Moneytree Product Manager Matt Garrett brings a rare blend of real-world advisory experience, a heart for helping others, and a passion for precision-based planning that’s rooted in lifelong love affair with the statistics-obsessed sport of baseball.
Matt joined the company in 2019. At Moneytree, he’s not just building software. He’s making sure it works the way advisors need it to—because he’s been one himself.
How did you get your start in finance—and what lit the spark?
I actually started my career in manufacturing, which was more about helping my wife pursue her passion for teaching. I moved up quickly there, but the work lacked meaning for me.
During that time, I started getting more interested in personal finance. I’ve always loved math and numbers, and I knew I didn’t want to stay in manufacturing forever. So I made the switch—I became an advisor, and that’s when things really took off.
One of my first major financial plans was for my own parents, and when I realized they were not yet on the right path to retire successfully. That was the turning point. That’s when the fire really started. I wanted to help—not just them, but others too.
You mentioned always loving numbers. Where did that begin?
I’ve always gravitated toward math and statistics. As a kid, I dreamed of working for Elias Sports Bureau, the people behind the baseball stats on ESPN SportsCenter. I wanted to be the guy who knew every detail about every game. That passion for data and numbers is what ultimately led me toward finance.
You were an advisor before joining Moneytree. What made you switch?
I loved being an advisor. But I saw an opportunity to help on a bigger scale—by helping advisors help more people. I joined Capital Group (American Funds) where I did everything from customer service to advisor marketing to financial coaching.
Eventually, I joined Accutech and was brought in to identify gaps and talk to advisors. That’s what led me to Moneytree. I saw a chance to help more people retire successfully—just in a different way.
What was it like going from advisor to software product manager?
Honestly, I had zero tech background—never took an SQL or computer science class. But Accutech didn’t need more coders. They needed someone who understood advisors and clients. That’s where I came in. Now, I work with the development team to make sure Moneytree’s tools are exactly what advisors need. I’ve learned a lot about APIs and how systems talk to each other. It’s been a great learning experience.
What’s something people may not know about how Moneytree builds its products?
Our best ideas come straight from advisors. If you’ve seen the new UI/UX, that’s not something we dreamed up in a lab—it’s built from advisor feedback. We’re not behind some Wizard of Oz curtain. Our team picks up the phone. We listen. We care. We’re in this with you. And that goes all the way to the top with Moneytree Managing Director Patrick Spencer.
What drives you personally to keep doing this work?
It’s always been about helping people get to retirement successfully. Whether I was building plans for clients or building tools for advisors, that’s the mission. We got a postcard once from clients who were on safari. They wrote to their advisor: “We could do this because of you.” That postcard got shared with us. That’s why I do what I do.
Outside of work, what keeps you grounded?
Family, first and foremost. My daughter’s activities come before anything else. After that, I enjoy golf—though I’m not good at it—and I’ve been learning how to smoke meat. It’s fun to try something new, tweak it, get better, and figure out what went wrong when it doesn’t work. There’s something satisfying about trying to master a craft, even knowing you never really will.
