PPB September 2019

FEATURE | Rising Stars Matthew Lamb, 34 Chief Development Officer Facilisgroup St. Louis, Missouri Education Degree in psychology and business from Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky First Industry Job After college, Lamb joined St. Louis distributor GatewayCDI in 2006 as a marketing coordinator. Why He’s A Rising Star He launched the Facilis 360 program to help clients ramp up their sales and is the driving force in the onboarding and development of the now 125-plus Facilis partners. He is active in Big Brothers Big Sisters and Sustainable Development International. What Inspires Him “Jesus inspires me because he lived an others-centric life and taught us how to live, forgive, love and pray. He never judged and taught through stories and actions. I have been extremely blessed to surround myself with so many inspirational people throughout my life and career. My parents are my role models and inspire me because they have always lived a life of unwavering values and faith, and a remarkable sense of self. It’s taken me a long time, but I’ve recently gotten to a place where I’m comfortable in my own skin and that is a beautiful and important place to be in life. My wife also inspires me and has made me a better man in every way. Beyond that, there are so many Facilis partners who inspire me and give me purpose every day.” Most Difficult Challenge “To me, the ability to overcome challenges is a result of the inner work you do to be able to handle the inevitable hardships that happen in life. A couple of examples that were formative learning experiences in developing grit were running a marathon and biking the MS150, a two-day 150-mile bike ride. It was purely mental grit that got me through both events. These were ultimately very spiritual experiences for me. I am ‘man fully alive’ in episodes like this where I am tested. It’s a beautiful thing when you can push yourself into unchartered territory.” What He’d Like To Accomplish In The Next 24 Months “In 24 months, I believe Facilisgroup will be a completely transformed company and an incredible force. While I am fairly intense about specific goal setting/tracking, I have always performed a reflective exercise every year, in which I grade myself on the key areas of life. I would like to achieve tremendous personal and professional growth that will properly equip me to provide optimal leadership for Facilisgroup partners, suppliers and staff.” What’s Needed To Recruit Young Pros To The Industry “I believe young professionals seek three things: to belong, to develop and to have purpose. Our industry is an extremely tight- knit bunch so the belonging part should be easy but still requires a mindful effort. There are so many great ways to develop young talent between all the amazing tools and events PPAI provides. If you’re proactive, there are endless learning opportunities available in this industry. Finally, having purpose is up to each organization in our industry. I think we’re getting better and seeing some more of this, yet have a long way to go.” Best Advice For Industry Newbies “It’s not about you. This is the most powerful advice I ever received. It changed my life and worldview. Once you figure that out, you are unstoppable because when you know your ‘why’ you can accomplish any ‘how.’ In other words, why should you show up every day and give everything you have? An answer (coming from a source that is bigger than you ) that stirs your soul will provide an endless source of energy. Beyond that, here are a few things that come to mind: read, surround yourself with good people and play the long game. Successful people and careers are not built by winning in one big instance. They are built very gradually over time by developing habits and routines that lead to growth.” Tips To Relax And Recharge “Meditation, prayer, cooking, exercise and playing with my wife and kids are the essential ingredients to balance for me.” 30 | SEPTEMBER 2019 |