We recently connected with Zachary Moder and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Zachary, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you’ve thought about whether to sign with an agent or manager?

At the beginning of June I signed with Moore Creative Talent out of Minneapolis for acting and modeling. This is the beginning of a new chapter for me and I’m extremely grateful for them giving me a shot with representation! Up until that point I had been mostly independently securing acting/modeling gigs however I could aside from some dope people like Keely Kemp and Kirk Eckstine helping me get onto some projects! It’s great to know that I have someone in my corner helping me now to advance in my career.

Zachary, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

For those of y’all who have never been introduced to myself or my work – I’m an actor, model & singer/songwriter based out of Duluth, MN! I’ve been writing, recording & performing music for over 10 years now and acting/modeling the last 3 of those. I got starting in the entertainment field mostly by random occurrences that’ve happened over time – partly a right place at the right time sort of thing but also by putting in a lot of work and going above & beyond when I could! Through that I’ve been able to be a part of some pretty dope films that will be coming to streaming services over the next couple of years, as well as getting to open for some absolute legends in hiphop like Tech N9ne, Twista & Bone Thugs N Harmony to name a few! A big part of what I do in and out of entertainment involves something I call “Modervation”. In my music I put thought provoking messages and motivational tidbits to not only entertain the listener, but to give them something real along with that too. I’ve had to fight felonies, lose everything I owned, be homeless and start over numerous times in the past but no matter what by the grace of God I’ve always found myself on the other end of those situations better off than I was before so my message to people is to never give up on yourself or your dreams! It’s never too late and it’s not over until it’s over. As far as services; I offer a wide range of things like features, songwriting, performances/bookings & custom songs for music as well as acting/modeling/voiceover services for entertainment purposes. My rates vary depending on your needs but I’m always open to work!

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

The amount of sacrifices you’ll have to make in order to really make things work! It’s a lesson that I’m still leaning even a decade into entertainment. There’s the financial investment with getting started and making a name for yourself, not to mention the time and opportunity cost of prioritizing what you want to do – like going out with friends every weekend, verses what you need to do like taking the time to educate yourself while working on your craft, go to events & network. It’s an ongoing process but investing in yourself is always worth it in the end!

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Most definitely! My family, friends and my future self are my biggest driving factors in pursuing my passion. They’re a big part of the reason I’m doing what I’m doing!     

Contact Info:

• Website: Hyperfollow.com/Modervation
• Instagram: Instagram.com/Moder218
• Facebook: Facebook.com/mnmoder
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mnmoder218
• Twitter: Twitter.com/MinnesotaModer
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@Modervation

Image Credits
JoAnn Jardine – Studio One Manny Villanueva