From movements to markets.
Helping leaders build what’s next.
I’ve spent 25 years creating better systems — for people, for business, and for the planet. I’m an entrepreneur, CEO, strategist, and advisor who helps leaders and teams thrive in complexity. Along the way I’ve worked with organizations including the United Nations, the World Economic Forum, and Fortune 500 companies — helping design systems that create clarity, capability, and culture — so people and organizations don’t just perform, they thrive.
*Key organizations I’ve worked with include:
Vision is everything.
At Upstream, I helped transform a little-known consultancy into a global force for the circular economy. We evolved from a boutique shop into a movement-builder — shaping the fight against plastic pollution, advancing extended producer responsibility, and helping launch the new reuse economy.
Along the way, I advised the United Nations, the World Economic Forum, and Fortune 500 companies, while building one of the most influential voices in the circular economy.
I also founded the Reusies, the first awards program celebrating entrepreneurs, activists, and brands advancing a world without waste. And I launched and co-hosted the Indisposable Podcast.
I was an early advisor to the Ocean Plastics Leadership Network, a global platform helping corporations tackle their plastic pollution - helping design signature initiatives on extended producer responsibility and reusable packaging.
And I co-founded Break Free From Plastic, a global movement uniting more than 13,000 organizations representing millions of people worldwide to end plastic pollution.
Systems beat heroes.
At CLYNK, I stepped in during a time of uncertainty and led a complete turnaround. We rebuilt the brand, reinvented the service model, reset the culture, and focused relentlessly on scaling.
The result: massive growth, and CLYNK became the fastest-growing redemption and recycling company in the Northeast.
That growth ultimately led to CLYNK’s acquisition by TOMRA, the global leader in bottle redemption and recycling technology and collections.
The next wave.
Over the past couple of decades I’ve had the chance to build organizations, help shape movements, and lead companies through growth and change.
Along the way, I became obsessed with a deeper question: what actually allows leaders — and the teams and organizations they run — to thrive over the long haul?
Over time I began to see a consistent pattern. Companies scale. Complexity rises. The operating systems that once worked start to strain. At the same time, many leaders begin to feel their work, company, and life drifting out of alignment — and aren’t sure how to bring them back together.
That intersection — where leadership, systems, and life realign — is where my work now lives. ThriveLab is the centerpiece of that work: a leadership lab for founders, CEOs, and operators navigating growth, complexity, and their own next chapter.
Alongside ThriveLab, I coach leaders, advise leadership teams, serve on select boards, and speak about leadership, systems thinking, and regenerative business.
Paddle out, even when the waves look big.
Entrepreneur & CEO
Led CLYNK and Upstream through growth, innovation, and impact — scaling organizations that bridge business, technology, and sustainability.
Author, Podcaster & Advocate
Published reports, podcasts, and articles that helped define the modern circular economy movement.
Movement Builder
Mobilized global coalitions and partnerships that shifted industries toward reimaging waste and circular economy solutions.
Thought Leadership
Recognized voice in sustainability and leadership, featured by The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Fast Company, NPR, and The Washington Post, among others.
Global Impact Leader
Advised the United Nations, World Economic Forum, businesses and governments worldwide on systems that reduce waste and unlock thriving futures.
Speaker & Facilitator
Keynotes and workshops that bring clarity and energy to audiences — sparking action from the boardroom to the main stage.
Strategy & Systems Designer
Architected and built strategies and frameworks blending EOS, Pinnacle, and Scaling Up to align leaders, unlock flow, and deliver results.
Real Estate Investor
Developed and managed a portfolio of properties across Maine and Puerto Rico, building durable value through hands-on investment.
“I hired Matt to succeed me as CEO of CLYNK - and in less than three years, he grew the company faster than at any time in its history, positioning it as a dominant force in a volatile, quickly-evolving marketplace. His innovation was only surpassed by his skillful leadership managing and motivating a rapidly expanding workforce.”
— Clayton Kyle, Founder of CLYNK and Executive Chairman