Want to improve your public speaking skills this World Speech Day? Undergraduate alum and current MBA candidate Zachary Benetatos has the answer. Introducing his business: Unscripted. We had a chat with him all about it—from conception to real-life success stories from his clients.

The idea  

Unscripted began out of passion. My background, even while I was completing my Bachelor of Business Administration, was in theater. Improv theater specifically informed the techniques I would go on to implement at Unscripted. But I’m getting ahead of myself—first let’s get into what Unscripted actually is!   

Put simply, Unscripted is my business. I teach classes to business professionals who want to improve their strategic communication using improvisation and storytelling tools.  The name “Unscripted” comes from the goal I have for most clients—to thrive in moments and communicate rigidly—without a script. I offer training programs, both in person and online, that help individuals and organizations become better speakers without the need for excessive note-taking.   

The lightbulb moment   

While I’ve been in and out of improv classes for years, the lightbulb moment, where I realized I could turn this into a career, happened recently.  I was at COP28, working in a more general capacity, and I kept being asked to write speeches. It became clear this was where my talents were, and what’s more—I was enjoying it! Fast forward a couple of months, and I’m in Abu Dhabi writing for the Royal Family out there. My business is truly thriving.

The clients  

I have two main types of clients: professionals who struggle with public speaking and fear of presenting, and those who are interested in learning more about the improv-based approach and how it can benefit their teams or organizations. Usually, clients come to my classes a little cold or frosty, and it’s just part of the challenge to get them to loosen up. Business doesn’t marry naturally with theater, but my techniques are proven to work, and by the end, everyone is all in. 

Two hearts 

I’ve already stated that my passion for theater and improv drove me to start Unscripted. However, I’ve always been equally enthusiastic about business, and without the two, Unscripted could never have blossomed into what it is today. Hult was instrumental in helping me realize that business could be the springboard for all my other ambitions. The help I had there was unparalleled.  

What’s next? 

Let me tell you about my vision for Unscripted in five years. There are three things I want to achieve. The first is to get my curriculum into schools, so children of all ages can use improv communication to heighten business acumen. Secondly, I’d like to take the business into the public sector. Some of the most pressing issues of our time, like food scarcity and climate change, suffer from a lack of imaginative storytelling. The information is there but needs to be expressed in an accessible manner. Lastly, I would like to keep doing what I’m doing, just with a few extra employees!