Amped to the hilt with adrenalin, perhaps a byproduct of cardio workouts as a lifelong soccer player, Matt Kochanowski exudes energy. As product manager for Epson’s Business Imaging unit, this is certainly an asset. Six years into his career with the manufacturer, Kochanowski boasts the perfect persona in an organization that has channeled many resources into perfecting and promoting its WorkForce Enterprise line of business inkjet gear.
Kochanowski attacks challenges with an effusive vigor that is both infectious and effective. Whether it’s installing a product that has instructions printed in Japanese, doing forecasting, producing marketing copy or talking to dealers, he thrives on the variety of his work and the opportunity to play a key role in delivering Epson’s message to its reseller community. And like any impactful soccer player, Kochanowski has the drive and desire to provide a full effort throughout the contest, a trait that plays well on the business “pitch.”
“I’m always on my toes and doing something different from day to day,” said Kochanowski, a 2021 ENX Magazine Difference Maker. “I’m not sitting here looking at spreadsheets every day. There are always new challenges and problems to tackle.”
A graduate of Dominican University, just outside his native Chicago (he also recently obtained an MBA from USC-Marshall), Kochanowski has been involved in the world of printing throughout his professional life (“I tell people I’ve been in print since I was in diapers,” he mused). During his high school years, he worked for his buddy’s father, who owned IT Supplies, a wide-format dealership. Kochanowski remained there through college, assisting in a variety of areas including shipping and customer support.
Wanting to delve more into the marketing side of business, Kochanowski leveraged some relationships he had with product management contacts at Epson and joined the manufacturer’s wide-format product management team. In 2019, he jumped at the opportunity to join Epson’s business inkjet division, which at the time was still in its development.
That grounding in wide-format with IT Supplies proved to be a valuable segue into the world of inkjet. “Business inkjet is a similar type of product and technology to wide-format, but the way the business is structured and the go-to-market strategy is totally different,” he observed. “I think I bring a fresh and different perspective, looking at things from a different scope and lens. Having that perspective from the reseller channel enabled me to bring a little something different to the table.”
Kochanowski is also fortunate to be surrounded by industry players who have a wealth of experience in product management, from Mark Mathews, the vice president of sales and marketing, to Elliot Williams, group product manager and fellow Difference Maker honoree. “Mark provides a lot of guidance and he’s been in my shoes, so he’s able to relate things to how I see them today,” Kochanowski added. “Elliot has also been a great influence through his industry knowledge and the way he approaches business. I can go to him for advice, because he’s pretty much seen it all.”
The experience of watching his first Epson product go through the evolution of concept/design, the testing phase, and development of a marketing plan proved to be a fulfilling experience for Kochanowski. Despite the pandemic, seeing the WorkForce Enterprise line release to great acclaim before the end of 2020 was a proud moment for the entire company.
Moving forward, Kochanowski—also named a 2020 Young Influencer by The Cannata Report—is looking to continue spreading the WorkForce Enterprise word while building market share and driving awareness through virtual events, partner channels and live events once the pandemic clears. The beauty of it, in his opinion, is that there’s always more work to be done.
“We’re brand new to this business, in our infancy stage of what we want to do, so we’re continuing to find ways to grow our business—doing open houses, virtual events with our dealers, continuing to grow and develop new things in order to support our dealer channel in selling products. I’m constantly working with our marketing communications team to develop more assets to sell virtually in this different environment.”
A newlywed, Kochanowski and Alexandra Mooney tied the knot in September of 2019 and reside in Redondo Beach, California. These travel aficionados are waiting out the pandemic to do their honeymoon. They love visiting New York and tropical destinations such as Hawaii and Cabo San Lucas. The couple has two dogs, an English bulldog named Agatha and a French bulldog (Abbot). Soccer is still a passion for Kochanowski, a goal-scoring forward who played in a Santa Monica league prior to the pandemic. He is also a fitness enthusiast who loves to run and constructed a gym in his backyard. And with his MBA now in hand, Kochanowski is looking forward to utilizing the spare time once consumed by online classes.
