THE CRISP GUY

Helping business owners rebuild connection in a disconnected AI world

Want to talk this through?

“We can all learn from his story.”

Synaxon 2025

I work with accidental leaders who’ve been swallowed by their own business.
We strip back the noise so you don’t lose yourself in what you built.

What broke me taught me how to lead better.

The Crisp Packet That Changed Everything

I still remember the moment…. a crisp packet on the ground outside my office made me see culture was failing. That small thing exposed a hidden chaos.
Then came the betrayal: a trusted FD, fraud, collapse. Everything I built evaporated.
What followed was three years of silence, shame, and rebuilding from zero.

And through that, I discovered something: vulnerability is not weakness. It’s the core of connection. And values…. if lived, not just spoken…can carry you through the darkest storms.

stripped-back book coming soon register interest

“Your vulnerability and authenticity is what makes your story louder.”

Tim , Synaxon 2025

Explore the Core

  • Boardroom Talks & Keynotes

    I don’t do polished platitudes. I show up with scarred honesty — real stories of failure, trust, and rebuilding. Leaders leave with connection, not scripts.

    Book a Session

  • Stripped Back (Book & Journal)

    My story — from building to betrayal to rebuilding. No filter. No fluff. Just raw lessons others can walk beside.
    Plus: short reflections, journal entries, tools I wish I’d had when everything collapsed.

    stripped-back

  • Mentoring & Coaching

    One-to-one support for the accidental leader who’s tired of pretending. We strip back the mask, rebuild your voice, and lead with honesty again.

    Make It

Don’t Just Take My Word for It…

  • Tie Doepel testimonial

    “Mark’s style is reminiscent of the best TED Talks — compelling, empathetic, and authentic. Our members left with insights that will stay with them for a long time.”

    Tie Doepel, Marketing & Events Manager at Network Group

  • Comp Tia testimonial

    “Mark brings a rare honesty to the stage. He balances humour with hard-won lessons, leaving audiences reflective and energised. That’s why we’ve asked him back again and again.”

    — Event Organiser, CompTIA / Continuum

  • Nex-Tech Testimonial

    “Mark’s keynote cut through the noise. He doesn’t just talk about leadership, he lives it. His message about culture and values stuck with me long after the event.”

    — Attendee, Nex-Tech Kansas Conference

  • Network group Testimonial

    “Mark’s openness and courage to share the real story made his talk one of the most impactful of the day. He reminded us that vulnerability isn’t weakness — it’s what builds stronger leaders.”

    — Attendee, Network Group Event

  • Dean Osbourne

    “I have always found you one of the hardest working and honest people I’ve met who inspired me to do better. I had the pleasure to be in the industry with you and be part of the peer groups — and I will never ignore a crisp packet left on the ground.”

    Team Lead, Sales Engineering at ConnectWise

  • James Carson testimonial

    “I truly admire your courage and vulnerability and am thankful that you are back. True strength comes from going through the hard times and knowing you can not only survive but thrive.” — James Carson, Professional EOS Implementer

    — James Carson, Professional EOS Implementer

  • Jon Atherton Testimonial

    “Your video was brave and heartfelt — a release of so many emotions. Welcome back! You’ve been missed, and I can’t wait to see what you do next.”

    — Jon Atherton, Executive Director & UK Top 100 CRN Executive

  • Andy Price Testimonial

    “Well done Mark, I loved the Crisp Guy talks. Maybe you’ve got ten more talks now from what you’ve been through — you know stuff that most people will never experience, and your honesty helps others.”

    — Andy Price (NG / CrispGuy audience)

CLICK to Explore 50+ More Comments on LinkedIn
Mark Matthews

Mark Matthews

  • Mentor

  • Speaker

  • Author

Vulnerability as strength

Values as crisis insurance

Over 35 years in business. Built a successful IT company. Spoke internationally as The Crisp Guy. Survived devastating fraud. Now I share raw lessons on leadership, resilience, and values — so others can thrive, no matter the storm.

Why Work With Me?

Because I’ve been where you are.
I’ve built a business, lost it, and rebuilt from scratch. I know what it feels like to wear the owner’s mask — pretending you’ve got it all together while silently falling apart.

I don’t teach theory. I share lived experience. The highs of international speaking and business success, and the lows of fraud, courtrooms, and three years of silence.

What I’ve learned is simple: vulnerability builds trust, values protect culture, and resilience is forged in the darkest times.

I’m here to strip back the noise and help others see the truth.
Not with polished textbook answers — but with raw, real lessons you can actually use.

‘Mark served as an incredible mentor to a colleague of mine—he listened deeply, guided thoughtfully, and supported their journey toward becoming not only a stronger leader but also a successful manager'‘

Steve Riat, Nex-tech 2025

Read the latest articles Below

Stripped Back Journal
The Crisp Packet Test: How to Have Honest Conversations at Work.
Tools & Frameworks, Leadership, The Crisp Report
The Crisp Packet Test: How to Have Honest Conversations at Work.
Tools & Frameworks, Leadership, The Crisp Report

It started with a crisp packet outside my office.
No one picked it up — and that moment changed everything.
I realised culture isn’t built by posters or policies; it’s built by what we tolerate, ignore, or act on when nobody’s watching.
The Crisp Packet Test was born from that moment — a quick, honest way to see how people really think and behave at work. It’s now become my signature tool for leadership, accountability, and rebuilding culture — stripped back and real.

Read More →
Tools & Frameworks, Leadership, The Crisp Report
The Crisp Report – Invisible Strings
The Crisp Report, Leadership
The Crisp Report – Invisible Strings
The Crisp Report, Leadership

Some connections you can see, meetings, messages, handshakes.
Others are invisible. They’re the quiet thoughts, the small choices, the energy that ties one moment to the next.
I wrote this to remind myself and anyone reading, that what we do when nobody’s watching often carries the biggest impact. Those invisible strings hold everything together.

Read More →
The Crisp Report, Leadership
The Fear of Letting People Down
The Crisp Report, Leadership, culture, Vulnerability
The Fear of Letting People Down
The Crisp Report, Leadership, culture, Vulnerability

I used to think leadership meant holding it all together. Saying yes when I wanted to say no. Smiling when I was breaking inside.
The truth? I wasn’t leading …. I was performing. Driven by the fear of letting people down.
This is what happens when fear runs the show… and how stepping into honesty changed everything for me, my team, and the way I now lead.

Read More →
The Crisp Report, Leadership, culture, Vulnerability
Read more stripped back lessons

To help others be the best they can be —

no matter the storm.

Because resilience isn’t about dodging waves. It’s about building a boat strong enough to sail through them.

Our vision is simple: strip things back, live your values, and create cultures that hold steady when the storm hits.

This isn’t theory. It’s lived experience — from building a business that won awards, to facing betrayal that nearly destroyed it, to rediscovering what really matters. Resilience isn’t about pretending the storm isn’t there. It’s about honesty, vulnerability, and trust.

When leaders embrace those things, they don’t just survive the waves — they come out stronger, with teams who believe in them and customers who stay.

“Your talk was great – real emotion and inspiring! I could learn a lot from your experiences.”

Jamaine, Synaxon 2025

Where to Begin

  • Boardroom & Keynote Talks

    Straight talk. No slides full of fluff — just raw lessons you can use on Monday morning.

    speaking

  • Stripped Back The Story

    Made It → Betrayal → Lost It → Rebuild → Reflection. The honest journey behind the message.

    stripped-back

  • Laid Bare - The Videos

    Short, stripped-back clips on leadership, resilience, and culture. No jargon, just real.

    videos

“When the storm ended, it took 37 hours before the light returned.

Build the boat strong enough to survive until it does.”

Mark Matthews | The Crisp Guy

Ready to strip it back?

If you’re done pretending and want to lead from truth, reach out.
Not a pitch — just a real conversation to see where you are and how I can help.