Life at BlackLine: A Conversation with Matt Humphries

Welcome to the latest edition of Life at BlackLine. We recently chatted with Matt Humphries, Vice President, Investor Relations at BlackLine. Before joining BlackLine, one of Matt’s life experiences was as an F/A-18 Aviator in the United States Marine Corps. In honor of Military Appreciation Month, Matt sat down to chat with us about his career. Read on to learn about his work, the important skills he's developed in the military and corporate worlds, and everything else that makes up his life at BlackLine.

What is your position at BlackLine?

I serve as Vice President of Investor Relations, which is part of the Office of the CFO. It's a niche role that brings in layers of finance and accounting, corporate communications, marketing, sales strategy, and some legal framework.

What are some of the most important skills you've developed in your role?

I used to think, coming into this role, it was all about finance and knowing and being good with the numbers. But being a storyteller is probably even more important. Yes, the numbers support the story, but it requires taking a seed and planting it in the garden, watering it, and growing it into a flower.

I’ve gained the ability to strike the right balance between the science and art of telling BlackLine’s story. 

What's the best career advice you've been given?

Act with intention and be deliberate in your actions. Understand where you can add value. It's not merely attending the meeting but making that meeting time useful. It comes back to: keep your ears open, but when it's time to act, do it deliberately and decisively.

How did you get started in the military and then flying planes?

I have military heritage on both sides of my family. My grandfather was in the Marine Corps—he was a machine gunner in the Korean War and received a Purple Heart. My mother was in the Marine Corps during the later part of Vietnam and then post-Vietnam. So, I was a third-generation Marine, and there was a heritage there and an appreciation for service.

My dad was a pilot, and I grew up going to air shows like the Blue Angels. When I was pretty young, I started getting my pilot’s license, so between aviation and military, the stars aligned.

Prior to my graduation, I did a 10-week Officer Candidate School program in Quantico, Virginia, just outside D.C., and then started my path to being a Marine Corps Officer and flying in the Marine Corps.

What are the Marine skills you go back to, when things get challenging, that help you maintain energy and focus to drive you and your team forward?

I think being authentic and acting with integrity is probably number one. That's something that's kept me focused and gives me the ability to sleep well at night regardless of the outcome.

Number two is: get it done. 

And number three is adaptability and flexibility, whether that's here at BlackLine or in the market environment. Being able to stay emotionally consistent is extremely important, though I acknowledge not everybody is wired that way, so it's easier said than done. But I think there is a direct correlation to my time in the military. When you’re flying—one moment everything is fine and the next moment you could be down an engine. It’s important to stay emotionally consistent and be able to think rationally when things are challenging around you.

Can you tell us about your work with The Next IT Girl? 

I wanted to help a community organization that has a tie-in to technology and has a focus on female empowerment through education. I reached out to the founder of The Next IT Girl to support their efforts to close the gender and racial gap by providing technical workshops, technology resources, community involvement, and career readiness for young women of color ages 8-22 who are interested in technology. I really like this organization because of what they do on a day-to-day basis, their mission, and purpose.

Sometimes it feels like there aren’t enough hours in the day, but if you can, giving an hour here or there outside of your professional day-to-day can really make an impact on other people's lives. It's important to me, and it's important to them, so that's one of the reasons why I got involved.

Why are diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging important at BlackLine?

The ability to leverage the diversity of thought, the diversity of perspective, the diversity of beliefs across an organization—it's a classic example of 1 + 1 = 3. 

It’s important for everybody to have a seat at the table, it’s an important part of the organization, culture, and growth, for everyone here at BlackLine. You can't achieve your goals without having a depth and breadth of experiences that you can only get by bringing different people with different backgrounds to the table.

Finish this sentence: “I am proud to work at BlackLine because …"   

… there's no other place like it. There's a tremendous group of individuals from Sales to Product to Finance to Customer Service who are all aligned on the mission, where we're going, and why we're here.

And while those things may not swim in the same lane every single day, we're moving in the same direction. I think everybody recognizes that we're all here for one purpose and that's the customer. Everything we do, day in and day out, is to deliver value to the customer, to make their experience better.

I think it all comes down to customer centricity. I think everybody here at the organization is focused on that. 

What can we find you doing outside of work?

Outside of work and shepherding family to different activities, I like to be in my garage (my ‘shop’) which has a wide assortment of heavy power tools, from table saws to band saws to lathes, making furniture. Recently I made a replica of a 1700s federal side table and a mid-century modern lounge chair.

Are you interested in working at BlackLine? Here, you’ll find a people-focused culture where you’re given the tools and support you need to succeed. Whether you’re just starting out or looking for the next step in your career, we think you’ll love it here.

Welcome to the latest edition of Life at BlackLine. We recently chatted with Matt Humphries, Vice President, Investor Relations at BlackLine. Before joining BlackLine, one of Matt’s life experiences was as an F/A-18 Aviator in the United States Marine Corps. In honor of Military Appreciation Month, Matt sat down to chat with us about his career. Read on to learn about his work, the important skills he's developed in the military and corporate worlds, and everything else that makes up his life at BlackLine.

What is your position at BlackLine?

I serve as Vice President of Investor Relations, which is part of the Office of the CFO. It's a niche role that brings in layers of finance and accounting, corporate communications, marketing, sales strategy, and some legal framework.

What are some of the most important skills you've developed in your role?

I used to think, coming into this role, it was all about finance and knowing and being good with the numbers. But being a storyteller is probably even more important. Yes, the numbers support the story, but it requires taking a seed and planting it in the garden, watering it, and growing it into a flower.

I’ve gained the ability to strike the right balance between the science and art of telling BlackLine’s story. 

What's the best career advice you've been given?

Act with intention and be deliberate in your actions. Understand where you can add value. It's not merely attending the meeting but making that meeting time useful. It comes back to: keep your ears open, but when it's time to act, do it deliberately and decisively.

How did you get started in the military and then flying planes?

I have military heritage on both sides of my family. My grandfather was in the Marine Corps—he was a machine gunner in the Korean War and received a Purple Heart. My mother was in the Marine Corps during the later part of Vietnam and then post-Vietnam. So, I was a third-generation Marine, and there was a heritage there and an appreciation for service.

My dad was a pilot, and I grew up going to air shows like the Blue Angels. When I was pretty young, I started getting my pilot’s license, so between aviation and military, the stars aligned.

Prior to my graduation, I did a 10-week Officer Candidate School program in Quantico, Virginia, just outside D.C., and then started my path to being a Marine Corps Officer and flying in the Marine Corps.

What are the Marine skills you go back to, when things get challenging, that help you maintain energy and focus to drive you and your team forward?

I think being authentic and acting with integrity is probably number one. That's something that's kept me focused and gives me the ability to sleep well at night regardless of the outcome.

Number two is: get it done. 

And number three is adaptability and flexibility, whether that's here at BlackLine or in the market environment. Being able to stay emotionally consistent is extremely important, though I acknowledge not everybody is wired that way, so it's easier said than done. But I think there is a direct correlation to my time in the military. When you’re flying—one moment everything is fine and the next moment you could be down an engine. It’s important to stay emotionally consistent and be able to think rationally when things are challenging around you.

Can you tell us about your work with The Next IT Girl? 

I wanted to help a community organization that has a tie-in to technology and has a focus on female empowerment through education. I reached out to the founder of The Next IT Girl to support their efforts to close the gender and racial gap by providing technical workshops, technology resources, community involvement, and career readiness for young women of color ages 8-22 who are interested in technology. I really like this organization because of what they do on a day-to-day basis, their mission, and purpose.

Sometimes it feels like there aren’t enough hours in the day, but if you can, giving an hour here or there outside of your professional day-to-day can really make an impact on other people's lives. It's important to me, and it's important to them, so that's one of the reasons why I got involved.

Why are diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging important at BlackLine?

The ability to leverage the diversity of thought, the diversity of perspective, the diversity of beliefs across an organization—it's a classic example of 1 + 1 = 3. 

It’s important for everybody to have a seat at the table, it’s an important part of the organization, culture, and growth, for everyone here at BlackLine. You can't achieve your goals without having a depth and breadth of experiences that you can only get by bringing different people with different backgrounds to the table.

Finish this sentence: “I am proud to work at BlackLine because …"   

… there's no other place like it. There's a tremendous group of individuals from Sales to Product to Finance to Customer Service who are all aligned on the mission, where we're going, and why we're here.

And while those things may not swim in the same lane every single day, we're moving in the same direction. I think everybody recognizes that we're all here for one purpose and that's the customer. Everything we do, day in and day out, is to deliver value to the customer, to make their experience better.

I think it all comes down to customer centricity. I think everybody here at the organization is focused on that. 

What can we find you doing outside of work?

Outside of work and shepherding family to different activities, I like to be in my garage (my ‘shop’) which has a wide assortment of heavy power tools, from table saws to band saws to lathes, making furniture. Recently I made a replica of a 1700s federal side table and a mid-century modern lounge chair.

Are you interested in working at BlackLine? Here, you’ll find a people-focused culture where you’re given the tools and support you need to succeed. Whether you’re just starting out or looking for the next step in your career, we think you’ll love it here.