Meet Matteo

I am a husband, a CTO, a software engineer, an educator, and a chronic min-maxer.

My mission is to empower tech visionaries to craft game-changing software that creates sustainable growth while delighting their users and empowering their teams. I live at the intersection of “What creates value for the customers, the business and the people working within it?”.

I'm endlessly curious — always chasing new ideas, testing out better ways to build software, and figuring out how to make teams work smarter, not harder. But what’s the point of learning if you don’t share it? I love passing on what I’ve learned, whether it’s through writing, pairing, or just nerding out over a good discussion.

My personality is best described as a chronic min-maxer: if I have to do something more than twice, you better believe I’m optimizing it. Unsurprisingly, my 16 Personalities test pegged me as an ISTJ-A (Logistician): someone who thrives on structure and loves turning chaos into order. It makes me great at what I do, but let’s just say you won't catch me dancing on tables at parties.

My journey

I grew up in the '80s with a tech-savvy dad who would spend late nights typing away on one of those gloriously loud keyboards, green-tinted CRT monitor glowing in the dark like some kind of sci-fi hacker lair. Naturally, that kind of thing rubs off on you. By high school, I was hooked on the web — learning HTML, CSS, PHP, and a bit of JavaScript, just enough to be dangerous.

After graduating high school, going for a computer science degree was a no-brainer. My experience went far beyond studying for exams and forming connections. I got to build the internal exam booking system, manage servers, and write countless tutorials (and half a book on C before realizing books take forever). I even got to be a teaching assistant, running a few web development lessons myself. Turns out, I love sharing what I know almost as much as learning new things.

Then I landed a job at a local web agency — excited, motivated, ready to build cool websites. That enthusiasm didn't last long. Between poor management, uninspiring assignments, and zero room for growth, my passion started fizzling out. When the agency eventually went out of business, I took it as my cue to go solo.

Freelancing gave me freedom, but what really got me fired up again was finding agency owners who saw me as a strategic partner, not just a code monkey. During that time, I built and maintained high-volume e-commerce stores, developed complex software customizations, and helped agencies make smarter tech choices.

Then I met Kevin. We started Automatic.css, then Frames, and now Etch. What began as two guys building a WordPress plugin has turned into leading a team, growing a business, and — most importantly — rediscovering my passion for software engineering.

These days, as CTO of Digital Gravy, I get to do what I love: turning ideas and user feedback into a strategic roadmap, guiding our team to execute it, and empowering everyone to do their best work. Currently, I’m leading our team in adopting battle-tested software engineering practices that accelerate software development, such as continuous delivery, continous integration, and test automation. When time allows, I like to tackle a few user stories myself — just for fun and skill sharpening.

Off the clock

When I’m not working, I’m usually hanging out with my wife and our three cats — who, let’s be real, definitely think they run the place (and they’re probably right).

Music has always been a huge part of my life. My dad tried to play every instrument he could get his hands on, and I picked up that habit (thanks, Dad!). Drums are my main thing, but I also play guitar, bass, and a little piano. Blues and rock are my go-to — give me an Eric Clapton solo, and I’m happy. If you’re curious, here’s me on drums at my last concert.

At one point, I even dabbled in improv theater. Acting wasn’t my strong suit, but I had a decent eye for direction. After three years of classes, I stuck around helping with lights, audio, and even playing background music while the actors made things up on the spot.

I also like videogames — mostly strategy, simulation, and RPGs. Right now, I’m deep in Civilization 7, min-maxing my way to world domination one perfectly optimized turn at a time.