Sep 22, 2026 · 30 min · 10 segments
Kevin Dias doesn't think he's funny, but he's built a company where everyone else gets to be. From his home in Oyama, Japan, the founder of Ambiki talks with Kate about leading a fully remote startup…
Kevin DiasGuest
Kate DavisHost
So if you were in the C-suite, we'd like to see how you lead with humor and what's happening.
Yeah, I mean, I don't think I'm funny, but I want to work in an environment that allow us for that fun because I love comedy.
I like I have a lot of respect for comedians because I think it takes a lot of intelligence and empathy and understanding of different things.
So, you know, I've tried to create an environment at the company where other people can have fun and tell jokes.
Like, I don't feel like I, I'm, I'm more like the, the Michael Scott character from the office where like, I'm funny in my own head, but no one else thinks I'm funny sort of thing.
Know your lane, right? So you don't have to be great at telling a joke or a comedian to say that you have a sense of humor, which I think is incredible that you realize that and that you're, you know, you're leading your team so that they can feel like, you know, they can bring themselves to work, especially when you're in that innovative space.
And I think especially with startups, right? Because startups are just so challenging.
Like there's every day, like you could have the highest of high, like we just won this customer.
That can be rough, right? And so how can we use humor to like, bring some levity to those moments to, to, to make it easier to deal with, uh, to make it more fun to, to be, to have that work and not, not get so focused on those, those tough moments.
Yeah, I mean, we often say on the podcast, humor doesn't make life serious things.
So I think, you know, I really in those challenging moments, a team that's played together works better together when those challenges do come up.
Do you have like in your home life? Are you using a lot of humor? I know you're not funny at work, but at home, are you?
So if you were in the C-suite, we'd like to see how you lead with humor and what's happening.
Yeah, I mean, I don't think I'm funny, but I want to work in an environment that allow us for that fun because I love comedy.
I like I have a lot of respect for comedians because I think it takes a lot of intelligence and empathy and understanding of different things.
So, you know, I've tried to create an environment at the company where other people can have fun and tell jokes.
Like, I don't feel like I, I'm, I'm more like the, the Michael Scott character from the office where like, I'm funny in my own head, but no one else thinks I'm funny sort of thing.
Know your lane, right? So you don't have to be great at telling a joke or a comedian to say that you have a sense of humor, which I think is incredible that you realize that and that you're, you know, you're leading your team so that they can feel like, you know, they can bring themselves to work, especially when you're in that innovative space.
And I think especially with startups, right? Because startups are just so challenging.
Like there's every day, like you could have the highest of high, like we just won this customer.
That can be rough, right? And so how can we use humor to like, bring some levity to those moments to, to, to make it easier to deal with, uh, to make it more fun to, to be, to have that work and not, not get so focused on those, those tough moments.
Yeah, I mean, we often say on the podcast, humor doesn't make life serious things.
So I think, you know, I really in those challenging moments, a team that's played together works better together when those challenges do come up.
Do you have like in your home life? Are you using a lot of humor? I know you're not funny at work, but at home, are you?
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