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Travel Leaders: Corey Marshall, Managing Director, Canuckiwi

Some people leave a lasting mark on your life — whether it’s a teacher, a colleague, or someone who appears at just the right moment with the right words. Corey Marshall is one of those people. As a former pro volleyball player, representative coach for the largest and most successful basketball association in New Zealand and Managing Director of Canuckiwi, Corey is a true leader, both on and off the court. His story shows how the lessons learned in sport can shape how we approach everything — from teamwork to leadership, and even life itself.

Some people leave a lasting mark on your life — whether it’s a teacher, a colleague, or someone who appears at just the right moment with the right words. Corey Marshall is one of those people. As a former pro volleyball player, representative coach for the largest and most successful basketball association in New Zealand and Managing Director of Canuckiwi, Corey is a true leader, both on and off the court. His story shows how the lessons learned in sport can shape how we approach everything — from teamwork to leadership, and even life itself.

“What are you learning here that’s going to help you off the court?” Corey often asks his basketball team, but it’s a question that has guided his own journey. From the sports fields of Alberta to building thriving travel businesses both in Canada and Down Under, Corey has turned his passion for competition, coaching, and helping others into a blueprint for life. His story is one of sharp turns, unexpected passes, and knowing exactly when to shoot. 

This sporting life

Growing up in Sherwood Park, Alberta, Corey was a sports fanatic with an insatiable competitive spirit. His athletic prowess led him to excel in various sports, including the almost obligatory ice hockey.

“Every Canadian kid plays hockey, and I wasn’t terrible at it,” Corey says.

“In school, we used to do these things called hockey helmet fights,” Corey laughs, remembering the brutal but playful tradition where the boys would put on helmets and hit each other in the head. “I was the only guy that would fight Andrew Ference… maybe because I didn’t mind taking a few punches!”

[For those who aren’t as au fait with the NHL, Ference would go on to become a legendary figure with the Pittsburgh Penguins.]

Instead of skating down the hockey path, Corey discovered his true passions in basketball and volleyball. His exceptional talent in both sports led him to excel at an elite level in high school and university, culminating in scholarship offers for both disciplines.

"I loved Michael Jordan and those guys," Corey says. "Everyone wanted to be like Mike."
“I loved Michael Jordan and those guys,” Corey says. “Everyone wanted to be like Mike.”

What he chose and why he chose it is quite telling.

“In hindsight, maybe I shouldn’t have chosen volleyball,” he jokes, “because some of my friends went on to make a living in the NHL.”

“I think I chose volleyball because I could go straight onto the court and start. It was about play time. In basketball, I wasn’t top five in Canada, but in volleyball, I was.” For Corey, it wasn’t about choosing the sport with the biggest paycheck, it was about being in the game, leading from the front, and playing with heart. 

He was soon representing Canada, travelling the world and playing volleyball professionally. But it hadn’t all been a slam dunk. Corey had jumped some tough hurdles that undoubtedly helped build the competitor he is today.

Beating the odds

“When I was 14, my dad was hit by a three-quarter-tonne truck while riding his bicycle. That was one of the defining moments of my life,” Corey tells Karryon. 

His father, the family’s breadwinner, spent years in and out of hospitals after the accident, leaving a void that forced everyone to step up, especially Corey. 

“I had to get my learner’s permit at 14 to drive Dad to where he needed to go,” Corey recalls, but it wasn’t just about driving, it was about taking on responsibilities well beyond his years.

But this wasn’t Corey’s first exposure to hard work. Growing up, Corey had always worked, helping with his dad’s various side hustles. 

“Dad always had entrepreneurial ventures,” Corey says. “As much as he worked for the government, he had side gigs, like building trampolines and importing them into Canada — even though half the year is covered in snow! 

“And there were articles across Alberta that talk about ‘The Park kids who flew high’, these kids who could trampoline like crazy, and they’ll come and they’ll set them up with their dad. It was a weekend gig, so we always worked.”

Too cute for words!
Too cute for words!

Corey’s early introduction to business taught him invaluable lessons about resilience, creativity, seizing opportunities and working hard, qualities that would later define his career. 

A chiropractor was the one who finally figured out what was wrong with his dad, and through a tailored treatment plan, gave him back his health. “That chiropractor saved his life in many ways,” Corey says. And seeing how much difference that one person made, Corey set his sights on becoming a chiropractor himself. He wanted to help people in the same way that the professional had helped his dad.

Corey with his (equally tall) family.
Corey with his (equally tall) family.

The winning shot

With his father out of work, Corey’s mother took a job with Anderson Tours and Charters. But this wasn’t some temporary fix, it was the beginning of a new chapter for the Marshall family.

The company wasn’t a big corporate operation; it was a small, local business. Corey’s mother, naturally skilled at organisation and logistics, coordinated tours for local senior citizens. 

“Mum was great at putting together the tours and managing the buses,” Corey explains. And eventually, the company’s owners, the Anderson family, offered Corey’s parents the tour part of the company. 

“Dad took an employment package from the government, and they bought Anderson Tours on the understanding that they would use the Anderson buses.”

“Tourism’s been in our blood since I was about 16,” Corey says. He got stuck in early, delivering flyers, learning the ropes, or just helping out where he could. 

One day while standing in front of a tour group as a guide one day, it hit him: “They were having the time of their lives and I realised that the reason I wanted to be a chiropractor was to help people. But in tourism, we help people every single day.”

Corey Marshall: A cover boy from the beginning.
Corey Marshall: A cover boy from the beginning.

That epiphany was the spark that led Corey officially to tourism. He left the idea of chiropractic school behind, choosing instead to dedicate himself to the family’s growing business. He earned his Certified Travel Professional qualification and even researched the link between travel and longevity. “If you travel more, you live longer,” Corey says.

The ultimate assist: Teaming up with Karen

In any winning team, it’s the synergy between players that drives success, and for Corey, Karen McCardle was his greatest teammate: strategic, skilled, and always in step. Their partnership became a game-changing collaboration that took Anderson Vacations from a small family operation to a travel industry powerhouse. 

The two first met at a travel tradeshow in Vancouver in 2000, where Corey was trying to sell Anderson products. Little did he know that the most important sale he’d make that day was himself. 

Corey Marshall and Karen McCardle: the ultimate teammates.
Corey Marshall and Karen McCardle: the ultimate teammates.

“We joke that we’d only spent about four weeks of actual time together before we got engaged,” Corey laughs, remembering the whirlwind romance that occurred almost exclusively via tradeshows.

Karen, already an established player in New Zealand’s travel market, brought a wealth of experience and strategic insight to Anderson Vacations. With her background managing the product for House of Travel, one of New Zealand’s largest retail travel companies, Karen was a natural strategist. 

IMG 2024 10 14 074205

“She was on the executive team at House of Travel, and her expertise was invaluable,” Corey says.

When Karen moved to Canada to join the business, everything changed. With Karen’s business acumen and strategic mind, combined with Corey’s drive and hands-on experience, they quickly grew the company into a major player in the travel industry. 

“Karen’s expertise really helped us evolve from a traditional tour operator to a more modern, flexible travel company,” Corey says. 

“We turned Anderson Vacations into a management run company first (which allowed us to relocate to New Zealand in 2009) and have it run without us present in Canada.  We did this through to 2015 when we sold it to the Adventures Abroad Travel Group.”

A new game plan: The birth of Canuckiwi

After years of having built up Anderson Vacations, Corey and Karen weren’t ready to sit on the sidelines for long. Soon Canuckiwi was born: a boutique travel representation firm designed to blend their expertise with their passion for outdoor adventure, lifestyle, and fitness destinations.

“It wasn’t just about starting another business, it was about creating something that aligned with the lifestyle we wanted,” Corey explains. 

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Canuckiwi gave the couple the flexibility to work with clients they truly believed in.

Karen’s strategic insight and Corey’s relationship-building skills made them a winning team once again.

“We didn’t want the large-scale operations like we had with Anderson Vacations. This time, we wanted to stay boutique by choice, so we could be nimble and work with brands that shared our values,” Corey says. Canuckiwi is about telling the story of places that inspire active, outdoor lifestyles, something that resonates with their own values and experiences.

Another trophy for the collection.
Another trophy for the collection.

At home, Corey and Karen have built a life where family is the team that matters most.

“You want to be around for your kids during those influential years,” Corey says, and the couple has structured their life to be present for the moments that count. Yes, he is their coach, sporting and not, but he’s also their biggest cheerleader because when that final whistle blows, Corey knows that being there for his children is the most important role he’ll ever play.

Corey and Karen with Lily and Levi.
Corey and Karen with Lily and Levi.

A page from Corey’s playbook

If there’s one thing that people notice about Corey Marshall, it’s his seemingly boundless capacity to take on responsibility. 

“My mates always joke about it — they can’t believe how much I can juggle,” Corey laughs. 

Whether it’s coaching basketball, running a successful travel business, or being a hands-on dad, Corey’s energy seems limitless. But even he admits that something’s got to give. 

“Since taking on coaching, which is almost a 30-hour-a-week commitment right now, I’ve had to sacrifice some of the competitive side of myself,” he reflects. “Maybe I’m not quite as fit as I used to be, but that’s okay. I’m giving back in other ways.”

Coach Corey
Coach Corey

Whether he’s guiding his under-18 basketball team at Harbour Basketball in New Zealand or running Canuckiwi with Karen, Corey brings the same principles of leadership, teamwork, and resilience to the table. 

“There’s no better game than basketball in terms of tactics and strategy,” Corey says. “You can’t win unless everyone’s rowing in the same direction.” That mindset applies to both the court and the boardroom.

In fact, Corey often draws on his coaching experience in his business life, especially when it comes to team dynamics and leadership. One of his key strategies? The “Keep, Stop, Start” exercise, a method he uses with both athletes and employees to encourage personal growth and team improvement. 

Corey with his U18 Harbour Basketball team.
Corey with his U18 Harbour Basketball team.

“In basketball, we sit down with each player one-on-one and ask them three things: What should you keep doing, stop doing, and start doing?” Corey explains. 

“It creates great discussions and gives both coaches and players a chance to reflect and set goals.” 

Goal-setting is another cornerstone of Corey’s approach, both in sport and in life. 

“We do goal-setting sessions at the beginning of the season,” he says, remembering how he implemented it with his son’s team when they were just 10 years old. 

“Each player had to bring an individual and team goal. Then we made them write it down, because if you write a goal down, you’re 95% more likely to achieve it. If you tell someone, that number jumps to 98%.”

It’s a simple but powerful lesson in accountability, one that Corey applies not just to his players but to his own life and business.

Corey Marshall

Corey Marshall’s story isn’t just about building businesses or coaching teams — it’s about understanding that the real wins in life come from lifting others up, whether that’s on the court, in the office, or at home. His passion for helping people realise their potential, combined with his boundless energy and dedication, has shaped every path he’s taken. And while his journey from the volleyball courts of Alberta to the travel industry Down Under has been full of unexpected turns, one thing is certain: Corey’s greatest legacy is the impact he’s had on everyone he’s coached, guided, and inspired along the way.