Matt Kerbel, Innovators Council, Adweek and Former VP, Marketing, Homie
Matt Kerbel has spent the past 15 years creating, developing and growing modern brands, delivering outsized revenue growth and profitability, and hiring and inspiring diverse and bright talent to deliver career-defining work.
Kerbel is well-known and respected as a best-in-class brand strategist, transformational business operator, cultural anthropologist, entrepreneurial problem solver, team builder, competitive team player and passionate leader.
He has worked across a variety of industries, including CPG, gaming, ridesharing, as well as DTC apparel, electric vehicles, and proptech, for companies ranging from Lyft to General Mills to Activision to MeUndies and Canoo, which went public under his purview.
His team is largely responsible for the early rapid growth of Lyft in Southern California, which helped position the company for its first major fundraiser in 2017.
In 2020, Matt was named a LinkedIn Top Voice in Marketing and Advertising. He is an Adweek Executive Mentor and sits on the Adweek Innovators Council, dedicated to informing the cutting edge of innovative thought in the marketing field.
In 2019, Matt was recognized as a Brand Innovators 40 Under 40 recipient and continued to guest lecture on consumer behaviour and brand management at both USC and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Formerly, he was a Board Director for the LA-based non-profit Pacific Heart, Lung & Blood Institute. Most recently, Matt was Vice President, Marketing for Homie, which in 2021 was #305 on the Inc 5000 list of America's fastest-growing private companies.
In his spare time, he is a very proud father of two boys, James and Penn, and husband to Ashley in Los Angeles. He is a dual-citizen, born and raised in Toronto, Canada.
What is your favourite social media platform, and why?
No question - LinkedIn. I appreciate how the platform has evolved over the past few years to somewhere individuals can bring their whole selves. It has enabled me to cultivate a network beyond what I could have thought possible, constantly learn, and improve my standing across the marketing and advertising community. Support causes I am passionate about (such as diversity, equity, and inclusion) and - most importantly - help others.
Through LinkedIn, I have accessed opportunities to become a mentor, guest lecturer, non-profit board member, and speaker. Furthermore, I have helped others through my content and conversations in the comments, as well as by connecting with up-and-coming professionals offline who reached out to me via direct message. I have made new acquaintances, colleagues, and friends. Quite grateful for LinkedIn and its wonderful staff.
Tell us about you and your current role or area of interest.
My career has taken on three distinct chapters to date. I began working in the agency world, focused on the Generation Y audience before the word "Millennial" was ever a term. Here, I learned two valuable lessons - the role creativity can play in driving commerce and that I wanted to be on the client side where I could more holistically work on and drive a business forward.
I spent five years in the corporate world following graduate school, working for General Mills and Activision. This was an incredible experience where I learned the foundations of brand and P&L management, the power of a great consumer insight/revelation, and how to be an excellent cross-functional team member and leader.
In 2013, I transitioned to chapter three - the early-stage tech world - where I have been leading remarkable teams to build world-class direct-to-consumer brands anchored by loyal, vibrant communities. There are few things better than being able to speak directly to your audience, connecting the dots between our values and theirs, and helping them make informed decisions so that they can improve their lives.
The past decade has been spent at disruptive companies with a challenger spirit, including Lyft, MeUndies, Canoo, and Homie. Each was seeking to evolve an antiquated industry on behalf of the consumer. As a result, today, I proudly and humbly sit on the Adweek Innovators Council, helping to pave new paths and bring new perspectives to the next generation of marketers worldwide.
What do you like about your career or area of focus?
From real estate to transportation to consumer goods, there is always more that I (and the technology companies I have represented) can do to help the everyday consumer. Like new products, new business models, a more inclusive perspective, and new paths to prosperity. This is why I love what I do.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
I'll provide two that have stuck with me:
Always be willing to help others without asking for anything in return.
The hardest part is getting started. You'd be amazed at what you can accomplish if you actually get started.
What inspires you, motivates you, or helps you to move forward?
Three things:
First and foremost, I am inspired by my wife and two sons. There is nothing more motivating than recognizing the impact your efforts can have on improving the lives of those you care most about. And they deserve the best of me every day.
Secondly, travel has had a profound impact on my life. Observing people around the world was what made me want to become a marketer. Developing empathy beyond your own bubble is paramount to really living a fulfilling life. It is tremendously motivating when you can see the world for what it is and do everything you can to leave your mark and make it a better place.
Lastly, I am motivated by greatness. That can come in many forms, from performance to kindness to action. It can come from my peers, my teams, or those I grew up idolizing. It pushes me to do and be my best.
What are you proud of in your life so far?
Personally, nothing has brought me more pride than being a father. Every parent should have "parent" on their resume. No company has you running to the emergency room in the middle of the night or teaching a human how to read by sounding out words. It has taught me more about myself than anything else has or could, and I am so proud of myself, my wife, and our sons. I love nothing more than to watch them grow and surprise us.
Professionally, I'm proud that I have been able to carve out a seat at the table within the marketing community and make a real difference. I have helped countless others through mentorship and advice, helping some find their next great role, standing up or cheering for others who really deserved it (and needed the support), or even just striking up constructive conversations about creativity and innovation in our field.
I am also proud that I am humble enough to admit I am constantly learning and have surrounded myself with people who I can rely upon for advice, inspiration, guidance, and learning.
What is your preferred way to meet new people/network?
I really enjoy meeting people on LinkedIn because I can get a sense of their background and where we may immediately find common ground or add value to one another. It's also always nice to be warmly introduced by someone I trust. Many of these online relationships have translated into offline ones, meeting up in real life and cultivating lasting friendships I am grateful for.
What skills or qualities do you feel have helped you?
Without curiosity, empathy, creativity, adaptability, and a strong bias for action, I would not be where I am today.
What do you wish you had known when you started out?
This professional journey will be anything but linear, and that's okay.
In fact, it's been a blessing in disguise. I would not be the marketer, business professional, and leader that I am today without being exposed to various industries, company maturities, business challenges, corporate cultures, and colleagues across the globe.
It may not be the way I had planned it, but I wouldn't change a thing.
Who do you most admire in business, academic or creative circles and why?
I recently watched a documentary on Anthony Bourdain. He is someone I have always admired. He had an uncanny ability to speak his mind openly without offending others because he had truly listened to them and made them feel like the most important person in the world.
And there is so much more I learned from him - to take bold risks, to be insatiably curious, to see the world for what it really is and work hard to ensure I leave it better than when I get here, that you can truly *start* your life at any moment, and that everyone is fighting a battle you don't know about so lead with kindness.
Outside of your professional/work area, what hobbies or interests do you have or what other areas of your life are of real importance to you?
Aside from spending time with my family and watching my boys grow up, I love to travel and be active outdoors, and I have been addicted to sports for as long as I can remember.
Travel, in particular, makes life worth living. Our oldest son's middle name is Atlas for that reason. The best trip I've ever taken is to Iceland - if you haven't been, highly recommended.
Has the pandemic had a positive or a negative effect on you and/or your business, and how have you managed it?
The pandemic has been a rollercoaster for us all. It has brought tremendous personal and professional challenges but, in many ways, has made us stronger. I cherish the opportunity to spend more time with my wife now, as we both work from home. I believe that it has made so many of us reassess our priorities and focus on what's truly most important, which will pay dividends once we're beyond this virulent cycle.
Do you have a mentor, or have you ever mentored anyone?
I have been fortunate to call many individuals a mentor in various ways and have been a mentor to others - both from the marketing community and my undergraduate and graduate alma maters.
Learning is a lifelong endeavour, so I cherish these opportunities. However, I also believe in the importance of diverse perspectives and hearing/learning from others dissimilar to you. That's where true empathy and growth come into play.
What advice would you have for someone looking to get into the same area of work or interests?
Reach out to others in the field who have a job similar to the one you want, and come with only an agenda to learn. You would be surprised at how many people will reciprocate. Now more than ever, it is incredibly easy to reach out digitally and have a virtual coffee chat.
Moreover, never has there been a time where people are more open to helping others, so I'd highly recommend taking that chance and sending that quick note - worst-case scenario, they decline or don't write back, and you move on to the next.
What do you feel is the most common reason for people failing or giving up?
Having limiting beliefs. "I can't because..." or "People like me don't normally..." Everyone has the ability and opportunity to be resourceful and reach out to others to support them, in particular given how far things have come digitally.
But it starts with that belief in themself. They can be different, break a trend and start a new one, persist and achieve. It's in all of us, and the mind is capable of some extraordinarily powerful things.
Is there a phrase, quote or a saying that you really like?
"Tell me, and I forget. Teach me, and I remember. Involve me, and I learn." - Benjamin Franklin.
What companies, brands, or institutions do you like or do you think are getting it right?
As a brand marketer, I have always admired brands that continuously and unapologetically lead with their values no matter what and speak up for what they believe. A few that come to mind include Patagonia, Ben & Jerry's, Liquid Death Mountain Water, Lyft, MeUndies, Adidas, Dove, and many more.
I would also say that there is a sea change being driven by countless young creators and entrepreneurs speaking up for the next generation. Soon (and already), brands will not be able to simply say they do well by doing good; they will have to show it.
How do you define success, and what lessons have you learned so far that you could share with our audience/readership?
I define success as the difference we make in others' lives. For me, that is my family, friends, teammates, colleagues, and customers. Bravado used to rule business, but these days the name of the game is empathy, selflessness, and vulnerability.
Kindness is king, and action is what matters. So, strive to make others' lives easier and more fulfilling, and just watch how your life becomes easier and more fulfilling.