Get printer-friendly version

The Reside Story: Building a Rockin’ Business

In 1999, Matt Meents got himself in a heap of trouble.  He recruited his Carlson Company colleague, Eric Scheel, to help dig him out.  Together, the pair spent evenings and weekends building out the real estate software system that Matt had estimated would take him 40 hours as a “side project”.  In the end, Matt and Eric spent more than 400 hours building a sophisticated tool that would serve as the client’s primary business infrastructure.  That initial experience ignited Matt’s passion for entrepreneurialism and crystallized the need to build a strong delivery team (including expert estimators!). 

In January 2001 and at the down-turn of the economic tide, Matt and Eric launched Reside, LLC, based out of Matt’s St. Louis Park, MN town home (with conference rooms spread throughout Twin Cities’ coffee shops!).  With the addition of a small, but savvy, group of sales and marketing, design and development talent, Reside hit the local networking scene – spreading the word and giving away services to secure new clients. 

Before long, Reside had a growing list of paying customers who actually returned for repeat business!  Those early clients provided the opportunities – and the insight – that would help Reside define itself in the web world.  With a clear vision for the future and a modest reserve in the bank, Reside opened its first legitimate office in March 2003.  Located on France Avenue in Edina, the one-room suite came complete with dull grey office furniture and a shared conference room straight out of the 70’s.  Reside was moving up in the world. 

With fierce determination – and a team that was too young and headstrong to know any better – Reside continued to grow despite turbulent economic conditions.  With sales and staff doubling each year, Reside quickly outgrew its initial office suite and, in 2004, purchased a two-story building just west of Minneapolis.  The dull grey furniture did not make the move.

By 2005, things were rolling right along for Reside.  The company had added several nationally- and globally-recognized companies to its client roster and, despite itself, was beginning to generate some prospective, competitive and media attraction.  Rapid growth and high demand for services was pushing Reside’s resources into regular overtime, and the economy’s turn-around put Reside in an optimal position to capitalize.  But staff members were strained, and morale was taking a hit.  Long-term customers weren’t getting the attention they deserved, and projects were being rushed to accommodate deadlines and workload.  It was time for some soul-searching.

In 2006, Reside committed itself to continued growth, but not at the expense of customer relationships,  which had been – and always would be - the lifeblood of the organization.  Through communication and discipline, Reside set to task to align its people and processes to focus on the client and to build from those relationships. 

The company also reflected on the culture that it had established internally over the years, based on the theme of “Rockin’” and what that meant to the group.  They agreed that “web for business” is what Reside does, but doing good in the world is what they are really all about.  Based on that understanding – and the desire to leave a corporate legacy – the concept of The Residers (a virtual band) was founded.  TheResiders.com would provide the interface for the company’s pro-bono initiatives and would play “alter-ego” to the group’s corporate image – providing them a framework for an ultra creative marketing and web tool application. 

2007 saw the launch of TheResiders.com and the “Rockin’ for a Cause” initiative.  And in 2008, the mission - and the company's growth - continues.  And what does Matt Meents, founder and CEO of Reside have to say about all of this?  “We’re really just getting started,” states Matt.  “Looking back, I am humbled by what our small band has already achieved.  But I get really excited when I look to the future…because I can only see good things ahead!  We be rockin’!”