Data at the Core.
Software When
It Doesn't Exist Yet.
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You have a lot on your plate, that's where I come in!
I'm Matt — an independent consultant with 25+ years turning complex data problems into working solutions. I design and build solutions that make businesses run smarter. That includes everything from SQL analytics and reporting, to tailoring CRM platforms like Salesforce, to developing full custom applications from the ground up. My focus is always the same: understand the problem, simplify the workflow, and deliver technology that actually moves the business forward.
Three ways I can help.
My work lives across three connected disciplines. Most engagements touch more than one — that's what makes the solutions actually work.
01
At my core, I'm a data person. SQL, BI, reporting, pipelines, and analysis across any industry and any stack. I help teams understand what their data is telling them — and build the infrastructure to keep it telling them reliably.
02
I work inside platforms like Salesforce and other CRM systems to streamline workflows, fix data friction, and extend what the tools can do. Custom objects, automation, integrations, and process redesign.
03
When the data doesn't have a home yet, I build one. Full-stack development — databases, desktop apps, web platforms, APIs — using SQL Server, .NET, Python, and ASP.NET Core. I ship working software, not decks about software.
A meaningful vertical.
I grew up in the horse racing world — my dad was a trainer, our family ran a small farm, and I learned the sport from the backside to the frontside long before I ever wrote a line of code. That foundation shaped how I approach technology in this industry today. I build systems that help racetracks, marketing teams, and operations groups work smarter: tools that manage data, streamline workflows, support compliance, and strengthen the connection between the sport and its fans. It’s a niche industry with unique challenges, and I’ve spent years creating software that respects its traditions while helping it move forward.
The sport needs better data on its customers. I enhance or built the platforms that collect it.
How an engagement works.
I keep engagements simple, transparent, and low-risk for clients. Here's what to expect.
Start with a Conversation.
No intake forms. No hoops. Just reach out and we’ll talk through what you need. I’ll tell you honestly whether I’m the right fit and what a realistic engagement looks like.
Structured Agreements.
Every engagement starts with an NDA, Master Services Agreement, and Statement of Work — professionally drafted, clear, and ready to execute on day one.
Transparent
Pricing.
Hourly or project‑based depending on the engagement. No surprises, no hidden fees. Reach out directly for current rates and availability.
Real
Deliverables.
Working software, documented processes, clean handoffs. Not a slide deck summarizing what we talked about doing. I ship things.
The platforms.
OneTrack
Loyalty Club Management Platform
The original. A full-featured web-based loyalty platform covering member signup, point earning tied to live wagering system integration, point-of-sale discounts for admissions, and marketing analytics for segmentation, cohorts, email, SMS, and direct mail. Licensed to several tracks over ten years before being acquired by The Jockey Club in 2013.
DrawBridge
Random Drawings & Promotions Platform
A full-stack drawing and promotion management platform — kiosk scanning, admin console, sponsor branding, drawing schedule management, and real-time results. Built for the pace of a live racing environment. Currently deployed at Canterbury Park.
Time:Line
Mutuels Scheduling & Payroll
A web-based scheduling and payroll platform built for the complexity of horse racing's mutuel operations — union contracts, multiple pay rates, multi-skill assignments, and race day staffing at scale. Actively in use at Churchill Downs with ongoing development.
Avert
Equine Injury Tracking & Prevention
A web-based platform for tracking horse injuries at racing facilities, with reporting and trend analysis designed to help operations identify patterns and prevent future occurrences. Built with safety compliance and regulatory reporting in mind. Currently in active rollout at Churchill Downs.
Legup
Onsite Handicapping Challenge Management
A web-based platform for running structured handicapping tournaments. Members sign up, submit mythical selections on real races, and compete across single or multi-week legs. Results are scored automatically against actual race outcomes. Currently deployed at Canterbury Park.
Available To License
DrawBridge and Legup are owned and operated by The CRM Think Tank, Inc. and available for licensing. Contact me for details.
About me.
The person behind the work.
I started my career on the business side — marketing teams, loyalty programs, customer data. It didn’t take long to realize the answers I needed were buried in databases no one around me could query. So I learned SQL. That decision changed the trajectory of everything that followed.
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Most of my career has been spent as an independent consultant, supported by strategic roles at NMDP, Western National Insurance, Cambria, Lifetime Fitness, and Valspar/Sherwin-Williams. Those roles sharpened my enterprise perspective and kept my skills relevant across industries, from analytics to CRM to full‑stack solution design.
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In 2019, I incorporated The CRM Think Tank, Inc. as the formal home for the next generation of platform work — a place to build, refine, and deliver systems that actually solve operational problems.
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The horse racing vertical is personal. My father trained horses in Michigan, and I grew up at the track. After college, I returned to the industry from the data side and spent ten years building OneTrack because I could see exactly what was missing. When The Jockey Club acquired it in 2013, it confirmed what I already knew: the industry needed this, and the market would pay for it.
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I kept building — not out of obligation, but because the gaps were still there. LegUp, DrawBridge, Time:Line, and Avert all came from the same place OneTrack did: a clear operational need that good software could close.
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Today, I’m based in Savage, MN and work with clients nationally. I’m a Certified Scrum Product Owner with a B.S. in Marketing from Wayne State University. I take on a limited number of engagements at a time so I can do them properly — with focus, clarity, and the level of ownership that meaningful work deserves.
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SQL Server / T-SQL
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Python
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VB.NET / C# / .NET
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ASP.NET Core
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Salesforce
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Power BI / Tableau
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SSIS / ETL
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Snowflake / Looker
Current Stack
Let's Build Something.
I carry a small number of active engagements so I can give each one the attention it deserves. If you have work that needs doing, reach out sooner rather than later.