Goodwin delivers laughs at Maggie Martin Leadership Summit
Comedian Mike Goodwin delivered many laughs and life lessons during the 4th Annual Dr. Maggie Martin Marketplace Leadership Summit on Tuesday at Louisiana Christian University.
Known for his ability to make his audiences laugh, learn, and grow, Goodwin offered attendees a refreshingly clean brand of authentic humor, drawing on everyday life experiences.
Following a hilarious comedy set, Goodwin finished with some inspirational remarks for leaders.
“Mike has taken his talent that God has given him and parlayed it into something that also lifts the hearts and minds of people,” said LCU President Dr. Mark Johnson.
Goodwin said he has only gotten to where he is in life by the grace of God and through good leadership along the way. He encouraged the crowd, as believers in Christ, to have joy.
“Joy is a fruit of the spirit,” he said. “It’s incumbent upon us to be some of the most joyous people on Earth. Fill yourselves with joy. Sorrow doesn’t care about your schedule, so make sure you’re full of joy.”
He offered three tips for those in leadership positions in their organizations and families.
First, be diligent.
He encouraged attendees to be diligent in everything they do, commenting on how, when he first got into comedy, he was shooting from the hip and not really preparing.
“It didn’t go well,” Goodwin joked. “And the thing about bad comedy, people who don’t like it, they don’t just want you to leave, they want you to die.”
He said he had to figure out how to be diligent. He asked: “Are you swinging a dull axe? Today, if I had six hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend the first four sharpening the axe.”
Second, be present.
Goodwin remarked on the many distractions that take our attention in today’s world, but encouraged folks to “be where your feet are. Be available for the people in your life.”
He said good leaders need to always let their team weigh in before they are expected to buy in. Allowing members to communicate before decisions are handed down is a valuable thing.
Finally, be generous.
“We live in a time where people are just not nice,” Goodwin said, commenting on the lack of manners like “yes, ma’am,” “yes, sir,” and “thank you.”
He offered that it’s important, still, to share knowledge and guidance with the next generation, and to practice wrapping up those lessons in stories, which may make younger people hear what you have to say more easily.
“He was inspiring,” said Dr. Maggie Martin. “He came at leadership from a different angle, one that makes ourselves and those around us better.”
Goodwin, a South Carolina native, holds a master’s degree in education from the University of South Carolina and is a veteran of the U.S. Army. He is a former primary and secondary education professional.
Goodwin has appeared on America’s Got Talent, Dry Bar Comedy, Today Show, Lifetime, BET, Amazon Prime, TBN, Daystar, USA, the Word Network, Circle TV and SiriusXM.
The Dr. Maggie Martin Marketplace Leadership Summit was established through a generous donation by Natalie and Darryl Monroe as an annual spring event for business and industry leaders in Central Louisiana who live out their faith in their workplaces. It was named in honor of Natalie’s mother, an outstanding community volunteer and philanthropist.
In addition to the Legacy Sponsorship of the Monroes, the Silver Sponsor for the event was the Louisiana Baptist Foundation. Bronze sponsors included Red River Bank, Calvary Baptist Church, Southern Heritage Bank, Alexandria Country Day School and RoyOMartin.
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Media Release | April 15, 2026 | Pineville, Louisiana
Contact: Dr. Elizabeth B. Clarke, Director of University Communications | Elizabeth.clarke@lcuniversity.edu