About

Hey, I’m Matt Brett! 👋🏻

In short, I’m a veteran designer and WordPress developer from Vancouver Island, Canada, with over two decades of experience. I grew up in the suburbs of Toronto but moved out west in my thirties.

I’ve been called many things — dad, designer, gamer, geek, drummer, guitarist, and photographer, to name a few. I enjoy listening to my favourite albums on vinyl, starting each day with a coffee, and winding down in the evening with a nice whiskey cocktail while playing video games.

Professional Life

I began my career at MuchMusic when I was just twenty, working on the web team and co-hosting a weekly tech and pop culture show from the iconic Chum City Building at the corner of Queen and John.

After five years, I left to pursue a freelance career, escaping the lengthy commute and embracing the freedom of working from home and being my own boss. Shortly after going out on my own, I launched an award-winning website that drew significant attention and helped propel my freelance career. Over the next thirteen years, I built WordPress sites for hundreds of clients, both big and small.

Today, I lead a small team at Awesome Motive, where we strive to create thoughtful and intuitive user experiences and interfaces that are both functional and enjoyable to use. Our work powers digital products used by millions, and we take pride in solving complex problems with simplicity and clarity. WPForms, WP Mail SMTP, Easy WP SMTP, and Sugar Calendar are just a few of the products I’m proud to have worked on.

Personal Life

Photography

Photography is something I’ve always had an interest in, but never pursued until recently. I figured that I would wait until I’m older and have more time, but that day never seemed to come, so I decided to just dive in and make the best of it.

When the pandemic hit in early 2020, I went on the hunt for a creative outlet to focus on to offset the onslaught of negativity. I picked up a camera and a drone and have spent countless hours exploring the beauty around me on Vancouver Island. Follow me on Instagram and Threads.

Music

I’ve always had an ear for music (thanks Dad!), and my parents got me into piano lessons when I was 6 years-old. I studied Royal Conservatory and made it to grade 6 before my interest shifted to drums, which I can also thank my father for. He was a drummer in high school and continued playing in rock bands through my adolescent years.

Over the years, I’ve played in a number of bands. Most notably, a ska-punk band called Lucky Number Seven from 1997-2002. I was, and still am super tight with the other guys in the band. LNS is responsible for some of my most fond memories and I met so many great people playing shows around the country.

I picked up the acoustic guitar around 2017 and ended up playing and hosting open mics for years. I even had a little folk/country band that was just starting to play shows when the pandemic hit and put an end to that.

Though I don’t spend much time behind my drum kit anymore, music still plays a massive role in my life. Spotify is always running while I’m at my desk, which is 8-10 hours per day. These days, I enjoy playing cover songs on my acoustic guitar but I haven’t played in front of people since before the pandemic.

Video Games

I’ve been pretty big into video games since I received a Nintendo Entertainment System for Christmas in 1986.

I got out of gaming for most of the 90s, while I was busy riding skateboards and playing in bands. I picked the habit back up in the early 2000s, but the focus was on PC gaming. A couple of months after its release, I picked up an Xbox 360 and never looked back. These days, I spend most of my gaming time on the PS5 Pro.

Star Wars Collection

I’m a lifelong Star Wars fan and find enjoyment in just about all of it. I started collecting Black Series helmets a few years ago, which evolved into collecting the 6″ figures, and now even some of the 3.75″ Vintage Collection figures and vehicles. I’m focusing on the more modern stuff, as things could quickly get out of hand if I broaden my interest given how long the franchise has been around.

I particularly enjoy the original trilogy, The Mandalorian, and The Clone Wars.