An Inspired Chat with Matt Gerlach of Hancock Park

We recently had the chance to connect with Matt Gerlach and have shared our conversation below.

Matt, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: Would YOU hire you? Why or why not?
Yes. I would hire me.

And not because I think I’m perfect or because I have every answer, but because of how I work, how I listen, and who I’ve had to become in order to do this work.

I’ve lived through the unraveling. I’ve had to rebuild from the inside out. I’ve had to confront the parts of myself that were numbing, performing, or quietly falling apart while everything looked “successful” on the outside.

So when I sit with someone who’s overwhelmed, stuck, afraid they’re dropping balls, or carrying more than they’ll admit out loud, I don’t meet them with theories. I meet them with lived experience, emotional intelligence, and a deep understanding of how people grow when they feel seen, not judged.

I would hire me because:

I help people get out of the weeds without making them feel wrong for being there.

I create safety quickly, and people open up in ways they don’t expect to.

I understand burnout, pressure, and identity-level transitions from the inside.

I know how to listen beneath the words to what someone actually needs.

I don’t give cookie-cutter advice. Every client gets an approach designed specifically for them.

I hold people accountable with compassion, not pressure.

I’ve done my own deep work so I can hold others through theirs.

Most importantly, I would hire me because I help people wake up to the truth inside them. The part that knows exactly who they are and what they’re meant to be doing, and I do it in a way that feels human, gentle, and doable.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Matt Gerlach, a coach and writer who helps high-achievers and leaders navigate the moments when their success stops feeling good. My work grew out of my own experience of building and scaling companies, burning out, and having to completely rebuild my life from a more honest and grounded place.

Today I support people in getting out of the weeds, reconnecting with themselves, and creating a life and career that actually feels aligned. I’m also building The Friday Brunch Club, a community focused on real conversations and meaningful growth, and I’m writing a book about what it looks like to stop numbing and start listening to your life again.

My work is personal, human, and rooted in lived experience. I help people find clarity, truth, and a way of working and living that finally feels like them.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
Disconnection happens when people stop feeling seen, heard, or safe with each other. The bonds break when we hide parts of ourselves, when we move too fast to truly notice one another, or when fear replaces honesty. It also happens when people are overwhelmed or in survival mode. In those moments, we lose the capacity to stay present and we unintentionally pull away.

Bonds are restored through truth, consistency, and compassion. When someone feels safe enough to tell the real story instead of the polished one, connection begins to repair. When we slow down, listen without judgment, and take responsibility for our impact, trust comes back. And when both people show up with openness and curiosity, even after things have been hard, relationships often become stronger than they were before.

In short, what breaks connection is the loss of truth and safety. What restores it is the courage to be honest and the willingness to truly see and be seen.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
It taught me to stop performing and finally listen to myself. It forced me to slow down and see what wasn’t working beneath the surface of a life that looked great from the outside. Pain showed me the patterns that achievement had covered up for years and it stripped away the belief that my worth was tied to productivity or accomplishment.

Most of all, suffering taught me self-kindness. Success never asked me to take care of myself. Suffering demanded it. It became the doorway to clarity, boundaries, intuition, and an entirely different relationship with my life.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
I admire Lucille Ball, and it’s part of why we’re naming our daughter Lucy. I’m not drawn to her because of the enormous success she achieved or the barriers she broke, even though those accomplishments were extraordinary. What moves me is her character.

Lucille Ball built her life and career through grit, perseverance, and a refusal to quit, even when the world gave her every reason to. She endured rejection, failure, setbacks, and personal heartbreak long before she became the icon we now recognize. She worked relentlessly, she reinvented herself more than once, and she kept showing up with humor, warmth, and humanity. Her success wasn’t handed to her. She earned it through courage and persistence.

What I admire is her spirit. Her willingness to take risks. Her ability to stay true to herself in an industry that constantly tried to shape her. Her commitment to excellence and creativity. Her loyalty. Her resilience.

For me, naming our daughter Lucy isn’t about honoring a celebrity. It’s about honoring a woman whose character outshined her fame. Someone who built her life by refusing to give up and by leading with heart.

And that’s the kind of strength, authenticity, and perseverance I hope our daughter grows up surrounded by.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What are you doing today that won’t pay off for 7–10 years?
I’m doing a lot today that won’t fully pay off for 7 to 10 years. I’m building a body of work, through my writing, my coaching, and The Friday Brunch Club, that’s rooted in truth, lived experience, and the kind of impact that compounds slowly. None of it is designed for quick wins. It’s designed for depth.

I’m writing a book that’s taken years to live before I’ve ever put the words on the page. I’m building a community centered around real connection, not quick growth. I’m becoming the kind of father I want to be for Lucy by doing my own healing work now, even though the biggest rewards of that won’t show up until she’s old enough to feel the safety I’ve built inside myself.

I’m choosing a path that’s harder in the short term but deeply aligned in the long run. I’m investing in my voice, my clarity, my integrity, and the relationships that actually matter. These things don’t explode overnight, but they create a life that feels meaningful a decade from now.

What I’m doing today is planting seeds that my future self and my daughter will get to grow into.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mattgerlach.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iammattgerlach/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-gerlach/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mattggerlach
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mattgerlach