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The CMD-Z Show

Matt Vojacek & Shelby Hagerdon

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Ever wish life had an undo button? The CMD-Z Show, hosted by Matt Vojacek and Shelby Hagerdon, seeks to provide answers to the big questions that hound creative minds at night. With a new guest each week, hear unique perspectives from creatives on running a business, maintaining your mental health, finding your voice, and more. Presented by Made By Things — this is the CMD-Z Show. Have a question you want us to discuss? Send us a message at question@cmdz.show Learn more about Matt and Shelby ...
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In this conversation, Matt, Shelby, and Drysen Carsten discuss the importance of building a content plan that aligns with a brand's goals and target audience. They emphasize the need for a discovery process to understand the brand, its values, and its target market. By diagnosing the brand's needs and weaknesses, they can develop a customized conte…
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In this conversation, Matt and Shelby discuss how to build a creative environment that people actually want to work in. They touch on topics such as employee benefits, flexible working hours, recognition and growth opportunities, and the importance of a comfortable and stable work environment. Matt shares his insights and experiences as a small bus…
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Matt and Shelby sat down with EJ Hassenfratz wo chat about the future of the motion design industry and the impact of AI. The guests discuss the potential of AI in motion design, the ethical implications, and the importance of maintaining artistic authenticity. They also touch on the role of clients and the need for artists to find personal outlets…
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Matt and Shelby had Austin Saylor on the show to discuss how he was able to make $200k in a year as a freelancer. What were his steps and what made him successful? How can other freelancers find this kind of success as well? Hear all about it on this episode of The CMD-Z Show!By Matt Vojacek & Shelby Hagerdon
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In this episode, Matt and Shelby discuss the challenges that small studios face in reaching their full potential and are joined by Joel Pilger, a creative consultant. The main themes that emerge from the conversation are the importance of taking risks and going all-in, the need for studios to differentiate themselves and find their unique value pro…
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In this episode, Matt and Shelby discuss the challenges of staying focused as a creative and knowing what ideas to pursue. They explore the concept of being easily distracted and the importance of harnessing distractions in a productive way. They also discuss the need to commit to projects for a significant amount of time and the struggle of lettin…
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In this conversation, Matt and Shelby discuss what to do when feeling creatively stagnant. They explore the importance of taking breaks, both relaxing and adventurous, to recharge and spark new ideas. They emphasize the need to get away from the usual way of thinking and consuming new experiences. They also discuss the balance between consuming and…
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In this conversation, Matt and Shelby discuss the concept of seizing opportunities and taking risks. They reflect on their own experiences and how they have created opportunities for themselves. They emphasize the importance of being flexible, not being afraid to try new things, and learning from each experience. They also discuss the idea that opp…
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The main theme of the conversation is the challenges affecting studios, particularly in relation to AI and the economy. Amanda highlights the lack of control over budgets and timelines, the uncertainty caused by AI, and the fear of job loss. Matt emphasizes the importance of building a strong creative community and adapting to change. They also dis…
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In this episode, Matt, Shelby, and guest Shawna Poliziani discuss the importance of finding your niche audience and positioning your brand. They explore the role of emotion in the creative process and the value of human touch in art and design. They also touch on the limitations of AI in creating meaningful and emotionally evocative work. The conve…
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In this episode, Matt and Shelby discuss the best business model for creatives. They explore different models such as standard employment, freelance, and the agency model. They also dive into the details of running an agency, using a retainer model, implementing a subscription model, and exploring e-commerce. They highlight the pros and cons of eac…
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In this episode, the Matt and Shelby discuss building a successful marketing strategy and the importance of storytelling and empathy with their guest, Jess Fogal. Jess is the head of marketing and culture at Provide. They also explore the collaboration between marketing and sales teams and the significance of creating a supportive team environment.…
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"What do producers even do?" Well, in addition to having Shelby (co-host and producer) on the show, we also brought on Kate Weger, our other producer at Made By Things, to chat about their roles as producers. From a producer's importance and organization within a project to their role as a fellow creative, we chat through everything that makes a pr…
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"You ever just feel lost?" That was the how a question from one of our listeners started. And with a question so big and so relatable to so many creatives, you know we had to talk about it. This week on The CMD-Z Show, we discuss how we handle feeling lost and how we can still stay sane and happy doing what we love. From financial security to menta…
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"You should be grateful that you get to do what you love everyday." "It's not about the money." Sure, as creatives, we are grateful and we probably didn't get into this field for the money... But does that make it okay to exploit our time and talents? We discuss this and how we can change it on this week's episode of The CMD-Z Show with Kevin Rapp,…
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By this point, I'm sure we've all seen the latest updates to AI and the realistic video it can produce. So what does that mean for the creative industry? What will it look like 5-10 years from now? We sat down with Mack Garrison of Dash Studios to talk about it on this week's episode of The CMD-Z Show. This is a passionate episode with passionate c…
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Why is running a creative business to damn hard? The creative industry is constantly evolving and it can be challenging to know when your business should evolve with it... Or to predict where the evolution is going to occur. Will it be within the market? With tech advances? Or maybe the services you offer? In this episode of The CMD-Z Show, we outl…
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In this episode we chat with another fellow podcast host and business owner in the Motion Design industry, Drysen Carsten. We talk about his previous business endeavors, and what lead him into the world of motion design and podcasting. He mentions some of the lessons he's learned along the way, and shares his more authentic approach to marketing hi…
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In this episode we chat with fellow podcast host and studio owner Caroline Le. We discuss her career as a motion designer, and how she tranisitioned from being staff to freelance and forming her own business. We also touch upon her experience as a podcast host, and how it's been beneficial for personal and professional development. LINKS https://fo…
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How do you know when it's time to switch things up in a creative business? The industry is ever-changing and we are all currently in a period of transition. So what does that look like for your business? How do you know when to evolve? How can you overcome the fear of trying something new? And how do you choose to face it all?These are all big ques…
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How do you create a stand out portfolio? Is there one trick that will make you rise above the other applicants? How do you make sure you're the one called back for an interview? And how do you get the job? We chat about all of this and more on the latest episode of The CMD-Z Show. And if you have a portfolio you think could use some help, visit mak…
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While sitting around a bonfire at Camp MoGraph 2022, an idea was put in motion to create a podcast interviewing creative leaders about their emotional journeys during their startup years. A year later, we're celebrating the season finale of FrameOne by reflecting on the lessons that hit us the most. If you've ever wondered "How to start a motion de…
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When it comes to working with freelancers, it can be tough to clearly define how quickly they should respond and how often they should send updates. Is an appropriate response time 10 minutes? An hour? A day? What are the expectations? And how does that impact your relationship with them? We discuss this with Jeremy Thibodeau, creative producer at …
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In this episode we chat with freelance motion designer, Kyle Harter. We talk about how some bad experiences lead him to leaving the country to fully recharge and gain maximum focus on his career. He tells us about his genuine and authentic approach with networking, and how it's been very beneficial for his freelance career. LINKS Kyle's Website Kyl…
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It's that time of year where we reflect on the past 12 months, the goals we made in January, how we did on those goals, and what the next year will look like. On this episode of The CMD-Z Show, we go through the goals we set at the beginning of the year for ourselves and Made By Things. We also chat about our 2024 goals... You might even hear about…
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How do you make time for personal creative projects and how do you decide which one to pursue? On this week's episode of The CMD-Z Show, we discuss our processes when working on side/personal projects and how we view them. We also walk through how we decide what we should share and what is better kept to ourselves. These projects are just what the …
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A subject no one likes to bring up to their clients... pricing and budgets. How do you start the conversation and how do you negotiate once it's been brought up? How do you set appropriate pricing and how do set a plan in place for growth? And how do you get past the awkwardness of bringing up budgets? It's all in this week's episode of The CMD-Z S…
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On this episode of FrameOne, Joel Pilger recaps his journey from starting his studio Impossible Pictures to exiting and joining RevThink, a consulting group for studios around the world. This interview was recorded at Camp MoGraph 2023 in Denver CO. Sponsored by Hyperfocus Motion http://hyperfocusmotion.com Follow the show: http://www.frameoneshow.…
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On this week's episode of The CMD-Z Show, we are going back to our roots and answering the question, "Why is it so difficult to find jobs in the creative industry right now?" From resumes to applications to seeking out new opportunities, this is an episode as timely as ever. And while we know every experience is different right now, we hope this ca…
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In this episode we chat again with the founder of School of Motion, Joey Korenman. We reflect on the motion design industry over the last few years, and discuss the current state of the economy and how it's impacting business. He provides some tactics on riding out some of the slow times, and also some new tools coming onto the Mograph scene. LINKS…
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Aaaaand welcome back to The CMD-Z Show! On this week's epsiode Shelby and I sit down with Founder and Chief Creative Officer Kevin Rapp to talk about some of his "undo's" in his creative career. With topics ranging from overcoming insecurities, building self confidence, delegation, and understanding your worth, this is an episode you can't mess!…
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In this episode we chat with UK-based freelance motion designer Nassib El Mourabet. We chat about how he has navigated work during economic downturns, and how his resourcefulness helped create opportunities for his career. LINKS - Plunk.tv - Nassib's LinkedIn - Leigh Williamson - People Per Hour * Want to share your story? Reach out at hello@christ…
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FrameOne explores the emotional journey of leaders within the creative industry during their early startup years. In this episode, Drysen sits down with Ed Rhine, owner & executive creative director of Spillt to talk about growing a studio to be a top-tier creative company. This interview was recorded at Camp MoGraph 2023 in Denver CO. Sponsored by…
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Another week, another new episode of The CMD-Z Show. And we're thrilled to share our first guest of this new season. Let's welcome Mack Garrison to the studio! Mack is the co-founder and director of content at dash. On this epsiode, we chat about learning from mistakes, having confidence to lead as a small studio, williness to ask questions, and ha…
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Get ready for SEASON FOUR of The CMD-Z Show! We have a new format and we're kicking it off by asking our co-host, Matt Vojacek, what he wishes he could do "undo" about his creative career. On this episode, Matt and Shelby discuss the value of staying focused on one thing at a time and having "eras" during your career.…
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FrameOne explores the emotional journey of leaders within the creative industry during their early startup years. In this episode, Drysen sits down with Austin Saylor, a freelancer turned freelance coach after documenting his journey through project 200K Sponsored by Hyperfocus Motion http://www.wearehyperfocused.com Follow the show: http://www.fra…
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FrameOne explores the emotional journey of leaders within the creative industry during their early startup years. In this episode, Drysen sits down with Matt Milstead & Dave Koss to talk about leaving the safety of a full-time job to start their own production company, and how striving to build a community for motion designers led to the birth of t…
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FrameOne explores the emotional journey of leaders within the creative industry during their early startup years. In this episode, Drysen sits down with Erin Sarofsky, the legendary woman behind Sarofsky to discuss everything from the importance of relationships, and investing in your team. This is an awesome interview, so buckle up! Sponsored by H…
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FrameOne explores the emotional journey of leaders within the creative industry during their early startup years. In this episode, Drysen sits down with Alex Parker, the woman behind Ladybird Animation and animator at Disney Parks to discuss everything from going freelance to landing a position with Disney. Sponsored by Hyperfocus Motion http://www…
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Get ready for a special episode of The CMD-Z Show! We invited members of the Make Create Club to ask questions LIVE in the “studio.” ;) We cover everything from developing your skillset to understanding software to getting started in the creative industry. And don't forget to join the Make Create Club at makecreateclub.com.…
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As creatives, we’ve all heard the phrase, “We’re not curing cancer.” We’re told that what we do doesn’t really make a difference in the grand scheme of things. But how can we change that? How can we use our skills to change the world around us? That’s the question we decided to tackle in this week’s episode of The CMD-Z Show. From finding organizat…
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