He Went From Technician To CEO... Matt Simmes Tells Us How

What does it really take to climb from the shop floor to the C-suite with integrity and impact? This week, Jon and Coach talk with Matt Simmes, CEO of IES Communications, who shares his powerful leadership journey beginning as a field technician to leading a billion dollar enterprise.

Matt reveals how working in every role, from roofer to branch manager, shaped his empathy and credibility with teams. He emphasizes the importance of patience and consistent value creation to earn promotions, eschewing instant gratification for trust built over time.

Sharing hard lessons from family business leadership, Matt explains how he and his brother crafted a new vision, embracing innovation while honoring past legacies. He stresses the critical need to hire for integrity, attitude, and learning agility, and the value of investing deeply in onboarding and ongoing development.

Discussing leadership culture, Matt outlines a firm commitment to weekly leadership training, consistent communication, and showing care by recognizing employee milestones and celebrating wins.

He also shares insights on handling conflict openly and honestly, adapting leadership styles for different personalities, and fostering psychological safety to empower teams.

Whether in trades, corporate leadership, or entrepreneurship, this episode equips emerging leaders with practical tools and inspiration to grow boldly and build lasting impact.

Connect with Matt: matt.simmes@ies-co.com