Matt Zerker: Why struggling doesn't make you less of a man

In this episode I'm joined by Matt Zerker, the Founder & CEO of tethr, a peer enabled mental health and well-being platform for men. Matt has an incredible story and passion for what he's building which is what we'll dig into today.

Prior to tethr, Matt worked as a Portfolio Manager at a quantitative hedge fund and even achieved the coveted CFA designation. Despite the early career success, Matt was deeply unhappy. After the sudden death of one of his closest friends in 2018 sent him spiraling into a suicidal depression Matt began the journey towards a more fulfilling life. After trying everything from therapy to medication, and even some experimental treatments, Matt discovered a men's peer support group in his hometown of Toronto and that's when his inner world began to shift. After attending a fateful men's retreat in April 2019, Matt returned home on a Monday and quit his job suddenly on Wednesday - he has been building tethr ever since.

In this episode you'll hear more about:

How tethr got started and how they're doing
Matt's personal journey since starting tethr
The pressure of being a mental health founder trying to solve your own problems and experience
Redefining out relationship with our work and being of service
The impact our upbringing has on us as adults and men
The danger of the hustle culture and hustle porn in startups
How he turned things around half way through college
Why we need to take more time to be present and appreciate what's in our lives
How to know when to push and when to rest
Techniques Matt uses to reconnect with himself
Connecting with our inner child in times of stress
Why your well being influences the well being of the company
What Matt has tried on his journey with mental health
Why we're not a problem to be fixed
How joining a men's group change Matt's life
Power of being seen for who we are
How do we support men when they have the courage to say, "I'm not ok."
The power of witnessing and holding space for others
Why needing help doesn't mean you're broken
Why we need to look at the hero's journey in a new way (they always have help)
The power of getting to know yourself
What has he learned so far building tethr

Get links and other helpful information at https://www.mandateshow.com/episodes/matt-zerker/