We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Max Crawford. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Max below.

Max, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you come up with the idea for your business?

Creating spice rubs as gifts for family and friends turned into a mission to live an independent life. Max is a young man with big passions and dreams who happens to have Down syndrome. In addition to wanting a fun and meaningful job he loves sports, music and earned a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do.

Max Mix is a family venture inspired by founder Max Crawford’s love of good food and bringing people together. Max Mix encourages creativity in cooking and building confidence in the kitchen by creating flavorful food.

Growing up in the hotbed of Kansas City BBQ and a dad and uncle involved in competition BBQ, MaxMix started with Max making spice blends as Christmas gifts for teachers, paras, family and friends. He would help measure out the spices in a bowl and then bottle the blends into up-cycled bottles with the labels soaked off. Max decorated his rubs with own hand-drawn labels. Turns out people really liked them and would ask for refills. It quickly became Max’s thing.

As Max got closer to adulthood, we started helping him figure out a path to achieve his dream of long-term independence and explored the spice rub as a business opportunity.

With initial funding from his high school graduation gifts and help from Mom, Dad and sister Maggy, MaxMix was launched in the Fall of 2023.

The dream is that MaxMix will provide independence for Max, provide employment and job training for others with special abilities, create awareness about the lack of meaningful and respectful employment in our special needs community and all while helping people spice up their life with flavorful food.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Max is a young adult who happens to have Down syndrome. Like many individuals with special abilities, Max dreams to go to college and live an independent life through meaningful work. Max hopes to inspire others with special abilities and build confidence in the kitchen.

Max has always been passionate and proud to have a job, he enjoyed working as a Grocery Sacker at Price Chopper in Kansas City, an intern for Congressman Dean Phillips in Minnesota, and job training at Schnuck’s and the Renaud Community Center in St. Louis.

In his free time, Max can be found floating and fishing at the lake with his friends and family, swimming in the pool, cheering on the Kansas City Chiefs, attending summer camps, skiing, or practicing guitar and drums.

Inclusivity
Max Mix celebrates abilities and inspires possibilities by proving that entrepreneurship is for anyone! We encourage the special abilities community to follow their dreams.

Possibilities
Our goal is to inspire confidence
and creative cooking. All our blends are extremely versatile, you aren’t limited to what you can spice up with our blends.

Wholesome Choices
Our spice blends are free from
additives and preservatives, making them suitable for a variety of dietary needs. AND they’re all sugar and MSG free! What’s not to love?

Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?

Always look for opportunities! Max was shopping with his Dad at a local meat market for something to put on the grill for dinner. Max wanted to bring a set of Max Mix gourmet spice blends and a sell sheet along, just in case he had a chance to talk to the owner. Turns out the owner was there; Max was able to share his story and the owner agreed to carry Max Mix in his store. Always be prepared. Don’t be shy to ask for a sale.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Throughout his 20-year journey there have been individuals who have not taken Max seriously or given him a chance. Some said he would never read, other suggested he should go to a program where he could play all day rather than attend elementary school and participate in an inclusive classroom. Others bullied him, to fuel their own self-esteem rather than recognize Max as an individual with feelings. Max has feelings and dreams. Max is driven, his tenacity is admirable. Max can do most everything anyone else can do, he may just need some additional help and additional time. Don’t take no for an answer and don’t let others define your dreams.

Contact Info:

• Website: themaxmix.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maxmixspices/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?viewas=100000686899395&id=61552352911677
• Linkedin: Max Mix Gourmet Spice Blends