Ep#72 Social Media Finalist Mat Batterbee

Host: Jon

UK social media awards, 2022 finalists, best use of LinkedIn growth and awareness. And here, I thought he was a finalist for the best looking beard. Maybe that's another award that's coming up. You might know him from all his Microsoft dynamic video, social post on LinkedIn, or you might know him from his beard. It doesn't matter because he's a really cool guy. You should follow. Joining me today is Mat. The guy Batterbee be global head of business application at Ingram Micro now for a quick interruption, a huge shout out to our friends at being for sponsoring this episode. Being back for a episode, Veeam backup for AWS can easily protect all of your Amazon EC2, RDS and VPC data. Wait a second. They can protect my VPC data too. Yep. That's right. Simplify AWS, backup and recovery while ensuring security and compliance. All right. Now, back to our episodes. Now, before I bring Mat onto the show, grab yourself a beer, a beard, and don't forget to hit that, like subscribe and notify, because guess what? We're gonna have a grand old time. Please join me in welcoming Mat Batterbee, global head of business applications at Ingram Micro Mat. Thanks for joining me, man.

Guest: Mat

Hey, good to see you. Good to see you. And I'm loving the, uh, the shit. It's definitely keeping with the Miami spirit. We've you know, I've got my cloud summit. <laugh> pushed right here.

Host: Jon

I did the same thing.

Guest: Mat

We, we, we're still not over Miami. We're still wanna be there. That's it?

Host: Jon

Well, you know what? I actually got a chance to slightly run into you at Miami. But at the time I, we were following each other and that just happened recently, but we didn't recognize each other. And I'm like, I think that's him, but I'm not, I'm gonna be shy. I won't say anything. So <laugh>,

Guest: Mat

This is it. When you see people on LinkedIn or on video, they, you think, you know what they look like, and then you see them, is that them is beards a little bit bigger or tr more trim than his photo. I dunno,

Host: Jon

I actually, I recognized you from your personality. You came and you were like shy. You were just like happy, so full of energy. Uh, and then I recognized the beard

Guest: Mat

Is it's a staple now I can't get rid of it. It's just a staple of me.

Host: Jon

I have to wait a little bit. Mine comes in a little too dark with a black hair, black hair. I'll I'll wait. We will compete at one. I thought about buying one though, for this show on Amazon. I didn't say one. I was like, wow, I could get one and be the next match.

Guest: Mat

<laugh> yeah.

Host: Jon

All man, let's jump into a little bit. I think we already gotta know it. I want the audience to get to know Mat and who he is and where he is come from and really how he got into tech. So how about you give us a little bit of your backstory, a little of information. Let's go from there.

Guest: Mat

Yeah. I mean, uh, so yeah, uh, Jon introduced me, uh, I'm the global head of business applications. So Ingram micro. Uh, so my role is essentially building our go to market strategy, supporting our countries all over the world with di Microsoft dynamics 365, uh, power platform. As you can see bit of a bit of a Microsoft guy, I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna shy away from that.

Host: Jon

I actually asked them to take the hat off before they shot just

Guest: Mat

<laugh>. So, yeah, I mean, it was, it's funny, you know, I kind of fell into this, this, this crazy industry. And if you'd have told me, when I, when I left school, it's funny, I'm presenting at some schools in the next couple of weeks and I've been building this presentation out and I've got a picture of me as a school lever, which I won't show. There's no beard funnily on earth when I'm 15 years old. Um, you know, I would never thought I'd have been in tech at all. I, I thought I was gonna be fitness industry or in the army. That was, that was my, and it didn't work out for, for, for many different reasons and, and choices and things like that. And I, I moved into the, the call center space. It, it, I mean, it's, it's a lot of people's first office job, you know, working in a call center as a lot of people I talk to that have had similar experiences and they do the sales stuff.

Guest: Mat

And I just kind of fell in love with, with talking to people and doing sales and targets and all that kind of stuff. And again, I thought, okay, I could maybe be a call center manager. And I went to a, another business and help build a call center from nothing into something. And then that was my sort of entry into tech. It was a, it was a connected car data company, and they're the leading, connecting car data company in the world right now. And I, I tend to peek in, you know, on LinkedIn, I kind of peek in at what those guys are doing. And I'm always amazed by what they're doing, really the innovation and everything. Like the there's the CEO of that company is 10 years ahead of so many other people it's crazy. Um, and that was my opening into like smart, like smart cities and cars talking to one another and all this cool stuff. And then, um, that company just wasn't wasn't for me in the long run, kind of just, just wasn't a good fit there after a couple of years. And then I just stumbled across a, a Microsoft role, not gonna lie. Didn't really know it was a Microsoft role when I applied. Um, but it was, would

Host: Jon

You have applied if it was, if you knew it was a Microsoft role

Guest: Mat

<laugh> oh, it's an interesting one. <laugh> do you know what if they'd, if they'd have put, yeah, I probably wouldn't have, you know, I probably wouldn't have, because you know, you think Microsoft, well, they're not gonna employ me. Um, but at the time I was a, I was a sales manager managing a team of like 20, 30 business developers, uh, and then went for my interview. It's, it's funny. I actually argued during my interview as well. Um, because someone tried to tell me I was wrong about something that I knew I was right about. And I was like, I'm, I'm not backing down on this. And, uh, I actually impressed them in the long <laugh> that I wouldn't back down in my interview. Uh, so I was a Microsoft contractor on an 18 month contract, uh, and I kind of fell into the whole dynamics piece. Um, just, we were doing really well in what we were doing in our team, but we had a free Microsoft, 365 guys and one Azure guy in our team, and we were working with the distributors. So your Ingram, micros, your tech datas and all those other guys. Um, and then they said, this is going well, nobody's doing dynamics who wants to do it? It was kind of one of those hold my beer moments and I'll do it.

Host: Jon

<laugh>

Guest: Mat

And then the rest is history. I kind of just, I fell in love with the tech because of my background in sales and, and customer service and all the, and building call centers. It was kind of, if I'd have had dynamic, when I started to learn about dynamics, I was like, if I would've had dynamics my life would've been easier. And that's what made me kind of fall in love with the tech. And it was like over businesses need to know about this stuff. And, and, uh, yeah. And then when the opportunity came up to move to, to Ingram, and it's funny, I got no shame in saying it when I was at Microsoft Ingram were my biggest headache because I loved all the people. They were all great, but they didn't have a dynamics person. So I was kind of going in there and everyone was going, I was gonna start talking to us again about dynamics and, and all these other things, you know, they were, they, and, but straight away thought, well, I could be that guy. I could be the dynamics guy at Ingram in the UK, and then it quickly evolved into a global role. And now heading up the overall global business, that's a bit of a whistle stop tour into, into how I landed into this and fell in love with it.

Host: Jon

All right. I'm gonna back up a little bit because you mentioned the army, but you didn't tell people that you were in there and what happened. You wanna share.

Guest: Mat

Yeah, yeah, no problem. So I, um, yeah, it was, it's funny cuz before that I was at the, when I was 18, I became a gym instructor. I did a,

Host: Jon

Oh man. I wanted to talk about your fitness stuff too. All right. You could go to either one.

Guest: Mat

No, no. Right. But then, uh, basically kind of short story will come back to it if you want. But uh, it, you know, I kind of thought, okay, I've done this for two years. I dunno if I wanna do it forever. I could go in the army for four years. Like that's like your minimum service. I'd go and do that. That could either be my career. If not, I can get PT courses while I'm in the army, come out and be a much better PT. Um, and just beast people like the army do. And then, uh, so I I'd signed up during the Welch guards. Um, I did, I think it was like five, six months of training and then kind of sprained my ankle, like quite bad. Um, but I was already having doubts as to whether the Welsh guards was right for me like that regimen.

Guest: Mat

Um, cuz when you're in that training environment and you go through the basic training, which I've kind of almost got through, uh, and then you go on to your infantry training and if you're gonna do, I don't know, like the, the, um, you know, you're gonna be a mechanic or whatever, you'd go on and do your mechanics training after you do basic training and people start to talk and, and kind of it it's, it's a crazy environment. People are get in your head because you're so you you're sleep deprived. You're away from family and friends. They're the only people that are talking. So when people start saying like, I'm gonna go do logistics, I'm gonna go do this. It starts to sound interesting. You start to go, did I just jump into the infantry? Because, cause that's the army, it's the infantry, you know? Um, so I was already kind of thinking about, um, moving regimen anyway.

Guest: Mat

Um, but then when this injury happened, I was kind of like, okay, I'm just gonna gonna leave. Uh, they gave me like a six month. Um, you can, you can join back up in six months. And then that six months went by. I, I, uh, I'm not one for sitting around. So I got a job in a supermarket and I was just, I was limping around that shop for the first few weeks. I was, my ankle was still bad. And then, uh, sort of five and a half months down the line, I got a job, my call center job. And I just, I was kinda like, this is cool. I'm, I'm earning pretty good money at the time. There was like commission involved and stuff. And I was always, I'm gonna be the top sales guy. I'm gonna be the top guy and earn the most money.

Guest: Mat

Um, and I, yeah, it was like, and people gave me like my parents when I said, oh, I'm gonna go and work in an office. I mean, they were, they, and I'm not like they are the most supportive parents I've ever had, but on this decision they were, we give it a week <laugh> they were like, you are like, you are destined like the army or fitness or something. Like we, we give it a week and, and I, I'm not lying. They are the most supportive parents ever, but they're just very honest as well. And, and even today, 10 years on, or however long, it's been bit longer, they they're still amazed at how far I've come, just being like an office worker in the business world, you know? Uh, but yeah, so the army just wasn't, wasn't meant to be, I'm glad I tried it because I, I wish there was some, some way that everyone could go and do just six months because it, you learn what you can do.

Guest: Mat

Um, and, and you just learn so many skills, like communication and every ever word is a swear word or a curse word, but like you learn communication, you learn, there's so many skills that you learn, um, in that six months, but a lot of it is mental. Like what you can cope with. Um, you know, when it's, when it's 5:00 AM and you want to go to bed, you still haven't been to bed and you know, you're gonna have to get up in half an hour, but your shoes aren't shiny enough. You take to the and say, are these are these good? And they go, no, you just like, you just, you just wanna crawl up into a ball, but, uh, so you really learn what you can, what your mind through as well. And, uh, yeah, that's an experience that I'll, uh, I'll always kind of cherish even that short period of time that I was there

Host: Jon

At any point. Did you ever regret not going back?

Guest: Mat

Um, good question. Um, it's a good question. I think, yeah, there's certain times. So like we've just had the, the Jubilee in the UK and you, I, I love watching true the color, uh, true the color, cuz like that's the guards, the Welsh guards, the GRA dear guards and so on Anna, I watch that and I'm kinda like, that could have been me. Like I could have been there, like family watching and stuff like that. So it's funny. It's not the, the fight inside of it, um, where I'm like, oh, I could have been in Afghanistan or whatever, you know? Yeah. Um, and I was always excited about that. Like I was told right at the beginning, like my regimen that I would be going into would be in Afghanistan like a few weeks later. So it was like pass out from the army happy and then, and I go, go to a wall basically.

Guest: Mat

Yeah. Um, and I was excited about that, but yeah. So now looking back it's, it's those kind of, um, ceremonies where I see them in their Tix looking amazing. Um, it makes you proud to be British, I'll say. Uh, but yeah, it's, it's those moments where I'm like that, that would've been cool. And I've seen guys that I was in training with some have come out now and stuff and they've got photos, you know, of the queen walking in front of them and, and looking at their uniform and moving on. I'm like, that's cool. So it's, it's more the ceremonial side of it. I'm like that would've been cool to experience properly.

Host: Jon

It's a lot of respect, uh, something you go through and you look at it and you're very, you're like, man, I, there, those are the times you miss or you think about it. I, I I've been there too now. I've never was never in the army, but I'm thinking, you know, uh, watching someone, you know, those people, I, I respect him and you know, you, you think about like, oh, maybe that's something I should have done. So I, I I'm with you on that. Yeah. What a, what about this fitness Instructure, by the way, you're definitely a person I would see as a fitness Instructure and, and really, uh, I would say the army type or like it's hardcore, you get 'em in there, but people respect you for it. You we're doing this before you join the army. I know we're jumping all over to place, but I gotta talk about this cuz I'm a huge fitness person.

Guest: Mat

Yeah, yeah. It was, uh, I mean I joined the gym when I was 13 years old, something like that. Um, we had an under 16 gym. Um, my mom and dad went to the adults gym and I, uh, I was playing inline hockey. So if everyone doesn't know what that is, ice hockey, but on wheels are not on ice basically. Uh, and I was, uh, started to play for great bread and very quickly when you start to play against type of countries and you go, and even at, you know, under fourteens level, you kind of go, I'm quite small for an, you know, there's, there's some big 14 year old in the world, you know, especially when you're 13 years old. Uh, and I was at an age as well where like I could play up to the end of sixteens team, great Britain. Uh, so I was doing that as well, um, in certain places and I'm playing for Wales and I playing at club level as well.

Guest: Mat

I was, I was lucky that I grew up in an era where health and safety just didn't matter. So it was like, I was 14 years old, 13, 14 years old playing men's hockey just because I was a good player and, and could, could keep up with them, but you get beaten up. Like you, you just, you, you can't keep up physically. You can out skate them, but they catch you you're in pain. Um, so I joined the gym and just fell in love with like everything that you could do in the gym. You know, it was another 16 gym. So it was lots of fun stuff as well. Um, it was a proper gym, but they had like, you know, triathlon challenges on the wall. And I would see, you know, whoever was like row machine for X amount of distance runner and, uh, bike.

Guest: Mat

And I just saw that. I was like, okay, so I'm gonna beat every single person on that board. And as I as say, 13 years old beating 16 year olds in the, in these challenges and stuff, and I was like loving it, press ups a lot. And um, in school as well, I did, uh, did physical education for my, we call it GCSEs in, uh, in the UK, like end of school exams, we'll say. Um, and then I knew I was gonna go on to college to do another, um, it was sports development, fitness and coaching. I really enjoyed the coaching side as I started getting a bit older, you know, and I was 16 years old. I'd go and coach the kids hockey and stuff like that and got a kick out of seeing them improve, get better and all those kind of things.

Guest: Mat

Um, so definitely had a passion for that kind of just helping people achieve their goals and, and get to where they want to go. You know, and then as I was coming out of my college course, and I was still working in a, in a supermarket while I was in college and I was 18 years old. And, uh, uh, been on that since I was 16 and then a job came up, basically a few people left the gym that I went to since I was 13 years old, people started leaving that gym moving on in their careers and stuff. So the job came up. I was like, I'm, I'm definitely gonna apply. Like, it it's been my gym since I was like a child at the, you know, for like five years at this point. And I went to the interview, they hired me and, uh, yeah, I loved it. I got to do fitness classes, did a lot of high intensity stuff. We did outdoor class. I was doing outdoor classes before it was cool. Like, you know, I was out on the beach and stuff before everyone seems to be doing that now. Um, so this is going back 12, 12 years, something like that.

Host: Jon

We, we don't have to date you on there. You're <laugh> you don't have to call out how old you are.

Guest: Mat

I'm just, yeah. So, uh, so you know, it was, and I just loved it. I loved that. Um, helping people achieve their goals, helping people, you know, whether I was losing weight, improving strength, getting fit, um, you know, whatever their goal was. I just, I got a kick out of it and I, you know, you can see I'm a loud, positive guy and I really enjoyed doing the classes, but what I would always do is do the class with them. So if it was like a circuit training class, I was like, I'm involved as well. So they could see me getting tired and sweaty and just joining in and, and proving that I wanna make anyone do something that I'm not gonna do.

Host: Jon

Yeah.

Guest: Mat

Um, but again, it was kind of, it was one of those things. I, I just kind of thought, dunno if it's a, a career. Um, for me personally, I was just kind of, I, it was something missing that was just, I enjoyed it, but I felt like I wanted more.

Host: Jon

Yeah.

Guest: Mat

You know,

Host: Jon

I gotcha. All right. I, I like that. We understand, you know, who Mat is, by the way, uh, fitness, army supermarket. Now you're at Ingram micro. How did you get to this career where you're at? And, you know, actually let's talk about your social career because I wanna talk about Miami in a couple minutes, cuz I didn't wear this, not to talk about it. Uh <laugh> but how did you get to Ingram micro and your social following? Because you have what? Over like 20,000 followers on LinkedIn and it, I don't even think you're keeping track. It's just people are following you and I'm one, so

Guest: Mat

Yeah. <laugh> thank you. Um, yeah, you know, it was when I left Microsoft when you were at Microsoft and, and I, I appreciate this and it's not something to, uh, go to talk down about, but I understand that when you're at Microsoft, you have a certain, if you're at an event, you, you are Microsoft, you know, you're not, I'm not that badly. I'm Microsoft. And if I, if I say something like, let's say about all these changes going on right now, if I was to say, well, in my opinion, they could do this better. Yeah. That, that becomes Microsoft's opinion. So you have to be very careful about what you say, how you say it. Um, and, and, and those kind of things. And so when I joined Ingram, it was funny in my, um, I wouldn't really call it an interview, but in my discussion before joining the company, um, I did kind of joke and say, you know, in terms of social media, what can I do to help this business grow?

Guest: Mat

And the response I got was like, whatever you want. So I said, okay, I'm gonna test you on that. <laugh> I will challenge you on that, but I'm gonna do whatever I want then. Um, and like straight away, what I wanted to do was just bring out my personality. I felt like my just over a year at Microsoft, not that my personality went, it's just, you have to, you have to reign it in a little bit, you know, if you're on a panel and you represent Microsoft, you just feel, I think, you know what, it's quite a nice feeling. You feel quite prestigious. It's like, Hmm. I work for Microsoft. It's quite a cool, cool thing to say. Everyone knows who Microsoft is. You know, when I say Ingram micro, I have to explain it. <laugh> uh, everyone knows who Microsoft is, so there's that as well.

Guest: Mat

But, uh, yeah. So when I joined Ingram, um, I just really wanted to get our personally our personality out there and then what it was as well. I started learning more about other value ads that Ingram had. I was so focused on the dynamic space and I was so focused at coming at it from a Microsoft point when I used to go in there as Microsoft, when I started learning about inro, I was a bit like head bashing against the wall saying, why don't I know about this just from looking on LinkedIn, like I follow you on LinkedIn already. And I don't know any of this stuff. Um, I've been coming in here for over a year. I don't know any of this stuff that you do. So I really wanted to get that out there. And then I also wanted to, in terms of Microsoft, I wanted to do like educational videos that are a bit funny and a bit just different and a bit less boring, like cloud technology, as much as I geek over it, it could be very boring if you let it be and you do the boring demos and, you know, click here, it can get really dull.

Guest: Mat

So I wanted to just be a little bit different, uh, put myself out there and also let people get to know me, you know, and it's, it's worked a lot in terms of, you know, creating a following and, and that kind of stuff. And I, again, that, wasn't something I even thought about. I was driving Ingram's messaging and Microsoft messaging, not my messaging. Like I was just the, uh, the channel, if you like of getting that message in now. But you know, some of the videos that I'd done, I did a series of videos where I compared something in the gym to dynamics. And like, I dunno how I did it, but some of the videos were quite funny at the time. And someone, a partner actually messaged me and I forget the name now and said, love your video. I want to work with you.

Guest: Mat

And I, and that was the beginning of a good relationship in terms of them coming and working with Ingram and so on. So people have responded really more positively than negatively. There's been some negative stuff, which I just ignore and is, you're not gonna please everyone. Um, but yeah, it's been good and I'm starting to see more and more people now doing similar stuff. And it's, it's not even copying because it's their personality. And that's my point is it's just be you and, and people will respond to that quite well. And also what I wanted to get away from was scripted. Like, yeah, you know, I know about what I'm gonna say half the time, but I wanted to get away from, okay, I'm gonna read from a script and I'm gonna sit still and I'm gonna be all prim and proper. It's like, I'm quite handsy when I talk, as you can tell.

Guest: Mat

And it's like being real, you know? And, uh, yeah, and then it was one of them, all of a sudden, I, cuz I started doing just posts and they started getting likes and stuff and I was like, this is cool. And then I started doing some blogs because again, I I've got a certain way of speaking and I'll type when I, when you read one of my blogs, you can tell, I wrote it, let you know, it's not been wrote by someone professional. Um, it's definitely been wrote by me. Um, you know, every time I posted a blog, someone said to me, oh, there's a spelling mistake. And I was like, good, you read it. And you saw the spelling mistake, like fine. I don't care. Like you read it, you understood it. You've pointed out, you got to the last paragraph. Well done. Like, you know, and then I thought, okay, these blogs are taken, you know, say it took me 45 minutes to write a blog and then I'd read it back and go.

Guest: Mat

That took me three minutes to read. Why don't I just say it? Why don't I just read this stuff out? So you'll see now I go the over way and I do less blogs and more videos. And I've spotted that the videos tend to get thousands of views. Whereas a blog might get 20 to 50 reads. Yeah. I think one of my best red blogs was about a Microsoft change or something like that. And it was still only in the hundreds, whereas I did a video on it and it gets into the thousands. I'm like, okay, this resonates better than reading. I'll do that. Um, and yeah. And then, I mean, we've spoke about it before someone about eight months ago said they wanted to do a personal branding course and asked me for my advice. I was like personal branding. What's that?

Host: Jon

<laugh>

Guest: Mat

I was like, oh, it's this thing I've been doing for two years and didn't realize it had a name. Um, but yeah, I just, I just enjoy it. Um, and I, as long as I'm talking about something I'm passionate about, you can see that in me, you know,

Host: Jon

First, one of the things that you and I actually talked about before we even started click and record and a couple weeks ago when we were planning, this is that this conversation is unscripted. I have some bullet points I'm gonna talk about, but where it goes, it goes, uh, you never know what happens next. Now I have some things in the top of my mind, I want to talk to you about like something you spelled out in pens, if that's all right. And <laugh> some, uh, you know, our Miami event, but really this is all about the conversation, the personalization of it. Uh, you also indicated actually there was a, a speaking thing that you did a panel you did in Miami. Yeah. Uh, that there like, oh, you know what? Let's get to this. I gotta get to this because, um, they asked you, what did they ask you? Uh, do you know what you're talking about? Do you know what? And you're like, what do you mean? Like, I'm just, I'm just here to talk about this. Can you tell everybody, because I think this goes to your personality and why people want a lot of your videos is because your personal branding, just like anybody else's who does this, it's just natural. Be you, whoever you are all the time, you have nothing to worry about.

Guest: Mat

Yeah. So we did a, uh, a panel the day before. So it was a cloud summit, Miami Ingram event day before we did a bit of a invite only sort of panel session. We had people from Microsoft, people from Ingram and, um, they were there, obviously the panelists arrive a bit early just to set up and, you know, get your seat and everything. And people start almost rehearsing. And I was kind of like, what's everyone rehearsing? Like, well, the questions I said, oh, what questions am I being asked then? And the panic on their face was like, because I hadn't prepared. And I kind of was like, well, you're not gonna ask me about astrophysics. You're probably gonna ask me about dynamics or something like that. If I don't know the answer, I shouldn't be here. So, and then I kind of was like, let me know my two questions.

Guest: Mat

And then they told me, I was like, okay. Yeah. I'll I can make that up as the time comes, you know, I know what I'm talking about. It's fine. Uh, but yeah, again, I think it comes across more natural if it's, if it's not scripted, you know? And, uh, a few people came up to me after that panel session. I was, uh, you know, I, I got up, I stood up with the mic and I was like, kind of, you know, wanted to not, cause I was at the end in the corner where people couldn't see me, you know? So I stood up and, and answered my questions and uh, you know, a few people came up to me and said, you know, it was good to have some bit more lively in those panels. Cause sometimes those panel sessions can be just that it's a panel session. Yeah. It's very professional, you know, but sometimes people just want a bit more realism to it. So, um, yeah. I just, I, I enjoy doing that, you know? And it's like, I remember when I was at an event and I know you didn't ask me this, but I did an event in, uh,

Host: Jon

You can talk about whatever you want, man. Yeah.

Guest: Mat

Like I did an event in Milan last year. It was a directions Amir. And, uh, it was funny, you know, I, because it wasn't there fault. It wasn't my fault. There was a different global lead at the time when we were arranging this, then COVID happened. It delayed everything. So <laugh>, and they don't know this. They will, if they watch this, I didn't know I was doing a keynote the next day. So I get told I'm going watch the, the football or soccer with some people, uh, the night before the event and with talking and then, uh, this, this woman, Vicky from one of our partners said, oh, just so you know, in the morning, I'm handing off to you. I said, what'd you mean? She said, join the keynote you're on at 9:00 AM in front of like 2000 people. I said, it's the first I've heard of it.

Guest: Mat

<laugh> he said, yep. And I was like, oh, okay. Right. So I need to, I said, don't need to build slides. She was like, yeah, a couple of slides. I was okay. I can do that at like 11 o'clock tonight. That's fine. I can email him over. That's not a problem. But what was funny was the next day we arrive at the event and I, you know, I'm fine. I know how to talk about Ingram and what we're doing and things. And that was part of the keynote. And, uh, what was funny was we did a rehearsal before that and I watched the Microsoft guys do their rehearsal, very professional, uh, a proper rehearsal. And they, and then when I watched it, you know, an hour later when they were alive, it was like, they were saying the exact same thing. I stood up on stage and just went check one, two, can you hear me?

Guest: Mat

And like people went. Yeah. And then I just stood there on my phone for 15 minutes because I was like, whatever I say now is gonna be completely different in a couple of hours time. So there is no point in me doing a rehearsal. So I think there's like photos of me on LinkedIn, just on the stage empty, just taking selfies because I didn't know what else to do. So I was just like videoing. I was like, I be fucking in front of all these people. And um, at the end, someone commence was like, have you, have you done your rehearsal? I was like, yep. Yep. I know. I'm good. I'm good. I'm fine. But yeah, I can't,

Host: Jon

I did my selfie. I'm good. Yeah. Yeah. We

Guest: Mat

Rehearsed. There you go. I'm I'm rehearsed. So yeah. I'm, I'm not a rehearsed guy. I just can't do it.

Host: Jon

<laugh> ah, sorry, man. I'm getting kick outta this conversation. This is freaking cold. Ah, wait, um, I, I know you're not at another event or at least at O to next year, wherever it is you and I gotta get together. We gotta do either a panel or recording live in person. Yeah. Uh, this will be, if I'm ever over your way, we, I will carve out some time. We will do some

Guest: Mat

<laugh>. Hey, we've got a beautiful castle that you just so that just over there, there's a nice castle on a hill. That's my view out my office. There's a lot's of good recording spot. You can see the beach. It'll be a beautiful, beautiful, uh, podcast for us to be live.

Host: Jon

<laugh> uh, excuse me. Uh, Ingram, would you mind sponsoring a trip for me to come out there and do a recording? Trust me, it will be well worth it socially. I'm just letting you know. And if you wanna sponsor one of these videos, let me know.

Guest: Mat

<laugh> <laugh>

Host: Jon

Okay. Let's, let's talk about Miami, cuz that's actually where you and I, well, I don't wanna say, got a chance to know each other. I got a chance to know each other socially. Yeah. Uh, we were both at the Ingram micro event in Miami, uh, may mid may, something like that. It was actually a last minute invite for me, which was fine because I've only been to Miami once and it was a hotel room. Uh, I did a lot of social stuff. I got the lot meet so many Ingram folks. It was great. I mean, I can name 'em all like tad Mike they're, uh, drew. They were just, everybody was so awesome. It was a great event. I'm hoping to attend next year's event, but this was Miami. And uh, the, the reason I want to talk about is cuz both of us have some pillows here and no Ingram, you cannot have these back because these are, there was, uh, at the end there were sponsored events and there was an AWS one and I posted on social and I was like, Hey, how can I get one of these? And when I left to another one of the closing events and came back, I saw people walking out with them and I was like, no, I wouldn't one. This one came from the Ritz, but we won't

Guest: Mat

Say that. I tried another little story. I tried getting one on the first night. Um, we, we were, we were at one of the hotels. Um, and then there was like welcome drinks for Amir. I mean, there was more Americans there than people from Amir, but they called it an Amir welcome drinks. And uh, I was chatting to someone at the end of the night. And then I was sat on this, this like so far. And I'm like, I really like this cushion and then the security of the hotel. Uh, not that we were doing anything wrong. They just, at midnight, like everyone that's not staying in a hotel has to leave. So they, he comes over and he says, uh, he goes, are you, are you staying here? Said, no. He said, okay, you've got to leave. I was like, yeah, no, no problem. I turned around to, to go and uh, steal the cushion. He just looked at me and this is midnight. I've had a few beers at this point. I just fluffed it and put it back down. <laugh> like, like that's a normal thing to do.

Host: Jon

Excuse me. This is a British thing to do. Don't worry. <laugh> yeah.

Guest: Mat

We're, we're polite people, you know, you sit down, you fluff it. Give me a vacuum and I'll, I'll vacuum the sofa after, you know.

Host: Jon

Oh man. So by the way, that event was really cool. Uh, we reached, I reached out to you and uh, I forget what on LinkedIn. I was like, Mat, I got, I gotta wanna talk to you. You wanna join my podcast? We had a conversation. What was, it was a, maybe a week after the event. Yeah. Right. We were planning this, uh, then we rescheduled or you know what, I think that Jubilee was happening and then we rescheduled it. What's going on. But um, I'm, it's super awesome to have you here on this show and just talk about Mat and everything about you and how you've come from some of those. Can I ask about the pen thing or can we have to cut that out? You know what you spelled in pens, are you

Guest: Mat

Oh yeah, yeah,

Host: Jon

Yeah. Come on, come on. You did it socially. I think that we can talk about it. Can we?

Guest: Mat

Yeah. Yeah. So I was at an event in, in,

Host: Jon

This is where you tested. Ingram's like social stuff, right?

Guest: Mat

Yeah. Yeah. This is the amount of messages I got from people Ingrams saying like, how do you get away with this? And, uh, I, I was like, I don't know. Maybe nobody looks maybe all the marketing people just go, we can't look, cuz it's too painful. Um, but yeah, I was at an event and whenever I go to an event like I was at, um, like I said, I was in that event in Milan and I had my little booth and I just don't, I'm not really a swag. I love getting swag, but the logistics of picking up swag and taking it to an event, especially when I, I was on my own at this event as well in Milan. So I just didn't take anything. And I kind of put a video out saying like, if you want me, if you want to come here for swag, you're not gonna get it. But if you want to come here for value, you're gonna get it with me. Uh, anyway, I went to this event in Anaheim and because we're close then to the Irvine office, it was easy to get swag, like water bottles and all this other stuff. And we had like a thousand pens or something. Ridiculous. In fact,

Host: Jon

A couple pens

Guest: Mat

We'll show we've with a brand in here. Oh no. That's oh no, that's a high Regency pens probably from the same hotel, but it's not an Ingram pen. So we had a thousand pens and I don't even have one, but anyway, we had these pens on a, we had this like, you know, booth table. I was like, I, I don't really know how to make pens look good. Just, just dump 'em on a table. So <laugh> I spell out now I will caveat this with I'm really good friends with the dynamics director at, um, at tech data. So I'm gonna start with that. He knows I'm a joker. Um, but I spelled out tech data sucks in the, in the pens and then did a video and I was like, oh, come to the Ingram booth. If, uh, I said, there's no hidden messages here or anything at all.

Guest: Mat

And then all the while in the background, you could just see tech data sucks written on it and they weren't even at the event. But yeah, I got a message of sort saying, uh, I hate that. I like you <laugh> from tech data. So, uh, yeah, but the amount of messages I got people from Ingram saying, how do, how do you get away with this? Like, because it's me, like, I just, I dunno, everyone knows I'm joking. Like, you know, um, I spent, I was at an event, um, in Orlando, um, a few months ago and I spent the entire, we had like an evening party. It was really cool. It was at the universal studios in Orlando. It was, uh, we like hired out a restaurant. Um, and then we went into the Harry Potter world. I spent the entire night with two guys from Shewe one of our biggest competitors in north America.

Guest: Mat

Just, we, we went on the Harry Potter ride, like 10 times together. We just ran round and I spent a lot of time with them. And like, I think it's good when, when competitors can talk to one another, have a bit of a laugh and a joke. I think it works. And it only benefits the partners when that can happen. Um, and I mean, there's, there's events coming up where the free kind of key sponsors will be us and two of our competitors. And I've said, you know, I've even suggested, well, we could do separate sessions where we all talk about the same stuff or we do one joint session and have a lot of fun with it. You know, I don't mind rocking up in boxing gear if it makes it entertaining, like let's do something different, you know? Um, so yeah, I, I enjoyed getting on with competitors, but yeah, the pens, yeah, that was, that was good. Fun. <laugh>

Host: Jon

I could say it's your personality. How could somebody be upset with you? You're always positive, full of energy. That was actually one of the notes that I saw on LinkedIn where you know that you're always your energy. Level's always high. You're always smiling, having a good time. And I think you carry that wherever you go, whatever podcast recording event and people look forward to that. And they're like, I can see coming into like a board meeting. Right. And everybody's all, you know, SP and ready to go and it's serious. And there comes out coming in and they're like, all right, this is gonna be awesome. We're gonna get some shit done. You

Guest: Mat

Know? Yeah. This is it. I'm, I'm like a bulldozer when it comes to those kind of meetings. I mean, we've got a lot right now of like FY 23 planning meetings going on and it'll be all very serious. And then I'll just put in like the box, like, you know, oh, if the, in the, in the chat box, like a gift of Scrooge McDuck, and I'm like, if this works, this'll be us in 12 months, like I just, I love <inaudible> of it, you know? Um, but again, you know, I I'm the same person, whether I'm speaking with our, uh, you know, our vice senior vice president of cloud, uh, Victor, or I'm speaking with Duncan or whoever I'm talking to like or whatever level, I'm the same person. So, you know, the, the CEO will have, you can have the same conversation with me as, as an account manager or whatever. Like I'm yeah. With me, what you see is what you get. And that was, you know, another reason for the whole LinkedIn videos and stuff. It's like, I want people to know that like with me, what you see is what you get. And, you know, I've, I've, I've had people try and say, you know, oh, maybe there's some, there's some polishing

Host: Jon

<laugh>, how's that go over

Guest: Mat

My, my answer, you know, I, everyone can improve in certain places. I, I will, I'll happily take criticism. There's things that I can improve. Uh, maybe communication, maybe, you know, there might be things I can improve on, but the, the polishing peaks I'm like, okay, if I have to Polish to, to, to further my career, then I need to, I need to further my career as well. That's as simple as that for me, you know, it's like, I'm not gonna, because the amount of events I've been to and, and, you know, cloud summit was the perfect event for me to kind of go, do you know what? Yeah, I'm good. I'm I'm as, I mean, as I am, you know, mm-hmm, <affirmative> because the amount of people that came up to me that were Ingram, I've never met some people three months into the company. Some people, you know, three years, 10 years into the company and they come up to me and say, thank you for everything you're doing, it's really working for us. And it really helps us. Um, and people coming up to me asking for selfies, which was really embarrassing.

Host: Jon

I missed myself. I didn't get on with darn

Guest: Mat

It. So, um, like it made me realize, you know, what, I'm helping a lot of people. So I'd rather be that guy. And also the guy that they can come up to and ask for a selfie and ask for a conversation, because if I was the suit, I don't look approachable. I want to be the approachable person, um, in that role that can really help everyone around the world, you know, in our company and, and our partners. Uh, and I think I'm, I'm, I'm doing that, you know?

Host: Jon

Oh yeah. You're definitely doing an excellent job. When I went to Miami. These were the types of shirts I wore first day. I think there might have been one or two other people with them second day. Yeah. I would say we're getting into about a 40%. By the third day, I would say 90% of people were like me and, you know, I just wanted to be that guy be like, I had people, nice shirt. I like that. And those are the people that were like, I wish I did that. Or, you know, I, I didn't feel that I needed, you need to feel to be you and just be you. And just like, you're doing approachable, just come up and like, have a good time. Like, we're inviting that to this because it'd be great.

Guest: Mat

And this is it. The event I went to in Orlando now, granted, it was all in one hotel. It was well, air conditioned. So like jeans and a shirt was, was fine. And I I'm always kind of Ingram brand. I, but I saw one guy in shorts and I just went over to, and I was like, you are the only person with a brain at this event because we're in Orlando. It's like 30 degrees or something outside Celsius. I'm a, I'm a British person. So

Host: Jon

That's

Guest: Mat

Alright, whatever that is in FHE, very hot. And you're in shorts, you've got your shades on you look chilled, you're here to learn. You're here to be at the event. And then you'd see people coming in. And again, EV if everyone's, if people are comfortable in shirt and tie, you, you be, you, you know? Yep.

Host: Jon

Yeah.

Guest: Mat

Um, but I was really jealous of this guy wearing shorts. I was like, yeah, I need to do that next year. <laugh> just wear shorts. Be

Host: Jon

Comfortable. You can always find me at any event. I will be in shorts, even when it gets, even if it's cold, we were in Chicago. And I I'm like I'm in a, in a conference center it's heated. I will be in shorts and comfortable. Thank you. Yeah.

Guest: Mat

Well, this is it. When we came out of lockdown and, um, I, I, I genuinely had to be like, I don't know if I, I can't remember where my jeans are. Like, I, I, I'm a shorts guy as well. I, I, I, I live in shorts regardless of the weather, even if it's quite cold, I'll wear like a hoodie and shorts. Yep. I'll pop off warm. I'll wear

Host: Jon

Right after my own heart.

Guest: Mat

And, um, yeah, I was going down to the office. I, and I, I can't remember all four. I think it was to pick up a new laptop or something like that. And then have a bit of a meeting. I was like, oh, I'm gonna have to put like jeans on to sit in the car for like three hours or whatever. So did that. And then I was just like, oh, what, what I should have just wore my shorts. Like, I was so much more comfortable in shorts. So, uh, yeah. I think of Vegas. You might, you might see me in, in shorts, probably getting chased by someone who's like an executive that I'm, I'm destroying by wearing shorts, but, uh,

Host: Jon

Yeah. As long as you wear the hat, you'll be good. Don't worry about it.

Guest: Mat

Yeah. That's it I'll be on brand, you know, it's fine

Host: Jon

That that's it, Mat, I wanna wrap things up, but I think we need another session. I gotta get a little more personal with you. Uh, I wanna know about your tattoos. I'm curious.

Guest: Mat

Oh, I've got, so they started out and they started out. They meant something. So I dunno if you like ice hockey, but I'm, I was obsessed with the film miracle. Uh, so my first tattoo was the same, uh, great moments born from great opportunity. Um, from the, from the film. Yeah. Uh, great quote. So that was my first one. I also got it on the wrist because I Googled where's the least painful place to get a tattoo and it's the wrist. So I was like, okay, if we're gonna do this, we'll do the least painful place. And we'll see how this ends up. Um, so that was my first one. And then I started getting tattoos. That mean something. So I've got like my family tree.

Host: Jon

Oh, nice

Guest: Mat

Name. And then, uh, family tree. So I've got initials and my brothers and my mom and dad, then I got, I've got, this is, uh, my Nana and Grande who I never met. Um, it's their song. And then they used to go dancing. So it's like a silhouette of them dancing.

Host: Jon

Oh.

Guest: Mat

So I started getting tattoos. That meant something.

Host: Jon

Yeah.

Guest: Mat

And then one day it was my title. I said that she put a Facebook post on, I was like, I've got a slot tomorrow, two hours, nobody, you know, who wants it? So I was the first, I was like, I want it <laugh> she said, and she said, you win, what do you want? I said, dunno, just tell me tomorrow. So I ended up with Mickey mouse. I'm like, well, Steamboat, Willy on my own.

Host: Jon

Ah, nice. That resonates with a lot of folks though. I mean, so

Guest: Mat

<laugh>, so I got that. I've got, I've got one of my that's my old hockey team, uh, that used to play for, and then a tournament that we played in. Um, I've got my little nephew, I've got, uh, infinity E symbol and then his initials as well. I've got Donald duck. I got a beat in the beast, swamp for my wife. We've also got the date that we became, like boyfriend and girlfriend. Oh. Uh, so she's got the same tattoo, but smaller, more <laugh>

Host: Jon

Uh, wait, it doesn't cover her phone.

Guest: Mat

No. What, what she really bummed about with this tattoo was, uh, I, I paid the same price for my tattoo and hers is really small. Oh. But I think it was because I might have lied or got the price wrong that they charged her and said something. Yeah. So I got it. The same price. Um, and then a good friend of mine became a tattoo artist. So I just started getting some stuff on my chest. I've got my wife's name. You can kind of see it big there, but then a friend of mine, like I went in, I was like, I really, I really want like a rose here next to my wife's name. A rose. That'd be, that'd be nice. Yeah. I go in he's. He was quite new to time in at the time. And he said there, I really wanna tackle a skull on someone.

Guest: Mat

And I was like, <laugh> okay. So are we doing this rose? Then you said, mm I've got a stencil for a skull. So I ended up with a skull and then I ended up with other roses and stuff. So my chair, he I'm, I'm literally just his like canvas that he is just coloring in. And then I have got, I'm gonna, I'm starting a, uh, like an African wildlife leg sleeve. Yeah. So I've got a rhino and a zebra at the moment. Um, but I, he kind of started going like one session to be on my chest one session. So at the moment I've got a zebra with no ears. So I'm like, right. Let's just finish the chest and then we'll work on the legs. So I've got so much more to, to come, but I just, yeah, I, I love

Host: Jon

The story. I mean, <laugh>, you, can't beat this story of you telling him where, well, why you, they, these all meant something to start and then, you know what, they had a two hour session, so I'm in and, uh, you need to give, and it was like, I really want a skull. What about a rose? No, I, you need a skull. All right. I'll take one.

Guest: Mat

<laugh> this is it. And even now I've stopped telling my wife what I'm getting done, because even when I got the rhino, which I absolutely love, and I was gonna, I was going to get a rhino, like it's an African wildlife leg sleeve. So I was gonna get one. I just didn't know where. Yeah. And I think I was going in for an elephant or something. And then I go in, and again, it's a similar thing where he goes, I really want, I really wanna a rhino on someone. I was like, okay, so this elephant and he's like, yeah, I'm gonna do a rhino. So I just, my wife was like, oh, are you going for a tattoo? Yeah. Show me when you get home, because who knows what I'm gonna end up with or where that tattoo's gonna be. Um, one funny story though, every time I go and get tattooed, I get the Mick taken outta me because when he was doing this. Yeah. So have you got any tattoos?

Host: Jon

Yeah, I've got, uh, like four or five of 'em now.

Guest: Mat

Okay. So sometimes it's like a shooting pain, isn't it? So you, you, you get tattooed here and you think you get tattooed, like here, like the pain kind of shoots.

Host: Jon

Yeah.

Guest: Mat

So when he was doing this, which is a bit fleshy, it's not on the bone or anything like that. Yeah. Felt like he was doing my throat. Yeah. Like the pain was here. So he is tattooing me. And this was, uh, there was only two tie and I just said, oh, this is, this is killing on the throat. So this girl who's getting tattooed on the other. He's, he's brave getting his throat tired. And they just start they're like, he's not getting his tattooed. He's not even anywhere near his, like, so now whenever I go in and like, say they're tattooing me, like here, he'll just, he'll just say, oh, is it, does it hurt getting tattooed on your ear? I'm just like, oh, come on. <laugh> no. Um, so now, like, yeah, he's basically a two hour session of a good friend of mine hurting me and taking the Mick outta me for two hours. Yeah. <laugh>

Host: Jon

So I have, uh, I have, well, I equate these as two, but I have right here, uh, my wife, my daughter, and then my oldest daughter, my son, and then I've got their names on the back. So six, but you know, you know, four tests, but

Guest: Mat

Yeah, I need to, I need to get MAVA somewhere on, on me, but I'm still kind of deciding on where and what and what to get as well. I'm kind of, I, I was thinking her name, like on the inside of my arm there. Yeah. Cause that, then I'm thinking, okay. So if I have two children, like I could do that, could get the other one there. And then it's like, what happens if I have a third? Like, you know, they're gonna be demoted to like the leg, you know? So I have to kinda weigh up that, um, and see and see what happens in the future. But yeah,

Host: Jon

Demoted to that's one way to put it

Guest: Mat

Were the one I've you on the bottom of my foot.

Host: Jon

You get the leftover space.

Guest: Mat

If you look at the rhino horn, you'll see your initials. <laugh>

Host: Jon

Did you see the skull? Yes. It's inside the nose. <laugh> I'm just kidding. Oh man. So you and I, uh, we, we talked about, we gotta do this more often. We, we gotta pick a topic and just start talking for like 30 minutes, uh, once every two weeks or something and just see where the heck it goes. What do you think?

Guest: Mat

I love it. Yeah, let's do it. Let's do it.

Host: Jon

I think we'll have a blast. We'll definitely get a huge laugh out of it. Hu. Hopefully the audience gets a huge laugh because we don't know where it's gonna go. <laugh>

Guest: Mat

No. Um, so yeah. Keep coming back cuz uh, yeah, we're just gonna talk about anything and everything.

Host: Jon

Oh, maybe we'll talk in depth about pens. Like no, I'm just kidding.

Guest: Mat

<laugh> yeah.

Host: Jon

All. So Mat, thank you so much for joining me, man. This has been awesome.

Guest: Mat

Yeah, no problem. Thank you for having me. It's a pleasure and uh, you know, keep doing what you're doing cuz it's so good. It's it's really entertaining. Really good. Fun. And I look forward to being a part of it going along, going along for the ride.

Host: Jon

Ah, we're both going along for a ride. Everybody. Mat Batterbee be global head of business applications. I don't know. Ingram my name's Jon Myer. Don't forget to hit that. Like subscribe in notify because guess what? We're outta here.