It’s time to start doing what matters.
Matter is a global collective of strategy, operations and leadership talent united by a single purpose— help leaders and their teams reach their next finish line.
And leave them with everything they need to reach the one after that.
Close the gap between
dreaming and doing.
Every transformation journey looks different. But wherever you are on the path to better, collective progress is too often sidelined by the needs and noise of multiple agendas.
We’re calling time on silos, mismatched incentives, and the endless distractions that pull leaders and their teams away from vital goals.
Stop talking, start doing what matters.
Moments That Matter
Your ability to execute your strategy is your competitive advantage.
Wherever you're starting from, let us help you bridge the gap between your ambitions and reality:
Transformation
When major change requires completely new capabilities and ways of working
Capability
When the needs of the environment demand new kinds of skills, behaviors and mindsets from your teams
Hypergrowth
When your ways of working no longer fit and you need to scale without losing what made you successful
Reorganization
When structural change means rebuilding connections between teams without disrupting ongoing work
Critical delivery
When you need teams operating at peak performance for your highest-stakes project
Which moment are you in?
Let's talk
Our Story
Bottling the magic
of difference
“There's a certain magic that happens when you find your people. You want to hold onto it and use it! But what’s possible if you bottle it and share that magic with the rest of the world?”
Shayna Rector Bleeker,
Co-Founder & VP, 7GEN
Over two decades, Sarah and Erin have mastered the art of catalyzing cross-functional teams to meet the challenges of the digital age—from strategy and storytelling to operations and technology.
Their early days together were spent helping organizations navigate the uncharted frontier of the internet. In the face of rapid change, they formed a partnership that thrived on experimentation and mutual respect. A potent mix of unlike minds and like hearts. This foundation laid the groundwork for their unique approach to fostering effective, interconnected teams.
In their second decade together, they led the expansion of initiatives like the THNK School of Creative Leadership and NOBL. This marked a transition from direct practice to empowering teams in fast scaling start-ups.
During this time, they distilled their cross-disciplinary expertise into actionable insights. Then used these insights to help teams embrace agility, human-centered design, and the emerging technologies.
Now, as they approach a new chapter, Sarah and Erin are focused on the critical role of cross-functional teams in navigating an increasingly demanding world.
"The profoundly complex challenges we face demand a new level of human collaboration, a recognition of our interdependence.” Sarah observes. Erin adds “the key to a thriving business is a culture that actively seeks diverse perspectives and creates the conditions where all skills and expertise can be fully engaged."
Matter is built on a founding partnership of contrast & complement
We bring together
Strategic narratives that build belief
> <
with zero-BS execution that enables progress.
Safety to be authentic
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and frameworks to be effective
Understanding what drives people
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and what drives results
Strategy that lives beyond decks
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into how your teams work everyday
Alignment on what to do
> <
and how to do it together
What got you here won't get you there.
We help leaders get intentional about the design of their organizations—and find their path towards lasting business impact and people-positive growth.
Operating Models That Work - Align your process, practices and people
Practical organizational design and change plans for how teams align, decide, and deliver across functions. Repeatable, flexible ways of working that build differentiated cultures and engaged teams that last long after we're gone.
Leadership that Scales Prepare your talent for the mission ahead
For leaders who need to build the capacity to lead across difference, pressure, and interdependence. This is development grounded in real-world complexity—not abstract theory—designed to help execs and senior teams lead through growth, tension, and ambiguity.
Strategy Design & Operationalization - Imagine everyone in your org working in the same direction
Beyond the busy work and decks — translating strategy into how people work, decide, prioritize, and communicate. Includes critical rhythms, pivots, and embedded decision-making frameworks to make strategy visible and help organizations stay apace of change.
Offsites with Outcomes -
Real Connection, Real Progress.
Experiences that deepen trust and drive real progress on business priorities—no fluff, no “team building” for the sake of it, no dusty decks.
Global talent collective
At the heart of what makes us different is a crew of diverse dreamers and doers united in the quest to transform organizations for both people and performance. We know how to make magic together and will inspire your teams to do the same.
Sarah Dickinson
Strategy & Storytelling
Erin Cooper
Team Design & Change
Kristin Demafeliz
Leadership Coaching & Change
Zerlina Chan
Operations & Program Management
David Kohler
Leadership Development & Coaching
Laura Barron
Social Impact & Community Building
Ryan Jasperson
Executive Coaching & Talent Strategy
Liz Kreuger
Transformation and Innovation
Meg Rice
Learning & Unlearning Design
Don’t take it from us
“Our partnership with Matter was a pivotal step for the team, particularly after our challenging recent years. Change in complex, frontline environments like ours is typically slow and fraught. By comparison, Erin and Sarah skillfully guided our Business Transformation Team in breaking down complex customer service challenges, nurturing customer empathy through deeper listening, and prototyping effective solutions. This hands-on learning experience was crucial in cultivating a stronger sense of autonomy and experimentation - changing how we approach and trial change within our organization.”
Kurt Pregler,
Chief Information Officer,
Translink
“Velocity can only occur when clear direction meets speed - Sarah and Erin were instrumental in helping us find both of these during a crucial phase of our growth. Working as an extension of our leadership team, their unique perspective and practices helped us find lasting cohesion as an executive and bring focus and responsiveness to our company strategy. Their expertise helped us design and implement the most critical changes to our structures, talent capabilities and ways of working to then operationalize strategy across the business.
Rather than disparate orbits, teams now see their interconnections, customers, and have the tools and culture needed for exceptional alignment at our rapid pace—a competitive edge that's impossible to replicate.”
Nicholas Johnson,
Chief Field Operations Officer
Medifast, Inc
Compass Modernization is a critical initiative at TransLink—a major financial investment with long-term implications. The Matter team brought clarity, structure, and strategic depth to a complex process. Through well-designed and inclusive conversations, they helped our executive committee shape a vision for the system’s future, debate key components, and rigorously assess risks.
What stood out most was their ability to align diverse voices from a variety of stakeholders like Metro Vancouver Transit Police and Coast Mountain Bus Company—around a shared challenge and opportunities. In a fast-moving environment, they created space for thoughtful input, built common understanding, and moved us toward aligned outcomes.
Their approach was both rigorous and people-focused —blending a structured decision-making framework with room for reflection and debate. They were responsive, ahead of schedule, and creative in helping us see around corners. More than consultants, they were true partners: adaptive, and insightful, and fully invested.
Mark Langmead,
Director, Revenue & Compass Operations
TransLink
We reached out to Sarah, Erin, and the team at Matter because we knew we needed help defining the culture that would carry us forward as we scale. They jumped right in, learned our business fast, and weren’t afraid to ask us the tough but important questions. A meaningful offsite became a real turning point, sparking the kind of conversations that are already driving change. They listened deeply — not just to leadership but across teams — and helped us knit together different disciplines and perspectives into one aligned direction. Through it all, they felt like true partners, not just consultants, and left us with greater clarity and alignment, along with the practical tools and discipline to turn our differences into strengths and execute on our growth ambitions without losing who we are.
Tom Kang,
President
Nex
“I’ve had the opportunity to work with Sarah and Erin for many years on a variety of initiatives from strategy to design to global executive leadership development. Their partnership is unique, miles from a transactional in and out consulting relationship. Matter is invested and deeply cares for you, your company, and the task at hand; they are an exceptional resource and sounding board and as a team of innovators and provocateurs, they consistently exceed expectations and deliver game changing results. I like to call it the Matter magic! “
Patti Clarke,
Global Chief People Experience Officer,
HAVAS
In the midst of our dynamic transition from a start-up to a business poised to scale-up, it became clear that 7Gen needed to improve our ways of working, and weave our values more deeply into our daily operations and expanding team fabric. The Matter team of Sarah and Erin, as architects of culture and strategy, helped to refine and illuminate our path. They didn't just translate our values to culture-building behaviors; they infused life and clarity into our strategic priorities, identifying trade offs, enhancing our leadership team dynamics and making our ambitions tangible and clear for the rest of our rapidly growing team.
Their collaboration with us was a testament to the transformative potential of an effective partnership. The magic we discovered with Sarah and Erin—their unique blend of skills and the vibrant synergy they brought—catalyzed our journey towards greater clarity and purpose. "There's a certain magic that happens when you find your people," and indeed, finding Sarah and Erin was our moment of magic, propelling us forward with renewed vision and unified strength.
Shayna Rector-Bleeker,
Co-Founder & Vice President
7GEN
"Agency Day was designed to bring together a diverse group of creative and media partners — and thanks to Matter’s leadership, it became far more than a meeting. They brought a sharp strategic lens to the day, shaping the right conversations, asking the right questions, and creating an experience that sparked real insight and momentum.
What stood out most was their ability to dissolve typical silos. They helped people step outside of their functional lanes, collaborate across disciplines as co-creators.
They understand how ideas emerge. The mix of structured provocation, smart facilitation, and moments of play created the creative conditions we needed — not just to talk, but to imagine something better together. The result was honest dialogue, fresh ideas, and the kind of alignment that actually carries forward.
Matter didn’t just make the day run — they made it matter.”
Naomi Fisher
Senior Executive Director Global Marketing,
Destination Canada
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