A strong community can promote new ideas and ensure accountability. It can also act as motivation, support, and even provide a little friendly competition. The power of community is undeniable and the Okanagan tech community is no exception.
Our community is strong and growing with record speed and maintaining connection through a period of growth like this can be a challenge. Nobody panic, we’ve got a plan.
Introducing, The Faces of #OKGNtech. A showcase of Okanagan tech entrepreneurs, partners, supporters, and cheerleaders designed to fuel more connection, more growth, and more excitement. Follow along (on the blog and on Instagram @OKGNtech) to learn more about our growing community and what makes them awesome.
Meet Matt. Matt Gomez wears two hats across two mission-based businesses, he’s the COO of Mazu and CEO of Soil Mate. [Editor’s note: what a BOSS]. When Matt isn’t watching soccer you can find him kickin’ it with his two kids. We recently caught up with Matt to learn more about his passion for problem-solving and who inspires him.
What do you enjoy about your jobs?
“I’m a problem solver. Mazu and Soil Mate are more than just products. They are two companies committed to solving big problems. Soil Mate is trying to change the way that people source and engage with food and Mazu it is trying to change the way that families and children interact online.”
“I wanted to get involved with Mazu because I have young kids and I see what social media is doing to kids self-esteem of kids and I wanted to do something about it. It really spoke to my whole kinda mantra in life – kinda giving a shit and being nice to others”
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
“My dad used to always say ‘pain is in the mind’. As I kid I would be rolling on the ground after having been chopped down by some guy in soccer and I would think ‘pain is not in the mind – it’s in my f&$#ing leg!!’. But as I get older I realize that everything is about perspective and mentality”
Who inspires you?
“People who take chances inspire me. I have a lot of respect and I get inspired by people who go for it. I don’t really care if they land it—I don’t think that defines the person. The courage jump, I respect the hell out of that.”
What do you want to be remembered for?
“I feel like entrepreneurs have this reputation of being rash and breaking down the walls with their “I don’t give a f$#k” attitude but I don’t necessarily agree with that. It’s important to not take things personally but I think it is important to care. Maybe that’s the way I want to be remembered, as somebody who gave a shit.”
What’s something people don’t know about you?
“I used to travel a lot. When I was travelling in Korea I spent some time living with Buddhist monks in mountain temples. This may sound annoyingly zen but what I learned was being a happy businessman has far more value than being a rich businessman #givefirst
What inspired you to start Soil Mate?
“It wasn’t until I had kids that I actually started to care about where their food came from. It was important to me that I fed them good food and understood the origin. But I worked and I wanted to watch soccer on Saturday mornings…soooo I didn’t want to go to the farmers market. So for me, it was about what food I could get, where I could get it and how”. [Editor’s note: dedicated soccer fan right here]
“According to the Globe and Mail, I’m currently one of the most influential people in Canadian food so…. that’s kinda cool! The list includes the CEO of Monsanto, the CEO of Loblaws and little old me, sitting in my back office in Kelowna. They actually put me in the ‘Top Thinker’ category so not sure what that says about my execution skills hahaha.”
Connect with Matt. Learn more about Mazu and Soil Mate. Hungry for more? Meet Pete.
Have you seen the rest of the OKGNtech faces? Follow us on Instagram.
