EO Charleston Member Spotlight: Mat MacDonell
Explore the journey of Mat MacDonell, a Northern California native whose innovative spirit has transformed the corporate retreat industry. Join us as we delve into his entrepreneurial ventures, the challenges he faced and the invaluable lessons he learned along the way.
From Northern California to Entrepreneurial Success
Growing up in Northern California, Mat was surrounded and inspired by entrepreneurial influences. His father runs a CPA firm, and various aunts and uncles had launched successful businesses. This environment instilled in him the desire to follow in their footsteps and create something meaningful.
In pursuit of his goals, Mat attended Pepperdine University, where he played water polo and studied advertising. After college, while holding various jobs, he always found himself working on side projects, feeling an unshakable urge to start something he was passionate about.
The Birth of Urban Barrels
In 2014, Mat and his brother launched their first business together, Urban Barrels, a surf inspired brand from Southern California. They invented the Bag Towel, a unique product that transforms from a backpack into a beach towel. This invention gained traction quickly as companies began customizing the Bag Towel with their logos for corporate events. One significant order led Mat to a company retreat at the Russian River in Northern California, where he realized that many clients bought these towels for such retreats. This insight planted the seed for his next venture.
Launching The Offsite Co.
In late 2018, Mat founded The Offsite Co., focusing on designing unique and engaging activities for company retreats. The first year was promising, but the pandemic disrupted their momentum. Still, Mat's resilience shone through.
He pivoted to virtual events, creating engaging activities like "The Legend of Treasure Mountain," an online game that became a hit among teams. By the end of 2021, The Offsite Co. had doubled down on virtual events, extending their offerings to month-long endeavors that built community and engagement.
Challenges and Lessons Learned
Mat faced several challenges in the early stages of his business. His natural competitiveness pushed him to win every deal and dominate the market. However, past experiences taught him to slow down and focus on finding the right client partnerships. He emphasized the importance of due diligence and intentionality, adopting the philosophy from one of his Mentors, Dawson Cherry, of "small consistent behaviors over long periods of time" to drive long-term growth.
Adapting to Industry Changes
Mat sees the industry evolving, with more companies relying on internal resources to manage the design and execution of retreats and offsite events. To stay ahead, Mat and his team are launching Meet Vamos, an AI-powered destination management and venue sourcing tool. The tool allows teams to quickly analyze the most important questions when looking at getting a remote team together; ‘Where should we go?’ and ‘How much will it cost?’ Mat remains committed to solving the core problem of thoughtfully designed, strategic and fun corporate events. company's mission and, most importantly, connected to their colleagues.
Enhancing Client Experience and Future Goals
To improve client experience, The Offsite Co. is building a platform for retreat planning, providing clients with 24/7 access to event details at different stages. His long-term goal is to help organizations create unique, meaningful and inspired experiences for 30,000 co-workers each year.
Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Mat advises aspiring entrepreneurs to pursue what they are passionate about. Drawing inspiration from the book "Think Like a Monk," he emphasizes finding your "dharma," where your passions, interests and unique skills align with the universe's needs. He advises entrepreneurs not to worry about competition but to focus on their passion and delivering value to their clients.
Impact of EO Charleston
"The nine months I've been a member of EO Charleston have exponentially changed my business," says Mat. "I have the Charleston chapter and my forum to thank for that. I rely on this community almost daily and have gotten so much out of the Charleston EO chapter. I wish I would’ve found this five years ago"!