Max Norton - ‘jump in and give it a crack’
Max Norton, 34, born and raised in Queenstown, has returned as a remote worker with wife, Marianna, and their two-year-old daughter Florence.
For Max, who’s worked overseas since graduating from Otago University, remote work is not a new concept.
“There weren’t too many jobs here when I graduated so I headed to London, which opened my eyes to the tech scene,” he says. “It was called the Silicon Roundabout and the tech scene was just taking off.” General Assembly was offering short courses in computer coding in London so Max took up the opportunity. He worked for a travel software company until his visa ran out then landed in Sydney where he cut his teeth in the tech world as a software developer for five years. “I was working for digital agencies then I got into the product side of software development.” Max built up enough contacts in Sydney to start contracting his services freelance and landed a couple of big contracts.
Marianna, a successful lawyer, worked in Sydney and the couple worked remotely back in her home country of Brazil for a while. “It opened my eyes to the possibilities for remote work,” says Max. “I was working remotely for two or three years before Covid hit so I’d become used to it,” he says. “It takes a while to get your head around remote working. You need good discipline.”
He’s been working for PLANN for more than three years, one of a team of nine developers. “We build and sell a SaaS (Software as a Service) product which makes it easier for companies to schedule content across their social media accounts.
“We also have a bunch of designers and developers in Ukraine and the Philippines with good English and tech skills. The company tries to keep a balance between New Zealand, Australia and the Philippines, focusing on each country’s strengths.
“Sydney is great when you’re under 30, but I wanted to be closer to family. That was a big thing.” The couple worked remotely from Brazil initially for eight months, and were married there.
“Skiing and biking are my two biggest passions so that was a huge pull factor too,” he says.
In 2019 Max and Marianna moved to Queenstown where he’s enjoying working remotely at The Mountain Club. Max says it’s important to have that camaraderie. “It’s good for your social well-being. I’ve got friends there, but they’re not my co-workers. We can be good friends without having to work together,” he says.
Max wouldn’t go back to a non-remote role. “I think, post Covid, everything’s changed. I love the flexibility. If I need to do a daycare drop-off I can make up the time.”
Occasionally he will go skiing or bike riding before work. “I keep a pretty good schedule, but it’s knowing that if I need to I can dip out.”
Having that time in Sydney first to establish a professional network was important, meeting other developers and designers in the industry, he says.
Marianna has begun a remote role for the BNZ in which she only has to travel to Wellington for a few days a month.
The couple has built a new home at Jack’s Point and Max says he has plenty of Auckland friends who want to join them in Queenstown. “They’re currently trying to convince their bosses to let them move down.”
His advice is ‘go for it’, but visiting Queenstown and living here can be quite different, especially with the rental housing challenges. “Make sure you’re aware of the realities, whether they’re accommodation, housing or roadworks. They’re just growing pains, but yeah, jump in and give it a crack,” says Max.
