Today we’d like to introduce you to Zach Mathews.
Hi Zach, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I always wanted an occupation that would allow me to help peI’m originally from St. Louis, Missouri.
I played college lacrosse at Trine University and got my Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Management because I wanted to work in the front office of a professional sports team.
That dream caused my wife and I to bounce around from city to city for the first few years of our marriage. I got a part-time sales rep job with the Arizona Coyotes in Glendale, AZ right out of college. Also had a brief stint with a Professional Lacrosse team in Atlanta called the Georgia Swarm.
In 2017, I accepted an Account Executive position with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which is what originally brought us to the Tampa area.
Since I was fortunate to land a position with the NFL so early on in my career, I immediately became hyper-focused building my book of business and proving that I belonged–prove that my manager was right to take a chance on me.
Putting in the work has always been natural to me because of my background in sports. However, I overlooked the fact that, unlike working hard in sports, working hard in a sedentary job requires little to no physical activity. I gained 20 pounds in my first 4 months on the job with the Buccaneers. It was as if I blinked and had a beer belly.
I felt so ashamed of myself for letting it come to that. It was such a low point in my life, so I decided to rededicate myself to figuring out what an optimal lifestyle looked like in all three facets of life: my self development, my loved ones, and my profession.
After a few weeks of trial and error, I eventually created a routine that helped me excel. I lost the 20 pounds in 3 months (1 less month than I’d gained the weight), my wife and I’s relationship was the best it’d ever been, and I was crushing it professionally with ticket sales and my side hustle as a freelance writer.
From there, things just fell into place. I came across many people with a similar story to mine that were struggling to balance all their personal goals, professional goals, and family goals, and saw a need to offer people a method for achieving work-life synergy.
After seeing a big enough need in the marketplace, I decided to quit my full-time job and create Fast & Focus, a lifestyle coaching company that helps clients accomplish their goals through work-life synergy.
Fast forward to today, we’re 2 years into business and continuing to grow. Our Hybrid Coaching Program is an excellent resource for company owners that want to invest in their leadership team with accountability coaching.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not at all. Granted, there’s never been a time where I wanted to quit or give up–it’s never come to that. I actually have the OPPOSITE problem as a business owner. I’ve never met an idea I didn’t like, so I tend to get distracted by “shiny object syndrome” and tempt myself to pursue a new idea.
Sure, I’ve hit all the usual struggles a small business owner faces, but nothing that has tempted me to quit. When you genuinely believe your company and services will help people in a way that no one else can, you have no choice but to figure it out and keep going.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Fast & Focus is a lifestyle coaching company that helps clients accomplish their personal and professional goals through work-life synergy. Our flagship service is our Hybrid Coaching Program, which gives each client the best of both worlds in terms of 1-on-1 coaching sessions for guidance and accountability, as well as group coaching for building community with other like-minded people.
We’re best known for our work with leadership teams. We have several business owners that have invested in the Hybrid Coaching Program for their top-tier talent–it’s a great way for the business owner to show their leadership team that they care about them, as well as invest in their personal development.
I’m immensely proud of our work in the corporate coaching space because it’s provided perks for our partners such as higher retention rates, more effective work from their star people, and also serves as a great way for them to connect with employees that are of a different generation than themselves.
What separates Fast & Focus from the pack is our intentionality behind helping clients build effective habits. We challenge each client to describe their goals in full detail, then reverse-engineer the process to turn those long-term goals into the “small wins” the client will focus on each day. If they do that, then they will exceed their own expectations and build a sustainable model for excellence moving forward
We’re all about customizing a plan that meets each client where they’re currently at. Some clients feel defeated and need to slowly be built back up; others are ready to drop everything and give their goals 110% as soon as they receive a plan to achieve them.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
The best connections and mentors I’ve made in the Tampa area can all be traced back to one thing: I initially met them over a cup of coffee.
Nothing creates a better connection than when two people cut out 30 mins to an hour of their schedule, put the phones away, and just have a meaningful conversation. It allows both people to let their guards down for a bit, learn about each other, and offer potential solutions to each other’s problems.
It’s also a great way to start a conversation with someone you hope to connect with. Simply invite them out for a cup of coffee–on you!–and you’ll be amazed at the results.
Some business owners make the mistake of focusing on quantity over quality with networking and, in doing so, never really make a strong bond with anyone. By making it a goal to have 2 or 3 coffee shop meetings each week, you’ll set you and your business up for great partnerships, more sales, and the ability to help more people!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://fastnfocus.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fast.and.focus/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fastandfocus/
- Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@FastandFocusOfficial
