In a recent exclusive interview, Adam Mendler, CEO of The Veloz Group, sat down with Kyle Matthews, the Founder and CEO of Matthews Real Estate Investment Services, a leading commercial real estate brokerage firm. Matthews’ journey is as compelling as it is instructive, transitioning from a national championship-winning safety at the University of Southern California (USC) to a powerhouse entrepreneur in the competitive world of real estate investment services.
Adam: Kyle, thank you for sharing your insights today. Your background is fascinating. Could you tell us more about your journey? What pivotal experiences, including challenges and setbacks, have shaped your path to success?
Kyle: My career path began immediately after college, diving straight into commercial real estate brokerage. The initial stages were undeniably slow and challenging. Many in this industry experience what’s often called the “valley of despair,” a period where progress seems stagnant and discouragement sets in. However, quitting was never an option for me. I maintained unwavering confidence in my ability to succeed, and eventually, that perseverance paid off.
Deal by deal, I started building momentum. About a decade into my career, the company I was with underwent organizational changes and restructuring. This transition presented a clear fork in the road: venture out independently. This pivotal moment led to the inception of Matthews Real Estate Investment Services™. In 2015, we launched with a team of approximately 20 individuals. Today, Matthews Real Estate Investment Services has grown exponentially to around 450 professionals operating across 14 offices nationwide.
The company was bootstrapped from the beginning, entirely self-funded without any external debt or investments. While this approach presented unique hurdles in the early days, it has ultimately empowered us with complete autonomy over the company’s direction. It’s incredibly rewarding for my team and me to have this level of control as we continue to grow Matthews Real Estate Investment Services.
The most significant challenge we faced, without a doubt, was the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020. Within a mere 60 days, our entire deal pipeline was in jeopardy of collapsing. We were facing substantial payroll obligations, office rents across multiple locations, and numerous other fixed expenses. Revenue streams appeared to be drying up indefinitely. Despite the immense uncertainty, we made a conscious decision to retain our entire team, avoiding layoffs and furloughs as long as humanly possible. Executive leadership took significant salary reductions, and we held firm. Remarkably, the market rebounded swiftly in the latter half of 2020, igniting an unprecedented 18-month bull market in commercial real estate – unlike anything I had witnessed before. This resurgence was only possible because we had preserved our entire team during those initial, turbulent months. Many other brokerage firms, in contrast, had significantly reduced their personnel.
This strategic decision to push forward when others retreated, coupled with our industry-leading new agent training program at Matthews Real Estate Investment Services, allowed us to achieve something truly unprecedented. In just seven years, we broke into the top 10 largest transaction brokerage companies in the United States. The next youngest company in the top 15 is over 20 years old since its founding. This trajectory underscores the bright future ahead for Matthews Real Estate Investment Services.
Adam: Drawing from your experience scaling Matthews Real Estate Investment Services, what are the essential steps for business growth and expansion?
Kyle: These steps, while not in any specific order of priority, are crucial for sustainable growth:
- Sacrifice: Scaling a business demands immense sacrifice and unwavering mental fortitude. Be prepared for consistently long work hours, likely for a decade or more. The journey is a marathon, not a sprint, especially in competitive fields like real estate investment services.
- Delayed Gratification: Growth compounds over time, much like interest. The longer you defer immediate rewards and reinvest in your business, the greater the ultimate success and gratification will be. This principle is fundamental in building a lasting enterprise like Matthews Real Estate Investment Services.
- Reinvest Profits: Continuously channeling profits back into the business is vital for fueling expansion, innovation, and long-term sustainability. This reinvestment strategy is a cornerstone of growth for Matthews Real Estate Investment Services.
- Hire Mindset Over Skillset: While skills are important, a growth mindset, resilience, and a strong work ethic are often more critical, particularly in the early stages of growth. At Matthews Real Estate Investment Services, we prioritize individuals who are adaptable, eager to learn, and possess a proactive attitude.
- Zero Asshole Policy: This is non-negotiable. The moment you identify a toxic individual on your team, regardless of their talent, address it immediately. Life is too short to tolerate negativity and disruption. Maintaining a positive and collaborative work environment is paramount at Matthews Real Estate Investment Services.
Adam: What key lessons from your football career have translated to your success in the business world, particularly at Matthews Real Estate Investment Services?
Kyle: The most profound lesson is this: hard work and meticulous preparation will consistently outperform raw talent. This principle is as true in the competitive real estate investment services industry as it is on the football field.
Adam: What was the most surprising aspect of being a college football player at a major program like USC? What might shock fans about the reality?
Kyle: The sheer physical exhaustion is often underestimated. You are perpetually tired. Combine intense workouts and rigorous practice schedules with demanding academics, and it becomes incredibly challenging. Sitting in a dimly lit lecture hall after exhausting physical exertion makes staying awake, and consequently maintaining good grades, a real struggle.
Fans often perceive college life for athletes as easy, but for those pursuing demanding majors, achieving excellent grades is significantly harder than for a typical student with more time for study and preparation.
Adam: Who was the best teammate you ever had, and what qualities define a truly great teammate?
Kyle: I was fortunate to have so many exceptional teammates, making it difficult to single one out. Great teammates come in many forms, defined by a range of qualities. Leadership style, a strong work ethic, exceptional talent, on-field performance, and simply being a great human being are all crucial. If I had to choose one, it would be Troy Polamalu. He was a uniquely generational combination of all these attributes – a Hall of Fame player with a Hall of Fame work ethic. Most importantly, he deserves to be in a “Hall of Fame of People,” if such a thing existed. Troy is an incredible person who I deeply admired and aspired to emulate in all aspects of life. I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to have played alongside him and to have learned from him, especially playing the same safety position at USC.
Adam: What were the most valuable lessons you learned playing under Coach Pete Carroll?
Kyle: Two lessons stand out. First, Coach Carroll emphasized practicing harder than we played in games. Practicing at full speed, in full pads, every day against top-tier athletes made the actual games feel comparatively easier. This approach instilled a level of preparedness that was instrumental to our success. In a business context, particularly at Matthews Real Estate Investment Services, this translates to over-preparing for every pitch, meeting, and client interaction so that when the crucial moment arrives, it feels natural and manageable.
Alt text: Pete Carroll celebrating a USC Trojans football victory with his team, highlighting the team spirit and success fostered under his leadership.
Second, Coach Carroll always emphasized having fun. High-pressure environments, whether in college football or in a high-stakes industry like real estate investment services, inevitably bring stress and anxiety. He understood that balancing this pressure with enjoyment was essential. While he pushed us relentlessly to outwork the competition, he also ensured we enjoyed the journey. From playful pranks and celebrity guest appearances at practice to surprise beach trips during grueling training camps, Coach Carroll had an innate ability to mitigate pressure with well-timed distractions and moments of levity. He made the demanding journey rewarding and instilled a deep sense of camaraderie and gratitude for being part of the program.
Adam: Beyond Pete Carroll, who were other influential leaders you played for or with, and what qualities define great leadership in your view?
Kyle: My father was an even more impactful leader in my life than Coach Carroll. He coached me in high school and throughout my childhood, and the most profound lessons I learned came from him. While he taught me sports skills, the most invaluable lessons were life skills centered around resilience, perseverance, and navigating both failure and success.
In my opinion, the defining quality of a great leader is leading by example. People inherently respect and are more receptive to leaders who demonstrate the behaviors and work ethic they expect from others. At Matthews Real Estate Investment Services, I consistently emphasize that I will never ask or advise my team to do something I haven’t done myself. This approach builds credibility and fosters trust, making my guidance more impactful. Other essential leadership traits include consistent and transparent communication, treating people with respect and empathy, and demonstrating genuine care for your team members beyond their professional contributions. Being able to connect with people on a human level, beyond the CEO title, is crucial.
Adam: What are your top three pieces of advice for entrepreneurs, executives, and civic leaders?
Kyle:
- Prioritize and Sacrifice: When embarking on a new business, venture, or significant pursuit, identify the five things you love most in life and be prepared to temporarily sacrifice them in pursuit of professional success. Achievement demands trade-offs. Significant professional accomplishments often require a temporary reallocation of time and energy away from personal pursuits.
- Manage Expectations of Others: Recognize that most people are not wired the same way as driven entrepreneurs. Avoid frustration when others don’t share your level of drive, performance, or willingness to sacrifice. Your commitment to achieving significant professional success over an extended period sets you apart. This difference is not a judgment of better or worse, simply a recognition of varying priorities and approaches. Manage your expectations accordingly to prevent resentment and maintain positive relationships.
- Balance Impatience and Patience: Approach each day with a sense of urgency and impatience to maximize productivity and progress. However, when evaluating your overall career trajectory and progress towards long-term goals, cultivate patience. Sustained success is often built through consistent, incremental progress over time. Maintain daily impatience to drive action while exercising patience in the long-term view.
Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received?
Kyle: Constantly manage expectations – everyone’s expectations, including your own, all the time.
Adam: Is there anything else you would like to share?
Kyle: Treat everyone with kindness and respect. Avoid negativity and negative individuals. Celebrate successes with your team. Never give up, never surrender. Everything is achievable with unwavering perseverance. If you aspire to live an extraordinary life, be prepared for an extraordinary level of dedication and sacrifice. That is simply the equitable exchange.
Adam Mendler is the CEO of The Veloz Group, where he co-founded and oversees ventures across diverse industries. Adam is also the creator and host of the business and leadership podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, featuring interviews with prominent figures across various sectors. Adam is a prolific writer on leadership, entrepreneurship, and related topics, with over 70 articles published in major media outlets, and has conducted over 500 interviews with leading figures through his media projects. A sought-after leadership speaker, Adam leverages his experience building businesses and interviewing top leaders to deliver impactful keynotes to businesses, universities, and non-profit organizations.
Follow Adam on Instagram and Twitter at @adammendler and listen to Thirty Minute Mentors on your preferred podcast platform.
