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External Perspective Creates Internal Growth
When Matt Sain talks about his work, there’s no mistaking the passion in his voice.
“I’m the CEO of Central Body Company,” he says. “This is the business my dad started, the only job I’ve ever had.”
For Matt, Central Body isn’t just a company. It’s family. His father often told him, “Treat the business like it’s one of your children.” That advice would come to define Matt’s journey, especially when he suddenly found himself responsible for keeping that “child” alive.
Growing Up in the Shop
Matt’s relationship with the business started early. At 12 years old, his dad would drop him off at the shop, hand him a list of jobs, and expect results. He learned hard work, humility, and grit, earning the respect of longtime employees not by his last name, but through effort.
That work ethic became the foundation of everything he does today.
“If you have that work ethic,” Matt says, “there isn’t anything you can’t do in this world.”
Inheriting a Legacy
In late 2006, Matt’s father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Within just a few months, he was gone. Matt, barely out of his twenties, was suddenly running a company burdened with debt, thin margins, and no clear direction.
“He left huge boots to fill,” Matt remembers. “Both literally and figuratively.”
At the same time, Matt was facing personal struggles: a rocky marriage, two small children, and crushing financial pressure. He considered selling the business. He even went nine months without taking a paycheck.
“I told my sister I was thinking about going back to school. But I didn’t even know what for. I just didn’t know if I could do this.”
Faith and a Turning Point
Unable to find advice that truly resonated, Matt turned to faith. Through prayer and perseverance, things began to shift. He pivoted the business into a specialty market focused on RV repair and started seeing small wins.
Each day brought a little more hope and a little more confidence.
“I realized I could build my own team. I could make this business not just my dad’s, but mine too.”
Beyond Survival: Building for the Future
Today, Central Body Company has six locations across four states. When people tell Matt his dad would be proud, he takes it as the highest compliment, but he’s driven by something deeper now.
“If I’m only doing this to make my dad proud, that’s the wrong reason,” he says. “This is about other people now.”
Matt believes in servant leadership, leading through service, purpose, and care for others. He envisions Central Body lasting a century beyond his lifetime, not as a monument to one man, but as a living legacy that supports its employees and customers.
The Heart of Central Body
At its core, Central Body’s mission is simple: get people back on the road to their next adventure, quickly, safely, and with unmatched quality.
“Our customers work their whole lives for their dream motor coach,” Matt says. “When something happens, they don’t want to sit in a shop for months. We treat every RV like it’s our own.”
The pride shows in every job completed. When a customer says their coach “looks better than when they bought it,” it’s music to the team’s ears.
What Legacy Really Means
Matt’s story is one of grit, faith, and perseverance, but also of redefining success.
“I get up every day asking: how can I be a better leader, how can I serve my people, and how can I serve our customers?””
The burden of legacy, it turns out, isn’t just about carrying what was built before you. It’s about honoring it by building something even stronger.
