#024: Matthew Kobach – The Social Media Wizard

Career Path

Matthew Kobach shares his journey from academia to becoming the Director of Content Marketing at Fast. He highlights his strategic decision to focus on social media when it was still an emerging field, allowing him to carve out a niche with little competition. This foresight led him to roles at the New York Stock Exchange and eventually to Fast, where he actively sought startup opportunities by reaching out to CEOs and founders.

I just picked an area where I knew there'd be no competition because it was so new.

--- Matthew Kobach

His proactive approach involved identifying promising startups and engaging with their leaders, which ultimately opened doors to new career opportunities 1 2.

   

Facing Adversity

Kobach discusses overcoming challenges, such as skepticism from others and handling difficult interview guests. He emphasizes the importance of tuning out naysayers and focusing on one's vision, noting that his early interest in social media was met with skepticism. Kobach also shares insights on managing dry interview guests, suggesting that enthusiasm and preparation are key to successful interactions.

The bigger you get, the more shots people are going to take at you.

--- Matthew Kobach

He advises interviewers to seek guests who are genuinely interested in participating to avoid lackluster conversations 3 4.

   

Opportunity Evaluation

Kobach reflects on the balance between saying yes and no to opportunities throughout one's career. Early on, he advocates for saying yes to as many opportunities as possible to build connections and gain experience. As one progresses, he suggests becoming more selective, focusing on opportunities that offer the greatest return on investment.

When you're young, say yes to as many opportunities as you can.

--- Matthew Kobach

This strategic approach allows for growth and the ability to prioritize high-impact engagements as one's career advances 5.