Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Tompkins.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve always felt inspired by the idea that our gifts are meant to be used to help people. From a young age, I was deeply impacted by seeing homelessness up close. I grew up behind a church that fed people experiencing homelessness every Thursday, and being exposed to that stayed with me.
As a young teenager, I would often walk through the Inner Harbor and see a woman named Pamela on my way to the skating rink at Rash field. She was older and homeless, and whenever I saw her, I would hug her, ask how she was doing, and talk to her like I would anyone else. I never focused on how she became homeless. I just wanted her to feel seen, loved, and treated with dignity. That experience shaped the way I view people and service.
Later, while volunteering at a nonprofit serving people experiencing homelessness, I met a man who shared that he once had to eat out of trash cans outside Oriole Park while crowds of people walked by without offering help. That story stayed with me deeply. It reinforced what I had always believed: everyone deserves to feel seen, heard, and cared for, no matter their circumstances.
As I got older, I began thinking about how to create impact on a larger scale. I saw ecommerce as a powerful vehicle to bridge that gap by connecting everyday consumption with meaningful social impact. That idea became the foundation for where I am today and continues to drive my work.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I started this by switching industries. I went from being a fashion stylist, working in studios and on sets, to a totally different industry: CPG, home accessories, and furnishings. That was a learning curve, but not one I was unfamiliar with, because I had held positions at West Elm in two different cities.
But running a startup business, like anything new, combined with each industry’s set of standards, rules, vocabulary, and processes, has been a learning curve, but nothing to complain about.
You would think getting people to care would be easy. Everyone cares about those in need, right? Everyone doesn’t. That was a reality check, but a good one, because we only want to connect with and resonate with our audience and people who connect with giving, philanthropy, and social impact. People who do not care about bettering the world are not our customer.
I work really long hours, and it is much different than a producer messaging me and asking if I am available to go on set. Everything with this is self-starting, and like raising a child, a company constantly needs your attention and care.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about GLOBAL (GlobalArtandStyle.com)?
We bridge philanthropy and social impact with online shopping. With every purchase, a portion goes to a cause, so with everything you buy, you are helping do good for someone in the world, locally or nationally.
We carry stylish furniture, home accessories, and stylish pieces for the home. What sets us apart is our philanthropic arm and our ability to help organizations, nonprofits, and the people and causes they directly support.
That is really what I am most proud of brand-wise, our capacity to make an impact every day. I want readers to know that our brand is about more than shopping. It is about giving people a way to shop with purpose and be part of something bigger while still bringing beautiful things into their home.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
What I like best about Baltimore is that it is competitive in a way that can be an advantage. Much like growing up in New York or Chicago, the environment makes you gritty, resourceful, and creative. You have to be innovative to create opportunity. The city is full of people with heart, soul, and authenticity that you cannot fake, and that is what I like about Baltimore.
One of the things I remember about Baltimore is riding back into town and hearing club music come on the radio. It always reminded me I was back in Baltimore, unlike anywhere else in the country. You get a range of authenticity in Baltimore and hardworking people from all backgrounds, and that is where the real stories and inspiration come from. It reminds me of the Nina Simone song, “Baltimore.”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://globalartandstyle.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopglobalstyle/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100075395606996#
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/globalartandstyle/
