Matthew Tarutis

Matthew B. Tarutis is a writer, Navy Veteran, producer, actor, and confidence coach living in Los Angeles, California. Matthew is best known for his leading role on the reality television series Life Unfiltered, where he stars beside reality superstar Serena DC. The entertainment insider has a reputation for lending his creative mind to contribute to several high-profile projects within the industry, such as leading the creative department of Tyra Banks’ ModelLand as well as writing and producing for shows such as Dream Life, and Hollywood Disclosure.

Matthew’s entertainment and media experience started to gain traction after working with internationally famous supermodel Tyra Banks, where he had oversight of the developing artistic elements that found their way into the ModelLand experience. While collaborating with the fashion legend, Matthew spearheaded the production of the ModelLand documentary, the development of scripts and plots for the graphic novels, the television series, and booking actors and performers for live performances within ModelLand itself.

One of Matthew’s greatest passions – writing – brought him face to face with the top titans of the entertainment industry. This passion began at a young age when Tarutis learned how therapeutic writing was, stating that it “started as a way for me to organize my thoughts and rationalize my responses. Something I couldn’t do live”.

As Matthew’s skill of linguistic composition progressed, the maturing author had an epiphany – he could bring positivity and meaning to countless lives through the words he writes. Inspiring and motivating had become an intent that Matthew used to fuel his writing aspirations. Tarutis is now famous among Hollywood circles for his ability to author books, ghost write song lyrics, develop news features, and to pen articles and blogs that have touched the pages and screens of publications like Forbes and People.

Where did the idea for your career  come from?

The idea of my company came from years of being told I could market my creativity and then one day finally believing it. After a year of Tyra believing in me followed by other high level industry folk showing appreciation for my craft, I figured they all can’t be wrong.

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

My morning routine starts with a good meal, exercise, and plenty of stretching. I’ve come to realize that taking care of yourself first and foremost is necessary to maintain a high quality of life which breeds high quality work. I regularly make sure both my mind and body are healthy before getting to work.

How do you bring ideas to life?

One word at a time. The only way to truly flesh out an idea is by writing as much as you can until it manifests itself. The Devil’s in the details, so the more you write, the better your idea will come to life.

What’s one trend that excites you?

Student Loan Forgiveness! There are plenty of students who could benefit from educational loan amnesty. It’s so sad to see those who put themselves through college suffer through financial hardships for half their lives. College shouldn’t just be for the rich and privileged.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

My organization is unprecedented. I know exactly what needs to be done and what I’m able to do which saves a lot of time and boosts productivity.

What advice would you give your younger self?

I would say that the best advice is no advice. I’ve learned everything I know about life by making mistakes and adapting to the outcomes. Too many biased opinions sway young aspirants from their dreams and goals.

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

Everyone swears I have this epic dating life but really all I do is work, read, and write. It’s lonely, but I do love my solitude. And money…

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

Always give yourself the time and attention necessary to produce your best work. Deadlines and peer-pressure aren’t worth your credibility and reputation, especially not your mental health. Be realistic and honest with expectations and don’t turn in anything you don’t want your name attached too.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

I learned at a young age that pressuring people or over-promoting yourself was repellent and didn’t attract the type of clients I’d want anyway. This is why I basically operate in secret, word of mouth being my only type of promotional strategy. This ensures quality over quantity. I’d rather be broke than working with people I don’t believe in.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

I’ve faced every failure known, but the most impactful failure I overcame was understanding what type of company you need to surround yourself with to reach your potential. You can only grow in the right garden, so make sure the people in your circle support and complement you.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

Something I’m already doing is writing pro-bono blogs that highlight the strengths and contributions “normal” people contribute to society. These people would never promote, advertise, or push their work on others. I truly enjoy telling their stories. They’re just real people doing real life favors because it makes them happy. It’s raw. It’s human. It’s real.

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

I was absolutely blindsided by an ex a couple years back which ultimately ended with us breaking up. I was devastated, but I wanted to harness the emotions and do something productive rather than destructive. So, I paid $99 for an instrumental audio track and wrote a song that channeled every negative emotion I had relating to all the relationships from my past. It was not only cathartic and fun, but it kickstarted my musical career.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

I’m old school. I still write to-do lists with a pen and paper. As far as productivity software or web services, I’d recommend Hive or Trello. I appreciate how they organize assignments and allow others to communicate and contribute in real time.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

I Don’t Want to be An Empath Anymore, by Ora North. Emotions, feelings, and boundaries are so taboo in society, neglected and ignored at all costs. This book challenges the norm while discussing the benefit of being in tune with your emotions. This book taught me more than I could have ever imagined about myself, leading me to live a much better and healthier life.

What is your favorite quote?

“My alone feels so good, I’ll only have you if you’re sweeter than my solitude.” – Warsan Shire

Key Learnings:

• Do what makes you happy and don’t let anyone’s judgement stray you from doing so.
• Never give up on yourself. If you don’t believe in you, why should anyone else?
• You’re capable of doing anything you put your mind too. You just need to commit to the work that’s needed to get you there.