Change It Up

The Last Laugh

Tangela Ekhoff, 42, decided to become a stand-up comedian after recounting humorous stories from her job as a house cleaner. "I descended from a grandmother who scrubbed floors for a dollar; cleaning houses seemed to dash the hopes of all those women who came before me," she says. "But I did something creative with the fact that I cleaned houses. I took it and turned it around."

Ekhoff's advice: Discipline yourself. In between taking care of her family and her home, Tangela spends at least two hours a day writing jokes, refining her routine and contacting comedy clubs to try to book gigs. If her big break comes along, she says, "I'll be ready." Also, she advises telling others what you want to accomplish—it will help you push yourself forward and hold yourself accountable.