Caroline Hirsch’s career in comedy began in 1982 when she opened a small cabaret club in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood. The first comedian she ever booked was Jay Leno, soon followed Jerry Seinfeld, Tim Allen, Rosie O’Donnell, Ellen DeGeneres and more, to perform at her club. Nearly 30 years after it first opened, and after a lot of hard work, Hirsch says Carolines on Broadway has grown into the one of the country’s top comedy venues and leading destinations for live entertainment for New Yorkers and countless visitors from across the country and the world.

On her humble beginnings: “I rode the wave of the first comedians that were starting at the time. It was the era of David Letterman going on at 12:30 at night,” she said.

Caroline also created and now operates the annual New York Comedy Festival, as well as the philanthropic arm called Stand Up for Heroes, a unique occasion that brings together leaders from business, entertainment and philanthropy for an evening of laughter, tributes and gratitude dedicated to our nation’s injured service members, with proceeds from the evening going to the Bob Woodruff Foundation. The event has raised close to $12 million dollars over the past few years.

“The New York Comedy Festival started about eight years ago but the component, the charity component that we’ve been doing for five years is Stand Up For Heroes,” Hirsch told genConnect. “That’s an event we produced with Bob and Lee Woodruff for the Woodruff Foundation. All of the money goes to help veterans coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan.”

Related: Interview with Founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America

The past few years have been politically and economically difficult for Americans. Hirsch suggests laughter as a way to cope with growing financial insecurity.

“Get more [comedy],” she said. “That is the only way we can cope. Laughter is a great coping mechanism. It makes you feel good and releases any anxiety that you have and you should really come out to laugh. I have the privilege of being able to laugh all day. If we’re not negotiating contracts here we are probably laughing. I have a great job.”

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Caroline Hirsch first opened Carolines as a cabaret club in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood in 1982, and introduced New York City to the longer ‘headline’ format of comedy with talent like Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld and Tim Allen.

As popularity for Carolines grew, so did the need for more space and a more prominent location. Hirsch moved the club to New York’s South Street Seaport and soon after nestled between 49th and 50th Street on Broadway in 1992. The club has become a New York institution and was one of the cornerstones in the revitalization of the Times Square district.

“I opened in this space twenty years ago,” Hirsch told genConnect. “This building was bankrupt. The area was just starting to pop but yet we were in a terrible recession at the time. So I came into the building, signed a twenty year lease and I’ve been here ever since.”

A lot has changed over the past few decades, including the comedy at Carolines on Broadway.

“There are many more comedians now. Lots of young people grew up watching Jay Leno and Jerry Seinfeld and decided that they want to do that,” Hirsch said. “I think [comedy] is a little more political now as you can see from the shows. It’s a little more observational,” she added.

With the success of Carolines over the past 30 years, there is no doubt that Hirsch is an inspiring entrepreneur. Her advice for others seeking business success?

“You have to be convinced that you’re right, you have to stay with it and you just have to have the tenacity to do it everyday.”

For more videos from Caroline on genConnect: Cope With Comedy and Laughter

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