Matterlab Spotlight: A Mission Advancing Other Missions

Lane Lowe and the Matterlab team were one of Prosal's first and most avid users, sharing unique ideas and feedback that continue to shape the platform. December’s #RespondentSpotlight highlights the Co-Founder’s story and the work that Matterlab leads.

Lane Lowe had met Searcy Morgan only once before she took a leap of faith in the fall of 2017 to cofound Matterlab. Five years later, she says:

“I love every part of what I get to do — and that is rare. We’re a team of educators, school leaders, and communications experts and we get to work at the intersection of strategy and creativity, on communications and clarity, for nonprofits and for-profits.”

Lane and Searcy both came from education and nonprofit backgrounds and felt driven to unlock greater impact and transform life outcomes for young people.

Based in Austin, Texas, the growing team of over two dozen experts is spread across the entire U.S., as are their client partners, which include organizations such as Teach For America and the George Kaiser Family Foundation. Matterlab believes that clear communication is a crucial leadership skill for success in any organization. For every partnership and project, Matterlab builds an engagement team to include subject-matter experts specific to their partners’ needs, whether in education, nonprofit, or corporate sectors.

The Clarify Process

One of the things that set Matterlab apart is The Matterlab Method — the first part of which is their unique Clarify Process. This tried and true approach allows the team to diagnose and address common issues related to unclear organizational identity. It’s an oft-cited challenge for purpose-driven organizations struggling with internal and external communication.

“Symptomatic of this challenge is that everyone in the organization talks about the work differently, leading to confusion and misalignment, which essentially hinders progress and impact,” continues Lane.

Matterlab’s Clarify Process gets to the heart of the organization by getting to know the people behind the organization — and helping them get to know who they are AS an organization, really. This shared experience is an introspective deep dive that reveals the unique, core identity of the organization. This crucial first step with Matterlab unlocks the laser-focused and extremely tailored strategic recommendations that the team is known for. Only once that clarity is created, does the team design, create, brand, convene, message or provide creative services.

“We’re strategists. We work with organizations where every creative dollar has to be accounted for, so we only create work that we’re totally convinced will provide real strategic value, longevity, and an increased sense of trust — and within communications and branding, that is no small feat,” says Lane.

The Clarify Process is also emblematic of the company’s motto: “Our mission is advancing your mission.”

“While it’s catchy, it’s also absolutely true of who the Matterlab team is, how we operate, and how we live out our values.”

Living the Values as Co-Founder

Matterlab’s core values are: impact; proximity; curiosity; integrity; innovation; clarity; and time. Lane oversees the company's brand and operations as co-founder and vice president. Every day looks different, a source of joy and inspiration for Lane. She schedules days to focus on each area she oversees. Mondays, for example, are for the team, 1:1 meetings, culture-building, and planning for the week.

Another source of inspiration is seeing campaigns come to life and inspire action. This comes in many forms for Lane, such as Matterlab-created language in organizational conversations, or receiving email campaigns that follow the strategic advice they once gave.

“It’s about watching everything add up to something greater than the sum of its parts — consistent and compelling communications.”

Lane recognizes that this is a gift and not something that always happens. “It can be difficult to feel accomplished,” she writes, “when I know there is much more I could do to support my team, my partners, and my community. My greatest challenge is figuring out what to focus on, a skill we coach our partners on daily.”

One client that has provided this gift in spades is the Child Poverty Action Lab (CPAL) in Dallas, Texas. The city is close to Lane’s heart as it has been her home for the past 14 years. The CPAL team motivates and inspires to change hearts and minds — and eventually policies — to support community-driven poverty alleviation. Lane works 1:1 with the Founder & CEO, advising on everything from how to roll out new initiatives, to how to communicate complex ideas simply, and how to visually articulate systems for change.

The Future of Matterlab

Lane is proud of the incredible team that she and Matterlab CEO, Searcy Morgan, have built.

“Taking that leap five years ago was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It helps me live my best life, which includes eating great food and raising my two fabulous rescue dogs,” she says.

For Lane, Prosal has been incredible at pairing her with Matterlab’s ideal partners.

“From the user-friendly tools to the well-vetted organizations, it has been a breath of fresh air to use Prosal. RFPs have, in the past, felt daunting,” says Lane, “and I can finally say that they don’t, thanks to Prosal.”

If you transform life outcomes for young people and you're interested in working with Matterlab, Lane and the team would love to learn about you, and find ways to partner to make even more impact in the world.