From Burnout to Breakthrough:
My Journey to Authenticity, Alignment, and Abundance.
From Burnout to Breakthrough:
My Journey to Authenticity, Alignment, and Abundance.
Hi, I am Matt Gerlach.
I’m a Transformational High-Performance Growth Coach, Dynamic Speaker & Empowering Author.
I help high-achieving entrepreneurs and executives who privately struggle with anxiety, burnout, and loneliness create authentic personal and professional lives overflowing with abundance, alignment, and fulfillment they truly love.
Tragedy struck in 2016 when at 33, my health started failing me. I had been ignoring the wake-up calls life was sending me until finally, I ended up in the hospital.
Soon after, I started having panic attacks so severe that I lost my ability to even drive, leaving me feeling completely broken.
My blood pressure was through the roof and my doctor started me on medication. I lived in constant fear that at any moment, my life could end by cardiac arrest. I was so scared about my health that I became depressed and worried I might end up harming myself, and by 2019, I was certain I’d not live to see my 40th birthday.
I embarked on a journey to heal myself and uncovered that buried beneath all my physical health problems, I had unresolved childhood trauma.
As I let “Little Matt” finally admit to “Adult Matt” what had happened that caused so much pain, I was able to start the repairing process.
Gradually, I started feeling more joy, less anxiety, and less depression, until one day, I realized I wasn’t hurting the way I once was.
I started establishing boundaries and listening to myself, and little by little my blood pressure improved. I started sleeping well, and I no longer had to rely on alcohol the way I once did to feel better. Since healing, my anxiety and depression have all but dissipated, and when worry comes for me, I can handle it.
Now, I feel better than ever and as healthy as can be, living an abundant life beyond my wildest dreams over here in Hancock Park, Los Angeles. I want to help you do the same.
From Self-Hatred to Self-Love
Back when I broke down, on the outside, life was perfect—after seven years in New York City, I’d just moved to LA with my partner David and was in a healthy, committed relationship. A few months prior, I said goodbye to corporate America to start my own business, which in its first year, did well over six figures. Everything was going well, but my nervous system wasn’t strong enough to handle the business stress, the growth needed to thrive in a relationship, and the boundaries needed to be set both personally and professionally. On the inside, I was crumbling. I got myself into therapy and coaching and learned how to keep my relationship and business alive while figuring out what was happening inside me.
What I learned through my healing was that deep down, I hated myself and wasn’t living an authentic life; I actually had no idea who I was, what I needed, or what I even wanted.
From Self-Hatred to Self-Love
Back when I broke down, on the outside, life was perfect—after seven years in New York City, I’d just moved to LA with my partner David and was in a healthy, committed relationship. A few months prior, I said goodbye to corporate America to start my own business, which in its first year, did well over six figures. Everything was going well, but my nervous system wasn’t strong enough to handle the business stress, the growth needed to thrive in a relationship, and the boundaries needed to be set both personally and professionally. On the inside, I was crumbling. I got myself into therapy and coaching and learned how to keep my relationship and business alive while figuring out what was happening inside me.
What I learned through my healing was that deep down, I hated myself and wasn’t living an authentic life; I actually had no idea who I was, what I needed, or what I even wanted.
Finding Joy
In my 20s and early 30s, I couldn’t identify anything I enjoyed or had an interest in, other than drinking with friends. I would lie awake at night, ruminating, convinced that I was broken. I realized I’d spent most of my life performing services for others and never prioritized things that brought me joy.
Now, after healing, I read, write, cook, workout, hike, practice yoga, and travel all the time. I love being at home—tending to it, gardening, and entertaining. Also, I’ve realized I’m quite the animal lover, and my best pal, Bruno, and I hang out all the time.
Learning to Listen to Myself
Everything changed when I discovered that I was unable to ask for what I needed—in fact, I couldn’t even recognize or pinpoint what it was that I needed, let alone wanted. I’ve found that as I’ve learned to be in my body and listen, my feelings hold profound wisdom. It’s no wonder I felt so broken; I looked outwardly for answers and did what I thought I should be doing instead of what I actually wanted for myself.
Learning to listen to myself was the most critical step towards healing my feelings of brokenness and allowing me to steer my life straight into fulfillment and abundance.
Enjoying the Ride
We’ve all heard that life’s joys are in the journey, but for me, I always had too much anxiety to enjoy the ride. There was always some goal to hit or problem to solve that caused me to worry. Thinking about the future was always taking me away from the present, and don’t get me started about the past—ruminating about it was my favorite pastime.
To enjoy the journey, I’ve had to learn to love myself for who I am today rather than berating myself for who I’m not. I’ll never be perfect, and each day, I’m trying to love myself, trust myself, and forgive myself for being less than the man I hope that one day I’ll be. For now, I try (and it’s effing hard) to love myself for who I am today. And it’s worth it.
Enjoying the Ride
We’ve all heard that life’s joys are in the journey, but for me, I always had too much anxiety to enjoy the ride. There was always some goal to hit or problem to solve that caused me to worry. Thinking about the future was always taking me away from the present, and don’t get me started about the past—ruminating about it was my favorite pastime.
To enjoy the journey, I’ve had to learn to love myself for who I am today rather than berating myself for who I’m not. I’ll never be perfect, and each day, I’m trying to love myself, trust myself, and forgive myself for being less than the man I hope that one day I’ll be. For now, I try (and it’s effing hard) to love myself for who I am today. And it’s worth it.
Entrepreneurship
Ever since I was a little boy, I could always spot an opportunity to make money. From performing chores for family and neighbors to helping Nanny (my grandma) with her bi-annual yard sale for 10% commission, I was a born entrepreneur.
Eight years ago, I started my first business, and within a few years, I was earning over $1M annually—while working just 15-20 hours a week. That success didn’t happen by chance. I’m a self-made millionaire who has always turned determination into results. But the real breakthrough came when I learned to lead without anxiety at the wheel. Now, I operate with clarity, alignment, and purpose, and professionally, I’ve never been stronger.
And I’m here to help you:
- Align your business with your life
Earn the wealth you deserve
Experience unparalleled freedom
Create a life you’re wildly in love with
Business Accomplishments:
- Generated over $100M in sales throughout my career.
- Scaled three companies to $100M+ in annual revenue, transforming their market positions.
- Mentored dozens of businesses to achieve 7- and 8-figure revenues, creating ripple effects of growth and innovation.
- Successfully led international expansion strategies, entering and thriving in over a dozen countries and markets.
- Built a 7-figure firm from the ground up, achieving consistent revenue growth while working just 15-20 hours per week.
- Partnered with leaders from Inc. 5000 and Fortune 500 companies to drive breakthrough strategies and sustainable growth.
- Created high-performing teams by fostering compassionate leadership and aligning their goals with long-term business success.
- Recognized as a strategic growth expert with over 20 years of experience across diverse industries, guiding entrepreneurs and executives to exceptional results.
- Strategically pivoted my career six times, transitioning from healthcare to industrial supply sales, consumer product sales, SaaS sales, founding a sales and marketing agency, and ultimately becoming a transformative high-performance growth coach.
I’m committed to growth
– it's my #1 value.
Like you, I’m far from perfect, and each day, each year, I’m trying to become a wiser, gentler, stronger, and more confident version of myself. I am on the journey of my life, and as I know better, I’m going to continue to do better.
Here’s a look at what’s on my horizon:
- Completing my first memoir which chronicles my healing journey.
- David, my partner of 12 years, and I are embarking on our journey toward fatherhood—one that, until recently, I never dreamt I’d be on.
- David and I are also starting to plan our wedding (he proposed three years ago in Maui!).
- Growing my high-performance coaching and mentorship business, Rise to Your Worth, to empower millions to recognize their worth and pursue the lives they’ve always dreamed of.
Life is a journey, and now, with stress and anxiety no longer holding me down, life is becoming more and more abundant, and my friend, that is what I want for you too!
A Look Back at My Journey
2010
- Relocated from Los Angeles to New York City
- Switched career from industrial supply sales to entrepreneurship in the baby product industry
- Started traveling all over the United States to visit retailers and attend trade shows
- Saved $20k in one year
2012
- Went to Costa Rica for my first solo vacation
- Asked David if he’d be my boyfriend
2013
- Paid off my college loans
- Traveled to Italy with David
- Moved into a “true one-bedroom" apartment by Madison Square Park with David
2014
- Enjoyed my job, my new boyfriend, my friends, and my new apartment
2015
- Traveled to Thailand with David and a bunch of our New York friends
- Switched careers and became Director of Business Development for a Silicon Valley-based software startup
2016
- Made another career pivot and founded M.G. Sales—my own consulting firm for emerging consumer product brands
- David and I decided to leave New York and move to Los Angeles
- I was diagnosed with high blood pressure and started medication
- Income hit $215k — the highest ever!
2017
- Moved to West Hollywood and spent my first night in the hospital
- Traveled to Bali for a yoga retreat and became introduced to spirituality
- David and I welcomed Bruno to our little family
- Had my first panic attack
- Hired a life and business coach
- Earned five new clients
- Took myself to Germany to expand M.G. Sales internationally
- Traveled to Australia and New Zealand with David for Thanksgiving
2018
- Completed yoga teacher training
- David and I bought a single-family home in the Miracle Mile area of LA
- Traveled to Colombia and China with David
- Anxiety and depression became worse than ever; still unable to drive
- Income soared above $250k
2019
- Traveled to Greece with David and Morocco for a yoga retreat
- Traveled to China, Japan and India for business
- Hired a Chief of Staff to support M.G. Sales
- Nanny died and my parents and I had a fight and stopped speaking
- Another trip to the hospital—this time in an ambulance
- Business revenue exceeded $500k
2020
- Fully immersed myself in my healing journey and started Somatic Experiencing trauma resolution work
- Bought a Porsche 911 hoping it would help me get back onto the road (it did)
2021
- Hired a writing coach and started writing my first memoir
- David proposed to me on a sailboat in Maui
- David and I bought our dream home in the Hancock Park area of LA
- Business revenue exceeded $1,000,000
2022
- David and I started talking about building our own family
- Healed from childhood trauma and saw my anxiety and depression almost disappear
- Spent Christmas with my family for the first time in three years
2023
- Launched my website to share my story of healing and personal growth with the world
- Remarkable changes observed surrounding worry, anxiety, and stress management
- Boundaries established in both personal and professional relationships
- Peace achieved through learning to listen to myself
- Complete shift from scarcity mindset to one of abundance
- Loving myself, trusting myself, and forgiving myself now more than ever
- Substantial drop in blood pressure
- Committed to being the best version of myself I can be today, not always looking at some unattainable goalpost
2010
- Relocated from Los Angeles to New York City
- Switched career from industrial supply sales to entrepreneurship in the baby product industry
2011
- Started traveling all over the United States to visit retailers and attend trade shows
- Saved $20k in one year
2012
- Went to Costa Rica for my first solo vacation
- Asked David if he’d be my boyfriend
2013
- Paid off my college loans
- Traveled to Italy with David
- Moved into a “true one-bedroom" apartment by Madison Square Park with David
2014
- Enjoyed my job, my new boyfriend, my friends, and my new apartment
2015
- Traveled to Thailand with David and a bunch of our New York friends
- Switched careers and became Director of Business Development for a Silicon Valley-based software startup
2016
- Made another career pivot and founded M.G. Sales—my own consulting firm for emerging consumer product brands
- David and I decided to leave New York and move to Los Angeles
- I was diagnosed with high blood pressure and started medication
- Income hit $215k — the highest ever!
2017
- Moved to West Hollywood and spent my first night in the hospital
- Traveled to Bali for a yoga retreat and became introduced to spirituality
- David and I welcomed Bruno to our little family
- Had my first panic attack
- Hired a life and business coach
- Earned five new clients
- Took myself to Germany to expand M.G. Sales internationally
- Traveled to Australia and New Zealand with David for Thanksgiving
2018
- Completed yoga teacher training
- David and I bought a single-family home in the Miracle Mile area of LA
- Traveled to Colombia and China with David
- Anxiety and depression became worse than ever; still unable to drive
- Income soared above $250k
2019
- Traveled to Greece with David and Morocco for a yoga retreat
- Traveled to China, Japan and India for business
- Hired a Chief of Staff to support M.G. Sales
- Nanny died and my parents and I had a fight and stopped speaking
- Another trip to the hospital—this time in an ambulance
- Business revenue exceeded $500k
2020
- Fully immersed myself in my healing journey and started Somatic Experiencing trauma resolution work
- Bought a Porsche 911 hoping it would help me get back onto the road (it did)
2021
- Hired a writing coach and started writing my first memoir
- David proposed to me on a sailboat in Maui
- David and I bought our dream home in the Hancock Park area of LA
- Business revenue exceeded $1,000,000
2022
- David and I started talking about building our own family
- Healed from childhood trauma and saw my anxiety and depression almost disappear
- Spent Christmas with my family for the first time in three years
2023
- Launched my website to share my story of healing and personal growth with the world
- Remarkable changes observed surrounding worry, anxiety, and stress management
- Boundaries established in both personal and professional relationships
- Peace achieved through learning to listen to myself
- Complete shift from scarcity mindset to one of abundance
- Loving myself, trusting myself, and forgiving myself now more than ever
- Substantial drop in blood pressure
- Committed to being the best version of myself I can be today, not always looking at some unattainable goalpost
Let go of who you think you’re supposed to be; embrace who you are.
Brene Brown
Matt's Bio
Matt Gerlach is the visionary Founder & CEO of Rise to Your Worth, a Strategic Growth Consultancy dedicated to helping executives and high achievers unlock their true potential. With a focus on healing, fulfillment, self-discovery, and releasing what no longer serves them, Matt meets his clients at the intersection of business and life. Having faced trauma and adversity himself, Matt understands the struggles his clients endure and uses his own journey of healing and self-discovery to guide others in breaking free from limiting beliefs and burdens.
Matt believes that true success, both personal and professional, stems from a connection to one’s authentic self. By setting clear boundaries, prioritizing well-being, and creating a vision aligned with their deepest desires, individuals can overcome stress, anxiety, and burnout. This emotional alignment empowers them to lead with authenticity and achieve lasting, meaningful success. In his work, Matt takes a foundational approach, helping clients uncover unresolved emotional wounds that manifest as limiting beliefs, and through compassionate guidance, he assists individuals and organizations in confronting these issues for transformative growth.
As a Strategic Growth Enthusiast & Mentor, Matt’s goal is to create a ripple effect where businesses become not only profitable but also purposeful. He empowers leaders to inspire, mentor, uplift, and generously compensate those around them. By aligning internal values with external actions, Matt helps build a future of abundance, fulfillment, and impactful change. A celebrated entrepreneur, dynamic speaker, and expert in personal transformation, Matt draws from his own journey of overcoming adversity to empower his clients.
Despite his outward success, Matt’s personal life was once marred by anxiety and depression. This struggle led him on a profound journey of self-reflection and healing, during which he invested over $200k and more than 10,000 hours into personal growth. Through rigorous introspection, he overcame childhood trauma and emerged with clarity, purpose, and inner peace, fueling his desire to help others relinquish harmful narratives and live lives of absolute abundance. As a Strategic Growth Enthusiast, Matt works with high performers who, despite doing everything right, feel unfulfilled, overwhelmed, scared, and stuck.
In addition to running his $1M/year growth mentorship firm, Matt hosts the podcast “MATTers of the Mind: Rise to Your Worth,” sharing practical tools for self-discovery, growth, and mastery. He is also writing his first memoir, chronicling his journey from unfulfillment to an abundant life, aiming to help millions. As a dynamic and engaging speaker, Matt covers topics such as personal transformation, overcoming adversity, and achieving true fulfillment. His mission is to help high performers find clarity, balance, and inner peace.
Currently residing in Los Angeles, Matt has achieved a harmonious work-life balance and is joyfully starting a family with his partner of twelve years. Driven by a desire to give back, he is dedicated to sharing his story and guiding others in overcoming trauma and limiting beliefs to realize their dreams. Matt firmly believes in the profound wisdom within each person and is committed to helping his clients access that wisdom for personal transformation, creating lives of alignment, fulfillment, and spiritual abundance.