Matthew Wagner, Schooley Mitchell (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 317)
Matthew Wagner, Schooley Mitchell, joins host John Ray to discuss why business owners need to conduct regular expense audits, why hiring an independent cost reduction consultant should be part of any business owner’s profitability planning, and much more. “North Fulton Business Radio” is produced virtually from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® in Alpharetta.
Matthew Wagner, Strategic Partner, Schooley Mitchell
Schooley Mitchell is the largest independent cost reduction consulting firm in North America, with offices from coast-to-coast in the United States and Canada. On average, they reduce essential business service expenses by 27-28% and have delivered over $340 million in documented savings to their clients to date.
They are passionate about saving money for clients and helping them grow their business. Schooley Mitchell delivers expertise to companies of all sizes from all industries, offering a broad range of services. 
Matthew Wagner was born along the banks of the Quinnipiac River in New Haven, CT, part of the Greater NYC megalopolis, in the shadow of Yale University. At the tender age of eight, Matt’s single mother decided to leave the concrete jungles of Southern New England for the family’s ancestral home in the pastoral, pristine, and pine-scented environs of Midcoast Maine. Growing up under the tutelage of his grandparents – a retired schoolteacher and a semi-retired Congregational Minister – Matt developed an affinity for outdoorsmanship, altruism, and Scrabble – interests he maintains to this day.
Matt has a B.A. in East Asian Studies and History from Wittenberg University, and an M.B.A. from The Ohio State University. He holds the rare dual designations of Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and Senior Certified Professional from the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM-SCP). He speaks, reads, and writes fluent Japanese, and can carry on slow, awkward conversations in Spanish and Mandarin. Prior to launching his Schooley Mitchell office in 2020, Matt worked for more than 22 years in Japanese manufacturing operations in the U.S. Over this period, he became an expert in helping organizations optimize money, time, security, and human creativity. He served in several senior management positions and mastered the Japanese art of “kaizen” – a cycle of continuously transforming the existing into the exceptional.
Matt decided to start his own business to put his years of expertise to good use helping a diverse range of people achieve success in their organizations. When he heard about Schooley Mitchell, Matt realized he had found something unique. Many firms claim to improve the bottom line with the “pay to pray” model – pay upfront and pray they get results. Schooley Mitchell is different. They find real savings for their clients, leveraging proprietary technology, powerful market influence, and vast expertise; they don’t get paid unless they deliver savings! On top of money – clients gain back time, security, and knowledge, to focus on what they do best.
Matt lives in Dunwoody, Georgia with his wife of 24 years, three daughters, a hairless cat, and a hairy dog. He enjoys running marathons, bike-packing, birdwatching, cooking, singing karaoke, and – of course – Scrabble!
Company website
Questions/Topics Discussed in this Show
- Where did you come from?
- What’s your personal background?
- What even is “cost reduction consulting”?
- Are you a broker or vendor representative?
- Why would a company need cost reduction consulting?
- Can’t they do this themselves?
- What kinds of expenses do you help companies with?
- What do you do when you’re not working?
North Fulton Business Radio” is hosted by John Ray and produced virtually from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® in Alpharetta. You can find the full archive of shows by following this link. The show can be found on all the major podcast apps by searching “North Fulton Business Radio.”
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