Building a Life By Design Through eCommerce With Matthew Schmitt

Underdog Empowerment

Matthew Schmitt is a successful entrepreneur and marketer from the St. Louis area. He was born and raised in Chesterfield, and his father worked for Anheuser Busch, the maker of Bud Light. After graduating with an IT degree during a recession, Matthew found it difficult to secure a job in his field, and ended up living in his parents' basement while applying to anything he could get his hands on.

Matthew's back was against the wall, so he started to play around with building a website and documenting his weight loss journey, which ultimately led him to lose 100 pounds. Although he was good at building, he struggled with monetizing his website. Eventually, he found a job at Anheuser Busch, but he was still itching for something else.

Matthew started to experiment with affiliate marketing on Google, but he got shut down. However, when Facebook opened up targeting and ads, he became one of the first people to get involved. He did direct-to-print t-shirt sales, which didn't require a lot of inventory, and he was able to test what worked in a systematic way.

Matthew was eventually promoted at Anheuser Busch, but he was putting in more hours, and his wife said that he couldn't do both jobs at the same time. So he got out of his day job and started his own company out of his house. He built the company up to $20 million, and sold it when his daughter was born.

Matthew realized that it was important to be fulfilled in life, and to have the skill to enjoy life while still looking towards the future. He believes that it's important to always be in the mode of stretching oneself, and he wants to role model that for his daughters. Matthew is a strategic thinker who enjoys playing poker and thinking through puzzles involving math and psychology.

Matthew's advice to anyone starting a business is to give respect where it's due, and to focus on marketing apparel that doesn't require inventory. He stresses that you need to have a reason why someone will buy from you, and that you need to be relatable to your customers. Matthew's company donates to no-kill shelters, and he believes that people care more than you think about connection beyond transaction.

Matthew also stresses the importance of understanding the platforms you're working on. For example, Facebook is a social media platform where people don't come to see your product, so your ads have to snap them out of their scrolling state. Google, on the other hand, is an intent-based platform where people come to seek out your product, so securing the first spot in a brand search is crucial.

Finally, if Matthew had to start over with nothing but the wisdom and knowledge gained through his experiences, his first piece of advice to himself would be to not chase short-term goals, but to keep an eye on the long-term mission. He believes that building a true brand, not just cash, is the key to seeking fulfillment from the start.

In conclusion, Matthew Schmitt is a successful entrepreneur who has built multiple companies by focusing on marketing and understanding the platforms he works on. He emphasizes the importance of having a mission, being relatable to customers, and building a brand that is true to your values. Matthew's story serves as an inspiration to anyone looking to start their own business or achieve their goals in life.

What You’ll Learn:

• The differences between advertising on Google and Facebook.
• Why establishing a mission and values is so important.
• What it means to secure the first spot in a brand search.
• And much more!

Favorite Quote:

“That’s the classic story for entrepreneurs, it’s never the first business, it’s usually a couple businesses in that starts to hit.” -Matthew Schmitt

Connect with Matthew:

Skup

Facebook

Instagram

How to Get Involved:

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For more on how to grow your business, check out this episode.

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