Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Christopher Matthew Spencer. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Christopher Matthew, great to have you with us today and excited to have you share your wisdom with our readers. Over the years, after speaking with countless do-ers, makers, builders, entrepreneurs, artists and more we’ve noticed that the ability to take risks is central to almost all stories of triumph and so we’re really interested in hearing about your journey with risk and how you developed your risk-taking ability.
My willingness to take risk comes in part from leaving an abusive home at sixteen and becoming homeless with nothing. I had no safety net. I had to fight, first, not to become a statistic and not to slip into a victim mindset. I needed food. I needed shelter. I needed to get my life together. There was no luxury of overthinking consequences. I had to make decisions quickly in order to survive, earn money, and eat.
Many people with a conventional upbringing and education follow a very different path. They are often taught to avoid danger, not to touch the hot stove, not to scrape a knee, not to risk money, and to stay inside the lines drawn by parents and the people around them. When you are fully on your own at sixteen and making every decision yourself, you develop a different lens on the world. You learn that calculated risk is not optional; it is the only way forward. That experience hardwires a higher tolerance for uncertainty and a deeper confidence in your own judgment.
Over the years, as I worked for, worked with, and associated with many successful people, including three billionaires, I noticed recurring themes in how they approached risk. I saw patterns in their decisiveness, in their willingness to move first, and in their ability to learn from failure without being defined by it. I chose to mirror those patterns. It is almost always more effective to study a proven model and adapt it than to repeat avoidable mistakes. As I grew older, I became very intentional about identifying who was truly successful, understanding how they thought about risk and reward, and then applying those lessons to my own life and career.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am an actor, writer, and film director who came into this industry later in life after a long career in business, public speaking, and consulting. That journey shaped my ability to take risks, stay focused, and finish what I start, and those values are now at the core of my creative work.
What excites me most about my professional life today is that I am doing the work I believe I am meant to do. I act, I write, and I direct with the same discipline and drive that helped me succeed in business. My directorial debut, The Red Market, has earned multiple festival awards and proved that resourcefulness, determination, and collaboration can overcome limited resources. I financed it myself, brought together a team of gifted actors from the Brian Cutler Actor Studio and filmmakers from Chapman University, and guided the project from concept to completion. The Red Market launched my career as a film director and confirmed my belief that passion must be followed regardless of age or circumstances.
Professionally, I am focused on building a body of work that reflects authenticity, discipline, and imagination. I am completing additional screenplays, developing new short film concepts, and taking on roles that allow me to bring real life experience to the screen. I am also expanding my creative partnerships and looking ahead toward producing my first feature.
My brand is rooted in tenacity and reinvention. I bring veteran discipline from my service in the United States Navy, a strong work ethic from decades of entrepreneurship, and a genuine love of storytelling. My life has taught me that a person can rebuild, reinvent, and rise at any age, and that belief drives the stories I choose to tell.
The most exciting developments right now include the continued festival success of The Red Market and the projects that momentum is helping to unlock. I completed my first feature script, Mission Slimpossible: Flab Reckoning, obviously a comedy, and I am seeking financing for that film. I also recently restarted talent management, with my #1 client being Kerwin Gonzalez, a powerhouse, superstar performer who is working steadily and rising rapidly in our industry. Supporting his career alongside my own creative projects is a privilege and a source of constant inspiration.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Subject to change, since man is a fluid thinker, the three qualities that have had the greatest impact on my journey are discipline, follow-through, and the ability to adapt.
Discipline has carried me through every phase of my life, from military service to business to filmmaking. It is the foundation that allows a person to set goals, stay organized, and make progress when motivation fades. For anyone early in their journey, I recommend treating discipline like a daily practice. Create structure, set clear objectives, and honor your commitments to yourself even when no one is watching.
Follow-through is equally important. A great idea means nothing without completion, and many creative careers fall apart because projects are abandoned midway. I have always pushed myself to finish what I start, no matter how difficult the process becomes. For those beginning their path, focus on completing small projects first. The habit of finishing builds confidence and proves that your ambitions are real, not theoretical. That said, I will instantly abandon a project when it see no purpose for it.
The ability to adapt has been essential, especially as I reinvented myself later in life. Changing careers, taking risks, and stepping into unknown territory all require flexibility and humility. The world moves quickly, and the people who thrive are those who are willing to learn new skills, revise their plans, and grow. My advice is to stay curious, let go of rigid ideas about how your future should look, and allow yourself to evolve. Adaptation opens doors that discipline and follow-through help you walk through.
What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
The greatest challenge I face today is time itself. I am at a stage in life where I can see the horizon clearly, and I am fully aware that none of us are promised an endless runway. That awareness is not dark or discouraging to me. In fact, it sharpens my focus and gives meaning to every project, every collaboration, and every creative risk I take.
There is a certain clarity that comes when a person understands that time is finite. It strips away noise, ego, and hesitation. A wise person once said that urgency is a form of enlightenment, because it forces you to live with intention. I feel that deeply. The knowledge of finality is what makes the journey worthwhile.
To meet this challenge, I prioritize what matters, eliminate distractions, and invest my time only in work and relationships that are aligned with purpose. I move forward each day knowing that if I honor my time, my time will honor me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/borntodeal
Image Credits
Anthony DiBlasi, The Spencer Company, Little Big, kathy ireland Worldwide
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