Just Press Record

Matt Zeigler
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Make curiosity a habit. All the fun parts of learning without the boring bits of going to school for it. "Just Press Record" is a conversation-style interview, featuring two commonality-lacking guests discussing one commonly-grounded topic. Welcome to the (audio/visual) Personal Archive of Matt Zeigler.

  1. 3D AGO

    We Didn't Plan Any of This: 10 Unscripted Introductions from 2025

    In this special year-end clip show, Matt Zeigler and Jack Forehand reflect on some of the most meaningful conversations from Just Press Record in 2025. Rather than a traditional recap, this episode explores the deeper themes that emerged across very different guests, from connection and creativity to fear, identity, and long-term thinking. Along the way, Matt and Jack discuss why these moments mattered to them personally, how the show itself reflects Matt’s approach to life, and what these stories reveal about how people grow, change, and find meaning over time. Main topics covered The philosophy behind Just Press Record and why unscripted, unexpected conversations matter The power of reaching out to people and the lasting impact of human connection How major life transitions often emerge around key ages and career inflection points Losing sight of purpose by focusing on the wrong metrics and how to recalibrate Overcoming fear, stage anxiety, and the courage to live more authentically Creativity as recombination, sampling, and reinterpretation across music, art, and business Long-term thinking, journaling, and reflecting on how beliefs and priorities evolve over time Why community, curiosity, and experimentation matter more than optimization Timestamps 00:00 Introduction and year-end clip show setup 01:30 The idea behind Just Press Record and pairing unlikely people 06:50 Anna Goldfarb on connection, regret, and reaching out 13:15 Tom Morgan on age 36, identity shifts, and life phases 20:45 Bobby Keller on purpose, metrics, and the Horror Fest 30:00 Julia Duthie and Nancy Berger on fear, authenticity, and self-expression 42:00 Bill Stephney and Lawrence Yeo on hip hop, creativity, and sampling 51:45 Chris Mayer and Anne-Laure Le Cunff on journaling and changing your mind

    1h 48m

  2. 12/16/2025

    It’s The Same Start, But One Became a Hero and One Didn’t | Tyrone Ross & Neils Ribeiro-Yemofio

    This episode of Just Press Record brings together Tyrone Ross and Neils Ribeiro-Yemofio explore how early experiences, belief, and community shape who we become. What begins with comic books, video games, and childhood stories unfolds into a powerful conversation about identity, hope, economic mobility, and the systems that determine who gets access to opportunity. From superheroes and supervillains to first-generation college journeys, financial education, and breaking cycles of poverty, this is a deeply human conversation about what it means to see someone, invest in them, and change the trajectory of a life. Topics covered• The shared origins of superheroes and supervillains and how adversity shapes identity• How the labels adults give children can define their futures• The role of teachers, mentors, and small acts of belief in changing life paths• First-generation college experiences and navigating systems not built for you• Athletic talent, opportunity arriving too early, and unprepared success• Hunger, hope, and discipline as lifelong motivators• Financial education versus financial literacy and why language matters• Economic mobility, community investment, and breaking cycles of poverty• Why access, proximity, and support matter more than motivation alone• The moral and practical case for building systems where everyone can eat Timestamps00:00 Introduction and why these two needed to meet01:00 Superheroes, supervillains, and shared origin stories03:00 Childhood identity and being told who you are06:00 Comic books, video games, and learning how the world works12:00 Growing up, moving often, and discovering education18:00 First-generation college journeys and culture shock23:00 Athletics as opportunity and arriving unprepared28:00 Teachers who change lives with belief34:00 Hunger, survival, and early lessons in humanity41:00 Discipline, responsibility, and turning pain into purpose48:00 Economic mobility, financial education, and community investment56:00 Systems, access, and why poverty is not a personal failure01:03:00 Hope, responsibility, and why everyone can eat

    1h 40m

  3. 12/10/2025

    Life Is an Accident | Eric Pachman on Serendipity, Privilege, and Purpose

    In this episode of Just Press Record, Matt sits down again with Eric Pachman to explore the idea of serendipity, the role of accident in shaping a life, and what it really takes for opportunity to become meaningful. Using a clip from a prior conversation with Eric Markowitz and Elie Jacobs as the jumping-off point, this conversation turns into a deep examination of privilege, poverty, the three Cs needed for upward mobility, why so many people never reach the threshold where serendipity can help them, and how Eric is channeling his skills into Data for the People to push society toward a better path. Topics covered: • The difference between serendipity and pure accident • How random events shape an entire life trajectory • Privilege, perspective, and why some people never get access to opportunity • The three Cs needed for meaningful upward mobility • Why data can expose the true state of poverty and public programs • Eric’s new project, Data for the People • The emotional cost of working on large societal problems • The dangers of aspirational culture and financial nihilism • What it means to find enough in a world built on more • How to contribute to raising the threshold so serendipity can help more people • Why helping even one person changes everything Timestamps: 00:00 Opening and setup 00:37 Eric on accidents and the fragility of life paths 02:18 Why random circumstances determine opportunity 03:35 Eric returns to the show and discusses major life changes 05:00 Introducing Data for the People and the SNAP deep dive 07:00 The emotional weight of analyzing poverty data 09:03 Setting up the clip from Eric Markowitz and Elie Jacobs 10:28 The serendipity clip 12:43 Eric’s first reflections on serendipity 13:54 The role of privilege in who benefits from randomness 15:00 Life as a series of accidents 17:00 Who actually gets access to positive serendipity 18:00 The three Cs that enable upward mobility 20:00 Why connection and consistency matter for kids in struggling communities 22:00 Raising the threshold for crappiness 24:00 How accidents land differently depending on where you start 25:00 The motorcycle accident story that made Eric possible 27:00 How understanding accident changes self-importance 28:00 Helping more people reach the serendipity threshold 30:00 How data can shift voting and policy behavior 31:17 What most people really want: stability, not wealth 32:40 The dangers of aspirational culture 33:53 Breaking out of the matrix of materialism 35:00 Why awareness is the only thing we can control 37:00 The real teachers in society 38:00 Supervillain logic and endless accumulation 39:11 Life on the balance beam of enough 41:00 The impossibility of perfect balance 43:00 What individuals can actually do to push the ball forward 45:00 Setting goals you won’t achieve in a single lifetime 46:12 Why Matt chose this clip for Eric 47:51 Raising opportunity as a societal responsibility 49:00 Why Eric’s current path is not a mad chance but the only rational one 50:27 Where to find Eric and follow Data for the People 52:29 Closing and sign-off

    53 min

  4. 12/02/2025

    Brad Fisher & Chris Grimes: How 2 Great Coaches Help People the Same Way | Listening Without Agenda

    In this episode of Just Press Record, Matt Zeigler brings together motivational comedian and storytelling coach Chris Grimes and structural scalability expert Brad Fisher for a spontaneous, free-flowing conversation about story, leadership, presence, improvisation, personal growth, and the bridges between creativity and organizational transformation. What begins as a playful meeting between two strangers quickly evolves into a deep exploration of how stories shape who we are, how we lead, and how we help others make meaningful transitions in business and in life. Topics Covered• Why asking tell me your story creates instant connection and trust• How deep listening unlocks meaningful conversations• The role of presence and improvisation in leadership and communication• Chris Grimes on The Good Listening To Show and his story framework• Brad Fisher on structural scalability, the second leap, and transforming businesses• How to find your island B and define what you really want next• The power of letting go, delegation, and moving from how to who• Legacy, purpose, creativity, and finding your flow state• Storytelling as a tool for coaching, leadership, and personal transformation• Balancing business growth with authenticity and well-being Timestamps00:00 Introduction00:56 Why Tell Me Your Story Works01:33 Deep Listening and The Good Listening To Show02:00 Purpose, Flow, and Alchemy02:47 Story as the Golden Thread03:21 Introducing Chris Grimes and Brad Fisher06:10 The Art of Skip Diving08:00 Dog Psychology and Early Notes09:55 First Impressions: Guessing Each Other’s Work12:09 What Is a Motivational Comedian14:01 How Improv Changes Communication16:29 Eyes on Springs and Presence18:00 Teaching Spontaneity and the Clock of Now20:00 Tell Me Your Story as a Leadership Tool22:23 Legacy Life Reflections and Capturing Stories24:09 StoryCorps and Shared Human Stories26:34 How the Legacy Framework Works28:00 Brand Stories, Founder Stories, Leadership Stories30:24 Story Structures and 5 4 3 2 133:00 Alchemy, Gold, and the Cake34:09 How Brad Builds Stories With Clients37:01 Brad’s Framework and the Second Leap39:00 Stage One Companies vs Stage Two Companies41:00 The Six Scalability42:53 Second Curves and Reinventing Yourself44:56 Courage, Change, and Revealing What’s Already There46:12 Leading With Presence and Letting the Team Step Up48:00 Island A vs Island B50:17 Who Not How and Shifting Your Mindset51:00 Chris’s Podcast Growth and Distribution53:00 Becoming a Digital Nomad Broadcaster55:00 What to Stop Doing: Busyness vs Flow57:00 Building Support Around the Creative Work59:00 Self-Compassion and Reducing Pressure01:01:00 Following the Soul Chime01:02:00 Building vs Extracting Stories01:03:00 Creativity in the Known and Unknown

    1h 15m

  5. 11/19/2025

    From Goals to Vision | Stories of People Who Bet on Themselves

    In this episode, we showcase some of the most powerful clips from The Intentional Investor. These conversations explore how strategic thinkers, founders, investors, and creatives navigate risk, build vision, overcome adversity, and retain their humanity along the way. This highlight reel offers a taste of the depth, honesty, and storytelling that define the series. Main topics covered• How goals differ from visions and why committing to a vision changes everything• Why entrepreneurs are actually risk mitigators, not risk takers• The power of mentorship and the people who fill the gaps in our lives• What freedom means in global markets and why incentives matter• Family stories, grit, and how small acts of kindness shape entire lives• What true creativity is and why inventors matter more than we realize• How to stop caring about external approval and shed status games• How humility guides both earnestness and cynicism• Why saying yes expands your world and how impact becomes central later in life• The lifelong bond of sports, tradition, and shared experiences Timestamps00:00 Intro01:30 Justin Castelli on goals vs visions03:00 Jason Buck on entrepreneurship as risk mitigation04:00 Jenny Rozelle on Susan Hunter and mentorship07:00 Perth Tolle on freedom and incentives08:00 Tyrone Ross on grit, family, and gap fillers10:00 Pablos Holman on inventors vs craft12:10 Kris Abdelmessih on not caring what others think14:02 Rusty Guinn on earnestness, cynicism, and humility16:41 Jared Dillian on saying yes and creative impact17:43 Grant Williams on family, football, and legacy20:00 Closing reflections

    22 min

  6. 11/11/2025

    The Right Ruler | Kevin Alexander on What Actually Matters in Creative Work

    On this episode of Just Press Record, Matt Zeigler sits down with music critic Kevin Alexander of On Repeat Records ( https://thekevinalexander.substack.com/ ) for a conversation about creativity, measuring success, and the craft of writing with authenticity. The two explore what it means to build something meaningful in an age driven by metrics, using a clip from musician Ned Russin (Glitterer, Title Fight -  @glitterererer ) as a jumping-off point. Together, they unpack how artists can find fulfillment in smaller, more intentional audiences, how to recognize when a piece of art “completes itself,” and why genuine connection beats scale every time. Main topics covered: Reviewing Ned Russin’s new Glitterer track “Stainless Steel” How to measure success as a creator without chasing metrics The balance between audience growth and artistic integrity The skill of eliciting deep responses from readers and listeners Why great art doesn’t scale—it spreads Writing when inspiration strikes versus grinding through edits The importance of authenticity over polish in creative work How to know when to stop editing and ship your work Building community through shared taste and genuine engagement Timestamps:00:00 Introduction and show setup03:00 The Scranton game and Kevin Malone parallels04:45 Reviewing Glitterer’s “Stainless Steel”08:25 Drawing influence lines from Weezer to post-hardcore12:00 Audience growth and how artists measure success15:00 Picking the right ruler to measure creative progress17:00 How Kevin thinks about engagement and reader connection21:00 When creativity flows versus when it takes work23:00 Collaboration, feedback, and knowing when a piece is done27:00 The role of authenticity in modern criticism32:00 Why great art doesn’t scale—it spreads33:30 Closing reflections and where to find Kevin’s work

    35 min

  7. 11/04/2025

    Before They Were Experts They Made It Up | Danielle Strachman and Kevin Leahy on Creating Your Path

    A venture investor and an audio storyteller explore curiosity, community, and unconventional careers. Danielle Strachman (1517 Fund, Teal Fellowship) and Kevin Leahy (Podcast Point Man, NPR alum) join Matt to dig into education outside the system, how local projects build connection and opportunity, and why following your instincts matters more than following a script. This episode is about taking risks, creating your own lanes, and building things that last. Main topics covered Danielle’s journey from Craigslist tutor to running the Teal Fellowship and 1517 Fund Early lessons building a tutoring business and charter school from scratch Why college isn’t the only path and how alternative education unlocks talent Kevin’s path from NPR journalism to podcast building and business strategy The power of curiosity, naivete, and learning by doing Why local podcasts and grassroots community building matter ROI vs the long tail of serendipity and relationships Creativity, risk taking, and finding meaning through work and people YouTube timestamps00:00 Introductions04:00 Danielle’s path: tutoring, homeschooling, charter school09:30 Teal Fellowship and backing young founders13:00 Skills based hiring and education reform18:00 Kevin’s path: reporting, NPR, learning media24:00 Curiosity, creativity, and making your own path28:00 Local podcasts, community, and connection33:00 ROI vs serendipity in community building37:00 Alternative education and real world learning47:00 Following instincts, shipping work, taking risks58:00 Closing thoughts and lessons

    1h 18m

  8. 10/28/2025

    Don’t Be a Critic, Be a Curator | Dave Nadig on Finding What Moves You

    In this episode of Just Press Record, Matt Zeigler welcomes back Dave Nadig for a conversation about music discovery, community, and the art of curation. The two explore how radio, mixtapes, blogs, and the internet have shaped the way we find and share music across generations. From college radio stations to TikTok, from Dr. Demento to The Cramps revival, they discuss how music connects people, defines eras of life, and captures fleeting cultural moments. This episode is a nostalgic yet forward-looking exploration of how community forms around sound, and how documenting what we love keeps the signal alive. Main topics covered: Radio as a community builder and discovery engine The evolution of music discovery from cassettes to streaming College radio, mixtapes, and the importance of shared curation Nostalgia, generational shifts, and the persistence of new music Music blogging, Substack, and finding filters in a world of abundance Temporary communities formed around concerts and festivals The art of documenting musical eras through playlists Why music remains one of the strongest cultural anchors in the age of AI Timestamps:00:00 Introduction and setup04:58 Dave’s return to ETF.com and community building06:47 The Laurie Kaye and Kevin Alexander radio clip09:46 Dave’s early radio memories and Dr. Demento nostalgia13:05 Cassette trading, hot takes, and early musical opinions15:00 College radio and discovering community through sound17:44 From radio to live shows and finding local scenes20:00 Early internet and the dawn of digital music discovery22:00 Record store culture and physical community24:00 Music as a personal act versus a shared experience27:00 Curiosity for new music and why discovery never ends29:00 TikTok, subcultures, and modern discovery engines31:00 Communities, fandoms, and cultural tentpoles34:00 Playlists as time capsules and memory markers37:00 Pandemic music and anchoring moments in time39:00 Temporary communities and the concert experience43:00 Finding meaning through curation and connection46:00 Closing thoughts, shoutouts, and where to find Dave

    48 min
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About

Make curiosity a habit. All the fun parts of learning without the boring bits of going to school for it. "Just Press Record" is a conversation-style interview, featuring two commonality-lacking guests discussing one commonly-grounded topic. Welcome to the (audio/visual) Personal Archive of Matt Zeigler.

Information

  • Creator
    Matt Zeigler
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    62
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Matt Zeigler
  • Show Website
    Just Press Record

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