Employee Spotlight: Matthew Alexander

At EMI, our team is one of our strongest assets– and it’s growing! In the past year, we’ve had a lot of new additions to our team, and we want to take some time to highlight them and the unique strengths they bring to EMI. This week, we’re highlighting Sample Sourcing Consultant, Matthew Alexander. Continue reading to learn more about Matthew!

What do you do at EMI?

Here at EMI, I am a Sample Sourcing Consultant. I work with companies to guide them through creating a unique solution to meet their unique research objectives.

What led you to EMI?

My journey to EMI was one that I never expected. I was always fascinated by the market research world but never knew how to get into it and ultimately ended up taking a different path. When I found an opportunity to join the EMI team, I knew that this was the right way for me to join the industry and leverage the skill set I had built up prior to joining the industry.

When you have 30 minutes of free-time, how do you pass the time?

Whenever I have any free-time– 30 minutes, 15 minutes, or even an hour– you can probably guarantee that I am doing something sports related. Watching a game, reading about something in the sporting world, or checking on a fantasy lineup.

What’s your favorite food?

In the most stereotypical way for someone who loves sports as much as I do, I can eat wings pretty much any night of the week– regardless of when the last time I had them was.

What’s your best travel story?

Have I mentioned that I like sports? Well, let me tell you just how much. I’m a lifelong Chicago Bears fan. I also have family that lives in Kansas City. A few seasons ago, the Bears played in Kansas city and my grandpa was able to get tickets for my brother and I to go to that game with him. The only problem was that my brother was still in high school and had football practice Saturday morning. We also lived 12 hours away. After his practice was over, we drove straight to Kansas City, slept on the couches at my grandpa’s house, and then went to the game with him. We then immediately drove back home. We drove a total of 24 hours in a 36-hour period just so we could watch a football game.

What kind of music do you listen to?

Growing up, I always listened to any kind of music imaginable. I also simultaneously made fun of my dad for always listening to talk radio. Now, I listen to almost exclusively podcasts and have given in to the realization that I’m just a more technologically advanced version of my dad…

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?

I would LOVE to learn any type of musical skill. Whether that be singing, guitar, or whatever else it may be. In reality, I am the least musically skilled person there is.

If you could have dinner with any person, living, dead, or fictional, who would you dine with?

This question is a tough one for me. On one hand, I could go with any number of sports figures that I have idolized during my life. On the other hand, I could go with any number of historical figures. On a metaphorical third hand, I could go with any member of my family that has passed away. If I had to pick just one though, I would go with Pat Tillman. The way that Pat Tillman gave up his NFL career, and ultimately his life, to join the military following 9/11 is something that I have always admired.

If you wrote an autobiography, what would you title it?

If I were to title an autobiography about myself, I would title it What’s the Rule? Growing up, my family had a set of rules that we followed. While they started off as a joke, they served as a form of a moral compass as we navigated life, and they are still something that we talk about today. In almost every situation that I’ve come across in life, I can point to at least one of the rules we had as a guideline that I used to get through it.

Tell me one interesting fact about yourself

Does being left-handed count? Just in case it doesn’t, my dog and I have the same birthday.

What would you do for a career if you weren’t doing this?

If I were to pivot career paths, I would likely be working in the marketing area of sports. I double majored in Marketing and Sports Management in college and my intention was always to work in the sports industry. I switched paths after an internship in that industry heading into my senior year but would always entertain giving it another shot in the right situation.

Do you have a personal motto or mantra?

Don’t panic. That’s it, that’s my #1 rule in life. Growing up, my dad would always ask us what rule #1 was and that was our response. Don’t panic. No matter what situation you are in, and no matter how bad your circumstances, panicking will do nothing to help the situation. It will only hurt it. So, don’t panic.

What is your favorite thing about working at EMI?

Honestly, I have yet to find anything that I don’t like about working at EMI. If I had to pick a favorite though, I would have to say that it’s the system of support that I have experienced since joining the company. Being new to the industry, I had a lot to learn, and, in many areas, I still do. But every single person that I have talked to since joining this company has been there to support me and help me learn more and more each day. That’s something that I will always be grateful for.

Which of our core values here at EMI (Agility, Accountability, Integrity, or Passion) do you most relate to?

I align with passion the most. I believe that when you bring your passion to the table about a topic, then the other core values will fall into line. If you are truly passionate about what you are doing then you will remain agile, hold yourself and others accountable, and work with true integrity.