This Skill MAKES or BREAKS Business

Mini Synopsis

Matt Ebert, founder and CEO of Crash Champions, joins Lee Benson to explore how trust, leadership, and a people-first approach helped grow his company from a single shop to over 650 locations. This episode is a deep dive into scaling with integrity, leading through struggle, and creating a culture that lasts.

Introduction

What does it take to scale a company without losing your values? Matt Ebert didn’t have a perfect plan. He just knew he wanted to do things the right way. From hiring and training local leaders to managing investor relationships, Matt shares how trust, transparency, and culture have fueled every step of the journey.

Key Messages

Trust is the foundation

Every interaction either builds or breaks trust. Matt teaches his team to treat each moment with customers, teammates, and vendors as a chance to earn trust through action.

Start with the employee experience

You can’t create great customer outcomes without first creating a great place to work. That starts with leadership, training, and communication.

The leader sets the tone

At each location, the local manager shapes the culture. Investing in their development is one of the most important things the company does.

Struggle is the opportunity

Early growth was hard. Money was tight. But Matt learned not to avoid the struggle. That’s where the best lessons live.

Communicate clearly and often

At scale, the message gets diluted. Matt shares how he's using internal apps, video, and content to communicate vision and priorities directly to the front lines.

Build trust with investors too

Matt treats his private equity partners like teammates. He stays transparent, delivers on promises, and builds trust by doing what he says he’ll do.

The trades are a high-opportunity path

Matt advocates for hands-on careers as meaningful, high-earning alternatives to traditional college routes. His team is on a mission to help people see what’s possible.

Notable Quotes

• "Every interaction builds or breaks trust. Treat each one like it matters." -Matt Ebert

  
  

• "You can’t create a great customer experience without creating a great employee experience first." -Matt Ebert

  
  

• "Struggle is where the best opportunities are hiding. You just have to be willing to look." -Matt Ebert

  
  

• "Trust starts with doing what you say you’re going to do. That applies to everyone." -Matt Ebert

  
  

• "Scaling leadership means getting really clear on the vision and repeating it often." -Lee Benson

Resources

Matt Ebert

Crash Champions: crashchampions.com

Podcast (coming soon): PodCrash

Lee Benson

Website: etw.com

Podcast: Show Your Value

Book: Your Most Important Number

Instagram: @executetowin