In our final post in the “Meet the MGECOM Team” Series, we get a chance to learn more about our CEO, Matt Enders. Matt just celebrated a decade of being in the Affiliate Marketing Industry and has been at the helm of MGECOM since the mid-2000’s. He has been published in FeedFront and was one of the most vocal opponents of the North Carolina Nexus Tax. A self-described “gym rat”, he is usually at the gym lifting weights 5 or 6 days a week before going into the office. This helps keep him in good shape as he is a lover of the barley and hops, and has been know to try home-brewing his own beer on many occasions.

How and when did you first get started in affiliate marketing?
May of 2002. I actually fell into the industry by accident. I landed an internship when I was in college with a company selling ringtones for cell phones, (it was a legit business!). I was running 100% of the PPC for that company when they decided to have me figure out what this “affiliate marketing thing” was and how they could get involved. I launched an managed their program on CJ. Within a few months, between managing their PPC and Affiliate channels, I was driving 25%+ of their overall business. Not bad considering I was an intern making $8.50 per hour!

What do you most like about the industry?
The fact that it is ever-evolving, constantly presenting new challenges and opportunities. Most importantly for me, the affiliate industry and allows you to create and determine your own destiny through learning, trial and error, and hard work.

What improvements you would like to see in the industry?
From a high level, the most important improvement the industry can continue to make is in professional evolution. As more and more people from the industry (regardless of their role) choose to operate with a business-minded focus, the more respect, acknowledgement, and acceptance the affiliate channel will continue to gain.

Do you see affiliates embracing mobile and social?
Of course. The main driver of the affiliate marketing industry has always been evolution and being on the fore-front of early adoption. If there is a new method of driving traffic and conversion at an efficient rate, affiliates will experiment to find the ideal combination.

What other jobs have you had outside of affiliate marketing?
I had a paper route when I was 6.5 years old. Yes, I started working early. My parents had to sign the agreement in my name since I was too young to work on my own. I took the job on Halloween night one year, walked into the house, and told my parents I had to go out on my bike to deliver papers. They were surprised to say the least. I did this for about 2 years in Minnesota, and had two routes at once. I was pretty well off for a 6 year old….and still have the box of baseball cards in the attic to prove it.

I also worked at a chicken hatchery for years and years and years through high school and the summer months during college. We hatched and delivered over 1 million chickens per week to farms all over southern Delaware and northern Maryland. To this day, I credit this job with helping to form me into the person I am today. Working a physical labor job can open your eyes to a different world that most of us don’t have the pleasure of experiencing. Oh, and since we drove around a lot, we found all the best places for food on the road. Loved it.

And on the personal, “fun” side:

What are a few of your hobbies?
This is not a “hobby” but my most important thing is my wife and son. I fill up as much “non-work time” as I can with them and is absolutely worth every second. When my wife and I manage to get out together for date night, we’re foodies and enjoy going out to anywhere and everywhere in downtown Raleigh.

I’m also a total, self-proclaimed, beer-geek. I have a real passion for micro-brews and can probably describe 90% of the beers I have tried in deep detail.

I am also a gym rat who lifts 5 days per week. I’m working towards 300-400-500, which would be a 300lb bench press, 400lb squat, and 500lb deadlift. I’m relatively close on all of them.

What activities/sports did you do in high school or college?
I ran cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track. I went to Nationals in cross country, but I unfortunately bonked at the race. I ran a 4:23 mile, 14:58 5k, 24:54 5-mile, and 31:14 10k. I also used to put in between 100 and 110 miles per week for training at a pace of 6:10-6:30 per mile. Yup, I did a ton of running back then.

What is your favorite vacation location?
My wife and I love to go to Asheville, NC, Key West, FL, St. Lucia and St. Thomas.

If you won a lottery, what would be the first thing you’d buy?
Bugatti Veyron. And anything that my family and friends wanted and needed.

Your favorite band to see live?
I’ve never seen them live, but Weezer is my all-time favorite band.

What is your “must see” TV?
24…but they ended it. I’d have to go with The Biggest Loser and The Daily Show.

Coke or Pepsi?
That sh*t will kill you….but Coke.

Thank you to all that have read our staff interviews and we hope you have enjoyed getting to know the great people of MGECOM.com!