My Backstory
Early Adventures in Creative Leadership
I studied business at the University of Richmond only to promptly leave the U.S. and purchase and operate a vacation rental business in Casco Viejo Panama, a UNESCO World Heritage neighborhood that had fallen on harder times (2006).
As the only luxury accommodations in town, I became a community leader with the co-creation of a gang-intervention program, Esperanza San Felipe, demobilizing street gangs and creating jobs through entrepreneurship.
Combining my vacation rental and community building skillset I founded VRMB.com, the largest paid platform helping vacation rental owners and operators build sustainable brands.
I eventually left Panama for Miami where swimming in the ocean each morning and riding my bike to meetings became a level-up. Back in my home country (but still immersed in Latino culture) is where I started hosting in-person retreats.
This is when things got interesting (slide the prism forward)...
"I am the bottleneck!"
Leaning Into Creative Blockages for Growth
I reached a point in my career where I had "achieved" everything that made me "successful" on paper (a passive-income business, travel shows and documentaries, speaking gigs around the world)...but I subconsciously sensed there was a deeper level to my clarity and vision as a leader.
A few weeks prior to hosting my first retreat in 2022, I met two gurus, Jordan Bower and Erwin Pearlman, who specialize in transformative growth, serendipitously at a BBQ in Vancouver! Note: The image is not Jordan and Erwin, it's two different gurus in Bali. I love gurus!
Their wisdom nudged me to slow down, take a step back, and see the bigger picture to explore what I really wanted for myself in business and life. Jordan and Erwin challenged me to go places I had never been as a leader - they pushed me to entertain futures I had never dreamed
My relationships were all wobbling at the time and it became clear that "I was the bottleneck," but at the time I had no idea what a next level of growth could look like beyond my familiar world. So I felt stuck.
Inside My Own Echo Chamber
The same people, ideas, and conversations were being recycled and everything started feeling stale.
Lack of Creative Intelligence
My capacity to think outside the box was stifled by my need to control all the outcomes. Doh!
Success Without Meaning
It felt empty running from mountain top to mountain top. The money was great but I was losing the soul of my business.
My Big
It's hard to put my finger on any one inflection point that was the catalyst because the transformation process has been an unfolding string of experiences that have each enhanced my vision for the future.
In a meditation cave in Tibet, I had a flash vision of myself combusting into a million crystal shards in outer space, which was interesting. I Googled it and discovered the sensation is a hallmark of ego death in psychedelics, near death experiences, and (get this) Tibetan meditation caves LOL!
Another inflection point took place on a conference stage in Barcelona where the decision to ditch my presentation and follow my heart created a highly pressurized situation between Israeli and Palestinian attendees. The tension resolved almost magically and for those few moments it felt like we were channeling the universe.
Another eye-opening experience: I visited the House of Beautiful Business in Morocco and was mind-blown to see what next-level business gatherings can look like. Astounded to meet some of the world's most innovative leaders. Emboldened to think, I can totally hang with these people!
These are just a few of the (many) inflection points that have formed my creative growth journey. Following wonder and charm is mysterious and exciting... like blinking arrows pointing towards a hidden door.
In one meeting Matt shifted the way I think about designing futures. Chasing good vibes isn’t a side quest, it’s the whole damn point.Jinnie Templin, digital creator
The Landau Method
In my transformation journey I began documenting what was working (and what wasn't) and developing a system for myself that accelerates the epiphanies: a framework for self-generated change. Here are some core themes
In Person Experiences
The Landau Method promotes in-person experiences that feel less like transactions and more like once-in-a-lifetime encounters. Technology can support the process from beneath the surface, but the real magic is predicated on live events, bespoke gatherings, and the art of being more human.
Style of Delivery
Taste and style of delivery is a trait of great visionaries. The Landau Method is about following curiosity, and discerning between things that are popular vs. things that speak to our spirit or higher calling.
Better Stories
More natural storytelling happens through lived experience (not scripts or playbooks). The Landau Method uses experimentation in the real world to get out of our heads and reveal something new. Stepping into the unknown, we empower others to do the same. Real, genuine, authentic stories cut through all the noise.
With simple language Matt creates profound moments over and over again, leading to a new awakening; a new way of seeing ourselves."Paul Waldschmidt, OwnerRez
I have seen a lot of presenters and facilitators across many industries. However, I have never seen anyone like Matt with the talent and the passion to facilitate and drive a peer group to a resolution."Carlos Corzo, Streamline Software
The Landau Method helped me excavate my unrealized dream, nurturing a tiny spark and helping to uncover my truest self. Matt leads from the heart with an open mind and is filled with joy. My advice to anyone is to take the leap of faith, you won’t regret it!"Clair Stoddard, Cascade Vacation Rentals
Matt’s call for human connection speaks to the feelings of emptiness that many feel within. The insights apply to the human quality of our experiences."Cindy Rhoades, Vacation Homes Key West
My Next Phase of Operations
From Miami Beach To The World
The benefits of creative growth are what it feels like taking off a tight shoe.
First, a relief because I had so much pent-up energy bottlenecked. Then a sense of freedom and expansion, as new ideas flowed and new people began to come out of the woodwork, attracted to my new energy and ideas.
My next phase of operations is working near and far with people and companies who are early adopters pairing purpose and meaning with bespoke A.I. technology stacks. A whole different way to grow.
I host transformational retreats several times a year (always looking for new venues). And monthly talks in Miami where residents from all walks of life explore the benefits of creative growth (free of charge). I just started recording my talks as a podcast titled, Storylines.
If you are wondering about working together, here are some of the benefits you can expect
A Sense of Accomplishment
Pouring 100% of our focus and passion into the work we find most purposeful (and removing the rest) creates a true sense of fulfillment.
Greater Adaptive Energy
The ability to adjust to changing circumstances without losing our balance or clarity. When it's high we can ebb and flow with any change.
Deeper Relationships
The richness of leading others with more love and creativity and lifts everyone up in challenging times. More of this please.
Clarity and Confidence
Creative growth yields high-grade intel. Learning new things we make new mistakes, all for the sake of deepening our vision. And it generates greater confidence in all walks of life.
Who Is
I'm Matt Landau! And thanks for visiting my website!
Some people know me as a retreat facilitator, some have heard me speak or read my blogs, and others consider me an advisor with a different approach to growth.
In 2022, I experienced a profound life-shift after meeting two gurus at a backyard BBQ in Vancouver. The chance encounter set off a series of discoveries, epiphanies, and mystical experiences that have fundamentally enhanced who I am and how I view the world.
My approach is that we find our true nature and match our life to it. And I work with people and companies who want to do the same - we are early adopters pairing human purpose with rocket boosters of A.I.
My website explains my system for self-generated change with the hope it can spark aha moments for you. Use the transformation bar at the bottom to scroll back and forth through time.
Thanks for stopping by!
Matt’s at the beginning of something big. It’s gonna be a tidal wave and we’re all gonna be caught up in it. Matt’s able to help people do something about it.John Suzuki, tech evangelist