How to balance ambition and well-being in high-pressure environments with Matt Wright of Gaia Net.

In this episode, I sit down with Matt Wright, a seasoned community builder and leader with a fascinating journey from making pizzas to driving global tech initiatives.

Matt shares his unique perspective on leadership, shaped by his experiences in sports, emergency medical services, and the tech world. We dive deep into how these diverse experiences have molded his approach to team building and management in the fast-paced startup environment.

Here's what we cover:

* (00:36) Matt's journey from California to New York and his love for cultural diversity
* (04:29) The birth of Matt's passion for community building in college
* (11:00) Matt's unexpected leap into the world of hackathons and global tech events
* (21:14) The importance of understanding your 'why' in career choices
* (28:59) Matt's approach to leadership and building resilient teams
* (35:50) The value of diversity in thought and culture within teams
* (47:10) Matt's insights on finding mentors and being a mentor
* (54:44) Balancing tough love and nurturing in leadership
* (59:53) Creating a positive startup culture without the "grind" mentality

Whether you're a budding leader, a community builder, or someone navigating the complex world of startups, this episode is packed with practical wisdom and inspiring stories. Matt's journey reminds us that the path to leadership is rarely straightforward, but it's always enriching.

Join us for a conversation that might just change how you think about your own leadership journey and the communities you're part of or hope to build.

☀︎ About Matt:
Throughout his career, Matt has much experience as a community growth expert with emphasis in emerging markets. He has been responsible for community development around various technology brands in North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Mainland China, and three additional international startup ecosystems as AngelHack’s Director of Community Development. 

While there, Matt contributed to the development of their global developer community that scaled from 50k to 100k members in two years, powered by 200+ global Ambassadors. Along with his team and the Community, Matt remotely organized 150+ hackathons for Fortune 500 companies such as Mastercard, Motorola, ABInBev, RBC, Barclays, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and UBS, all with the help of a variety of local tech partners, NGOs, universities, accelerators and government agencies that embrace startup culture.

T: @mateo_ventures
M: medium.com/@mateo_ventures

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