Forty Under 40: Matt McClanahan

Matt McClanahan has worked in the retail industry since 2007 and has managed $500 million for brands and retailers, such as Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble and Walmart.

After graduating from the University of Arkansas, he moved to Dallas for a position with L’Oreal Paris, calling on Walmart. He worked for another supplier handling hair care and beauty products, calling on retailers, excluding Walmart. After a competitor acquired that company, he transitioned into e-commerce and has worked in that retail sector since then.

In 2016, the Fort Smith native returned to Fayetteville for an e-commerce leadership role at Saatchi & Saatchi X. That same year, he entered the MBA program in the Sam M. Walton College of Business. He earned an MBA in 2018. He previously earned a Bachelor of Science in business administration from the UA.

He spent about two years at Saatchi & Saatchi X before taking a position at retail tech agency RichContext. After he established its media division, RichContext was acquired by The Stable in 2020. That led him to start his business amid the pandemic.

Retail media provider Vishvos has partnered with multiple clients and grown revenue by triple-digit percentages. Business is set to double by the end of this year and will soon start hiring employees.

Vishvos earned the Retail Media Excellence Award from Skai, a Walmart advertising partner. Also, McClanahan was invited back to Texas as a judge for the Dallas-Fort Worth Interactive Marketing Association awards ceremony.

In five years, he hopes to grow the business to become a known solutions provider in the area.

He supports the Walton Arts Center and serves as a mentor for the MBA program in the Walton College of Business. He enjoys playing golf.