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Matt Rush

Matt Rush

Matt Rush is a 4th generation New Mexico farmer and cattle rancher. The Zig Ziglar family recently recognized him as a platinum level speaker. He was a founding board member of the American Farm Bureau Foundation of Agriculture

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Price range

  • $5,000 - $7,000
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Expert

  • Agriculture
  • Generational Issues
  • Goal Setting
  • Humor
  • Leadership
  • Motivation
  • Peak Performance
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Experience

  • Agriculture
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  • About

    The man who takes good and makes it… GOODER!

    Known as The GOODER Guy, Matt says, “You can do more, be more and have more than you ever thought possible, you just have to be willing to get over yourself to get there.”  

    From the time Matt was in the 8th grade he knew his life’s ambition was to help others become more than they ever thought possible.  Since then, his speeches, seminars and coaching have inspired thousands of people.

    Having grown up on a farm and ranch in rural New Mexico he brings a common sense, “farm boy” logic and humor to his speaking.  Tom Ziglar, son of the late Zig Ziglar said, “Matt brings an energy and enthusiasm to his speaking and training that will leave you and your audience motivated and inspired. His ability to connect with people of all ages will make you feel like you have known him forever from the first time you meet. His message of encouragement will put a smile on your face and on your heart.  But here is the bottom line.  When I had a family emergency and needed someone to fill in for me, the first person I called was Matt Rush.  He embodies the Ziglar philosophy in every way.  Engage with Matt today.”

    Matt has served as the former CEO of the New Mexico Farm Bureau and past president of the Ethos Leadership Group.  He has also previously served on the American Farm Bureau’s Foundation for Agriculture Board of Directors and the Berean Children’s Home Board of Directors.  

    He has won state and national awards for his public speaking, Co-Authored several books on leadership and is authoring the upcoming book, The Power of an Inch.  He has been quoted in Bloomberg Business Weekly, NPR, PBS and ABC News.  

  • Video Clips
  • Topics

    Keynote OR Breakout | Educational | Humorous | Inspirational | Motivational

    Have you ever…

    Felt like you were talking and no one was listening?

    Been frustrated with the lack of understanding from your team?

    Wondered if people actually grasp their impact on others?

    The Need

    According to a recent Gallup Poll, only 30% of workers are engaged in the work they do. This means that 7 out of 10 employees, managers, supervisors, board members, etc., are doing just enough to get by. No more, no less.

    This lack of engagement causes all kinds of problems. It doesn’t have to be this way! Personal and professional success doesn’t happen by accident. They are choices.

    Our ability as leaders to connect with others is critical. If we can create powerful connections with our employees, our customers, and even our families, we can design an environment of success and move from the status quo into a realm of real impact.

    This course is about going beyond being successful with your group. It is about creating a culture in order to raise up the next generation of leaders in your organization so the organization can continue to thrive long after you have left. It is about building powerful connections personally and professionally in order to help others recognize their true abilities.

    In order to create this atmosphere of success, these changes can be incredible simple. For example, in the work environment, we have all asked questions with the words, “How” and When?” For example, “How are you going to accomplish that?” or “When are you going to have that done?” However, if we want to inspire trust and change the culture we can use the words “What” or “Why?” “What is the reason behind that?” or “Why do we need to do?”

    It really can be as simple as that.

    We must connect, in order to lead.

    (45-60 min. Keynote or 2-3 hour workshop)

    Keynote OR Breakout | Audience Participation | Educational | Technical | Motivational

    Since the beginning of time, everyone has understood the necessity of planting seeds in the hope of a harvest. However, have we ever considered planting seeds in ourselves in order to do more, be more, and have more than we ever thought possible?

    The reality is, if we are going to create a new future for ourselves and our communities, we must begin by looking internally for opportunities to grow. We must evaluate who we surround ourselves with and their impact on our success. Finally, it is easy to look back on the past, it is comfortable to enjoy the present, but we must plan for the future by planting new seeds to carry us forward.

    Participant’s Action Items:

    1. Identify factors that are limiting personal progress, eliminate them, and create a new plan to advance growth.

    2. Evaluate personal circles of influence. How to draw from the positive and remove the negative influencers.

    3. Outline steps for implementing changes that will drastically impact the future.

    Keynote

    Dr. Martin Luther King said,

    The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

    On January 19th, 2015 a farm accident would bring me within one inch of losing my life. Because of that accident I have experienced pain that I did not know existed, that now I don’t even remember. After a year, I have aches on an almost daily basis that remind me of how great life really is.  I have experienced the love of people that I did not know was possible. I have felt like I have never felt.

    I will be the first to admit that I have fallen and failed more times than I can recount. All too often, I have also not “stood” well during times of challenge and controversy. The fact of the matter is I cannot do anything about any of those past moments. The one thing I can do is live for the inch that I have been given. Every day that the sun comes up for each of us, we have been given a new inch to live. So, live it! There is great Power in an Inch.

    Keynote | Humorous | Motivational

    Occasionally in life, there are snakes that are lying in wait to scare you. There may even be people who know they are there but don’t bother telling you.  There may even be people who consistently push your buttons!  How do you handle them?  The reality is that the majority of us are perfectly content to simply do our jobs than to tell anyone who we are and why we do what we do.  The sad truth is, in the absence of our voices, those who don’t know us, don’t understand us or don’t like us are redefining who we are. No matter what you do we MUST be Viable, Valuable and Visible to remain successful and avoid the snakes and the button pushers!

    Keynote | Audience Participation | Educational | Technical | Motivational

    Imagine waking up every day with love, joy, peace, and a sound mind. All is accomplished by turning off your Stress Switches.

    Stress-Free You provides the answers to why:

     Most people experience a 300% failure rate on diets, budgets, exercise, and other positive life programs.

     Traditional stress relief tactics are not enough?

     You should be in the Rest, Digest and Restore vs. Fight, Flight and Freeze response.

     Why your Go-To always sabotages you and how to fix it.

    Rather than merely providing overly simplistic tips, Stress-Free You examines stress from every angle, for a unique and more holistic approach. These methods for stress reduction are groundbreaking, and occasionally controversial, and stem from a desire to help others.

    You deserve to be the best version of a Stress-Free You.

    Participant’s Action Items:

    1. Identify the different types of stress and recognize how stress impacts your brain.

    2. Evaluate why stress relief is not enough and the things that trigger your personal “Go-To’s” to cope with stress.

    3. Outline steps to move from the Fight, Flight or Freeze to the Rest, Digest and Restore response.

    Keynote OR Breakout | Audience Participation | Educational | Entertainment | Humorous

    Matt Rush demystifies the differences in generations in the workplace.

    Right now, the dynamics in society are experiencing something for the first time—there could be up to five generations working together. This can cause potential problems in the workplace.

    This program offers tips for working with each generation, and in particular the growing worker pool that aligns with the millennial generation.

    “It’s estimated by 2025, there will be 75 million millennial’s in the workplace. By the year 2020, 1 in 3 workers is going to be a millennial” Rush says. “We’re going to have to get over ourselves and prepare for change.”

    Rush advises what is paramount in adjusting to the changing dynamics in the workplace isn’t your perspective but rather your co-worker or employee’s generational perspective. And when studying the mindset of millennial’s, there are some surprising takeaways. 

    Keynote | Humorous | Motivational

    Regardless of the industry you exist in, when we tell people what we do we might as well be from a foreign country even though we might live right down the street.   They don’t know who we are, where we’re from or why we do what we do.  When they do meet one of us they usually look at us with curious bewilderment and ask questions that we feel are as ridiculous as asking a farm boy from New Mexico if he is from south of the border.  In these current times, the disconnect between the American supplier and the average American consumer could make the Grand Canyon look like an irrigation ditch.  The most important question is where did the disconnect come from and how do we fix it? 

    Breakout

    Whether someone carries a broom or a briefcase to work… they are a leader.  During this seminar we’ll walk through practical ways to improve your leadership skills.  We’ll identify the qualities and characteristics that YOU see in YOUR everyday Heroes. We will work on ways that you can implement those characteristics into your life. We will also talk about your “vision”, your circle of friends, how to avoid making decisions, how to give and receive criticism and the keys to unlock your leadership potential.  This is not a ‘cookie cutter’ class on leadership.  It’s a class that takes you where you are and works on the skills that you need.

    Breakout

    The purpose of the Vision Web is to objectively teach how power and enthusiasm are generated in teams with a shared vision.

     

    During the exercise, you will have the opportunity to participate as a member of an “organization,” a team leader, or as an observer. You will notice that during the simulation exercise, all areas of the team are connected to achieve the objective. You will also see how single action directly affects the entire system. This exercise is an extremely powerful simulation exercise that reflects almost every type of organization.  You will see and experience conflicts and problems from team members being unaware of your vision. At the end you will be able to ask yourself, what do we have to do so that everybody will pull together to achieve the organization’s objectives?

    Breakout | Audience Participation | Educational | Humorous | Motivational

    Have you ever taken one of the MANY personality tests that exist?  Well get ready, because you’re going to take one more!  Don’t worry this one’s only 10 questions long.  The DiSC personality test is one of the best available.  It’s a great way to find out who you are and gives you a great insight into who others are.  After identifying your personality we will take it one step farther, we will go through several interactive activities that will help you understand others and be able to communicate with them.  This seminar is a high energy, energetic, fun and a very helpful way to help you deal with everyone you meet every day.

  • Testimonials
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    “Matt did a great job. I will definitely consider Matt again for other upcoming programming. Matt was easy to work with, hung out with our attendees, and they thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Matt a little better.”

    Nebraska Bankers Assoc. Ron A
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    “Matt was awesome, we laughed, we cried, and realized how important we are, and the American Farmer is to the World.”

    GNB Banking Centers Ron B
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    “Matt is the AG speaker you want and need to give your audience some inspiration, some laughs, and left wanting more!”

    Realtors Land Institute Melissa L
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    “I had no idea what was going on, what we were doing or why we were doing this. In the end, it was the most incredible exercise in leadership I have ever experienced. I now see the true need for everyone to see the Vision.”

    California Celeste
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    “Matt does an amazing job at making everyone in the audience laugh, cry and truly “hear” his message. We have him speak at our conference every year and we’ll keep having him back.”

    Farm Credit of New Mexico Shacey
Matt did a great job. I will definitely consider Matt again for other upcoming programming. Matt was easy to work with, hung out with our attendees, and they thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Matt a little better.
Nebraska Bankers Assoc. Ron A