Matthew Bredehoft
Product Manager Who Ships Under Pressure
I've spent 15+ years building digital experiences - from enterprise media platforms to VR games. My superpower? Taking chaos and turning it into shipped products. Give me a tight deadline, limited resources, and unclear requirements, and I'll come back with something users actually want to use.
About Me
Senior Product Manager & Execution-Focused Leader
I don't come from a gaming background. I spent 15 years in digital media and enterprise platforms, shipping products for companies like Informa and building media tools that handled millions in revenue.
Then I saw an opportunity: a VR client project that was just a tech demo with one developer. I knew it could be more. Fast forward to today - we've built it into a full game experience with a 4-person team, soft-launched at a major community event, and we're shipping early access by end of year.
Here's what I've learned: the best products come from getting them in users' hands fast, making smart tradeoffs when resources are tight, and keeping teams aligned even when everything's on fire.
My approach is simple: I work with anyone, I wear multiple hats, and I execute. I don't wait for permission - I loop in leadership at the right times and keep things moving. Whether it's coordinating a last-minute event with 3D glasses and QR codes or convincing engineering to ship PostgreSQL search instead of over-engineering Solr, I find the path that delivers value now.
If you need someone who thrives in "figure it out" mode and has the battle scars to prove it, let's talk.
Product Strategy & Roadmapping
Expert in Unity VR, React/Next.js, and cross-platform development. Proven track record from startup to enterprise scale.
Cross-Functional Leadership
Led teams of 50+ across engineering, design, and marketing. Specialized in agile methodologies and stakeholder alignment.
User Research & Analytics
Data-driven approach using A/B testing, user interviews, and behavioral analytics to drive product decisions.
Want to see how I work? Keep scrolling for real project breakdowns.
Featured Projects
MFR VR Platform
From Tech Demo to Shippable Game in Record Time
The Challenge:
A VR client came to us with a tech demo - one developer, cool concept, but no real game. I saw the potential and pitched taking it further.
What I Did:
- •Built a cross-functional team (3 developers + artist) from scratch
- •Established sprint planning, testing workflows, and stakeholder alignment
- •Coordinated a high-stakes soft launch at a major community event with only 6 weeks notice
- •Created an event strategy: 3D gameplay projection with branded glasses + QR codes driving traffic to Telegram and our site
- •Prioritized features ruthlessly to hit the event deadline with a stable, demo-ready build
The Result:
- •Successfully soft-launched in front of hundreds of community members
- •Generated significant buzz and early signups
- •On track to ship early access by EOY 2025
- •Took a 1-person R&D project to a revenue-generating product
What I Learned:
Demoing an early VR game in public with technical complexity is terrifying. But when you prioritize the right features, test relentlessly, and keep everyone aligned on the experience you're delivering - it goes smooth as butter.
Technologies:
F-List Platform Rebuild
Modernizing Moderation at Scale
The Challenge:
Platform moderation was eating up resources. Manual processes, unclear guidelines, and a backlog of user complaints that kept growing.
What I Did:
- •Implemented GitHub-style transparent moderation system
- •Automated redundant moderation tasks to free up team bandwidth
- •Redesigned UX flows to reduce friction and user confusion
- •Built clear, consistent moderation guidelines
The Result:
- •Reduced moderation time and operational costs
- •Improved user trust through transparency
- •Smoothed out UX pain points that were driving support tickets
What I Learned:
Most moderation problems aren't about policy - they're about unclear processes and manual work that should be automated. Fix the system, not just the rules.
Technologies:
Strategic Tradeoffs - The PostgreSQL Search Decision
When 'Good Enough' Beats 'Perfect'
The Challenge:
Client had a milestone deadline approaching. Limited resources. They wanted robust search functionality. Engineering was pushing Solr or Elasticsearch - powerful but complex, adding weeks to an already tight timeline.
What I Did:
- •Advocated for PostgreSQL with performance tricks (lazy loading, sort by online status first)
- •Made the business case: ship functional search now, gather user feedback, re-architect later if performance actually becomes a problem
- •Aligned stakeholders on 'validate before we over-engineer'
The Result:
- •Shipped search on time for milestone
- •Met client's functional requirements without blowing the timeline
- •Saved engineering weeks that went toward higher-priority features
- •Maintained optionality to upgrade later if data proves we need it
What I Learned:
Strategic tradeoffs become easy when everything ties back to business objectives. Sometimes the right answer is 'ship it, then validate.'
Technologies:
Ready to Talk?
If you're building something in sports, games, outdoor experiences, or family tech - and you need a PM who can navigate chaos and ship on time - let's connect.
Available Q1 2026 for the right opportunity.
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How I Do Product Management
My systematic approach to PM: discovery, planning, execution, measurement, and AI integration. Each section shows my specific processes and frameworks.
Experience
Senior Product Manager
2022 - PresentSynapse Studios
Tucson, Arizona
Product Manager
2021Blackthorn.io
Remote
Product Manager - MarkitMakr Platform
2017 - 2021Informa Exhibitions
Fort Collins, Colorado
Key Achievements
Education
University of Denver
BA, Digital Media Studies, Business
2004 - 2008
Tools & Technologies
My comprehensive PM toolkit spanning 34+ tools across 9 categories
Project Management
Planning, tracking, and collaboration
Design & Prototyping
User research and design workflows
Analytics & Monitoring
Data-driven decision making
AI & Development
AI-assisted development and coding
Communication & Productivity
Team coordination and documentation
Automation & Workflows
Process automation and infrastructure
User Research
Understanding user behavior and needs
Game Development
3D modeling, animation, and immersive experience development
VR Hardware
Hands-on experience with leading VR platforms
Always Learning
I stay current with emerging tools and technologies, constantly evaluating new solutions that can improve our product development process and user experience.
What People Say
Recommendations from colleagues and collaborators
Brian Yelle
Senior Developer at Informa Exhibitions
"In short, Matt is a problem solver. I've worked with him while his role was that of a project manager and product manager. He was excellent at getting to the essence of what customers wanted and then identifying whether current technologies could be used to meet that need or custom development was required. If development was required Matt provided concise direction that allowed the development team to progress quickly. It would be a pleasure to work with Matt again."
Rocky Landsverk
Marketing & Content Director
"Matt is a great person to have on the team. He's digitally fluent in virtually all categories, but in particular in video. He learns quickly and executes flawlessly. He's also a pleasure to work with."
Garrett Evans
Brand Strategist at OTT HydroMet
"I really like Matt's sense of humor, but it's his ability to seize opportunities and produce results, despite how many hurdles may be in the way, that makes him a pleasure to have worked with. He and I formed a great team, and we brought current, modern, and on-trend strategies to the table. I was always impressed with Matt's knowledge of the industry, it's technologies, and how to leverage today's tools in innovative ways."
— Video strategist, Director, Producer
Winter Thielen
Founder & Digital Learning Solutions Architect
"I've had the pleasure of working with Matt over the last two years as Product Managers. Not only is he genuinely fun to be around and work with, but his work ethic and drive to make an impact motives all of those around him. His extensive experience in the digital space and his knowledge around all aspects of video made Matt a crucial asset on the Digital team. He was a leader for those product lines and spearheaded initiatives that positively impacted the bottom line. If you ever need a video product manager I would highly recommend convincing Matt to come work for you!"
What I'm Looking For
What I Need:
- •Remote work with autonomy to execute
- •Clear business goals and the freedom to figure out how to hit them
- •Product areas I actually care about: sports, games, kids/family, photography, outdoor experiences
What I Bring:
- •15+ years shipping digital products in high-pressure environments
- •The ability to work with difficult stakeholders while keeping teams focused
- •A track record of smart tradeoffs that deliver value without over-engineering
Dream Projects:
- •VR/AR experiences in sports (think Golf+ VR)
- •Outdoor/adventure products
- •Family-focused platforms
Bonus points if you're building something that gets people moving or connects them to experiences they love.
Not a Fit:
- •If your culture is 'ask permission for everything'
- •Leadership micromanages without context
I thrive when I can lead with ownership and loop in stakeholders at the right times.
Timeline
Available Q1 2026. Currently wrapping up VR game launch, but happy to start conversations now.
Ready to Talk?
If you're building something in sports, games, outdoor experiences, or family tech - and you need a PM who can navigate chaos and ship on time - let's connect.
Available Q1 2026 for the right opportunity.
Location
Tucson, Arizona, United States