformative change in how we think, work, and create.”

Marie Pelloni, Sr. Director of Talent & Workforce Development Initiatives |
Pittsburgh Technology Council

“John is truly an inspirational leader in both the software development and business innovation worlds. His methodology seamlessly blends the collaborative spirit of sketch comedy with entrepreneurial principles, offering insights that are as innovative as they are practical.”

Feng Hou, CIO | St. Louis Community College

Hi, I'm John.

I'm obsessed with two things:

Software product development
Sketch comedy

Hear me out. They have more in common than you might think. 10 years ago, I founded Sketch Development with the idea that software teams could build better products and release them faster if they adopted principles from the sketch comedy world.

I already knew my (admittedly brief) time with SNL had shaped my approach to product development more than my MBA and my work a software development experience. The show's famous principle, "We don't go on because we're ready, we go on because it's 11:30" isn't just for comedy - it's a powerful tool for fostering innovation in product development.

10 years later, we've validated that the same approach works for startups, SMBs, and even the Fortune 50.

Book John for Your Vistage Session

A little more about me:

25-year software development veteran
Founder and President of Sketch Development
Works with Fortune 50 companies to 50-person enterprises
Published author
Life-long fan and devotee of sketch comedy
Claim to fame: A Saturday Night Live appearance amongst the masters

“I have found John’s talks to reliably provide fresh, unconventional, sometimes iconoclastic, maybe even controversial perspectives on our contemporary software development practices.”

Lyle Seaman, VP Engineering, Platform & Security | Carnegie Learning

“John delivers a fresh perspective on how product teams deliver in a way that shares his deep experience yet is profoundly engaging and approachable.”

Julia Pitlyk, Director, Marketing Technology | Nestle HealthScience

“John’s approach to managing teams and building products combines a high level of commitment to excellence with the joy of building and creating in a refreshing way.”

Michael Mavrich, Software Engineering Leader |

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Pitch, Sketch, Launch: Master agility like a sketch comedy team

Harness the core concepts of agile software delivery and the rapid-fire, evolving genius of sketch comedy to build adaptable, high-performing teams. I hope you'll walk away from this session with renewed perspectives, actionable insights, and that special contentment that comes after a few good laughs.

Learning Objectives:

How to create processes for a complex or VUCA environment
How to nurture high-performing teams
How to manage dependencies and deadlines
What it means to deliver value continuously

Book John

Prefer reading to listening?

I'm writing a book that explores how the creative energy of sketch comedy can revolutionize software product development. The goal is to infuse our delivery processes with the same engagement and passion found in sketch comedy teams. This way, we can dismantle creativity-stifling corporate culture to create more dynamic, effective teams and genuinely inspiring work environments.

Pitch Sketch Launch Be among the first to read the book. Sneak a Peek

Get in touch

Want to talk about the session you attended? Book me for another session? Talk about your favorite comedy bits?