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Oliver Buchannon
Mathew Growden

Mathew Growden (aka Growdy) is a dot-com refugee with over 30 years of digital experience in consumer e-commerce (Indigo Books, SHOP.CA), telco (WIND Mobile), media and automotive (Google). For nearly a decade he worked in the Google Canada Automotive Team, collaborating with OEMs, Auto Groups and Dealers to make the best possible use of research, insights, digital media and digital tools to sell more cars. Now working as an independent consultant, Mathew continues his work to help the automotive industry elevate their digital experiences. Frequently called upon as a keynote speaker at several industry events (Western Canada Dealer Summit, ACE, CADEX, etc), Mathew relishes the opportunity to share his unique perspective on the automotive industry and innovation.

Newsletter

Assault And Battery

Sep 14, 2025

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14 min read

Assault And Battery

The different realities of battery electric vehicles in different parts of the world are practically an assault on the senses.

Mathew Growden
Mathew Growden

Newsletter

That’s Trillion With A “T”

Sep 7, 2025

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14 min read

That’s Trillion With A “T”

Elon, put your katana back down on your coffee table and go to work.

Mathew Growden
Mathew Growden

Newsletter

Aluminum Foiled

Aug 31, 2025

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14 min read

Aluminum Foiled

The Donald is doubly punishing the working class he claimed he was going to protect.

Mathew Growden
Mathew Growden

Newsletter

Is America Ready To Love Small Trucks?

Aug 24, 2025

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13 min read

Is America Ready To Love Small Trucks?

Truck sales keep getting bigger while truck sizes get both bigger and smaller.

Mathew Growden
Mathew Growden

Podcast

Podcast S2 E2 - Lorraine Sommerfeld

Aug 23, 2025

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1 min read

Podcast S2 E2 - Lorraine Sommerfeld

Acclaimed author and award-winning journalist Lorraine Sommerfeld agreed to chat with me.

Mathew Growden
Mathew Growden

Newsletter

Ford Invents The Assembly Line (Again) By Deconstructing The Assembly Line

Aug 17, 2025

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13 min read

Ford Invents The Assembly Line (Again) By Deconstructing The Assembly Line

Ford is lucky that Doug Field is on their side.

Mathew Growden
Mathew Growden

Newsletter

Car Theft Is Still F$#king Crazy In Canada

Aug 10, 2025

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15 min read

Car Theft Is Still F$#king Crazy In Canada

Recent reports suggest that there’s been a drop in car theft this year. However, that drop puts Canada at the bottom of the top 10 worst countries for car theft instead of the top of the list.

Mathew Growden
Mathew Growden

Newsletter

Dumb and Dumber

Aug 3, 2025

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14 min read

Dumb and Dumber

If you're Lee Zeldin, math is hard. Reading the reports that the agency you administer publishes is even harder (apparently).

Mathew Growden
Mathew Growden

Newsletter

Pumping The Brakes On Renewable Energy (In A Good Way)

Jul 27, 2025

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14 min read

Pumping The Brakes On Renewable Energy (In A Good Way)

Regenerative braking isn’t just a clever trick. It’s a systems-level rethink.

Mathew Growden
Mathew Growden

Newsletter

Get Your (Electric) Motor Running

Jul 20, 2025

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13 min read

Get Your (Electric) Motor Running

Electric motorcycles are getting cheaper and more interesting.

Mathew Growden
Mathew Growden

Newsletter

Who Has Seen The Wind

Jul 13, 2025

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14 min read

Who Has Seen The Wind

Why does The Donald hate wind turbines so much? And who will make billions investing in the future of wind energy?

Mathew Growden
Mathew Growden

Newsletter

Bewildering Bag Of Bullshit

Jul 6, 2025

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13 min read

Bewildering Bag Of Bullshit

America, what happened to you?

Mathew Growden
Mathew Growden

Podcast

Podcast S2 E1 - Steve Barker

Jul 4, 2025

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1 min read

Podcast S2 E1 - Steve Barker

My friend Steve Barker and I discuss how we met and some of the fun and antics we've participated in over the years.

Mathew Growden
Mathew Growden

Newsletter

Beating A Dead Gas-Powered Horse

Jun 29, 2025

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14 min read

Beating A Dead Gas-Powered Horse

Revisiting some old topics related to the global energy transition and the adoption of electric vehicles.

Mathew Growden
Mathew Growden

Newsletter

The Hard Thing About Hard Things

Jun 22, 2025

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14 min read

The Hard Thing About Hard Things

We need to decarbonize cement. How we make it, how we ship it, what we build with it, and what it can be used for are all about to change.

Mathew Growden
Mathew Growden

Newsletter

There Is Confusion

Jun 15, 2025

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15 min read

There Is Confusion

If I've learned anything in the last decade it's that the car buying journey is complex.

Mathew Growden
Mathew Growden

Newsletter

A Fight Where No American Wins

Jun 8, 2025

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13 min read

A Fight Where No American Wins

Elon, Donald, can't we all just get along?

Mathew Growden
Mathew Growden

Newsletter

Passing Gas

Jun 1, 2025

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14 min read

Passing Gas

Most vehicles run on gasoline. And that isn't going to change anytime soon. Can we make gas production less carbon-y?

Mathew Growden
Mathew Growden

Newsletter

Is Tesla Fucked Or Fine?

May 25, 2025

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12 min read

Is Tesla Fucked Or Fine?

It doesn't look like the company can pull the Cybercab, autonomous robotaxi launch out of their asses.

Mathew Growden
Mathew Growden

Newsletter

Uber Says The Quiet Part Loud

May 18, 2025

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15 min read

Uber Says The Quiet Part Loud

Ride hailing juggernaut reignites mission to end vehicle ownership.

Mathew Growden
Mathew Growden

Newsletter

Even More Waymo

May 11, 2025

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13 min read

Even More Waymo

Waymo expands while Elon keeps making shit up.

Mathew Growden
Mathew Growden

Newsletter

Hey Mark...

May 4, 2025

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15 min read

Hey Mark...

Another open letter to Mark Carney

Mathew Growden
Mathew Growden

Newsletter

CATL Just Changed The Automotive Industry Forever

Apr 27, 2025

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13 min read

CATL Just Changed The Automotive Industry Forever

New batteries, new charging tech—the car business will never be the same.

Mathew Growden
Mathew Growden

Newsletter

Canadian Auto Manufacturing Is Already Dead

Apr 20, 2025

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14 min read

Canadian Auto Manufacturing Is Already Dead

It's a patient on life support with a "do not resuscitate" order.

Mathew Growden
Mathew Growden

Newsletter

WTF Kawasaki

Apr 13, 2025

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13 min read

WTF Kawasaki

I legitimately thought this was some sort of delayed April Fools’ joke.

Mathew Growden
Mathew Growden
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The Change Optimist

A round-up of (mostly automotive) news that’s worth having an opinion about, delivered weekly.