Matt Corker » Alumni

Fierce New Tunes

Matt Corker — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:47:55 +0000

This post has been long overdue! It has been waiting in drafts for me for far too long.

I need to share with you these artists: Neu and Two Lions & A Lady.

Neu has been a great addition to my spin class playlists as his beats are deep and melodic. They get me smiling on the bike while my quads are screaming. Plus, who else releases a movie trailer to show-off their new album tunes?!? Rad? Rad! Take a look for yourself:

Neu, Wes, and Lydia also joined forces to create Two Lions & A Lady. They performed live at the Coppertank a couple weeks ago and added so much to the vibe of the night. More on them to come, so keep your eyes peeled for greatness. In the meantime, enjoy their rendition of MGMT’s Kids (with an accordion!):

Will Blunderfield shakes some asana on Robson St

Matt Corker — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 01:00:50 +0000

Last night, Will Blunderfield, one of my Artists to Watch in Vancouver and favourite yoga instructors, officially released his music to the world. While he shares his voice in all his classes, Will took to the stage in front of the lululemon on Robson street with some yogi dancers and Danielle Mika Nagel to celebrate the launch of his first official album. And boy did it launch!

His yoga-inspired-pop music had the crowd of people finding their hearts’ centers, breathing deep (in between cheers), and singing hallelujah at the top of their lungs. It was a completely unique experience – and 100% Will. The crowd of totally awesome people definitely helped as well.

Earlier this year, I got to be a part of Will’s “Shake Your Asana Choir” and go into the studio with him to record some vocals for his CD.

Catching us all of guard, he called us up last night to sing “The River” – one of my favourite songs on his album. It was one of those moments in life when you just have to go with what is thrown at ya. (It’s also hard to say no when someone calls you to the stage in front of a hundred people…)

And then he sang:

There is a river that I’ve discovered
If flows downstream to everything I desire
I paddled so hard against the current, I did not know
That all I needed was to let the oars go and just flow

… Never knew what I had until I looked around
Once I began to feel grateful it was you I found
Lessons learned, bridges crossed to get to where you are
Let’s lose ourselves in this moment, we’ve come so far

… I know it’s hard to realize this truth
The change you’ve wanted
Starts with you!

Thank you Will for an always inspiring experience. And congrats. You kick some serious asana.

Pick of the Post: Will Blunderfield – The River (you’ll have to go to lululemon on Robson to pick this track up!)

What Linchpins Read

Matt Corker — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:16:40 +0000

Yesterday was Worldwide-Meet-The-Tribe-Of-Linchpins Day according to Seth Godin. Seth fans gathered together at over 790 meetups around the world and talked about his books/blog, shipping ideas, and many other topics of interest.

Chris Coldeway, another UBC Sauder alum and creator of redrovr, organized the Vancouver Meetup. My sis got up there and shared a bit about her time in NYC with Seth as part of his nanoMBA program. She was rad – as per always. Chris then led the attendees in creating smaller discussion groups where we talked about whatever topic someone wanted to take the lead on discussing. Didn’t like the conversation in that group? Implement the 2 feet rule! (You have two feet, so use them to walk to a new group.)

I wanted to know what these linchpins were reading so was excited to get some really rad folks at the table. This was the list that the 8+ of us created. I tried to organize them into some categories to help you pick out your next read:

Economics

Superfreakonomics – Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner
Startup Nation – Dan Senor and Saul Singer

Fiction/Memoirs:

Swiss Family Robinson – Johann David Wyss
The Glass Castle – Jeannette Walls

Blogs:

43 Folders
Brains on Fire
Life without Pants
Backpocket COO
Freshness Factor Five Thousand (Jason Mraz)
Blocquote
Chase Jarvis
The Art of Non-Conformity

… as if my to read list wasn’t already long enough! Happy reading linchpins!

Pick of the post: Hannah Georgas – Bang Bang You’re Dead

She did it! Introducing brigs!

Matt Corker — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 18:21:17 +0000

Yesterday, after a kickin spin class, I came home to find a square envelope sitting on our stairs. Confused, I picked it up and immediately smiled.

She did it! And in my hands was the proof!

Let me back track a bit ….
Five years ago, Andrea Burgoyne and I sat in her apartment writing a song for Steph & Doug’s wedding. She shared stories of her love of music as she found the chords that would compliment my lyrics. Needless to say, the experience, and the product, remain unforgettable. Since then, she left Vancouver to follow her passions to the Yukon where her love of making musical art was re-ignited. As she sat on my couch during her last visit to Vancouver, she told me she was in the studio, recording her debut album as brigs with an amazing gent named Jordy Walker, and planning on going on tour in the summer.

In that square envelope was her CD – proof that intense focus and a grateful heart make dreams come true.

Yes, her songs have been playing on repeat since they arrived (cause they are seriously addictive).
Yes, she is touring this summer.
And, yes, when she comes to Vancouver I’ll be in the front row – beaming and singing every word!

To join in on the fun, you can find brigs on MySpace and Facebook. One down, three to go!

Pick of the post: brigs – It’s Hard To Pump Blood

Corker’s Spin Class Schedule @ UBC Birdcoop

Matt Corker — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 21:23:20 +0000

I have some glorious news for your heart and hamstrings. I’ve joined the team at the UBC Birdcoop (map) to teach indoor cycling (spinning) classes! If you’ve ever wanted to try out a spin class but were too intimidated, incorporate cycling into your cross-training schedule, or just have some fun on the bike with me – now’s your chance!

Of all the available classes, I will be teaching:

Hot Wheels Sprint classes – Tues & Thurs 5:00-5:45 pm

These 45-minute work-outs are high energy and pack a punch that will leave you and your quads smiling. If you have a staff or public membership to the Birdcoop, there is no extra cost to attend a class. If you don’t have this membership, you can pay the drop in rate – only $5 for UBC students, and $8 for everyone else! You can also upgrade your student gym membership to include these classes or pay as you go. Check out the Birdcoop membership options for more info. The trek out to UBC is worth this great, cost-effective workout.

New to indoor cycling? Some helpful tips:

Bring a small towel and a water bottle with you into class
Wear comfortable work-out clothes and stiff-soled athletic shoes (bike shorts and shoes are not necessary for these classes)
Arrive 15-30 minutes before class to sign-in, get on a bike, and lightly pedal to warm before the fun begins
Be ready to sweat and smile – I guarantee both

Hope to see you in the saddle soon!

Pick of the post: Tiesto ft. Three Six Mafia, Sean Kingston & Flo Rida – Feel It (official music video)

Mr. Vanier 2010 – The Next Generation of Gentlemen

Matt Corker — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:39:58 +0000

Four years ago, Jen Gill, the President of the Place Vanier Residents’ Association at the time, asked me to help her create a new event at UBC. She wanted something different, something people would talk about, and something people would be proud to participate in.

Enter the Mr. Vanier contest.

Ten gents competing for the coveted Mr. Vanier crown (made of nails, screws, and wire) by showcasing their dance moves, their unique talents, their ability to think on their feet during an interview, and their favourite casual and formal wear. As if the hundred screaming fans in attendance aren’t pressure enough, 3 judges are given the task of evaluating and ranking each contestant’s performance.

Not only do contestants compete for the Mr. Vanier title itself, they each strive to obtain their own “Mr.” title that fits their personality and performance. For example, Mr. Front Desk is awarded to the guy who is always there for you regardless of the time of day, Mr. Roommate for the one who makes the perfect sidekick that you could actually stand living with, and Mr. Congeniality (the only title voted on by the contestants themselves) for the gent who was well-mannered, easy to get along with and made the rehearsals fun to be at. While some titles are unique each year, others are repeated – creating a lineage of men sharing a similar reputation.

The Mr. Vaniers of previous years all come back to Place Vanier (wearing their sashes) to cheer on, support, and congratulate all the new gentlemen that are a part of this legacy. The previous organizers, choreographers, judges and contestants are all treated as VIPs for the night, but are really more of a peanut gallery – adding in witty banter or the odd “ow ow” when needed. This was the first year I sat in the VIP section without having been involved in the show. A strange experience, but I knew when I asked Warren Springer (Mr. Congeniality 2008) to keep the tradition alive, he wouldn’t let me down. And MAN did he deliver! Check out the first minute of the video below to get a taste of what he helped put on:

While the show itself was incredibly entertaining, I was more proud of Warren’s ability to keep the spirit of Mr. Vanier alive. Teaching a guy how to dance or perform his talent is not about teaching the motions – it’s about teaching the confidence required to pull them off. It’s about creating cohesion amongst a team of strangers. It’s about becoming a part of something bigger than just one night.

Mr. Vanier will always be more than just an event for us. It is about a community of gentlemen that faced a fear, learned something new, did something memorable, and were praised for just standing up and trying. To this year’s Mr. Vaniers, I extend an incredibly sincere congratulations and welcome. You’ve proved yourselves to be great additions to the team!

Until next year gentlemen…

Pick of the post: Jay Sean – Do You Remember (official music video)

Just say no

Matt Corker — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:59:46 +0000

… cause then you can say yes!

Having lunch yesterday with the always hilarious Conor Topley reminded me of the power of “no.” As he put it:

Saying no to something is really saying yes to something else.

TRUTH BOMB! Sometimes we feel guilty about saying no. We feel like we “have” to do things. But, next time you feel you “need” to do something, remember you always have a choice. And may I recommend choosing to say no every once in a while. Why?

When you click “not attending” you are able to click “attending” to something better. When you refuse to add something on your to do list, you are making time for the things you want to do. When you say “no” to the voices inside your head that are telling you “you’re not good enough,” you’re saying yes to your true abilities!

Clearly, no is the new yes!

Random sidenote: This week I was asked to comment on the UBC AMS elections by a blog called the UBC Spectator. If you’re interested, check out my post on how to choose your AMS candidate in 7 minutes (or less). Saying yes to voting will allow you to say no to many people running – which is, again, a good thing!

Pick of the Post: Super Junior – Sorry Sorry (music video – why this song is stuck in my head I have NO idea)

Including Your Community in Your Event (online)

Matt Corker — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 18:52:14 +0000

Every year, over 30 alumni from the Sauder School of Business help coach the UBC delegation for the JDC West Business Competition. We spend about 4 months running the teams through cases, presentation techniques, training practices, and team building exercises. I can proudly say that coaching the Social Team is one of the best parts of my year. (These four just light up my days!)

Last night was the awards ceremony for JDC West 2010, but, unfortunately for all the proud supporters of the UBC team, it was all the way up in Prince George. This year – however – we (and 200+ people) were still able to participate and celebrate with our teams.

Using USTREAM, a free online broadcasting system, we were able to be right there with the action as they streamed the awards ceremony live. They even played all the team videos while we were waiting for it to begin. Even better, the viewers were able to chat with each other online and tweet updates directly from the site. The online viewers cheered each other on and also held our breathes in those moments of intense anticipation. Sitting in my room felt like being surrounded by all the other UBC coaches (and supporters) and the alumni from the different schools. It felt like we were really there.

Best part of the night was also seeing Sauder clean-up with the awards:

1st in Debate
3rd in Accounting – Academic Case
3rd in Business Strategy – Academic Case
1st in Finance – Academic Case
2nd in Human Resources – Academic Case
1st in Management Information Systems – Academic Case
1st in Finance – Academic Case
1st in Marketing – Academic Case
1st in Participation

This hard work and commitment to excellence helped them bring back the title of SCHOOL OF THE YEAR to Sauder. 1st Place overall! The crowd, both online and offline, went wild! Below is the entire gala, but if you fast forward to 2h:06, you can join in the excitement of the big announcement:

Next time you are planning an event, take a note from the JDC West 2010 planning committee’s book and think about how you are engaging the community of those who aren’t able to attend. Technology can help remove some of those pesky geographic boundaries. After all, great communities want to celebrate (and learn, and laugh) together.

Congratulations, again, to the JDC West 2010 UBC team. You made us proud this weekend.

break

Pick of the post: Jason Mraz – Kickin’ With You (a newly released Mraz song to celebrate!)

Making it easy at UBC

Matt Corker — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 23:24:16 +0000

When energy is able to flow without resistance, we feel more fully alive. When challenges, confusion, and wrong information block our energy, we tend to feel restricted or frustrated. That breath of fresh air that comes after overcoming a challenge in life is that awesome feeling of letting the energy flow again!

I strive to keep energy flowing so try removing resistances (both mental and physical) whenever possible. I call this my “easy philosophy.” I believe it should be easy to be successful, easy to feel happy, easy to be a part of your community, easy to share, etc. One way of making things easy is to find solutions (or ways of presenting the pre-determined solution) to frequently asked questions/problems.

UBC student’s common question/problem? “How do I get involved?”
The easy answer? “Go to the new Centre for Student Involvement in Brock Hall.”

Finally(!!) a one-stop shop for students that wish to explore the variety of involvement opportunities available to them in the different faculties, clubs, and units on campus. The space is close to the SUB and the bus loop, and in the same building as where students would pay tuition, pick up transcripts or get a campus tour. Better yet, some friendly students greet you on the way in and are there to help provide advice and different options to visitors if they wish to get a student’s perspective!

Dreamed of 10 years ago, designed by an incredible UBC alumna last year (who is an interior designer by day, jewelery artist by night), and then championed by a rockstar student and staff team – the space is now open and ready to keep the energy flowing.

A new (and easy) answer to a common problem! I think I just heard another silo fall. Sherry, Geoff, and Chad – you should be very proud.

Pick of the post: Charlie Winston – In Your Hands (official, freakin awesome, music video)

Getting back to where knowledge is new

Matt Corker — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 16:14:21 +0000

My Dad (a pretty accomplished sales guy before he retired) would always attend the introductory sales training sessions hosted by his company. He would get puzzled looks and strange remarks throughout the sessions as new hires (and the workshop facilitators) never really understood why one of the top performers in the company would want to “waste his time in an introductory seminar.”

He would always reply with something like:

“A lot of this is review, but it’s important to be reminded of the fundamentals. But the real reason I am here is that if the new guys are learning anything different than what I was taught when I started, I need to learn that too. Because, if I don’t, I will be quickly left behind as they begin to create new best practices.”

This past weekend, I understood what my Dad was trying to tell me in these stories.

Since my second year of University, I have attended and presented at the UBC Student Leadership Conference. Last year, I had the privilege of coming back as an alumnus to present a workshop with Warren Springer – which was voted to be my 4th “Best of the SLC” workshop, and Warren’s first (but hopefully not last). Following my days as a student leader, I have become a lifetime member of the International Leadership Association and regularly read the latest research they publish on “leadership.” And, I must admit, nothing gets me more excited than walking through the Leadership section in Chapters and finding my next great read.

So, like many asked me yesterday, why would I “just attend” the Student Leadership Conference this year. I had no presentations to deliver, no responsibilities as a staff advisor – I was just participating and conversing with other great minds all day as a delegate. But MAN did I ever pick up some new “gold nuggets” (as my Dad would say).

They came from the student presenters that reminded me of the power of community.
They came from the alumnus who stood up and proudly said “Yes, I have my own successful business, a UBC degree and I’m only 18.”
They came from the conversations had at lunch, en route to workshops, and later that night at the bar.
They came from that toast to the invisible leaders given by this year’s Nestor Korchinsky award winner.
They came from the slam poet who opened the conference with a reminder about the importance of finding your own voice.

All these nuggets challenged me to apply a new lens to all the research and readings I had been doing. This generation of leaders is doing things (and thinking) a lot differently than I did when I was a student. And I’ll admit, if I don’t keep myself up to speed, “I will be quickly left behind as they create new best practices.”

There is a power in the moments where new knowledge is created – when things become clearer, when motivation is provided, or when new steps for action are unveiled. This year’s SLC had that power and I am so glad I was able to experience it. A huge congrats to the entire planning team.

You hosted something remarkable.

Pick of the post: Miike Snow – Black & Blue