For most, the leap from jumping out of airplanes into wildland fires to managing investment portfolios would seem impossible. For Matt Wideman, it was simply the next logical step in his professional evolution. After 13 years as a wildland firefighter, 7 of those as a smokejumper, Matt realized his passion for markets and investing had finally eclipsed his desire to fight fire, leading him to pursue an MBA at Boise State University.
Matt didn’t just want a degree; he wanted mastery. While pursuing his MBA, he also obtained a graduate certificate in econometrics to deepen his understanding of statistics and modeling. This technical rigor, combined with the MBA curriculum, transformed how he approaches investment analysis.
One of the most pivotal moments in his education occurred during the Discipline Integration course. After an exercise where every student group failed to gather the correct data for an analysis, Matt’s perspective shifted entirely.
“Half of what we do is determining what information matters and what we should discard, separating the ‘signal’ from the ‘noise’,” Matt explains, noting that the ability to find and use the right data is a skill he now uses in every professional decision.
The Boise State MBA provided Matt with a unique blend of “hard” and “soft” skills that allowed him to transition directly from the classroom to a role researching companies for a hedge fund. He credits the program with refining his competence and confidence in contributing to high-level decision making.
Key takeaways from his time in the program include:
- Return On Invested Capital (The Ultimate Financial Metric): Learning how specific business strategies impact financial success. Cognitive Diversity: Being surprised by the multitude of ways a single problem can be solved when viewed through the diverse perspectives of his classmates.
- Effective Communication: Developing the ability to not only find technical solutions but to communicate them effectively to a team.
Today, Matt serves as an Investment Advisor Representative at Accord Capital Management, a boutique firm located in Boise, specializing in custom equity and bond portfolios. He finds his greatest success in educating clients about the principles of investing throughout the onboarding process.
Because Matt’s own journey took him from basic knowledge to a professional market participant, he is uniquely positioned to guide clients across the entire spectrum of experience. His transition from smokejumper to a well-rounded investment advisor serves as a powerful testament to the transformative power of the Boise State MBA.