Transitioning to New Zealand in 2018 significantly evolved Max's career, pushing him toward web development and interface design. Working initially with Auckland-based big-corps, he expanded his technical toolkit to include modern frontend frameworks and user experience methodologies while maintaining his backend expertise. This combination of skills positioned him uniquely in the market as someone who could bridge the gap between technical requirements and user-centred design.

Max's unique perspective, influenced by his diverse interests, significantly shapes his approach to development. His background in competitive sports fosters a collaborative work style and leadership approach. At the same time, his passion for card magic instils attention to detail and user psychology that directly transfers to UX design. These seemingly unrelated pursuits create Max's unique perspective on technical problem-solving, which can be particularly valuable to those who appreciate a fresh approach.

The personal portfolio website showcases Max's multifaceted background through content and technical implementation and engages the audience through interactive elements. The site architecture models the interconnected nature of skills and experiences rather than presenting them as isolated competencies. These interactive elements demonstrate technical capabilities and engage the audience, conveying personality and approach and creating a more engaging representation than a traditional resume format.

The architecture employs a component-based design system that maintains a consistent visual language while allowing for contextual variation. This systematic approach creates cohesion across different sections, demonstrating the kind of structured thinking that Max applies to larger development projects. State management is handled through React Context, allowing sophisticated interactions without compromising performance.

A key feature of the portfolio is its headless CMS integration, which enables Max to regularly update content, add new projects, and refine messaging without requiring code changes or redeployment. This decoupled approach separates content management from presentation, allowing the portfolio to evolve organically while maintaining technical integrity. The CMS integration includes custom content modelling that accommodates various project types, media formats, and contextual relationships, demonstrating Max's practical approach to content architecture and API design.

In addition to the portfolio and blog, Max offers a newsletter as a direct line of communication with his audience. The newsletter is designed to provide subscribers with curated content, including updates on new projects, insights from recent blog posts, and exclusive tips on web development trends and best practices. This initiative allows Max to share knowledge and foster community among his readers.

The newsletter, which is easy to subscribe to, provides subscribers with informative and relevant updates regularly. By keeping the content fresh and engaging, Max ensures subscribers receive value with each edition, reinforcing the connection with his audience and making them feel informed and connected.

The site also features a well-integrated blog that further showcases Max's expertise and insights into web development. Designed with the same attention to detail as the rest of the site, the blog employs the same modern technologies of Next.js and TypeScript, ensuring a seamless user experience.

The blog's architecture supports easy content creation and management, allowing Max to share thoughts on industry trends, personal project experiences, and technical tutorials. This helps build an audience and reinforces Max's authority as a knowledgeable professional in the field. Each blog post is crafted with SEO best practices in mind, ensuring that the content is easily discoverable. The design incorporates responsive layouts that ensure readability on any device, demonstrating Max's commitment to user-centric design.

Additionally, the blog includes engaging interactive elements, such as comment sections and social media sharing options, encouraging community interaction and feedback. This fosters a deeper connection with readers and helps build a community around Max's work.

Performance optimisation was a particular focus during development. Implementing lazy image loading, code splitting, and cache strategy resulted in perfect Lighthouse scores despite rich visual content. These optimisations reflect Max's belief that technical excellence should always support, rather than compromise, user experience, reassuring the audience about his commitment to user-centric design.

The project showcase section utilises a custom-built case study framework that presents technical projects in a consistent format while highlighting each project's unique challenges and solutions. Interactive elements allow visitors to explore the development process, technical decisions, and outcomes without overwhelming them with excessive detail. This approach effectively communicates both technical capabilities and problem-solving methodology.

Looking forward, Max continues to explore emerging technologies while refining his expertise in established ones. Particular areas of interest include launching his startup (Kurī Studio!), branding development to advise better his clients and colleagues, and the evolution of design systems in enterprise environments. This balance of curiosity about the new with mastery of the fundamentals has defined his career progression and continues to guide his professional development.