ABOUT
I’ve never been interested in doing just one thing.
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I write songs, tell stories, build things, make people laugh, help companies communicate better, and occasionally turn random ideas into real projects.
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The common thread is creativity. Not as an artistic pursuit, but as a way of understanding the world.
The Short Story
I started doing improv comedy in high school and joined Smarty Pants Theater Company in 2004. While attending Miami University, I spent weekends touring the country performing, teaching improv, and occasionally appearing in commercials.
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After college, I moved to Chicago to continue studying improv at iO, The Annoyance Theatre, and The Second City Conservatory. What started as a fascination with comedy turned into an education in storytelling, communication, collaboration, and creativity.
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Along the way, I started writing songs and performing in bands while building a career in marketing. Over the last decade, I’ve worked with startups, technology companies, nonprofits, and Fortune 500 brands, helping them explain complex ideas, launch products, and tell better stories.
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At first, music, improv, marketing, workshops, and creative projects felt like separate interests.
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Eventually, I realized they were all connected by the same question:
How do people communicate, create, and solve problems?
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Storymind grew out of that curiosity.
What is Storymind?
Storymind grew out of a simple observation:
The most creative people I know aren’t necessarily artists.
They’re problem solvers.
They’re curious.
They’re willing to explore bad ideas long enough to find good ones.
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Over the years I’ve seen the same patterns show up in songwriting, improv, marketing, entrepreneurship, and everyday life.
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Storymind is my attempt to collect those patterns and share them with other people.
THE TEAM
Matt Derda
Founder
Matt Derda started doing improv in high school and joined Smarty Pants Theater company in 2004. While attending Miami University (OH) he also toured the country performing and teaching improv and acting in commercials. After college he moved to Chicago to study improv at iO, the Annoyance Theater, and completed the Second City Conservatory program.
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Although Matt never got on SNL, it led to a successful career as an experienced marketer. He leveraged his improv skills in roles at nonprofits, tech startups, and PepsiCo. Additionally, he uses his passion for storytelling as a singer-songwriter.
His unique journey, from improv to the corporate landscape, encapsulates the essence of Storymind's approach.
