We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Drysen Carsten a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Drysen , so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.
I was raised on a second-generation family farm in South Dakota, where we raised corn, soybeans, pigs, and cattle. Growing up as a farm kid, you learn to have a certain “Roll up your sleeves and get it done” mentality. Unfortunately, I was also a shy and nervous kid. Most of my nights and weekends were spent in the solitude of a tractor cab, haunted by mental replays of embarrassing conversations and stupid things I did. As an adult, I would be diagnosed with ADHD and would learn about Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD), but as a kid, this made social interaction scary. I retracted into my shell, a nervous overthinker, and eventually convinced myself that my words were unheard and I was invisible.
ADHD also has a unique trait that I think most people know about. It’s the ability to hyper-fixate, and often overcommit to something. As I entered my freshman year of High School, I joined a student organization called “The Future Business Leaders of America” or FBLA. During the State Spring Conference, I had a moment that I can vividly remember to this day. As the State Officers took the stage, I felt a sensation that I can only describe as a switch being flipped in my mind. It was impulsive but I committed to becoming a state officer and I was going to do whatever it took to be on that stage.
But there was a problem – I was still a shy and socially anxious kid. The idea of meeting new people and running for office was beyond overwhelming. Yet, I felt this calling deep in my soul. I knew I had to start taking baby steps, and just try. I began to put myself out there, saying hello to new people, and working through the campaign process. It was hard, scary and awkward. But with repetition and practice, I started to find my confidence and each step became easier and easier.
The next year, I was voted into office to serve as the South Dakota State South Vice President during my Junior year.
Life, I’ve come to realize, is all about setting priorities. We do it subconsciously every single day. As a freshman, I impulsively set my sights on becoming a State Officer, despite lacking the necessary skills and confidence. Too often, we wait for the right moment to take action. We search for confidence before trying. But I believe this is a misconception. Confidence is a muscle. It develops through starting and staying consistent. We realize, little by little, that “Yes, I can do this!” and we grow. It’s going to be scary, uncomfortable, and even embarrassing at first, but by embracing the discomfort, we find confidence in ourselves and I promise, others will notice.
To this day, my entire career can be traced back to that single, impulsive moment when I committed to a clear goal at FBLA. That first step was crucial as it led to starting my first company, and subsequently, meeting incredible mentors, friends, and my wife, all of whom have provided the encouragement, support, and life lessons I needed to learn to co-found Hyperfocus Motion.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Branding uses good design as an essential tool in forging trust between a company and its audience. It creates a promise of the experience customers can expect when working with your company. But, how your company moves is often overlooked. Is your company fast-paced with high energy, or intentional and professional? How your brand moves speaks volumes to your potential customers and target audience.
Hi, I’m Drysen, a coffee addict, focus-smith, and co-founder of Hyperfocus Motion – a design, animation, and video production studio that turns bold ideas into vibrant visuals that spark curiosity.
Our services are to work closely with internal marketing departments and marketing agencies, serving as a design and motion graphics production resource. Whether it’s creating engaging explainer videos, crafting story-driven brand experience videos, or producing compelling tradeshow content, we’re all about creating videos that move customers through The Customer Journey to convert new faces into raving fans of your brand.
Our style may lean towards 2D abstract art, but we bring decades of experience in live-action video production and a flair for mixed media. We hold a firm belief: every script, sound effect, and pixel deserves VIP treatment, as shortcuts are simply not in our vocabulary. While we serve various industries, including tech, finance, health, and retail, we have deep roots in the agriculture industry (pun intended). We know how to talk about everything from closing wheels to soil samples.
Hyperfocus Motion isn’t just about creating content; it’s about crafting content to make your brand unforgettable in your clients’ minds. We created “The Hyperfocus Method” to ensure working with us is stress-free, effective, and, honestly, downright fun. If you need a graphic design, animation, and video production resource, checkout Hyperfocus Motion because that’s what we do.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Never Give Up – It sounds cliché, but I am the kind of person who just doesn’t quit. I often joke that I’m “too stupid to quit,” but honestly, it’s this never-give-up attitude that’s helped me the most. I have a calling deep in my core to keep pushing forward.
An Entrepreneur at Heart – Since a young age, I’ve always wanted to be self-sufficient and responsible for my own well-being. Though I love business, it’s not about making money – it’s about listening to people, understanding what they need, and doing my best to help them. Sometimes, that means saying no or turning a client away because it’s not a good fit. Ultimately, I want people to love working with our team because we actively solved a problem they needed help with.
Impulsively Saying YES! – I’ve learned a lot by just saying “yes” to new experiences. When I heard about Camp Mograph – a group of motion designers going camping together – I went, though I didn’t know anyone. When one of my favorite studios offered a producing class, I jumped at the chance to learn from them. Saying yes can sometimes be scary, but it has immensely helped me in my career.
But ultimately, it was getting comfortable living with discomfort that has helped me the most. Confidence doesn’t just magically appear; you build it day by day, facing new challenges, learning, and growing. Start today and stick with it.
My advice is simply this: Stick to your goals, listen to people, be helpful, be open to new experiences, and don’t be afraid of a little discomfort. It’s all part of the journey.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
Absolutely! We are actively seeking collaborators. We primarily focus on two types of clients:
Dream Client #1: We aim to work directly with marketing directors at businesses that have internal marketing departments. If you know what kind of content you need and how to place ads but require someone with a sharp design eye to create explainer videos, brand awareness campaigns, or tradeshow content, we’re here to help. Understanding the value of strong graphic design is great, and if you’re not as familiar with motion design, we excel at guiding clients in developing a motion personality that seamlessly integrates with your brand guide. Our clients typically have an average revenue of over $6 million, but our portfolio also includes collaborations with small start-ups and multi-billion (yes, with a ‘B’) dollar companies.
Dream Client #2: We are eager to become a go-to production resource for marketing agencies across the U.S. If you’ve developed a brilliant campaign and need a production studio you can trust to bring it to life, work alongside through a stress-free and fun process, look no further. We pride ourselves on our ability to collaborate effectively, take feedback constructively, and maintain consistent lines of communication.
If this sounds like a fit for you, we’d love to connect.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://hyperfocusmotion.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drysencarsten/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wearehyperfocused
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drysen-carsten/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@HyperfocusMotion
Image Credits
Image Credits to Nick Donlon ( Selfie @ FrameOne Interview w/ Alex Parker)
