The CMD-Z Show

Apr 14 2024 3
The CMD-Z Show Podcast artwork

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 [email protected] Learn more about Matt and Shelby at madebythings.com

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

Apr 14 2024 54 mins  
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

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

Apr 09 2024 54 mins  
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

What is the Best Business Model for Creatives?

Apr 01 2024 53 mins  
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 importan

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

Mar 25 2024 53 mins  
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 v

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

Mar 18 2024 44 mins  
"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.

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

Mar 11 2024 57 mins  
"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 t

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

Mar 03 2024 66 mins  
"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

Where Do You See The Creative Industry in 5-10 Years? (w/ Mack Garrison)

Feb 25 2024 50 mins  
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 creatives. Don't miss it!

Why is Running a Creative Business So Damn Hard?

Feb 18 2024 42 mins  
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 outline how we handle these changes an

How Do You Know When It's Time to Innovate Within Your Creative Business?

Feb 11 2024 44 mins  
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 questions and probably too big for one