We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Matt Shoup. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Matt below.
Hi Matt , thanks for joining us today. Let’s talk about innovation. What’s the most innovative thing you’ve done in your career?
One of our biggest innovations relates to one of our companies biggest screw ups. I call this my “Painted Baby” Story. In 2008, we had a paint sprayer explode on a job site, and it exploded all over our customer and her 9 month old baby. This was a very bad day at the office. As we approached the disaster to triage it, we eneded up making everyhting right. And, yes the baby was okay :)
The lesson learned and innovation after came three years later. In 2011, I was sitting at one of my companies largest sales opportunities ever. I was attempting to share my A +, 5 star shiny marketing brochure with my soon to be customer, thinking this would win his trust and business.
He asked me to share a time I screwed up, and I was speechless…..
I then went on to share out Painted Baby story with him and how we handled it. He was immediately hooked, gained a deeper sense of trust and respect for me and the company, and ended up hiring us.
We then took this story, and concept of being brave and vulnerable, sharing out not so perfect moments in our storytelling and customer experience. This concept changed our business in big ways. I began speaking on this topic and eventually wrote a book on it.
Would love to share more with you.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am a serial entrepreneur, author, keynote speaker, Spain aficionado, Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt, and lover and pursuer of leadership. I currently focus on serving male business owners and entrepreneurs by offering them tools to advance their life, leadership and business. I share my unique stories and life experiences from business, travel to and through Spain, and competing on the Brazilian jiu jitsu mats, to teach and inspire others to pursue their purpose and leadership.
We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.
I am currently the co owner of Northern Colorado Jiu Jitsu and Self Defense in Loveland, Colorado. I began training BJJ in 2007. I trained alongside my now business partner Troy Pettyjohn for years before he and I had a conversation that led us down the path of being business partners.
Troy was helping me train for an overseas jiu jitsu tournament. At the end of a training session, he sat me down and shared his story of being bullied growing up, and why he pursued martial arts. As we spoke more and shared out stories with each other, he shared his dream to own a jiu jitsu school one day.
We continued speaking and I shared my love of business with him. One thing led to another and w eventually founded our academy together.
Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?
My advice to manage a team and foster high morale is a few things.
1. Be genuinely interested in your teams dreams, passions and goals. Then help them get there.
2. Be more than a boss. Be a resource to make your teams life better. Help them to advance in areas outside of business.
3. Remember special dates and occasions in your team members lives. Birthdays, anniversaries, important milestones.
4. Have fun and celebrate wins with your team.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mattshoup.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matthewshoup/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matt.shoup
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattshoup/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/MattShoup
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MattShoup