Chatting with Westlink Consultants
Today we’re sitting down with Matt, the Managing Director and Founder of Westlink Consultants and a close friend and supporter of TNT!
He’s a born and raised Edmontonian, who got his Bachelor of Commerce degree from MacEwan University and University of Alberta. Matt is an avid traveler, and has been to 70 countries, and even living overseas in England, France and Australia. His next stop? Morocco in October!
In between trips to 70 countries, Matt logged 5 years with the Edmonton Oilers, and 10 years with the Edmonton Elks, finishing up his career with the Elks as the VP of Corporate Partnerships. He created Westlink Consultants as a way to help more people across different industries and across the globe. He also wanted the freedom to work remotely, and thus, Westlink was born in January 2020.
Since Westlink’s inception, they have worked with charities, sports leagues, and startups. As Matt says, “Selling sports is selling passion, community and entertainment. The same can be said with many industries.”
I sat down to pick Matt’s brain on all things sponsorship, relationships, networking, and more.
AA: Hey Matt! Stoked that we get to sit down and chat.
MM: Me too.
AA: Alright, getting into the thick of it. What do you think is the best way to grow your network?
MM: I think the best thing you can do is to get out of your comfort zone. You need to start talking to more people who are dissimilar to you, who don’t work in the same fields or who don’t do the same things that you do. It’s really important for you to know the gaps in your skillset, and make sure you surround yourself with diverse perspectives and expertise.
And attend networking events like TNT’s Happy Hours or Summits, and break out of your shell. And make sure you don’t approach conversations like a sales pitch - no one likes that. Instead be open, be curious, and ask questions. This will allow you to find organic ways to connect with someone.
AA: What’s your biggest tip to someone, on how to sell themselves or their company?
MM: You have to figure out how to connect with the person you’re pitching to or selling to, as a human. You need to find a commonality, and speak in their language. Figure out a way to translate your in-depth knowledge into their language, and don’t make it too complicated.
Oh and don’t do it on LinkedIn. While I think LinkedIn is an interesting tool to stay connected with people you’ve already met, I don’t think it’s a good tool to meet new people. Especially if you try and slide into their DMs with a sales pitch before you even know them. That’s just a waste of time. You need to know what the person is trying to achieve or solve before you throw a DM at them.
AA: Great advice. No one likes the cold DM sales pitch!
Ok, let’s talk about utilizing your network, and asking for introductions and for help. What do you think is the best way to do this?
MM: I think you need to become genuinely close with someone, and the introductions and referrals will come naturally. If you connect with someone, and build a level of trust with them and show a genuine interest in their business and their struggles, then you’ll find that the rest comes naturally.
And once they do that for you, you’ll be inclined to do that for someone else in your network, and it’ll be a natural transition.
AA: Love it - be invested in their problems and try to help them solve them, and that will come back around to you.
Ok, let’s talk about big mistakes. What are some of the big mistakes you see startups or SME’s make when working with sponsors?
MM: A huge mistake is going in with a hard sell or a sell too quickly. It's a big turnoff. Most people enter meetings with a proposal or deck… I always go in without either. I don’t think that people don’t take enough time to understand clients, potential investors, or potential sponsors before they throw the idea at them. You can’t push a solution when you don’t even know the problem.
You have to put in the time and effort and really get to know and understand them. There’s no easy formula - you do the work, you stumble through and make mistakes, learn from them and improve.
AA: 100%. I love it. Thanks for sitting down with me and sharing your thoughts, Matt! And can’t wait to hear how Morocco was.
MM: Thanks Amanda!