What Should You Be Focusing On In Your Creative Career?

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 letting go of ideas that aren't working.</p>

00:49:51

What Should You Do When You're Feeling Creatively Stagnant?

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 creating, and how external factors can impact creativity. </p>

00:52:24

If You Had One Shot... Would You Capture It or Just Let It Slip?

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 opportunities are not limited to just one big moment, but rather a series of smaller moments that can lead to significant opportunities.</p>

00:44:57

What Are the Big Challenges Affecting Studios Right Now? (w/ Amanda Russell)

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 discuss the role of ego and the need to embrace learning and growth.</p>

00:54:18

How Do You Position Your Brand to Find Your Niche Audience? (w/ Shawna Poliziani)

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 conversation highlights the importance of collaboration, trust in one's own taste, and the need for artists to prioritize their art over social media content creation.</p>

00:54:30

What is the Best Business Model for Creatives?

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 each model and emphasize the importance of building relationships with clients and share their personal experiences. They also encourage creatives to constantly evolve and experiment with different models to find what works best for them.</p>

00:53:20

How Do You Build a Successful Marketing Strategy for Brands? (w/ Jess Fogal)

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. The conversation highlights the value of empowering team members and fostering creativity. Additionally, they emphasize the importance of collaboration and trust between teams and the value of trusting external partners. The conversation explores the emotional impact of storytelling and the power of personal stories to create a connection with the audience. The discussion also emphasizes the balance between brand and sales, the impact of brand videos, and the importance of creating a personal connection with customers. Additionally, it addresses the challenges faced by marketing teams and provides advice on how to overcome them, including creating a safe and inspiring environment and embracing vulnerability.</p>

00:53:16

What Should be the Roles and Tasks of a Creative Producer? (w/ Katie Weger)

"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 producer great.</p>

00:44:53

How Do You Run a Profitable Creative Business and Still Have Fun?

"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 mental health, we cover everything in this episode. </p>

00:57:25

How Can Artists Avoid Being Exploited? (w/ Kevin Rapp)

"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, the Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Ultra Friends. Kevin is also speaking at Making Midwest in May! You can find more information and purchase tickets at <a href="http://makingmidwest.com/">makingmidwest.com</a>.</p>

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