Interview With Max (Founder at Kraken Digital Services)

1) Where were you born and raised? Also tell us something unique about yourself.

I was born and raised in sunny Brisbane, Australia. Since I was young, I've always viewed myself as an explorer. A deep desire to adventure and travel the world was what drove me to begin down the "internet money" route.

2) What got you interested in marketing and what was your journey?

Once I'd set my sights on making money online, I honed in on Google Ads because of the highly scientific and logical nature of the platform which aligned very well with my Bachelors degree in Science from University.

The drive to move towards marketing was truly just because agencies of that type are a great cash flow vehicle and require minimal upfront investment.

3) What skills and industry do you specialize in?

I specialize in running Google Ads for ecommerce brands, through which I help brands create and scale an entirely new, highly profitable traffic source for their brand.

4) What is your best soft skill?

I'm a social chameleon. I can adjust well to connect with a very broad range of people and gain the trust and friendship of wildly opposing personality types. I believe this is the result of my natural interest and past studies in psychology which fostered an understanding of what makes people feel valued.

5) What softwares and tools do you use regularly?

Google Ads, Slack, Monday, Notion, Google Calendar, Loom.

6) What are your goals for the next year and into the future?

My 2025 goals are to scale my personal agency to $100k+/mo and help as many ecom brands as possible realise their maximum potential with Google Ads.

7) What has been the hardest thing you dealt with in your career path?

The hardest part of my journey so far has been remaining disciplined despite a lack of apparent progress. There will be times when you'll be working very hard and it feels like you have nothing to show for it. But just know that with time, all of the fruits of your labour will ripen.

8) What is the biggest mistake you made that you want others to avoid?

Not pursuing this path earlier. I was trapped in the conventional cycle of school -> university -> work and dreamt of an escape. Making the jump out of that cycle and taking a risk in starting my own business was the best decision I ever made.

9) Who are your favorite people in the industry that you follow?

John Moran, Joey Bidner, Jackson Blackledge, George Clements to name a few.

10) Who has had the biggest influence on your career to date?

Intially, Iman Gadzhi. His videos were what spurred me initially to enter the game. So I need to credit him to some extent. Now, my career is mostly influenced by the wide range of authors I read on various business-related topics.

11) What has been your favorite course that you taken and why?

EasyGrow by Charlie Morgan. Incredible summary and guide of the foundations of building an agency. I credit this course with accelerating me significantly in my early stages.

12) What would you tell yourself or someone who is just starting out in marketing?

Choose one thing, and stick to it. Shiny object syndrome will land you on a perpetual rollercoaster to nowhere. Committing to a single objective and working tirelessly towards it will eventually make all of your dreams come true.

13) If the entire world was listening to you, what would you have to say?

You can do whatever you want. I have more or less built my dream career from consistent, applied initiative, and I'm confident that you can too.Don't do what everyone else wants you to do. Do what YOU want to do.

14) Where can we find you?

X: @lifemaximised

Linkedin: Max Crakanthorp

YouTube: Max Crakanthorp