Wesley Ellul: ‘Loud, but definitely fun. Not an angry drunk but a very jolly one’
Serial entrepreneur and comedian Wesley Ellul tells all in our Q&A
The serial entrepreneur has dedicated his life to solving problems and entertaining people through technology or the performing arts... or a mixture of the two. Having co-founded the Comedy Knights eight years ago and staying very much behind the scenes directing and producing thehit theatrical show, Ellul now hosts Comedians Cooped Up ’Cause of Corona with Chris Dingli and the rest of Comedy Knights family – a brand-new livestream show to help take a light look at all the lockdown loonyness that is consuming the world!
What’s the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?
Open my eyes.
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
“Everything is going to be OK By a police officer when I was five years old. That and the ol’ biblical advice – ‘you reap what you sow’.
What do you never leave the house without?
My phone. It’s my life blood – it’s the only way I stay up to date on things
Pick three words that describe yourself
Dreamer. Pragmatist. Achiever. They may sound at odds with each other but they are not.
What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
Getting married to my wife Rebecca – she provided the stability in my life to let me keep my head in the clouds and not worry. Since that moment I’ve never seen anything as being impossible because I know I have the support I need to aim for the stars!
What is your guiltiest pleasure?
Playing a bit of FIFA on my PS4 when I have the chance.
What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
Limitations are awesome. They give you parameters within which you can work and flourish. Think of plants (and I know little about them), but you start plants in small pots, and then move them to bigger and bigger plots as they grow.
Same thing goes for limitations in life, business and creativity. They give you guidelines within which you can let your imagination run wild so you can eventually burst free of the limitations and go on to your next set. I’ve seen it time and time again.
Property and cars aside what’s the most expensive thing you’ve ever bought?
Probably a laptop... not very materialistic.
What is one thing you wish you knew when you were younger?
Not sure I’d want to tell my younger self anything – I wouldn’t want to change the course I’m currently on – you know, the ’butterfly effect’ and all that. I am extremely happy in life.
What has been your biggest challenge?
This Covid crisis at the moment is the biggest one I have ever faced – not curing it but making sure – together with my partners, that we keep the all our teams in full employment, happy and healthy to fight another day. This is taking some major thinking – but as I said earlier – limitations allow creativity to explode!
If you weren’t an entrepreneur what would you be doing?
Possibly a lawyer... I love arguing a good point.
Do you believe in God?
Tremendously. Fun Fact – I went to Bible College at 18 on a full three-year scholarship. By 19 I dropped out because I hated France.
If you could have dinner with any person, dead or alive, who would it be?
Probably Elon Musk. A dinner would be sublime and I’d love to learn if he is as nutty as he’s made out to be in the media.
What’s your worst habit?
Looking at my phone.
What are you like when you’re drunk?
I think I am loud. But definitely fun to be around. Not an angry drunk but a very jolly one.
Who would you have play you in a film?
Seth Rogan, when he was chubbier is a good fit.
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Lack of openness. I prefer knowing about problems rather than letting them stew. Either we can solve them or we part ways – but I HATE people not being open and honest.
What music would you have played at your funeral?
Definitely rock. Oh And some Barenaked Ladies.
What is your most treasured material possession?
My wedding ring... it’s that one thing that reminds me of how lucky I am to have such an amazing family.
What is your earliest memory?
Being pat on the head by a police officer at five years of age, after myself and some friends snuck into my dad’s van in the driveway and proceeded to crashed it into another van across the road. The cop proceeded to tell me everything was going to be ok... and he was right.
When did you last cry, and why?
Cry? Well it was with happiness when my third little girl joined us last October... it was a mixture of happiness and laughter because it was one of the funniest birthing stories I know!
Who would you most like to meet?
The head of content at Netflix. I know if I had an evening with him, I’d be producing shows for life!
What’s your favourite food?
Anything that isn’t tofu. What do I crave most though? It has got to be either a steak from Delmonico’s in New York, or some proper Cajun lobster and crab goodness from The Boil in NYC.
Who’s your favourite person on social media right now?
James Ryder. This boy’s memes speak volumes.
If you could travel in time, where would you go?
The future – definitely the future. I would love to learn what’s to come and if I could do anything back in my time to make sure the world is a better place.
What book are you reading right now?
Stephen King’s The Stand. Been reading it since 2012. I will get there eventually
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
Dr Strange’s ability of seeing into the future would be amazing... it could right so many possible wrongs in the world.
What’s one thing you want to do before you die?
Road trip around the States with my family. After being cooped up for weeks now I would love to do it again... but just seeing everything along the way!
What music are you listening to at the moment?
It’s either nursery rhymes with my kids... or some 90s rock from my youth.
In the shower or when you’re working out, what do you sing/listen to?
In the shower... hmmm usually not music but some podcast – love learning about all sorts of different things from comedy to business, marketing and blockchain.