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Joel Mathew

CEO & FounderFortress Consulting

Chicago, IL

Member Since September 2017

About

Joel Mathew is an entrepreneur with a background in media and technology. He spent several years in Chicago media working for both the television and radio industries, before founding his own digital focused agency, Fortress Consulting. Fortress Consulting is a digital marketing agency, headquartered in Chicago, that bridges the gap between creative and technology. Fortress clients range from new startups to billion dollar global corporations including All State, Nike, Acura and more. In addition to his expertise in advertising and technology, Joel is also a partner in several ventures in a variety of verticals including legal, fitness, cybersecurity, publishing and more. Joel graduated from Northern Illinois University and holds a certificate from Harvard Business School. He frequently lectures to organizations and universities on various topics including entrepreneurship and digital marketing.

Published content

13 Top Tactics For Becoming A Better Manager

expert panel

Organizational success relies heavily on a supervisor's ability to manage their team. When led properly, a well-managed team works cohesively to reach company goals, navigate challenges and explore new opportunities for growth. To help leaders looking to create cohesion and productivity within their own teams, 13 Young Entrepreneur Council members dive into the most potent methods for managing high-performing teams. From servant leadership to delegation, these effective strategies are instrumental in empowering teams and driving organizational success.

11 Roadblocks To Success Many Entrepreneurs Are Facing Today

expert panel

The business world is very different from what it was even just a decade ago. While many business best practices and principles remain the same, the roadblocks and problems entrepreneurs face are not. With major advancements in technology to a cultural shift toward online shopping, the landscape is becoming increasingly difficult to navigate, and many business owners are struggling to adapt. As business leaders themselves, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council have experienced—and are still experiencing—many of these same roadblocks. Here, they outline a number of common issues entrepreneurs are facing today and what they see as good solutions to overcoming them.

expert panel

The social media landscape is in a constant state of flux, with new platforms and trends coming and going all the time—with recent uncertainty surrounding potential TikTok bans in several countries leaving businesses wondering how to best maintain their social media presence. Despite these challenges, businesses must stay adaptable and learn to navigate these changes to succeed in their social media marketing efforts. To help you ensure success in an ever-changing social media landscape, members of Young Entrepreneur Council share their tried-and-true social media marketing tips for businesses.

8 Ways CEOs Can Become More Approachable

expert panel

Small actions to build trust with your team can go a long way. For employees, the CEO can seem like an elusive figure -- too busy and too important to engage with on a day-to-day basis. However, leaders who take the time to build relationships with their team members can create a more connected and engaged workforce. Being approachable is key, but it's not always easy to know where to start. To help, a group of entrepreneurs shared their tried-and-true strategies for creating an approachable, open work environment and building better relationships with their teams.

expert panel

During difficult economic times, “layoffs” are often one of the first fears that enter professionals’ minds. Whether it’s a sudden economic downturn or a looming recession, many business leaders resort to laying off staff in a desperate attempt to keep their companies afloat. Even successful tech companies and large financial corporations sometimes exercise this type of cost-cutting measure. However, layoffs don’t have to be the only solution. Below, eight members of Young Entrepreneur Council each discuss one thing companies can do to avoid laying off staff when times are tough and why it may be a better solution for the future.

11 Ways to Reward Hardworking Employees (and Encourage More Exemplary Behavior)

expert panel

When an employee succeeds at work, leaders should make sure that employee feels recognized for their efforts. Rewarding your staff members for a job well done not only motivates them to continue to work hard, but it also inspires others to reach the same goal. To help you reward hardworking employees for excellent performance, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) members answered the following question:

Company details

Fortress Consulting

Company bio

Fortress Consulting Group uniquely combines the creative strengths of a full service advertising agency with the technological savvy of a cutting edge digital media firm to create engaging brand experiences. As our interaction with technology evolves and our digital media consumption grows, brands need to have a compelling digital presence that captures the attention and hearts of consumers. Our digital strategies provide businesses with a significant competitive advantage in reaching their goals. Digital isn't all we do. At Fortress, we strengthen your brand's identity not only in the digital space but consistently across multiple platforms and anywhere you can potentially interact with your target market. We stand apart from the crowd because we can take your digital strategy one step further by developing and integrating full and comprehensive marketing plans that incorporate television, radio, local customized promotions, and much more. We don't take shortcuts. We do business the right way. Our clients aren't just clients, they are a part of our Fortress family and we do what it takes to help them achieve their goals.

Industry

Marketing & Advertising

Company size

11 - 50

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