In a world where “culture” has become a buzzword and employee turnover is a growing concern, Matthew Person offers a radical rethinking of what it truly means to build a high-performing company. As the Founder and Managing Director of Town Square Business Advisors, Matthew draws on a career that spans executive leadership, investment banking, and corporate strategy to deliver a new framework—The Square Management System—that helps organizations align from the inside out.
The Evolution from Experience to Methodology
With nearly 25 years of experience across the sports industry, private equity, and M&A advisory, Matthew’s career has been all about seeing businesses from every seat at the table. What he noticed consistently: many companies scaled fast but failed to scale their culture with equal intention. This disconnect often led to churn, confusion, and missed opportunities.
That insight birthed The Square Management System—a methodology built on four foundational “I’s”:
- Identity (Who we are)
- Instruction (How we operate)
- Inner Communication (How we interact)
- Information Feedback (How we improve)
Each dimension of the “square” consists of 10 elements, offering 40 tools that companies can intentionally design to align individuals with organizational processes.
Culture ≠ Perks
Contrary to what many believe, culture isn’t about bean bags or branded hoodies—it’s the alignment between an individual’s preferred way of working and how an organization actually operates. Matthew’s system acknowledges that employees have varying degrees of preference for constraint and independence, and it’s the job of leaders to clearly communicate expectations and boundaries.
Scaling Without Losing Alignment
Especially in today’s post-COVID world where hybrid and remote models are standard, Matthew emphasizes the need for systems that flex with change. Leaders must be comfortable with evolving structures while staying true to their organizational “square.” And yes, that sometimes means letting go of employees who no longer fit within the framework.
Advice for Founders:
“Startups think culture is what comes after growth. But culture is the system that enables it,” says Matthew. “If you don’t intentionally design your org’s processes, you’re letting someone else create your company culture.”
Whether you’re an executive trying to stem attrition, a founder preparing for scale, or an investor evaluating a portfolio company’s operational fitness, The Square Management System is more than a framework—it’s a cultural operating system for the modern enterprise.