Who is Cutboard Studio?
It all began in early 2014. The C-Suite of the company we were employed with decided that having an internal marketing department out of state wasn’t in their best interest. Enter lay-offs for nearly everyone on the team. Save for two. And if you guessed it was us you would be right! While we missed working with some of our former team members, this was our golden opportunity.
Enter the birth of CutBoard Studio. We had our very first client!
The conception of CutBoard Studio was a production company. The majority of the focus was video, but we also did a lot of packaging and product catalog work as well.
In reality the first few years we spent trying to do every job that came our way; commercials, web videos, product packaging, re-branding, and even a documentary TV series for PBS. Talk about an insatiable hunger for trying new things.
Along the way, we learned what we loved to do and what we were really great at doing; Documentary-style marketing.
We’ve found that documentary-style marketing is not about the short game. It’s a long-term tool that changes the conversation from, “Look at what we do!” to “Here’s why we do things this way.”
Our work has led us to multiple TELLY® Awards and a NATAS EMMY® nomination. We know we produce great marketing content.
Our Mission & Values
Our mission is to create memorable documentary-style videos that promote forward-thinking businesses and nonprofits.
Be Authentic
At CutBoard we take being authentic seriously. Authenticity is a balance that we hold between our values, beliefs, and actions. We live in the moment with conviction and confidence while staying true to ourselves. Being authentic puts our clients at ease. We are like a comforting old friend who welcomes you in and makes you feel at home. What do you like to drink?
Be Candid
Businesses depend on feedback from their teams to help the company grow. It’s especially important for smaller businesses and non-profits where everyone wears many different hats. This is why we like to create an environment where people feel free to bring up pain points, and we will do the same. We are polite but don’t expect us to sugar coat it for you.
Be Empathetic
Inside CutBoard, empathy helps understand the other person’s perspective. We strive to put ourselves in your shoes. The ability to connect with and relate to others—empathy in its purest form—is the force that moves every business forward.
Be Curious
This is one of Tanya’s go-to values. She’s always touting that “everything is figure-outable.” It might not be the best english. But curiosity has never killed our cat.
You don’t need to know everything. In fact, it’s impossible. Things change too rapidly. What worked yesterday might not work tomorrow. Be curious, and know when to ask the questions that can lead you to new ideas.
Creative Masters
Aaron Nepean
Principal & Producer
A graduate of Central Valley High school in 2001 Aaron was a part of the AV club, ASB, and an Eagle Scout. During high school, he worked alongside Bob Asbury editing the FOX TV series “Columbia Country”. He continued to study at Eastern Washington University. Aaron founded CutBoard Studio in 2014 after working for multiple marketing agencies and in-house production with multiple companies in Spokane. As the Producer, Aaron is the one CutBoard turns to be behind the camera. But, he is also the Leonardo Da Vinci of Editing videos. It would be hard to find a better editor in Spokane. Just don’t call on him to fix your printer problem.
Tanya Klumb
Principal & Director
A graduate of University High school in 1997 Tanya was a part of the Yearbook staff, ASB, and a Gold Award-winning Girl Scout. During high school, she also won the “Gold Medal” in layout design from Herff Jones who prints all the Yearbooks for the western states and British Columbia. She continued her graphic design studies at Eastern Washington University. Tanya joined CutBoard Studio in 2015 after returning to Spokane from Kansas City where she was working with one of the largest agencies in Kansas. As the Creative Director Tanya is involved with keeping each and every project running smoothly. But she hasn’t forgotten her design roots and is the go-to for all things graphics, and more often than not she is the one fixing the printer and brewing the coffee.
Tom Bross
Part-Time Marketing Strategist & Author
Author of “Don’t Call Me Jupiter,” a memoir series. Tom paired his BA Degree in Graphic Design from Chico State University with Marketing minor. He’s worked on the creative side for small, medium, and large advertising agencies in Sacramento, Oakland, and San Francisco. He’s also worked in-house for regional businesses like Kimmel Athletic and national companies like JellyBelly. Tom joined CutBoard Studio in 2018 after previously working with both Aaron and Tanya at a marketing agency in Spokane. Tom is also employed with Triple 9 Digital and can help you with running digital marketing campaigns, including directly with the Spokesman-Review or Google Adwords.