Cynerge: Twenty Years In
Written by Matt Russell, President
Cynerge has been in business for 20 years! I’m feeling lucky and honored that we have had the opportunity. Thank you to everyone that made this possible.
Twenty years is a long time; long enough to forget what it felt like before, long enough to be stained, shaped, and sometimes broken by it. When I started Cynerge, I was in a different headspace. I was newly married, no kids, just a spark of hope and a gut feeling that things could be different.
Let’s be real: building, running, surviving a company isn’t some noble or glamorous pursuit. It’s messy. Brutal. Sometimes soul-crushing. 2025 might just be the worst year yet, and it’s made me question everything.
Why the hell did I keep going? Why did I keep pushing? Because deep down, I knew I was onto something that mattered. Even if it felt like climbing a mountain with no summit in sight.
Was it hard? Yes. I’ve wondered if I’d lost my mind—more times than I can count. I’ve questioned whether I was just foolish enough to believe I could create something meaningful in a landscape dominated by bureaucracy, corporate BS, and endless spin. But I’d do it all again.
Because deep down, I knew I was onto something that mattered. Even if it felt like climbing a mountain with no summit in sight.
I wanted to start a company, create my own path, and try things. What I didn’t know was what kind of company it would become. I just wanted to try something that felt different. Let’s go build. As we evolved, learned, and adapted, our culture shaped itself: adapt fast, collaborate, and deliver results. Act with integrity and make sure your word is trusted. To build tools for real outcomes, instead of ticking boxes or playing the corporate game. Over the years, that’s become our culture: honest, passionate, ready to debate, and fight for what works. We are a team that embraces the chaos, that thrives in the mess, that challenges the status quo every damn day.
And somehow—despite all the setbacks, all the dark days—we’ve kept going. Jesse, Jason, Sandi, and others that were part of the early journey are still here. I’m really honored and humbled by that. We give a damn. And we’re stubborn as hell about doing it right. Not perfect. Not flawless. But authentically.
We’ll dig more into what Cynerge has become, and the wild ride of 2025, in upcoming posts.
Thank you to everyone who’s been part of this journey. To the employees, advisors, clients, friends—your patience, your grit, your stubbornness, your belief—that’s what’s kept us alive. I’ve learned more than I ever expected from you all. Thank you for being patient when it was needed, or for steering me (and us) when I was naïve or stubborn. I’m excited to see what we can do next. I don’t know exactly where we will go, but we know exactly how to get there.
Let’s roll!
P.S. If you’ve ever wondered why the hell we named our company Cynerge, stay tuned for our next blog post…
Anniversary Blog Posts
Cynerge: Twenty Years In
Cynerge turns 20—proof that grit, integrity, and good people outlast chaos. We build what works, fight for what’s right, and keep moving forward. Always.
What the hell is Cynerge?
Behind the name “Cynerge” is 20 years of grit, growth, and good people who build with purpose. We’re not defined by buzzwords—we’re defined by what we deliver.
Built on Grit: What happened in 2025?
2025 tested everything—our resilience, our purpose, our people. Through loss and change, one thing became clear: Cynerge isn’t built on convenience. We’re built on grit, and we’re still standing.
About the Author
Matt Russell
Matt Russell is the President and co-founder of Cynerge. With over 20 years of experience leading digital transformation for public and private organizations, he’s passionate about building teams and technologies that make complex systems work smarter.
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