Matt Upton, Conquer Your Challenges

Freedom Friday
06.05.26

Someone who just wondering what they will become is listening to your words, watching you actions, and experiencing emotions while they silently watch.

Show them the best of You.

Matt, CEO
Chief Encouragement Officer
916.708.8103
[email protected]

Tremendous Thursday
06.04.26

Sharing your thoughts with someone is an expenditure while listen is an investment.

Matt, CEO
Chief Encouragement Officer
916.708.8103
[email protected]

One of the greatest responsibilities for Parents is to influence their kids to be people of Valor. Here are five lessons I've gleaned through my own journey as a parent and now as a GrandDad.

It is the mission of Grandparents to come alongside and support parents as they raise these little humans into adults.

Let's raise kids to be People of Valor.

Matt, CEO
Chief Encouragement Officer
916.708.8103
[email protected]

One of the activities I enjoy and get the greatest fulfillment from is coaching people to break out of the prison of their comfort zone because comfort slowly convinces you to settle for less than you were built for. It feels safe, but it quietly shrinks your vision, dulls your courage, and keeps your potential on pause. Growth only shows up when you step into uncertainty, where confidence is forged, character is stretched, and purpose gets activated. I don’t push people out of comfort to make life harder—I guide them out so they can finally see how powerful they already are when they choose growth over safety.

Winning Wednesday
06.03.26

Speaking up for what’s right, what’s just, what’s equitable is always correct and courageous Kindness is the strength of a culture.

Weak people speak about people while the bravest people among us stand up for what’s right, protect the unprotected, and left up the down trodden through talking about what’s equitable, just, and right.

Matt, CEO
Chief Encouragement Officer
916.708.8103
[email protected]

I’ve been working on something to summarize all that I’ve seen over this 25/26 Year of Serve in School Restaurants in four states and school districts large and small.

The hearts of those who Serve students their school meals continue to inspire me to become a better servant and to see, hear, and be show up more compassionate.

Thank You School Nutrition Professionals.

Hearts That Serve 💛

Before the world fully wakes, they are already there—
lights on in quiet kitchens, steam rising like morning prayer.
Hands moving with purpose, eyes on the clock,
and hearts already committed to serve.
Not because it’s easy. Not because it’s seen.
But because children are coming—and that is enough to serve.

They serve in the pressure most people never notice,
where the list is too long and the time is too short.
Where one missing delivery can change the whole plan,
yet they adjust, adapt, and still choose to serve.
That is courage—not loud or dramatic,
but steady… the kind that shows up again and again to serve.

They serve when bodies are tired before noon,
when backs ache and breaks are borrowed or missed.
Still, they keep moving forward with resolve in their step,
because there are students waiting to be served.
And somewhere deep inside that exhaustion lives a fire—
a brave refusal to let a child go without being served.

They serve children who may never say thank you,
who may never know the names behind the meals they receive.
But they are seen anyway—noticed with quiet compassion,
because kindness is built into the way they serve.
A sandwich becomes safety. A meal becomes dignity.
And love becomes something tangible they serve.

They serve through criticism, chaos, and change,
through mandates, menus, and moments of uncertainty.
And still—they stand. They adapt. They rise again.
That is not routine work… that is courageous work to serve.
It is bravery without applause,
faithfulness without recognition,
strength that refuses to stop serving.

They serve each other too—like a circle of quiet warriors,
lifting one another when the day gets heavy.
A nod. A joke. A covered shift. A shared breath.
Small acts that carry big weight in their ability to serve.
Because no one survives this work alone—
they endure it together, choosing again to serve.

And at the center of it all is something unshakable—
hearts that refuse to harden, even when they could.
Hearts that stay soft enough to care,
strong enough to endure,
and brave enough to keep serving.

So honor them deeply—the School Nutrition Professionals,
the steady courage behind every tray and every line.
They are not just feeding students…
they are showing up with relentless love to serve. 💛

Matt, Your CEO
Chief Encouragement Officer
916.708.8103

Move from just being Positive and waiting for change or better. Embrace the horizon of Possibilities and get up, move, look for what’s possible.

Kindness towards people who are different than You is not weakness … it is massive strength and courage in action 💛💛

Transformational Tuesday
06.02.26

There is a part of humanity that confuses me greatly. It’s that element where in one sentence we say “I love You, I celebrate your differences” and in the next sentence we say things like “I wish you discomfort” because they are different.

Love can be very challenging. It is my goal to live a life of L.A.G. ing up with everyone through demonstrating my genuine Love through how I Accept others and give them vast amounts of Grace.

Matt, Your CEO
Chief Encouragement Officer
916.708.8103 💛💛
[email protected]

I’m Matt, Your CEO—Chief Encouragement Officer. And I want to begin with something I don’t take lightly—I have deep appreciation, gratitude, and admiration for School Nutrition Professionals, and especially for the Directors who lead them. You carry the weight of decisions that shape daily operations, team culture, and ultimately the student experience in your schools. The impact of your leadership reaches far beyond schedules, menus, and staffing—it shows up in how your teams feel and how your students are served.

When I step into this work as a session leader, keynote speaker, or Site 2 Site Coach, I come in with full respect for the environment you lead in every day: constant change, limited resources, staffing challenges, and the pressure of making high-impact decisions quickly and consistently. My work is not built on theory—it is built for your reality. I focus on connective communication that strengthens trust under pressure, customer allegiance that reframes how your teams see and serve students, and practical mindset tools that help transform conflict, stress, and friction into growth instead of burnout.

What I’ve learned is that great School Nutrition leadership doesn’t need more noise—it needs clarity that travels. Tools your teams can actually use when the rush hits, when tensions rise, and when decisions have to be made in real time. That’s why I emphasize simple, repeatable language, strong relational communication, and a culture of encouragement that strengthens your team from the inside out.

And I am honored to align with the spirit of the “Saddle Up” theme embraced by the California School Nutrition Association—a call for resilience, unity, and forward movement in a demanding and deeply important profession. My role is not to stand above your leadership, but to come alongside it—helping you strengthen communication, elevate team trust, and reinforce the pride and purpose already present in your kitchens and cafeterias. It would be my honor to be invited to stand alongside you in furthering the meaningful work you are already accomplishing.