RULE NUMBER ONE - Part One Newsletter from the CEO 18/06/2024
I've never sent a newsletter and I have no idea what I'm doing so if you decide to read this then thank you for letting me share.
My name is Nick Williams and I'm the guy chosen to lead the MATAI brand, if you want the political term then I'm the CEO but honestly who cares about the title. It's a name designed to make it seem like maybe I'm special but if my kids don't give a damn, why should you :). Call me your uso, call me your friend.
I'm writing this cause number one I just feel like it on a cold Tuesday night in Sydney and number two because I feel its important to share a bit of myself and Andrew's story - hes the other owner who drinks to much coffee and needs to stop thinking about eating Big Aloha for lunch and dinner😀
Over the next few weeks I'm going to try my best to write our story bit by bit and trust me when I say this, you are going to find a hell of a lot of spelling mistakes in these newsletters cause Im going to write freely and expressively and Im not gonna get my wife to check my literature when talking to the masses and boy is she gonna be pissed but at least this way you understand its not marketing and everything in MATAI newsletters comes directly from me.
Please enjoy the starting piece - The MALAGA of MATAI
RULE NUMBER ONE
It was 2018 when Andrew and I first met at Rooty Hill RSL in Western Sydney. We were both security guards, or bouncers as I like to call it, at the largest RSL in Australia, dealing primarily with the typical issues bouncers face. It was there that our brotherhood formed with our other friends: Nelson, Junior, Nate and Malakai (not pictured). Our shared Pacific heritage and upbringing brought us together; most of us had moved from NZ seeking better opportunities for our families and financial stability.
What we were creating was a deep friendship, a brotherhood that would see us through some of the toughest situations in our line of work. Yes, violence was sometimes part of it, dealing with intoxicated individuals, and people from all walks of life and backgrounds, including many similar to ours. This built a bond that will last forever. While we managed security at the venue and had occasional conflicts with our employers, things generally ran smoothly. Nelson was our head supervisor, and with leadership came pressure; I was one he could lean on—we were the elders of the team. Nate, Junior, and Andrew were rising stars in the security industry. Andrew was the guy who always brought laughter, the one we teased affectionately for his crazy ideas and vision to be more. We all have that friend who we're never quite sure whether to take seriously. Andrew would buy gadgets like a vinyl cutter, a coffee machine, even a crepe machine, always with plans to start something new. We'd rip into him for it, but for me deep down, I knew he reminded me of another close friend from years past who did the same and ended up owning one of New Zealand's largest hemp farms.
There are these creative types that often get teased by their peers, and we boys were guilty of that. But one thing we always did was love and protect each other when it came to violence and other challenges. No matter what, when we started a shift together, we made sure everyone went home safely. That was rule number one.
.....................
Andrew came in for a shift one night and said, "uso I got the new Samsung Galaxy!"
I thought to myself... damn... that's a $1500 phone. We don't even earn that much in a week.
"Did you spend all your money on that?"
"Nah uce, Junior bought it for me."
I was confused... "He bought it for you?"
"Yea uso, with his own money."
A $1500 phone... " Yea uce"
I hit Junior up and asked him why he bought Andrew a phone. His answer was...
"Because he needed it."
I was like WTF lol. As we say - My USO. Dang.
But I was shocked a whole pay check on a phone for someone who needed it?
Juniors not a gambler, drinker or a drug dealer. He's one of the most loyal friends you could have. His nature is quiet but his heart freaking roars.
I had never seen this. It didn't faze Junior; he had a different perspective on generosity that would become clearer in the years to come.
This gesture set off a chain of giving. Andrew waited until Junior's birthday and gifted him an expensive James Harden signed jersey, framed, totaling around $3000. Then Nate added a watch. Nelson and I looked at each other like, "What's happening here?" Our younger guys were leading with love, but it touched something in all of us. When my birthday rolled around, the boys went all out—I got shoes and, some boss and diesel watches. This became the normal, not thinking and going all out; every birthday we bought more for each other than our partners and watches were always the front of gifts.
I guess Andrew started thinking, why not watches that reflect our Pacific heritage? This thought he would carry with him and eventually he was the first to leave the team and move into corporate security due to the politics in our venue.
Shortly after, I had a confrontation with a staff member, fueled by frustration at being unfairly blamed, common in our line of work. Stress, lack of sleep, and intense pre-workouts sometimes made me a difficult person, though I knew I was fundamentally good person. I showed up to work because the brothers showed up; they were my Australian Pacific family now. Nelson told me the security company wanted me out; What can I say. I'm outspoken but I will always give 100. I remember it clearly being dismissed without the bosses having the courage to face me or even call me. It was sour, but one day, this whole story would make for a compelling mini-series about our bouncer days.
My job dismissal saw six of my closest friends also resign. If one goes we all go.. tell me if you've heard this before and actually seen it at your work place, you wouldn't have.
I felt terrible; I begged them to stay for their families' sake, but they wouldn't hear it.
"You take one, you take all," as Nelson put it.
Only after leaving did I fully grasp the impact of what happened. We journeyed through various venues before settling into new jobs and careers, but we stayed in touch.
We worked at different companies, often with one of our boys: Nelson and June, Malakai and me, Andrew and Nate, we always remained connected. During those tough nights, we'd call each other on Zoom; despite everything, it felt like old times—Andrew always getting teased by us.
He never hesitated to share his dreams with us. For four long years on those calls while I ran Stash Box and pursued markets and businesses, he'd say, "uso, don't worry. The watch is coming." I'd dismiss it as Andrew being Andrew—a dreamer.
But year after year, he'd say the same thing. My mind would say this guy and his bloody watch. I never believed or imagined he'd actually get it done.
We all have dreamer friends; they're often the best kind. Don't make the mistake I did; believe in them, encourage them. I never thought Andrew would create that watch until one April night in 2022 when he called me, "uso, let's meet up. I've got the watch, uce." Confused, I asked, "What watch I said?"
"The one I've been working on."
I was like I gotta see this .
We met at Fiddler, where Nelson was working. We caught up, and Andrew presented me with the first-ever MATAI watch. I am the first ever to receive one as a gift and I was shocked,
"Did you really make this, uce?"
"Matai Watches what the heck is this thing."
I was stunned and amazed and impressed.
There was an emotional connection I couldn't ignore; and questions poured out.........
Im going to finish this here cause its my kids bedtime so make sure to see next news letter if you care.. Goodnight
