This week I had the pleasure of speaking with the CEO and Founder of Maventus Group Inc., creator of MavSocial, Visual Content Management & Social Publishing software, Matthew Holden. (You can see my prior post all about MavSocial here.)
While I am really enjoying my experience using MavSocial, it is also great when you find and use a product from a company with a leader who believes in empowering his employees and values their contributions. Matt has taken his vision and passion and transformed it into the Maventus Group. He is so passionate about what he is doing that he moved from Australia to San Francisco to be in the heart of technology and social. Matt works with a dispersed workforce but believes in the culture that he is creating at Maventus. He lets employees develop and work on new ideas and puts the customer at the center of everything.
Prior to Maventus, Matthew worked for various Fortune 500 companies such as Oracle Corporation, SAP Asia Pte Ltd and BackOffice Associates.
What inspired you to start Maventus Group Inc?
Matt: I was identifying a business opportunity in the market. There is a huge gap with all the various social media platforms out there. I identified a gap in video, audio and visual – being able to upload them, store them and share them in one platform. I saw an opportunity and did some research – MavSocial was born.
How does MavSocial differ from other Social Media Management Software?
Matt: The major difference is that MavSocial, as a platform was designed, developed and delivers an integration between the problems of customers and users trying to store photos and videos with the integration and ability to seamlessly publish them. There is no other platform that focuses on that niche but there is a high demand for it. We are crafting and shaping the product with this ability.
What are the benefits of using MavSocial?
Matt: The single overwhelming factor – we save time and money. In our day and age a lot of businesses have to more with less. Most marketing and social media budgets don’t extend to the level that is needed. Our value proposition is that we offer greater efficiency and greater opportunity. Social media marketers are freed up from doing the tech piece and can focus on what they need to do – being creative and being social media marketers.
Can you share any upcoming plans or new features that you are working on for MavSocial?
Matt: I can’t disclose everything but can share that based on the road map and feedback, some key releases in 2015 will be game changing to brand and social media marketers – can’t say too much now but you’ll like it.
Where do you see MavSocial in 5 years from now?
Matt: Five years in social media is a long time. It is unknown what transformation will happen in social media over that amount of time – but the goal of the business and vision of MavSocial is to be the single central source where social media marketers can access, create and publish all of their social media content. We also want to keep helping our clients, which are businesses. We want to help them get a great return on their investment – as they invest and use MavSocial, our job is to gain their trust and help them succeed and get an even greater return.
What are your Social Media Marketing predictions for 2015?
Matt: I see 2015 to be a pivotal year for the social media landscape. There is an over supply of social media products, services, and vendors and there is also an enormous amount of investment. I see a huge amount of consolidation occurring in 2015. I also predict that wearable tech will have an impact on the social media space as well.
I think another area of great interest, with a lot of vibrant changes, are major changes to social media networks such as Twitter. With the ability to share audio content – tweet sound bytes and music – those types of dynamics will change the social media landscape and what social media marketers can do. Mav believes that it is our job to keep up with it.
How fast can MavSocial respond to new trends?
Matt: I have a lot of experience in fast growth companies. Mav has a solid management team – a great team – who are very cognitive of the ability to respond rapidly to changes. The staff is dedicated to rapid response, building new software and they are on top of tech changes. They are able to help the customer and provide the service they need which is key. We are a provider of tools to help our clients to be able to do their job better and faster.
Mav is also a culture of progress and achievement and one of can do attitudes and making it happen, rather that letting it happen.
As a leader, what advice can you provide to someone who is thinking about launching a Start Up?
Matt: The best advice I think I can provide is to think of the big picture – think of the end game. What I mean is; Where is the company going? What is it going to do? A product for product sake is not good. You need to provide value and help others. Be pragmatic as to how you are going to get there.
What motivates / inspires you to get up every day?
Matt: You never know what is going to happen in a fast growth business, but seeing the end game and goal helps. Building customers that trust and work with you. Building a business to where I want to get it. Building a team. Those are strong motivators that get me started every day.
Do you have any mentors (current or previous)? Who do you look up to? How have they helped to shape who you are today?
Matt: Can’t underestimate the importance of having mentors – one of the most important elements to any enterprise to have someone who is impartial, someone you can turn to who is honest, someone tell you what you need to know. You also need someone to look up to and model what you want to become.
From a cultural and management perspective I look up to Richard Branson. He encourages and empowers his team. He understands that you can’t do it all on your own. You need to empower the people around you to reach your goals.
Do you have a favorite quote that you would like to share?
Don’t forget to try out MavSocial with a free starter account located here.
MavSocial – Social Media Software for Business Infographic:
I am a brand ambassador for MavSocial and do receive compensation for my hard work and research. Good or bad, my reviews are honest with my readers best interest in mind.
Photo Credits: BigStock, PersonalExcellence.co
I love a post that mentions my business name multiple times. EndGame. ;-p