In this episode of The Jeff Robertson Show, I sat down with Matt Dorman, co-founder of Ndevr, a technology services agency that builds and scales digital platforms for major brands like Time, Johnson & Johnson, and Fox News. With more than 20 years of experience in development and leadership, Matt shared his journey from being a hands-on coder to becoming a founder who leads through clarity, systems, and culture.
What made this conversation powerful is how Matt connects the dots between technology decisions, leadership growth, and business resilience.
From Coder to Co-Founder
Matt started as a developer who loved the craft of coding. But the moment he shifted from freelancing to co-founding Ndevr, he had to grow beyond being the “doer” and learn how to lead people, build trust, and shape company culture.
He shared how one of his biggest leadership lessons came from realizing that doing everything himself wasn’t leadership. It only made him the bottleneck. The real shift happened when he began empowering his team, trusting others to step up, and learning when to let go.
Leadership Lessons: From Reactive to Designed
A theme that stood out was Matt’s insight on reactive vs. designed leadership.
- Reactive leadership is when you spend your days putting out fires.
- Designed leadership is when you take those recurring problems and build systems, processes, and rhythms that prevent the fires from starting in the first place.
Matt emphasized that leadership is not about proving you can do it all. It’s about creating clarity around what “done” looks like and giving your team the room to learn, fail, and ultimately succeed.
Why Your Website is Infrastructure, Not Just a Storefront
When the conversation shifted to business, Matt dropped a perspective many entrepreneurs overlook: your website is infrastructure.
It’s not just a digital storefront. It’s the backbone of your brand, your content, and your revenue. Decisions about your digital platform aren’t just technical—they’re strategic.
Matt highlighted two major pitfalls he sees businesses fall into:
- Going cheap on implementation. Many businesses hire the wrong people for the job and end up paying far more to fix mistakes later.
- Ignoring their website once it’s live. Owners may update blogs but forget to refresh messaging, check their conversion flow, or ensure the experience is welcoming and clear.
A website should greet customers like you would at your front door. It should say: “Welcome, how can I help you?”
The Role of AI in Amplifying Expertise
Another powerful part of the conversation was around AI as an amplifier.
Matt and I agreed: AI can expand your authority and help you scale knowledge, but it cannot replace the unique expertise and guidance that comes from human experience.
AI works best when paired with a leader or coach who can bridge the gap between raw output and meaningful application. It’s a tool, not a replacement.
Winning the Day
Matt wins the day by starting each morning with a gut-check:
- What’s the most important thing I need to move forward today?
- Is there anything I didn’t complete yesterday that’s blocking others?
That simple rhythm helps him stay accountable and keep his business moving forward without losing focus on what matters most—his family and his health.
Key Takeaways for Business Owners
- Stop trying to do it all yourself. Leadership is about creating clarity and empowering others.
- Think of your website as infrastructure. Build it right and it becomes a growth engine.
- Don’t go cheap. Paying for quality once is far better than paying multiple times to fix mistakes.
- Stay curious with new tools like AI. Use them to amplify your expertise, not replace it.
- Design your leadership. Move from putting out fires to building systems that prevent them.
Final Thoughts
Matt’s journey is a reminder that technology and leadership go hand in hand. The way you build your business online reflects the way you lead behind the scenes. If you want long-term growth, you need both strong infrastructure and strong leadership habits.
To learn more about Matt and his work at Ndevr, visit ndevr.io or connect with him on LinkedIn.
And as always, tune into The Jeff Robertson Show for more conversations with leaders who are building businesses, leading teams, and sharing the lessons they’ve learned along the way.
