Meet Rob Mor

We were lucky to catch up with Rob Mor recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Rob, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.

I have often times felt imposter syndrome throughout my 15 year career in the entertainment industry. Whether running my creative agency, Tallboy, or doing stand up at the Comedy Store or the Laugh Factory, to being backstage at major music festivals and awards shows – often I’ll pinch myself and be like “How did I get here? I don’t deserve to be here – this is simply too cool.” I’ve felt it wearing a suit and tie working in the mailroom at WME. And in the offices of Lionsgate, The Onion and Netflix. And I’ve felt it on set of many film, tv, and commercial productions.

Imposter syndrome means you’re so excited about your current role that you don’t want to mess it up.

So, I try and shut up. I try my best to be quiet and observe. And then when there’s something I feel really strong about – I share it. And I share it with a willingness that it may not be received well but also it might. And then I shut up again.

I have found that there is power gained after one year of doing a job. Before you hit one year, just be quiet and be kind.

What also keeps me pushing through the feeling of imposter syndrome is realizing time and time again, that no one really knows what they’re doing when they start out. In anything. We are all imposters of life at first. So accepting that as your baseline – and at one point, the baseline for literally everyone in your industry – can be freeing.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I am the Founder and CEO of Tallboy, a boutique creative marketing agency based in Los Angeles. I am also an award winning filmmaker, girl dad, and widower. I like to share my experience as a young widower through content creation and filmmaking. On the business side, Tallboy is in its fourth year. We primarily work with Netflix producing trailers, behind-the-scenes content, and social video content. We also work with brands helping them build and manage their social media content strategy. Our content has amassed billions of views, so if you need video of any kind, let’s collab!

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

#1 FOCUS
When it comes to the entertainment industry, wearing one or two hats really well versus six hats – is the move. I found that during the start of my career, I wanted to be everything – actor, writer, comedian, producer, director, editor, influencer, business owner – it was a lot. It wasn’t until I proudly put the hat of “producer” on, that my career really started taking off. People want to know what you do and what you do well in the first 10-30 seconds of meeting you in Los Angeles; having five or six hyphens in your job title is tough for people to pinpoint what you do best and find opportunities for you. Every opportunity I’ve gotten whether behind the camera or in front of it – has been through networking.

#2 HUMILITY
Working in entertainment can make you feel cooler than you actually are. Believe me on that one – humility has only recently become a skill set I can call my own. Being gracious, kind, and eager to help has always been my default. But humility is a tough one. When I acted from ego, I have burned bridges. When I have acted from gratitude, ease, and kindness, the experience is always a delight and leads to more work.

#3 NETWORKING
That said – stay aggressive with your outreach. Any job or opportunity that I have ever gotten, whether running my own business or as a creative producer or line producer, has been through outreach. Warm, intentional, deliberate outreach. You never know what the timing might be when someone actually does need your help and skillset. And worst case, they simply don’t respond or they do respond and say, “nothing at the moment!” There is literally no harm in reaching out. Stay aggressive.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz has made a profound impact on me. When I am feeling insecure in my personal life, my business, or a project I am working on, I fall back on these four agreements.

“Always do your best, don’t take anything personally, don’t make any assumptions, and be impeccable with your word.”

When I operate from these four agreements whether in work, life, or play, I tend to have peace inside and that rubs off on my team, our creative partners, and all of my relationships. My anxiety only grows when I feel as though I am not nailing one of these agreements. Maybe I’m making assumptions. Maybe I promised too much and know I can’t deliver. Maybe that email rubbed me the wrong way because of the way someone signed off on it coldly, so now I assume he or she hates me. Or perhaps I’m simply giving 87% and not 100% – I can do better. These agreements, after all, are quite simple when you focus on them intentionally and gracefully.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tallboyagency.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamrobmor
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamrobmor/