The Saddle

One-on-One Mentoring for Business Owners

The easiest way I know to explain the work I do.

Imagine a horse. That horse is your business, and you, the owner, are the rider.

Would you ride that horse bareback? You certainly could — it's been done — but for how long is that sustainable?

So you need a saddle. And here's what's vital about a saddle: for it to perform, it has to be the right saddle for the right application. And it has to be adjusted for the horse and rider.

What happens when the fit is wrong? It rubs the horse. It hurts the rider. Worst case, you get thrown — that happens. More often, neither of you performs near your ability, or the horse quietly drifts off the trail you thought you were on. And a poor fit rarely announces itself. It just makes every ride a little harder until you get used to it — and start blaming the horse.

Here's what every rider learns eventually: the horse feels every move you make. Every shift of your weight, every bit of tension in your hands. It responds to what you did , not what you meant to do. Your business is no different. It takes every one of its cues from you, whether you're giving them on purpose or not.

So somebody has to keep checking that fit. That's my job. With 35 years of building and running businesses behind me, I help you find the adjustments the saddle needs — and keep finding them, because the fit doesn't hold still. You grow as a rider. The horse gains and loses shape. A saddle that fit two years ago is quietly rubbing today.

What are we adjusting for?

Stabilizing

The saddle is hurting right now

The business is running you: cash is tight, the days are chaos, some mornings you don't want to ride at all. First we get the rig right.

Growing the Horse

You want more out of the ride

More revenue, more people, bigger work. The saddle that suits an easy loop around the property won't hold up under harder country — and neither will how you've been riding.

Slowing the Horse Down

You want your time back

Fewer hours, real vacations, someone else holding the reins for stretches — and it's still your horse.

A Different Rider

Getting the horse ready to hand off

Whether you're selling or handing it to the next generation, we get the business ready while you're still in the saddle. That's measured in years, not months, and most owners start far too late.

So where am I in this?

I'm the one standing on the ground. I watch how the two of you move together and tell you what I see — even the parts you wish I didn't bring up. Then I put everything I've learned to work on whatever we find. I won't get on your horse — it isn't mine, and you wouldn't learn much if I did.

“Matt didn't just tell me how. He walked alongside me and showed me how to do it myself.”

Marc Dalke, Business Owner

In practice: a ninety-minute session once a month, a call each week, a written recap after each session, and me a text away in between. And all of it only works if you're willing to look at your own riding — because when you do, here's what it looks like:

“The Mentored Business didn't just help me grow my company — it changed the way I think, lead, and approach life.”

Alex S., Precision Mobile Detailing & Fleet Washing

What happens next?

A free thirty-minute conversation. You tell me about the horse, I'll ask how the ride is going — and I'll tell you honestly if we're the right fit.

Start a Conversation

Want the full mechanics — the twelve months, the reviews, the investment? See How Mentoring Works

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions you might have about Mentoring

  • How long is a mentoring engagement?

    Twelve months, with honest exit points built in. There are two review points — at 90 days and more fully at six months — where you and Matt look squarely at whether the work is serving you. The 90-day review is a real off-ramp with no penalty, which means the rest of the engagement is something you're actively choosing.

  • How often do we meet?

    Once a month, you sit down for a 90-minute deep session — in person or virtually — to work on the foundation and set direction. Every week in between, there's a 30-to-45-minute call covering wins, challenges, and anything that can't wait. Running a business is lonely; that weekly call is one of the places it isn't.

  • What does mentoring cost?

    A flat monthly fee for the twelve-month engagement, priced for real small businesses — the kind where the owner signs every check and feels each one. The exact number gets settled in the first conversation, because what you're dealing with shapes where the work starts.

  • Why does the engagement include an Enneagram assessment?

    Because most business problems are owner problems wearing a business disguise. The Enneagram is used as a working map of how you're built — where your instincts serve you and where they trip you up. The goal isn't to manufacture a different owner; it's to magnify the strengths you already have and manage around the rest.

  • What's expected of me as a client?

    This is a partnership, not a service. You bring honesty about what's actually happening, the discipline to do the work between sessions, and your real numbers when needed. Matt brings 35 years of operating experience, research and problem-solving between sessions, steady accountability, and complete confidentiality.