Max is our Senior Project Manager who has been with the company for just over 4 years. He tends to keep the office on their toes with his wit and humor. Outside of the office-life, Max is a former Oregon Duck with a passion for football season and a true love for cooking.
We caught up with Max to check-in, and learn how his daily life influences the work he does with us.
3 Influences
Cooking – Whenever you have a bad day, nothing feels better than going into the kitchen and making something you know you’re really, really good at. It gives me the opportunity to succeed at something on the hard days, and try new things when I’m feeling adventurous. It’s something you can always get better at doing, and a great way to build self-confidence.
Watching Football – Watching NFL and NCAA football is one of the truly relaxing things I can do. I went to Oregon and root for Ducks, which is a ton of fun. On Sundays, I’m a Raiders fan, which isn’t always so fun, but I’m in 5 fantasy football leagues to take my mind off it. I always come back on Monday feeling refreshed.
Playing Video Games – I’m a super competitive person and video games are my primary outlet. Whether it’s Call of Duty, Apex Legends, Super Smash Bros, Madden or Rocket League, it always feels good to win (and learn from the many, many losses).
2 Strengths
Communication – I’m a good communicator, and communication is a two-way street. One of my primary job functions is listening to what my clients want, then converting those wants into executable items for our talented production team. It’s important that I fully understand my clients’ visions so I can set our team up for success and deliver great results.
Hard-Working – I work hard. This may come from my competitive nature, but I believe that if you take your time to do something, you should give 100% of yourself to that task while you’re doing it. If you find that you can’t, or that you don’t want to, the task isn’t worth doing. I take this same philosophy with me into work every day, and put all of my focus and energy into doing the best job that I can.
9 Things Max Loves
- Spending time with my family – wife, daughter, and dog.
- The Mass Effect trilogy. This video game series changed/saved my life.
- Arctic Monkeys, my favorite band of all time.
- Coors Light – a criminally underrated beer, and perfect for Sacramento Summers.
- The Bachelor franchise, including Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise, and even Winter Games.
- NFL Redzone, aka 7 hours of commercial-free football, every Sunday during the regular season, hosted by the one and only Scott Hanson (if you prefer Andrew Siciliano as a host, we can’t be friends).
- Dive bars, for when you just need a stiff, cheap drink (or 7) without an ounce of judgment. Sacramento has many, but Zebra Club is my preferred choice.
- Playing guitar, it always calms me down and is almost a meditative experience for me.
- Chicken Pot Pies, they’re the perfect food. I cook my own, at least twice a month. They’re healthy, filling, and leave you better than they found you. Pot Pies Save Lives.
Max’s Personal Spotify Playlist
Go-To Resources for Industry News
Invision Newsletter – The Invision newsletter is a great way to stay up to date on design trends. Sharpening my eye for design is something I’m always interested in doing so I can contribute to projects in more ways than one.
Adweek – I follow Adweek on social media to keep up on marketing trends. While this isn’t a direct part of my job, I draw inspiration from some of the more creative ad campaigns featured. It’s a great way to train yourself to think outside the box.
Must-Have Apps
Sleeper Fantasy Football – I’m in 4-5 fantasy football leagues every year, and Sleeper is, in my opinion, the best source of news/updates. I’ve won the Three29 office league before, but am not currently the reigning champion. Calling my shot right now, I’m taking the throne back this year.
Genius Scan – I don’t own a scanner, but have to send print materials as PDFs all the time. This app allows you to scan any piece of paper using your phone camera and send it as a PDF.
My Fitness Pal – It’s a great way to track caloric intake. I recently became a dad, so I decided it was maybe time to stop eating like a college student and get healthy. Using this app, I’ve been able to lose 25 pounds in 6 months, which has been great!
WFH Set-Up
Coffee/La Croix/Coke Zero – These low calorie drinks are an absolute staple for me. When I’m working, I always have to be drinking something. It’s kind of an obsessive behavior, but it gets results. In a pinch, I chew gum and that gets the job done.
Headphones – I’m working from home with a 1 year old. I think that’s all need to say.
Guitar – One of the perks of working from home! My guitar hangs from the wall behind my desk. When I need a short mental break, it’s always nice to take a moment and play something to clear my mind.
Office Chair – I snuck back into the office and brought my work chair back to my house, and I don’t know if Kevin knows. We’ll find out if he read this…
