Navigate the next act of work and life with clear goals and the confidence you can achieve them.
Join a ragtag community of creative misfits defying the status quo and designing more fulfilling and sustainable careers (yes, even in this current 🔥 hellscape) on OUR terms.
Join 400+ creatives, artists, and storytellers spanning 6 continents
“For anyone on the fence about joining this community, Zack has been so immensely helpful on so many levels. I have personally gained so many tools through him that have helped me through more than just my career.”
Jill Calhoun • Animation Editor
Learn the Essential Skills to Successfully Manage Work & Life as a 21st Century Creative
(That You Should Have Been Taught In School But Were NOT)
Focus
Build the stamina and habits to consistently do your best creative work amidst our hyper-distracted world.
Prioritization
Clarify what’s essential, master your calendar, and spend time working on things that matter (without burning out).
Resilience
Strengthen your mindset to re-embrace learning, manage uncertainty, and develop the courage to face your fears.
Connection
Stop “networking” and build genuine relationships that lead to deeper, more valuable collaborations (not just your next gig).
Communication
Clearly and confidently express the value you bring to the world so you can land your dream opportunities (without “selling” yourself).
No matter if you’re mastering your calendar, your outreach, or your résumé, the most important metaskill you will learn from The Arnold Academy is STORYTELLING.
You’ve spent your entire career helping others tell their stories.
This is your opportunity to finally write the next chapter of your story.
On YOUR terms.
“I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavor. To affect the quality of your day, that is the highest of arts.”
Henry David Thoreau
Tour The Academy
Courses, Workshops & Masterclasses
Learn career design networking, branding, time management, and more from our library of self-guided courses designed by creatives, for creatives
Live Office Hours
Join weekly Office Hours calls and observe live coaching sessions with fellow students on the “Hot Seat” seeking solutions to problems just like yours
The “Vault” & Office Hour Archives
Over 1000 recorded, transcribed, summarized, and curated Hot Seats searchable via keyword and AI
Schedule 1-on-1 “Hot Seats”
Book your own 25-min coaching sessions during Office Hours to workshop anything and everything you need support with
Global Creative Community
Join an engaged community of creatives across six continents and build your new network of peers, mentors, and collaborators
Student Directory
Connect with members 1-on-1 based on job title, skillsharing, seeking mentorship, or providing mentorship in return
Hi, I’m Zack.
I’m an award-winning Hollywood feature and television editor, producer, and documentary director (notable credits include Cobra Kai, Empire, Glee, and Burn Notice) turned writer, podcaster, and career coach who helps creatives like you build a career you absolutely love…without burning out (or selling your creative soul).
The purpose of my work is to help you find meaning and purpose in yours.
If you feel like your career is on life support, I and the other members of The Arnold Academy have your back. We creatives do things a bit differently, and I created this safe space for us to learn new skills, build our peer groups, connect with mentors, and support each other along the way.
To paraphrase Steve Jobs:
“We are the crazy ones. The misfits. The round pegs in the square holes…We change things and push the human race forward. While some may see us as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.”
Join our global community so we can change the world together. The rising tide lifts all boats.
My work has been featured in:
And I’ve worked for:
We Didn’t Sign Up For This Sh*t
(Nor Are We Prepared For It)
When we decided to build our livelihoods around our creative skills, nobody warned us how quickly things would change. It feels like overnight it went from those with the best (and most specialized) skills landing the best gigs to instead a chaotic free-for-all where even the best at what they do are struggling to string together consistent work.
As the creative workforce globalizes…
As the many modes in which society consumes entertainment “content” evolve…
As artificial intelligence transforms countless creative crafts…
Having a singular, specialized skillset has gone from providing stability and security to instead becoming the riskiest path of them all.
“Your 9-to-5 job is dying. By 2034, it will be extinct.”
Reid Hoffman • Founder, LinkedIn
“Less than 5% of specialized careers will survive artificial intelligence. We will all become generalists.”
Mauro Guillen • Vice Dean, The Wharton School of Business
“In the past, people were hired and promoted based on ability. In the future, the more valuable currency will be agility. We should bet on people with the motivation to learn and the flexibility to change.”
Adam Grant • NYT Bestselling Author
As creatives we were trained to master a singular, highly specialized skill set. The educational system didn’t prepare us for this new world that requires a completely different approach to career design.
To not only survive but thrive as creatives, artists, and storytellers will require:
New skills
A new network
A new story
I’ve spent the last decade navigating my own existential crisis career pivot and have learned how to diversify my creative skills, create multiple streams of income, expand my professional network, and balance the most important things in my life, while not sacrificing my health, relationships, or sanity along the way.
Now I want to share everything I’ve learned with you.
You No Longer Have to Walk This Uncertain (and Terrifying) Path Alone
As soon as you become a member of The Arnold Academy we’ll provide you with the educational resources, the mindsets and strategies, the tools, and most importantly a supportive peer group to help you navigate the next phase of your creative career.
Learn how to leverage your skills, experience, and knowledge to pursue new career path (or level up your existing job)
Learn how to build genuine relationships and surround yourself with peers, experts, and mentors
Better integrate your work & life so you can spend your time in alignment with your values (rather than spinning your wheels to nowhere)
Say Hello to Your New Insta-Network of Brilliant Creative Minds
Nobody ever succeeds alone. Now more than ever we all need a supportive community of peers, experts, and mentors. Say hello to your new insta-network of creative misfits, awkward introverts, rebels, and square pegs. 😉
Accountability
If you struggle to follow through with your goals (or even worse if you procrastinate), we’ll provide you with the motivation and inspiration to follow through.
Collaboration
Connect with like-minded creatives to share skills or even create your next project together. Countless students in our community have landed their next gigs – and even their dream jobs – through other community members.
Networking (Without the Awkwardness)
We are by-and-large a community of awkward introverts, overthinkers, and recovering perfectionists. If you’re looking for a safe space to be yourself, look no further.
Encouragement
If you’re tired of the rat race and always trying to one-up your competition, we instead lift each other up. We refer each other for jobs, give constructive feedback, and share our wins to inspire others along the way.
“I reached out to eight showrunners whose work I love. Not only did they ALL return my emails…those correspondences turned into five in-person meetings. Zack, you’ve changed the way I think both professionally and personally!”
Ada Halofsky • Writer
“The greatest value I’m getting is defining my own values and aligning my personal life with my professional goals. It’s empowering, and it makes me feel much more confident in how I pursue opportunities. I am really enjoying the support of this community.”
Paul Hemstreet • Creative Executive
Introducing The Arnold Academy For Creatives
Learn the Essential Skills to Successfully Manage Work & Life as a 21st Century Creative
Whether it’s self-guided courses, masterclasses and workshops, live Office Hours “Hot Seats” (via Zoom), or a supportive global community of ambitious creatives, we’re here to support you as you work towards your goals (and encounter obstacles along the way)
Tour The Academy
Courses, Workshops & Masterclasses
Learn career design networking, branding, time management, and more from our library of self-guided courses designed by creatives, for creatives
Live Office Hours
Join weekly Office Hours calls and observe live coaching sessions with fellow students on the “Hot Seat” seeking solutions to problems just like yours
The “Vault” & Office Hour Archives
Over 1000 recorded, transcribed, summarized, and curated Hot Seats searchable via keyword and AI
Schedule 1-on-1 “Hot Seats”
Book your own 25-min coaching sessions during Office Hours to workshop anything and everything you need support with
Global Creative Community
Join an engaged community of creatives across six continents and build your new network of peers, mentors, and collaborators
Student Directory
Connect with members 1-on-1 based on job title, skillsharing, seeking mentorship, or providing mentorship in return
Below is a brief overview of the many features of The Arnold Academy For Creatives you’ll have access to as soon as you join.
The Academy Podcast
Subscribe to a member’s-only private podcast feed updated with over 4 hours of brand new coaching sessions per week where I help real creatives like you solve TODAY’s problems.
- Listen 24/7 and get coaching on-the-go
- Bookmark and save your favorite sessions
- Keep up-to-date with the latest Academy announcements
Live Office Hours
Every Tuesday & Thursday from 8:30am – 10:30am (Pacific time) I hold my Office Hours where I conduct a series of 25-min student “Hot Seats” in a group setting. You are welcome to attend live as a lurker, participate during Q&A, and schedule up to one 1-on-1 Hot Seat session per week (pending availability).
The Vault & Office Hours Archives
Since 2017 I have recorded EVERY. SINGLE. OFFICE HOURS. As soon as you enroll you’ll have access to over 1000 Hot Seat sessions sortable by topic and keyword (and now searchable with AI!) so you can find exactly the career-changing advice you need without waiting to schedule your own Hot Seat session.
We’ve also curated the best-of-the-best Hot Seats and created a myriad of “Before & After” case studies in The Vault, aka our “Office Hours Greatest Hits.”
Schedule 25-min Hot Seats with Zack
Join Office Hours live and schedule your own 25-min 1-on-1 Hot Seat (recorded in the Office Hours group setting) to workshop your unique challenges.
Topics of conversation include (but are not limited to):
- Workshopping outreach emails
- Workshopping résumés, websites, and demo reels
- Prepping for job interviews and important meetings
- Setting goals and building habits & systems
- Overcoming obstacles such as procrastination, imposter syndrome, and creative blocks
- Building better systems to manage your time
- Workshopping creative workflows
Join Our Global Creative Community
Join 400+ creatives spread globally across six continents in our new community platform “Circle” where you can connect with like-minded peers, seek out guidance and mentorship, or event connect with your ideal collaborators.
If you struggle with networking, procrastination, imposter syndrome, or introversion, you’re amongst friends!
The Student Directory
Access our searchable Student Directory (this is WAY better than LinkedIn or IMDb!) with searchable criteria of over 400 creatives to expand your network of peers, experts, and mentors.
- Seek guidance and mentorship
- Connect with accountability buddies
- Connect with mentors
- Provide mentorship to others
Courses, Workshops, and Masterclasses
As soon as you enroll you’ll get instant access to my entire library of self-guided courses, workshops, and masterclasses to help you navigate the next act of your creative career—without losing your mind, or selling your creative soul!
My Career Design & Productivity Bundle Includes:
Design Your Dream Career: Learn how to leverage your lifetime of skills, experiences, and your unique knowledge to diversify income streams and differentiate yourself from your competition with your “asymmetric advantage.”
Focus Yourself: Learn how to set goals and better manage your time, energy, and attention so you keeping spinning all the plates and wearing all the hats.
Become a Calendar Ninja: Learn how to build the habit of deep work and turn your calendar into the chess board for your most important creative work, one detailed time block at a time.
Premium Networking & Branding Course Bundle Includes:
Build Your Dream Network: Learn how to pursue your ‘creative calling’ and build your dream network of peers, experts, mentors, and collaborators using my “Kick ass Google Spreadsheet” (my students’ words, not mine!)
The Way of the Networking Ninja: Learn how to master the art of cold outreach so you can connect with people that are excited to hear from you and open career doors you never imagined possible.
Write Your Brand Story: Learn how to rewrite the story of your personal brand so you can reposition yourself as the ideal solution to your ideal collaborators’ problems and write a killer ‘About’ page for your website and LinkedIn profile.
Here’s What a Few of Our Students Have to Say
“This is an incredible hive mind of creatives bringing out the best in each other. This community has improved my confidence and helped me realize I can climb my Everest because of the skills I have used to climb other mountains.”
Katie Cornblath
“Thank you again for giving me the encouragement and permission to be okay with not having it figured out right now and giving me a new goal to work towards. You and this community have been a blessing that fell out of the sky for me in where I am in my journey!”
Tristan Felberg
“I’m so grateful to you and this community for all the help and love you’ve brought me. With everything that’s happened over the past few years in this industry, I highly doubt I’d still be pursuing my dream in this industry if it wasn’t for you!”
Sam Triplett
“I’ve never been unemployed for longer than 3 weeks in my entire career. The current slowdown has gutted me in a way that I had not anticipated.
I found comfort in a community where people understand exactly what I am going through. Without this program, I probably would have lost hope and switched industries long ago.”
Sediqua Francis
“The greatest value I’m getting is defining my own values and aligning my personal life with my professional goals. It’s empowering, and it makes me feel much more confident in how I pursue opportunities.
I am really enjoying the support of this community.”
Paul Hemstreet
“I ❤️ this community! I’m so glad we can help members in need.”
Bari Winter
Navigate the next act of work and life with clear goals and the confidence you can achieve them.
Join a ragtag community of creative misfits defying the status quo and designing more fulfilling and sustainable careers (yes, even in this current 🔥 hellscape) on OUR terms.
The Community Pass
The Arnold Academy private podcast feed (4+ hrs/week of coaching content!)
The Circle Community
The Student Directory
In-person networking event invites
The “Vault”
Office Hours Archives (1000+ sessions)
Audio recordings, transcripts, & summaries of all future Office Hours calls
Career Design & Productivity Course Bundle
The Resource Library
30-Day Money Back Guarantee
Live Office Hours
Schedule 1-on-1 “Hot Seats” with Zack (up to one per week)
Premium Networking & Branding Course Bundle
20% discount on virtual and in-person workshops
$497/yr
The All-Access Pass
The Arnold Academy private podcast feed (4+ hrs/week of coaching content!)
The Circle Community
The Student Directory
In-person networking event invites
The “Vault”
Office Hours Archives (1000+ sessions)
Audio recordings, transcripts, & summaries of all future Office Hours calls
Career Design & Productivity Course Bundle
The Resource Library
30-Day Money Back Guarantee
Live Office Hours
Schedule 1-on-1 “Hot Seats” with Zack (up to one per week)
Premium Networking & Branding Course Bundle
20% discount on virtual and in-person workshops
$997 $597/yr
👇 Scroll below to compare plans and features: 👇
The
Community Pass
The
All-Access Pass
Community Features
The Arnold Academy private podcast feed (with over 4+ hrs/week of new coaching content!)
The Circle Community (400+ creatives globally)
The Student Directory
Members-only invites to in-person networking events
Office Hours Access
The entire ‘Office Hours’ Archives (over 1000 “Hot Seats”), audio recordings & transcripts
The “Vault,” aka Office Hours Greatest Hits curated by topic
Audio recordings, transcripts, and summaries of all future sessions
Attend Office Hours live (as a background participant) and submit Q’s
Schedule 1-on-1 25-min “Hot Seats” directly with Zack
(in the Office Hours group setting)(up to 1 per week)
Masterclasses, Workshops, and Self-Guided Courses
Design Your Dream Career
Focus Yourself
Become a Calendar Ninja
Resource Library
Build Your Dream Network
The Way of the Networking Ninja
Masterclass: Branding For Storytellers
Not sure if The Arnold Academy is the right fit? Feel free to reach out directly to [email protected] with any questions.
“No matter where you are in your career, I have found value in this program and Zack who is able to help you in unique areas of the industry that you won’t find anywhere else.”
Yvette Amirian, ACE • Editor
My Promise To You
I get it. Things are REALLY scary right now. And finances are tighter than ever before. Nobody knows where the creative industries are going next, and uncertainty is the only thing we can count on. I realize joining this community is a big investment, and the timing couldn’t be worse. But maybe this is the best time to invest in yourself?
No question there’s a cost to joining our creative community. And once you do join, the work will be hard. Nothing worthwhile comes easy. But given your present circumstances, what will it cost to keep doing the same things and getting the same results?
I’d rather that you go to bed every night knowing that despite all the chaos in the world, how you spent your time was in alignment with your values. And that you’ve done everything you can within your control to keep moving forwards, despite all the setbacks.
You can join for 30 days and consume every piece of content available to you. If this community isn’t for you, just ask for a refund. No questions asked.
Still on the fence? Reach out to us at [email protected].
Join our global community of creative misfits defying the status quo and forging our paths towards the more rewarding, fulfilling, and sustainable careers we all deserve.
Join 400+ creatives, artists, and storytellers spanning 6 continents