Background

Matt founded M. Carlson Painting in 2001 and built it into one of the top painting operations in the Twin Cities, spanning residential, commercial, and wallcovering divisions across two states. He grew the company with a team of specialized project managers, operating across multiple service lines with a focus on transparent pricing and consistent delivery. The business was built almost entirely on referrals, a reflection of the customer experience standard Matt set from day one. NARI Gold Medal Award winner and multi-year Best Residential Painting Company honoree in Minnesota.

Why American Operator

Matt joined the Advisor Network because he believes new operators deserve a mentor who has actually run the playbook, not just observed it. He knows firsthand what the first years of ownership look like: the team management challenges, the cash flow pressure, and the systems that have to be built from scratch. Having scaled a local painting business from a one-person crew, he is committed to shortening the learning curve for the next generation of owner-operators and keeping great businesses locally owned.

Impact on Greenway Painting

Matt brings a full operator’s toolkit to Greenway’s board: time management frameworks, job checklists, payment-term contracts, and CRM guidance. From the first board meeting, he identified the key levers for Greenway’s growth, including expanding into wallcovering services and building out residential lead generation. He has shared direct access to his own wallpaper specialist and is developing an AI-driven bidding system he plans to deploy with the Greenway team. He shows up prepared, engages candidly, and gives operator, Anthony Douglas, the kind of practical, experience-backed guidance that can only come from someone who has built it themselves.