With over 20 years of experience in the advertising industry, Matt Jones has (mostly) seen it all.

His main observation? The traditional advertising agency model is broken.

In this talk, Matt gives his no holds barred views on the advertising agency industry. You’ll learn why, with a stagnant approach and no guarantees, most agencies are stuck in the past.

Most importantly, you’ll also hear Matt’s views on how to fix these problems. His agency Rebel Lion Advertising lives their ethos of ‘designed to do things differently’. They have a flexible approach and boldly guarantee results.

Perfect for marketing and advertising departments within corporate organisations or industry conferences; this talk will spark innovative ideas, inspire new ways of thinking, and create drive for results.

Strap in for an entertaining and informative talk. Matt doesn’t hold back.

Matt’s whole life has been built from a TV ad.

If he hadn’t seen the Army classic ‘Be the Best’ back in 1996, he wouldn’t be where he is today. At the time, Matt was an angry 15-year-old who had dropped out of school with no qualifications. He was living in a bedsit, doing drugs, getting into all sorts of trouble.

But the power of that army advert convinced Matt that his possibilities weren’t limited. He could be the best. Following a trip to the local army office, the fire was lit in Matt. He got out of the bedsit and enrolled in the army.

After leaving the army, with the power of that advert in his mind, his career in advertising began.

With three successful businesses under his belt (and one not so successful), Matt has been through a lot. In this talk, Matt shares his journey, the lessons learnt, and his entrepreneurial insight. This is the remarkable story of how Matt went from bedsit to boardroom.

Matt left school with no GCSEs and no direction. Now, he’s a multi-award winning entrepreneur.

Like many young people, Matt didn’t fit into the linear education and career path that is pushed on to them. That’s because he’s an entrepreneur.

Now, Matt is passionate about inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs and giving them room to thrive. Those who are innovators, enterprising, and full of initiative.

In this talk, Matt will connect with messages that you don’t learn at school – taking risks, the power of resilience, being an effective leader, and following your passion. Whether you take an entrepreneurial path or not, these are vital skills in all walks of life.

Matt’s talk will help people break out of the boxes that we’re confined in (sometimes self-imposed, sometimes by society), and explore the things that light their fire. Perfect for young people as a direct audience – schools, colleges, universities – and education professionals who are inspiring new generations to innovate and excel in their chosen industry.

When Matt Jones entered the Dragons’ Den to pitch his skincare business, MESOA for Men, it was about so much more than securing investment or gaining publicity. Matt was pitching for his life.

After his self-belief had hit a crippling rock bottom, the opportunity to pitch on Dragons’ Den was one Matt took as a challenge. A challenge to himself to get better. To continue learning. To perform under pressure. To banish imposter syndrome. To feel like he had his life back.

In this talk, Matt will show you how stepping out of your comfort zone is the key to overcoming your challenges. Especially the personal battles that you fight in your own head.

He’ll also share his top tips on pitching that can be applied universally. Because pitching seeps into all aspects of life - whether you’re an entrepreneur trying to secure investment, an employee convincing your manager to green light your latest idea, or presenting yourself in the best light at a job interview. Matt will show you how to pitch for your life.

Three times more men die by suicide than women.

That’s shocking. What’s equally shocking is the narrative that exists around male mental health. It needs to change.

Specifically, we’re all familiar with the phrase ‘man up’. With the male gender stereotypes of strength, toughness and emotional stability. But this language is problematic for men’s mental wellbeing; resulting in men bottling things up because of the fear of being seen as ‘less’.

Matt is an advocate of breaking the stigma around male mental health. Flipping the script on the way society talks about it, and how we support each other. Sometimes it can be as simple as opening up a conversation.

In this talk, Matt candidly shares his own battles with mental health and how coaching changed his life. Attendees will leave with positive actions they can take to improve their mental wellbeing and open conversations with others.

Speaking up saves lives.