Today we’d like to introduce you to Zach McNair.
Hi Zach, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised just outside of Houston in a little town called Pinehurst. Growing up on a horse farm was great for a lot of reasons, but I knew by age 10 I didn’t want to become the horse trainer my folks and their folks wanted me to become. At that age, I realized something foundational about myself—I was really into music and connecting deeply with people. Thankfully, the internet was beginning to really take off, and it really opened my mind to a world of possibility. I knew early on that I wanted to help others tell their stories online.
Throughout middle school until early college age, I worked with a lot of bands and non-profits. If the internet taught me about digital storytelling, working with bands, NPOs, and small businesses taught me about telling stories using everything else. Bands need logos, posters, album packaging, photos, videos, a website, etc, and I was more than willing to jump in and help them with whatever they needed—even if I didn’t know what I was doing. During this time, I learned a lot about getting uncomfortable, the importance of relationships, and the impact that friends, mentors, and teachers can have.
My twenties involved a lot of insecurity and discovery. I got married, had kids, tried a number of career directions, moved cross country (and back), got jobs at big companies, lost jobs at small companies, started companies, closed companies, wrote and produced an album with my two best friends, and somehow came out the other side. It was a *lot*. This era of my life taught me a lot about humility. I don’t think I’ve ever been as scared about life as I was that in that decade of my life.
So far, my thirties have been both about appreciating my past and walking through a doorway into something new. I have realized how important a legacy really is, and I’ve strived to be a better husband and dad to my family. I realized how fulfilled I was working with other people on projects, and so I opened up a collaborative design studio that is focused on helping people tell their stories. I realized how much I valued deep relationships, and so I started learning how to ask better questions to get to know people better. I realized how much I am really am healed and grown by the shared art of writing and producing music with my best friends. And I’ve realized how much of my life was lived in ignorance of one form or another, and it’s grown my desire to be humble, practice empathy, and fight for justice in the spaces I’m in.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been a smooth road. My twenties were by far the most uncomfortable journey of my life so far. I never went to college, and everything I’ve learned has been largely by trial and error.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am the founder and creative director of All Manner of Us, a deeply relational brand agency. I am also 1/3 of the mostly-instrumental band Forenn. I specialize in helping people build deep relationships with their audience. Over the past 20+ years, I’ve gotten to work with Grammy-nominated bands like Mutemath and Underoath, large corporations like Indeed and Autodesk, and small businesses just starting their own thing.
What I’ve loved the most throughout my career as an artist has been helping people tell their stories in a way that resonates with their audience.
How do you think about happiness?
There are a lot of things that make me happy, but the two that stand out the most are my family and the music I make with my best friends. There’s a lot to be said about vulnerability, and I find I’m most fulfilled when I am with people who know me the best and who still love me despite my shortcomings.
Contact Info:
- Email: hello@zachmcnair.com
- Website: https://www.zachmcnair.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zachmcnair
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/zachmcnair
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/forenn
- Other: https://www.allmannerofus.com
Image Credits
Credits include: Brittan Pittman, Josh Taylor, Jake Bartlett, Moyo Oyelola, Ryan Booth
