Defined by specialism

Matt is a Bozeman-based real estate developer whose focus has been on shaping the infrastructure of the Bozeman community - from housing to retail, event spaces, and entertainment - since he moved there in 2008. 

“I've done everything from residential and multifamily apartments to condos and commercial development, restaurants, and retail and office spaces. We’re currently working on a hotel too, so the whole gamut,” Matt says.

Critically for his business, the focus has never strayed from Bozeman, Montana. 

“I would consider ourselves market experts. We don't develop in New York and LA. We don't know those markets. But we know this market better than anyone else,” he says.

Matt is, of course, a ‘gearhead’, and just like EVESO Founder and CEO Alex Waters, he has raced, competing most notably in the Porsche Sprint Challenge America. With that passion in mind and more than 15 years spent leading projects in Bozeman under his belt, Matt identified a gap in the city’s offering.

“We knew that this market was deserving of a project such as EVESO,” he says. “We had contemplated doing it ourselves at one point, but we didn't have the race car experience.” 

Cue connecting with EVESO Founder and CEO Alex Waters, and a match was made. Combine Alex’s 25+ years of experience as a racing driver, driver coach, and automotive factory driver with Matt’s experience in real estate development, and you have the practical foundation that EVESO needs.

“We're good developers. I love cars, I've raced them, and I have some connections, but none of that compares to what Alex has done,” Matt explains. “Alex is tied into the whole car community around the world in a way that really no one else is around here. He can tap resources specifically to EVESO, especially on the maintenance and the relationship side, that no one else can.”

What makes an entrepreneur a successful entrepreneur?

Born more than 5,000 miles away in Munich, Germany, and raised in Garmisch, a small alpine ski town on the German-Austrian border, Matt’s journey to Bozeman is a story of resilience, commitment, and an unwavering work ethic.

“I'm an immigrant,” he said. “I came here at 17 by myself, so I've had to be independent and forge my own path my entire life… That's a very specific way of being raised with a certain level of grit, determination, and independence to get things done. 

“I've worked a ton of jobs, both there and here, since I was 11. It's always been a part of my life to forge your own path and build your life the way that you think is best for you and your family.”

Matt has since studied in the United States, served the country overseas in the military, and, of course, built his own business in Bozeman from the ground up. 

“Maybe I'm attached to grit because I've had to have a lot to get to where I am,” he admits. 

It’s a characteristic that Matt says is crucial for success - both in life and in business.

“The number one quality as an entrepreneur is grit,” he says. “Projects such as EVESO are hard; they're very hard to do. Even in a vacuum, they're hard to do, and then you have all these external factors, micro and macroeconomically, through factors such as capital markets and construction costs, and you get them done with grit and determination.”

It’s also a quality that he sees Alex having “spades” of, one developed through his own journey as a racing driver and businessman, and his fight against cancer as a teenager.

“I think a disciplined race car driver, by default, tends to have more than the average person,” Matt says. “So when I have a client or a friend, I buy into that as well to fight through the hard moments. Alex has very much impressed me with not just his vision, competency, and experience, but his ability to tackle challenges.”

An opportunity uncovered

Matt landed in Bozeman much like Alex and many other local residents who grew up out of town; Bozeman wasn’t intended to be the final destination, but it soon became one.

“I pulled into Bozeman a couple weeks into a trip of exploring towns in the Pacific Northwest, and Bozeman immediately felt great. I spent an extra three days here hanging out and meeting people at bars, diners, restaurants, and the library, and felt something I'd never felt before. So we decided to move here. We finally settled down in Bozeman for good in 2008, and never left,” Matt explains.

Matt’s alpine upbringing had instilled a passion for the great outdoors, and it helped to spark an instant connection with Bozeman. EVESO aims to capture that very essence, pitched at the intersection of outdoor adventure and automotive culture with the events, facilities, and culture to match. This magic - the DNA of Bozeman - is what Matt believes is crucial to differentiating EVESO.

“I think there's a real opportunity for people to use EVESO as a base and social hub to get more involved in the outdoors,” he said.

“A lot of people have moved here that don't have a network yet; whether they came here solo or with a family, they're here to enjoy the outdoors. Bozeman is a very inclusive town, but still, a lot of people are shy, just aren't connected, or are working too much. So for them to build their outdoor community, to have someone with whom to ride mountain bikes or dirt bikes, or go fishing, float the river, or have a ski day, that can take some effort. Therefore, having a community like EVESO is a great ancillary benefit of it.”

A tailored offering

The collision of Matt and Alex’s expertise is expressed through a deep understanding of the Bozeman community. Between authentic outdoor adventure foundations, an ultra-high-quality real estate-backed automotive and outdoor adventure equipment storage solution, and comprehensive automotive care services, EVESO is uniquely placed to cater to three key desires of the growing Bozeman community.

“There are three different ways in which the markets demanded a project like EVESO,” Matt explains. “One is the emerging luxury vehicle community that is in Bozeman and Big Sky. These people have tremendous wealth, and a lot of it is in vehicles, and they're storing it in California or New York, around 12 different homes… So, the storage component is very much for the out-of-staters who want to have the vehicles here.”

“The second component is the people that have benefited financially, such as myself and others, from the wealth and growth in the area, who are now able to buy nicer cars. Certain brands in Montana, with its 1 million population base, just don’t have service centres, which is very prohibitive. So there's a huge appeal for those of us who buy nice vehicles to have a facility here where we can store them, have them maintained, and make sure that they're running well so we can focus on what we do day to day.

“Then culture-wise, those people are also likely to hang out in these social clubs. Not everybody's a golfer or country club type of personality, so having a facility like EVESO allows people to socialise and talk about cars, but also to connect over what brought us to and keep us in Montana: the incredible outdoor activities that are on our doorstep.”