Matt Ervin

I started working at Speak in 2002 and took a brief hiatus to work for another company (more about that below). When I returned to Speak I stepped in as the Director of Technology Solutions. My role was focused on managing the team that delivered our SaaS products. We were responsible for product management, product development, customer support, sales support, hosting infrastructure, dev opps, and delivery of custom web development projects.

As I worked in this role, I began to identify and mitigate inefficiencies. I realized that the company's leadership structure was no longer sufficient for its size and for the work we were delivering. I took on the task of reimagining how we could improve our ability to deliver work and improve customer experience. After a few months of planning and collaboration, I presented my idea to the owner. As a result we restructured the organization.

Our business model is currently divided into three teams, with a VP leading each one. The Creative Services team is responsible for delivering client project work, maintaining and developing our SaaS products, as well as all hosting and technical operations.

Highlight accomplishments:

Leadership

• Organized designers and developers into delivery teams increasing efficiency
• Lead team through new leadership structure implementation
• Created developer internship program to vet, hire and mature younger talent
• Revamped PMO to increase efficiency and reduce work
• Maintain a culture where team players love to work

Product management

• Launched PassPlay membership and loyalty program app product
• Lead UX improvements for developers using our SaaS CMS
• Lead efforts to homogenize UI/UX of our SaaS CMS
• Revamped Tend mobile app product to improve practicality and app UX

Process management

• Reduced inefficiencies resulting in elimination of project backlog
• Homogenized project delivery across project types
• Worked across teams to improve project proposal process creating alignment between sales, delivery teams and customer expectations
• Eliminated unprofitable product offerings

I was originally hired at Vanick Digital as a project manager based in Memphis, TN. I immediately dug in to a new and very different work environment. As I began to deliver successful projects, I demonstrated to the owners that I was capable of more than just managing projects. I worked across all aspects of project delivery from sales to architecture to final application deployment. Our specialty was systems integration and digital transformation accomplished primarily by creating innovative API management solutions.

Vanick landed a very large account with a Global 500 company whose US operations are headquartered in Nashville. I was put in charge of delivering the digital enablement project. The project created data orchestration and API management systems that brings data together from across the enterprise, including everything from SAP to home-grown systems.

During the course of that program, Vanick decided to expand their physical presence and open an office in Nashville. I was chosen to lead the charge. In 2013 we opened the new office. When I left Vanick, I parted on good terms with the owners, Jim Van de Vuurst and Lou Powell.

Highlight accomplishments:

• Opened and managed the first expansion office in Nashville
• Program management for Global 500
• Contributed to the development of a new API management practice
• Architected solutions integrating with multiple systems and ERPs
• Designed UI/UX interfaces for development projects

I was hired at Speak in 2002 (then named Groove Design) to assist with sales, marketing and account services. We were a very young creative firm with our sites were set on the rapidly expanding web design market.

Our business plan was to develop and launch a CMS product using the burgeoning ideas of Software as a Service. As the product was being developed, I was involved in all aspects of its creation. I began laying out the plans we'd need to bring our product to market. We launched it in April of 2003 and gained critical mass quickly.

Our CMS quickly became a stabilizing source of revenue as we added clients across the United States. Initially I was responsible for selling a project, managing its production, launching it and supporting our entire CMS user base. As the number of clients increased we hired people to gradually take over those roles and our company grew. By 2005 we had acquired our 100th customer.

Over the following years, we launched a SaaS mobile app product, completed dozens of custom web development projects and ultimately became the leader in web design and development for the cultural attractions space.

Highlight accomplishments:

• Added SEO, SEM and other digital marketing services
• Launched mobile app SaaS product
• Gained market leadership in the cultural attractions space
• Successfully migrated customers to new version of our CMS
• Lead our sales and business development team
• Promoted to Vice President in 2007

Over the years, my experiences have taught me valuable lessons, both good and bad. Relationships with each customer, teammate, employer and vendor have broadened my exposure and added new context to my leadership practices. My core belief is that as a leader it is my primary job to remove obstacles that inhibit my teammates' success.

Outside of work I'm a husband and dad ahead of anything else.

My favorite activities typically revolve around exercise and cooking. I love to cycle. I cycle on the road, in the woods and I'm also a spin instructor, teaching a weekly class at our local gym. I love to hike, backpack, snow ski, water ski, camp and just about anything else in that vein you can think of. I also greatly enjoy traveling with my wife and kids. We try to take one unique family trip every other year.

Thanks for taking the time to learn a little bit about me. You can reach me by phone or email if you'd like to talk.