WHO IS MATT RODY?
• A father, a husband and a son. A steadfast friend, a mentor, a path-finder.
WHAT I DO
• As COO of Mastodon Media, I work with client companies to build inclusive media frameworks for business success. I create operating systems from ground up, and establish protocols that lead to consistent, scalable, actionable results in various marketplaces.
WHAT IS MASTODON MEDIA
• Mastodon Media is an open-ended, integrity-driven company that manages advertising for clients in an all-inclusive agency style. We help clients thrive in this highly-competitive marketplace by reaching potential customers across multiple platforms and getting successful returns, via interaction and conversion, on their ROI.
The company rests on 3 pillars – each of which brings a unique set of skills and experience to Mastodon’s core structure. Alicia Shefchik (CEO) harnesses the power of social media to influence buying decisions and build a customer base for our clients through social network management. John Watson (XXX?) is the incredible tech guru, whose mastery of the digital space helps clients establish new marketing infrastructure or re-build old ones for maximized performance and efficiency. As COO, I manage the complete administration of marketing dialogue, to ensure that our clients offer up the best, positive and top-of-the-mind experience that will evoke brand loyalty and retain customers for the long haul.
WHAT I HAVE DONE IN THE PAST
• Went to Christian School, elementary through high school, before doing 2 years in a community college and then 2 years at the University of Washington for a Masters degree in Business Finance.
• From the age of 12, I worked every summer at the underground construction company that has been in my family since the 1940s.
• Began my career in real estate in 1999.
• Branched into the construction business in 2005.
• Created Washington Home Team, a real estate company that built CRMs (client relation management systems), along with John Watson (best friend and current partner at Mastodon) in 2011.
• Discovered the Beach Body program in 2012 and helped my wife Stacy create a successful business presence in Seattle’s PX 90 and Beach Body community. Not only did I lose 75 lbs in 2012, thanks to the program, I got incredible insight into social media, personal branding and human psychology as I helped her grow her business. I discovered principles here that could seamlessly be applied to businesses at large, and began implementing them elsewhere with gratifying results.
• Involved the principles of mentoring and disciple relations in a business environment to enhance existing work relationships, and encourage goal-setting, teamwork and personal growth. This process of nurturing human potential via Christian principles of deep, constructive, one-on-one intercourse has been a successful and guiding principle in my career, as it addresses the very root of friction and other relationship breakdowns that impacts both individuals and companies in the long run.
MY GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT
• My commitment to discipleship and mentorship that has helped both people and businesses to build meaningful relationships with themselves, with their clients, and with the world.
MY WORST FAILURE
• Addiction to an online video game called War of Warcraft. My dad introduced me to it in 2007, not realizing that I would spend 10-12 hours every day, lost in that fantasy world of endless possibilities. I scheduled my work around this large chunk of video gaming time, so he never caught on that I was physically absent from the office. (We worked together then.) Finally, when I snapped at my wife for disturbing me during playtime, I realized how much I was actually hurting the people I love. Gave the account away to a kid that day and never played again.
WHAT I AM GREAT AT
• Helping people be great at what they were born to be great at.
WHAT I SUCK AT
• Patience.
WHAT KEEPS ME AWAKE AT NIGHT
• Thoughts about finance, and its endless, exciting possibilities.
WHAT MAKES ME GET OUT OF BED IN THE MORNING
• The 1-litre bottle of water I drink every day.
MY LIFE MANTRA
• “The joy of the Lord is my strength”.
5 PEOPLE I ADMIRE
• My father. With growing years and my own parenthood experience, I am appreciating the man more and more.
• My mother. One of the most annoying people I know with her peculiar, OCD ways – and yet the most loving human being too, who has tremendously enriched my life.
• My wife. A beacon of gentle peace in all situations.
• My Uncle Scott. He taught me the true worth and value of disciple/mentor relationships that have such power to unite, educate and help people be the best version of themselves.
• John Watson. My best and most loyal friend, with whom I have shared my life journey for 6 years now.
WHAT INSPIRES ME
• Clean water. Wish I had billions and trillions of dollars to guarantee clean water for every human being on this planet.
• Giving money away and seeing how much good money can do when spent right.
• People who are following their passion.
• My children. Not always their favorite human being, but they’re my inspiration nonetheless.
5 THINGS ON MY BUCKET LIST
• Go wine-tasting with my wife in Italy.
• Create a coalition of non-profits that align their outreach efforts and stops wasteful spending of money once and for all.
• Build a house for my family with my own hands.
• Open a whiskey bar. Lounge style, warehouse style, with Chesterfield sofas, cigar tables and chandeliers. And an old fireplace with a 7 ft opening. Perfect place to bring clients, network, talk shop, relax…
• Earn a 6-pack. (Have a 1-pack, right now.)
5 THINGS I LOVE MOST
• Great, high-proof bourbon.
• Wit, sarcasm, humor.
• My wife’s “man laugh”. I am fascinated by this attribute in my soft, gentle, feminine wife. A braying, man laugh.
• The peculiar, all-knowing sideways glance my 4-year-old son gives me when he thinks I’m out of line.
• Creeping on Facebook. I’m a pattern freak and I love to study people’s Facebook timelines to find interesting behavior/personality patterns.
5 THINGS YOU HATE MOST?
• Forks and Knives scraping on a plate. Something in the Hz frequency of that sound touches an angry, hot spot in my inner ear and makes me want to do bodily harm.
• Dogs licking my arms and legs.
• When Alicia eats something nice, she always makes this utterly bizarre sound that’s half a moan and half a vocal response to extreme food pleasure. It’s a loud, annoyingly gutteral noise that comes rumbling up her throat. “Hmmmmmm#@%%%%!!!!”
• John re-settling his body every time he is mentally preparing to argue with me. He leans back on the chair, puts his hands on his belly and folds them in a Buddha pose. I just got to jump in then and say, no don’t sit like that! Sit up! Sit up! Watching him slide into the semi-supine, belly-holding position really gets my goat, because I know he is getting ready to be contrary…
• Myself, when I’m doing the whole, crazy OCD thing.
5 TREASURED POSSESSIONS?
• Journals. I journal a lot.
• My Bible
• Black shirts
• A grey hat to go with the black shirt
• My super expensive, over-the-shoulder, Frye brand backpack. Bought it before a mission trip to India many years ago. Haven’t left it since.
4 THINGS YOU WISH YOU HAD
• A 4-car garage. I don’t know why exactly I want it… Extra storage, maybe?
• Better airplane travel experience. Nobody’s designing comfortable aircraft seating with an eye out for the 6 ft 7 inches guy.
• A suitable truck to fit this same 6ft 7 inch-frame.
• An elevator in my house. Having sprained my ankle too many times playing basketball, I actually designed a 3-storey house with an elevator that I have kept stashed away somewhere in my garage.