Meet Matt Foster

We were lucky to catch up with Matt Foster recently and have shared our conversation below.

Matt, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?

I keep my creativity alive by living through transitions. For four years, my family and I sailed full-time aboard SV Cadence — navigating coastlines, cultures, and constant uncertainty. That chapter taught me that creativity isn’t a spark; it’s a survival skill. You learn to adapt, to reframe problems, and to stay curious even when the wind dies or the plan changes.

Now, I’ve shifted focus to building my business, but I carry that same mindset. I treat creativity as a strategic asset — something I cultivate through intentional habits like capturing ideas, challenging assumptions, and surrounding myself with stimuli that stretch my thinking. Whether I’m writing, leading, or designing systems, I approach each task like a sailor: eyes open, course flexible, and always ready to navigate the unknown.

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?

Professionally, I work at the intersection of strategic communication, digital growth, and lifestyle design. I collaborate with ghostwriters, creatives, and entrepreneurs to turn ideas into assets — whether that’s a local business, a brand, or an online business model. What excites me most is helping people reframe their thinking: not just ‘What should I build?’ but ‘What kind of life do I want to lead — and how can my work support that?’

My brand is about strategic simplicity. I write about decision-making, creativity, and leadership on Mafost.com, and I share our sailing journey and lifestyle experiments on The Foster Journey. What makes it special is that it’s lived — not theorized. Every post, product, and partnership comes from real-world experience, tested under wind, waves, and deadlines. I’m currently expanding my publishing work — launching new content series, refining my consulting offers, and building tools that help creators and founders clarify their message and scale their impact. It’s not just about growth — it’s about alignment.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Looking back, three qualities have shaped everything I’ve built: honesty, big-picture thinking, and knowing how to reach a destination with the most value built into the journey.

Honesty isn’t just about truth-telling — it’s about alignment. It means building a life and business that reflect your values, not just your goals. For me, that meant leaving behind conventional success to live aboard a sailboat for four years, and now, building a business that’s just as intentional – and just as non-conventional.

Seeing the big picture is a strategic skill. It’s the ability to zoom out, spot patterns, and make decisions that serve long-term clarity over short-term comfort. Whether I’m designing a publishing strategy or navigating a storm, I rely on that wide-angle lens.

And knowing how to reach a destination with value built into the journey — It’s not just about where you end up, but how you grow, connect, and create along the way. In business, this means more ROI, larger audience, and more options to extract revenue.

My advice? Don’t rush the path. Build systems that reward curiosity, resilience, and reflection. That’s where the real value lives.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?

The biggest challenge I’m facing right now is developing the right hybrid blend of human resources and AI agents in my business. I view humans as the ultimate value — the source of creativity, empathy, and strategic insight. AI agents, on the other hand, are the accelerants. They amplify our capacity, streamline execution, and unlock scale. Getting this mix right isn’t just a challenge — it’s a rewarding puzzle.

I’m actively designing systems that clarify roles, protect human ingenuity, and leverage AI where it adds the most value. That means rethinking workflows, retraining expectations, and building a culture where tech supports — not replaces — human brilliance. It’s a delicate balance, but one that defines the future of meaningful, scalable work.

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