We were lucky to catch up with Matt Short recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Matt, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear a story from back when you were an intern or apprentice. What’s a memorable story you can share with us?

When I was in my early twenties I had an incredibly wise mentor tell me, “serve someone else’s vision before you expect others to serve yours”. I felt like this was extremely valuable advice, though difficult to hear as an idealistic young adult with plenty of ideas. The reality is I had no experience, very little to lose, and no clue where to get started on chasing my dreams. I chose to follow his advice because it would have been foolishness not to! This is the gold in that advice. As I served other people’s visions, I gained experience, grew in character and learned what I needed to get started on my dreams.

During that time of growth, I once had this boss that had big ideas for what I could create for him. As a creative, I struggled producing what he wanted without understanding the meaning of the work. So I often asked, “Why?”. This use to bug the crap out of this dude!!! So much so, he called me out about it in a team meeting once. Looking back on that job, I see that the biggest problem was that I didn’t align with this guy’s “Why”. I enjoyed what I got to create, but lost passion, except for the simple enjoyment of learning and trying new things. I ultimately resigned from that job, and was very conflicted when I did, feeling a bit like I’d failed.

Years later, running my own company, I have grown extremely intentional about helping my subcontractors and employees know the “Why” behind every project that we work on! The “Why” helps us passionately engage in our work and bring our best skills, talents and character to the table. When people understand the “Why” behind their work they’re doing, they feel valuable. When they feel valuable, they want to succeed… and I want them to succeed!

Matt, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I run a company that helps brands use story to engage their audience and grow their business. I understand that running a brand is overwhelming! That’s why our company, Root Source Digital partner with brands providing marketing that shows the true value of their work. We accomplish this by using a narrative framework to provide our clients with brand messaging, visual marketing content creation, and marketing strategy consultation.

We believe that through effective brand messaging and the supporting marketing content (videos, photos, print materials, etc), your customers and employees will know the value in the work that you do! This empowers them to live a bigger story, and be successful in pursuing their passions and dreams.

My favorite part about what I get to do is help people understand the problems their customers are having and the solution their brand can offer. We are in the “service industry”, so we serve our clients by helping the be extremely effective at serving their customers! It’s satisfying to know that we are creating good in the world by helping others do the same!

Of course, I love the filmmaking, storytelling and marketing strategy that supports a great brand message! However, without an easy to understand, powerful brand message, I doubt I’d enjoy this work as much! I know that I’m setting my clients up for success!

Any advice for managing a team?

One of the biggest keys to leading a team in successfully completing a project is setting clear expectations, including deadlines, regular accountability and providing them with the tools they’ll need to do their part. As a leader, it’s not our job to do the work. It’s our job to equip our team with what they need to do their job! This takes on many forms throughout a project. First and foremost they need to know what’s expected of them. For our team this looks like knowing all of the specifications of what they’re creating. They need to know who to deliver to, who to communicate with if things aren’t working and ultimately why what they’re doing matters! Providing your team with the tools needed to succeed can also look like problem solving for them! They’re the ones down in the weeds, getting the work done, sometimes they don’t see the bigger picture as obstacles come up. This is where as the leader we get to work removing obstacles so that they can meet their expectations. This is a team, so if one person fails, the team fails, which means you failed. That’s why accountability is key. This can be accomplished through many project management tools or regular check-in meetings where each team member provides their update on the tasks they are working on.

Ultimately, when the team is properly equipped with the tools to succeed, the teams morale will be high and team management will be easy. When they are not, you’ll be lucky if your project finishes on time, within scope and if your client will ever want to work with you again. Simple advice, make sure your team has the tools they need.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Everyone knows that word of mouth is the best form of marketing. Not only does it cost you little, it also comes with a touch of authority. When client A shares a testimony about working with you to potential client B, you’re receiving a stamp of approval. Potential client B is no longer someone you’d have to cold call. They’ve just become a warm lead! This is why we strive to set our clients up with this organic form of marketing first and foremost! But how do you get your clients talking about you to other potential clients?

Well, do they REALLY understand what you do and how valuable it’s been to them? If all you’ve told them about is the services you provide, then they won’t have a very compelling story to tell potential client B. This is where a narrative based brand message serves you best! When someone understands how they fit into the story that your band has been telling them, they’ll easily be able to talk about you to their piers (in this scenario potential client B)! Not only will they tell potential client B what you do, they’ll be able to easily articulate how that helped them, making their life better!

Humans are natural storytellers. We have been for thousands of generations! But if you don’t know what story you’re telling your clients, they don’t know how to talk about you! So if you want to grow your clientele, start with a clear brand message using a narrative framework.

Contact Info:

• Website: rootsourcedigital.com
• Instagram: @rootsourcedigital
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rootsourcedigital
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCmvaibsuIjwHI_y_vqb3KQ

Image Credits
Some images provided my Tallie Johnson Photos