Matt Carlson

Matt Carlson made a bold pivot, leaving behind a 15-year career as a software engineer at Microsoft to pursue a greater purpose. He founded Fix It Forward Ministry, a nonprofit dedicated to helping people in need by solving transportation issues through donated cars and free repairs. To support the mission long-term, Matt launched Fix It Forward Auto Care in 2018.

But the transition from nonprofit leader to business owner wasn’t easy. After six months of struggling to run the shop side effectively, Matt joined Shop Fix, and everything changed. With the right support and systems, he turned the shop around and began scaling rapidly.

Today, Fix It Forward Auto Care has grown to four locations and generates over $10 million in annual sales. On the nonprofit side, Matt’s team has given away nearly 500 vehicles and performed over 1,000 free repairs for those in need. Since becoming a Shop Fix coach in 2021, Matt has used his unique blend of heart, strategy, and operational excellence to help other shop owners build businesses that create both profit and purpose.