Matt Fogarty didn’t set out to be a founder. He was on track for a career in sports, until his senior year of college, when he found out he was going to be a father.

That moment forced a shift in priorities, from chasing passion to building stability.

Sales came first. Then purpose.

Today, Matt leads Cherry Willow Apparel, a brand reshaping how people think about homelessness, beauty, and belonging.

Profits fund tech tools that connect unhoused individuals with nonprofits and services. It’s apparel with a mission but the brand is just the beginning.

Matt also supports small businesses as a digital strategist at Hibu, and teaches financial literacy as a licensed agent with WFG Transamerica.

Across every role, the throughline is service: to family, to community, and to a better version of work.

In this episode, we’ll unpack:

→ Finding Peace in the Chaos: How to Build a Mission-Driven Startup Without Burning Out

→ Your Body Is a Business Asset: Why Founders Can’t Afford to Ignore Physical Fitness

→ Align or Implode: How Founders Can Integrate Purpose, Passion, and Practicality

Building something meaningful rarely follows a straight path. It takes clarity, resilience, and a deep connection to the why behind your work.

This episode dives into that reality, what it looks like to build with intention, stay aligned through change, and carry both purpose and pressure at the same time.