Meet Matt Smiley

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Matt Smiley a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Matt, thank you so much for making time for us. We’ve always admired your ability to take risks and so maybe we can kick things off with a discussion around how you developed your ability to take and bear risk?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been drawn to the idea of risk. No risk, no reward. I can trace my ability to take risks back to my early teens when I was starting to transition into a more professional realm of downhill ski racing. What I learned during those early years was that you could dramatically increase your chances of success if you took a series of steps in training. If you trained hard enough and pushed yourself beyond your comfort level, those risks in training would make the biggest difference between winning and losing.Why? Because I could risk more, knowing I’ve already made the mistakes and training by pushing beyond my limits. The race becomes a calculated risk.

Sports have always been an area that have helped fuel my creative and business life. I learned early on that you can’t succeed if you don’t take a risk. My biggest hurdle in that was to find a path toward proper decision making to ensure that the risk I was taking was a calculated one. I am certainly not of the mindset to blindly risk. You need to be able to back it up with a series of set expectations. What’s the best case scenario? What’s the worst case scenario? If something is going to bankrupt you and there are very minimal paths to achieving your goal, then you need to reassess where that threshold for success is for you. That’s where experience really comes into play.

I spent 4 years collaborating and co-writing chapters of a book on one of the world’s most successful businessmen. Having had the opportunity to learn first hand what brought him to success, gave me a bit of a road map for my own journey. If there’s a property that’s available on the market and everyone wants it, what steps are you willing to take to get it? Would you charter a single engine plane through a storm to make it before others can get their hands on it? It’s a big risk, but if you trust the plane and the pilots to navigate you there safely, you might arrive before everyone else and close your deal. You can sit back and expect things to happen. You need to force them forward.

Everything involves risk. You don’t rise above it if you don’t take risks. But just make sure you develop the tools to ensure you can always bounce back. I’ve always looked at movies and art in the same way. From an early age, the idea that the film business was in fact a business, so it must be treated that way. Every project needs to make financial sense. Blind passion won’t get you anywhere.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

My journey as an artist has been a profound and exhilarating adventure, marked by continuous growth, exploration, and a relentless pursuit of meaningful storytelling. From the moment I decided to immerse myself in the world of art and filmmaking, I knew that my path would be one of discovery and impact.

It all began in Montreal, where my passion for creativity took root. Initially, I channeled my energies into acting, finding a voice through characters and narratives that resonated with audiences. I didn’t always get to do projects that inspired me on a deeper level, so I always had an independent mindset to create my own destiny of storytelling. My transition into documentary filmmaking was a pivotal moment; it allowed me to delve into real-life stories and bring critical issues to the forefront. Directing “Highway of Tears” was a turning point—it was not just a film but a mission to shed light on the tragic plight of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. The global recognition and impact of this documentary reinforced my belief in the power of art to catalyze social change.

Simultaneously, my journey on the canvas has been equally transformative. My paintings are reflections of my inner thoughts and emotions. Each piece is a blend of abstract expressionism and pop art, designed to provoke thought and inspire dialogue. Exhibitions like “Dreams Fizzle into Space”, “Dear “Diary…” and “Work in Progress: Emotions” have been milestones, showcasing my ability to infuse art with deep meaning and contemporary relevance.

Throughout this journey, the constant thread has been my commitment to authenticity and my drive to push boundaries. Sometimes easier said than done. Whether through a mural or a documentary that sparks policy reform, my work aims to connect, inspire, and provoke. This relentless pursuit of excellence and impact is what makes my journey special, and I am excited to continue exploring new horizons and creating art that resonates on a global scale. I’m really finding myself at the starting gate of my career now. The last few months after my residency at the 1 Hotel have been a quiet storm of discovery and creativity to prepare for the next year of exhibits and projects around the world. I’m really excited to be embarking on a series that has the potential to have a long lasting impact on my career and the world. For a long time, I was concerned about selling art as I was making it. This time around, I’ve been working hard to just express my personal story. This next exhibit will be my most personal to date. I couldn’t be more excited to take people on a journey.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Three qualities that have been crucial in my own personal journey have been: listening, empathy and action. I’ve always been a great listener. I’ve always been curious about people and what makes them tick. It’s made me sensitive to people’s wants & needs, which can help in any scenario you find yourself in. Being empathetic has been a quality that I feel serves me well. I always try to put myself in other people’s shoes. I’m never quick to judge and always try to gather as much information as possible before making a clear decision. Sometimes to a fault. I do take counsel from a core group of friends and business associates that I care deeply about. There’s a group I could consider to be my career ‘board of directors’ when I’m grappling with an idea to tackle. And the last skill that has served me well is action. Without action, nothing gets done. Sure, I have bad days of procrastination and a wandering mind, but as relaxed as I appear to be, I’m pretty militant with my time and goals. There’s no way I would be able to get my projects done without it. You need to have a clear vision, but you must take action to make things happen, or you’ll never reach your goals. That last quality is almost the most important one to getting things done; less empathetic but important.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

I’m currently in expansion mode,so I’m always on the lookout for collaborators and individuals who can bring value to the table. The world of art and entertainment is evolving dramatically every day. I’ve been fortunate to achieve some success, which has opened doors to new opportunities. My vision from my artwork is global; to achieve worldwide success, I need a team that consistently raises the bar in creating experiences for people around the world. With a name like Smiley, there’s an inherent pressure to promote happiness and create joyful experiences, but I’m also complex and sensitive, and I strive to explore diverse avenues.That’s what gets me out of bed in the morning with a sense of purpose.

I’ve had the privilege of learning from some of the world’s top creative, luxury, fashion, and spirits entrepreneurs. In this next chapter, I’m excited to leverage these experiences and bring various facets of my creativity to life through partnerships and collaborations with dynamic people and brands. My ultimate goal has always been to make people think, and this can take many forms. So long story short, yes, yes and yes! You can’t build an empire alone. It’s all about working together and collaborating.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Main photo credit to: Anzu Lawson.

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Leadership Development
Empathy Unlocked: Understanding how to Develop Emotional Intelligence

“Empathy is the starting point for creating a community and taking action. It’s the impetus

Productivity
Where do you get your work ethic from?

We’ve all heard the phrase “work hard, play hard,” but where does our work ethic

Productivity
Boosting Productivity Through Self-Care

When you have a never-ending to-do list it can feel irresponsible to engage in self-care,