For hiring managers, founders and recruiters
Why Max Wastler can solve your problem
Your industry is not the hard part. The hard part is the problem: a product nobody understands yet, a launch that has to land, revenue that has to show up. Max has solved them in hotels, bourbon, menswear, television, manufacturing and the boardroom. The setting changes, but the way he works doesn't.
How he works on any problem
1. ListenHe starts with what you need to be true six months from now, not with his own résumé.
2. Find what's specialHe finds the thing about your product, place or people that no competitor can claim.
3. Tell itHe turns it into a story people care about, in writing, on camera, in a launch or in a pitch to the board.
4. Sell itHe carries it through to results you can count: customers, sales, followers, sold-out products.
The problems he solves, whatever your field
"Our product is great, but nobody knows why."
He finds what is special about how a thing is made and tells that story so people care, and then buy.
"We need people who love us, not just follow us."
He builds communities and partnerships around a brand, so other people carry its message.
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Spirits Grew Basil Hayden's organic audience from 0 to 90,000.
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Events National maker events with 60 makers and 300K impressions.
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Partners Filson, Patagonia, Faribault Woolen Mill, Gitman, Pentagram and Shinola.
"We're launching something, and it has to land."
He takes a new brand or product from name to opening day, then makes it sell.
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Hotels Six hotel brands launched as VP of Brand at Aparium.
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Fashion On the launch team for Madewell at J.Crew.
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Product A Filson × Basil Hayden's tote that sold out in under a month, and a Faribault blanket that sold out too.
"We need revenue, not just awareness."
He sells, face to face and at scale, and he builds relationships that turn into repeat business.
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Retail $1M+ in menswear sales at Smith's Men's Store since September 2025, with no client book to start from.
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Wholesale A 13-state, 300-account territory for Gitman and Oxxford.
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Retail ownership Co-owned Buckshot Sonny's, a Made in USA sporting goods store.
"We need content made, start to finish."
He writes, hosts and produces, so one hire covers the idea, the camera and the final cut.
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Television Host, writer and producer of Made Right Here.
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Hospitality Head of Production at Ace Hotel.
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Corporate Executive messaging and board materials for Maritz, a $3B company, and performance creative across seven Adobe products at Dentsu.
The range
Menswear and retail · film and television · hotels and hospitality · travel · spirits and food · home and design · sports and outdoor · manufacturing · technology · corporate communications. Different rooms, same job: find what's special, tell it so people care, and sell it. See the full results.
Forward this to someone who's hiring
"I know Max Wastler. If you need someone who can find what's special about your product, tell that story so people care, and then sell it, talk to him. He launched six hotel brands, grew Basil Hayden's audience from 0 to 90,000, and has sold $1M+ in menswear since September 2025. He'll listen first and tell you plainly how he can help. Reach him at allplaidout.com/pages/contact."
Six months from now, how will you know you hired the right person?
Tell Max the answer in the first conversation. He'll listen, then tell you how he would get you there.
