Diamondback Ambassador

Maxx Powell

Outdoor

Rochester, Washington

Maxx Powell takes nothing for granted. At an age when most kids aren’t responsible for tying their own shoes, Maxx became caretaker to his younger brother, Joel, who was born deaf and blind and required constant supervision while the boys’ single mom was working. There are any number of ways that a child could view such a set of circumstances. Maxx saw his brother’s challenges as a daily reminder that “normal” is a massive blessing.

“This world is full of things to see and do. It’s a shame so many people get comfortable wasting their time away.”

Maxx wears his enthusiasm for life on his sleeve and is genuinely down to try anything. Not that he lacks focus or commitment. Those kick in when he sets his mind to something. Like, for instance, a pet hawk. Working as a firefighter at a nuclear facility, Maxx saw a group of hawks flying over the desert and began daydreaming about how cool it would be to have one as a pet. Within a few years, he had a license in falconry and a red-tailed hawk. As with many ventures, he satisfied that itch and moved on to something new. Other things have stuck.

Flying was something Maxx set his mind to at the age of thirteen when he made friends with a guy who owned a powered parachute. Years later, as soon as he was able, Maxx invested in a course and the necessary equipment, took to the skies, and has never looked back.

“It sounds crazy, but one of the few things that grounds me is flying my paramotor. It’s always terrifying, never relaxing, but just completely grounds me.”

When Maxx returns to the actual ground, things move even faster. He and his wife, Desi, are busy showing their sons, Sterling and Sawyer, how to properly tackle life. The boys have a great example in their loving dad, who’s collected an impressive list of experiences in just a few decades. After military service and more than 10 years spent as a first responder, Maxx decided to take his YouTube channel full-time in 2021. He’s now an inventor with his first patent-pending, and in 2022 launched Outsiders Media, a media and marketing company that’s already piling up wins.

We’re proud and grateful to have Maxx on our team.

Rochester, Washington

“This world is full of things to see and do. It’s a shame so many people get comfortable wasting their time away.”

“It sounds crazy, but one of the few things that grounds me is flying my paramotor. It’s always terrifying, never relaxing, but just completely grounds me.”

We’re proud and grateful to have Maxx on our team.

How did you first become interested in filming YouTube content?

Maxx: It started long before YouTube was considered a potential career. One of my first business ideas was to buy Flip cameras for all of my buddies when we were in our early teens. We grew up in an area that didn’t have much going on, so we created our own fun and would film everything. Once a week, we’d meet to compile and edit our footage, and then submit our content to whoever would publish. We actually had a few go viral and our group still gets an occasional royalty check. I started my YouTube channel in 2015.

What are you going to tackle next? Anything on the bucket list you hope to cross off soon?

Maxx: I’d love to get my pilot’s license and buy a little four-seater plane, and I’m working towards Scuba certification. Whether in the sky or water, I love the feeling of being in another world.

Tell us about the toughest day you've spent outdoors? Any changes to your preparation as a result?

Maxx: Years ago, I was on a group trip to Moab and one of our vehicles wasn’t up to the challenge. We had to take an easier but much longer route and spent 20 hours battling deep, nasty snow. We ran out of fuel but siphoned enough from a diesel generator to make it out. Everyone and everything was soaked. I’ll never again take a vehicle anywhere without my rubber boots.

Do you ever relax? How?

Maxx: May sound funny but I relax by multi-tasking. For example, listening to an audiobook while driving a tractor on the farm. Either on on its own might bore me a bit but combining them helps me mellow.