Meet The World Couple—Max Bradley
Growing up in West Michigan offered me a humble upbringing and gave me an appreciation for being in the great outdoors where I spent most of my free time. Winters were cold and snowy consisting of snowboarding the ‘mountains’ of Michigan. I later learned a true skier or snowboarder would have referred to them as hills, but we embraced these hills and got out as much as possible.
Snowmobiling, ice fishing and cross country skiing at cabins throughout the northern part of the state were also good ways to pass the time throughout the frigid months. Summers consisted of boating, camping, surfing, fishing and working in the hospitality industry. Having never left the country and approaching my senior year in college at Michigan State University, I figured it was time to get out there and see what the rest of the world had to offer.
A couple of buddies and I signed up for an intern abroad program in Cape Town, South Africa for the Summer of 2012. We proceeded to book our flights and somehow finagled a 24-hour layover in Amsterdam on the way. It’s safe to say that I hit the jackpot with intern placement after I found out I was going to be working for Cosmo Lingerie and South African Swimwear as a Production Assistant.
Three months quickly flew by, international experience was gained and I had a new profound love for traveling and seeing the world. After returning from Africa and graduating college with a degree in Communication, I was quick to move out to Breckenridge, Colorado, where I spent the winter working and living life as a ski bum in the Rocky Mountains.
The snow began to melt and the mountain town was slowly starting to clear out, it was time to figure out my next move in life. This time it was a trip down to Florida to attend ‘seaman school’. I spent a week learning proper yachting etiquette and networked my way into my first job on a sailboat up in Newport, Rhode Island. This was a big turning point in my life, it had a lot to do with where I’m at now.
The next two and a half years were spent sailing up and down the eastern coast of the United States, scuba diving in the Caribbean Islands, surfing empty breaks only accessible by boat and I even managed to make it to a free Rolling Stones concert in Havana, Cuba on a boat named Taza Mas. Months went by, yachts were sailed, this lifestyle was suiting me quite well.
I decided to journey on back to school to obtain my United States Coast Guard Captain’s License. After course completion, I landed a dream job in the industry. The next year was spent racing a 146 foot J Class Superyacht around the globe (including the 2017 America’s Cup in Bermuda) with some of the world's top professional sailors.
I mingled with A-list celebrities, worked my ass off and learned about the finer things in life. Five years of yachting flew on by, and I could feel my career as a full-time yachtsman coming to end. I made it back to Newport, Rhode Island, where this chapter began and allowed me to look back and appreciate the circle of life. This is where I met the love of my life—Annie Philpott.
