Through the challenges of family responsibility and fatherhood, Group Manager Max Hampton has had reason to ponder resilience, loss and leadership more than most. On the eve of International Men’s Day, and as a new father, he’s pausing to reflect on the values that have shaped him and the importance of showing up authentically, both at work and in life.
I was just 20 when I landed my first gig as a store manager. Life was looking up, and I had good people around me, giving me an important leg up. But things took a hard turn in 2015 when my father took his own life. That kind of loss leaves a mark on you. He was my idol, the strongest guy I knew – but he had his demons, and he hid them well.
My little brother was just ten then, and suddenly, I was more than a big brother; I was his guardian. I took some time off and did some labouring work with mates, just trying to keep things steady for him. Then, in 2016, I joined Woolies – the “Green Brigade”. It’s funny, you know, how life lines these things up.
