Max Dugan
Max is a photographer and creative director pursuing his dreams from Redding, CA.
As an innovative creative and faith-driven entrepreneur, Max puts all his efforts into building the dreams God’s given him while building up others around him. To further his efforts in developing music artists and providing a platform for them to excel, Max co-founded a record label and creative agency with his friends.
Alongside his entrepreneurial pursuits, Max works with the creative teams at Bethel Church, creating and releasing projects that connect and build faith in others. Max is always looking at the world differently and is inspired by the simplest things in life.
His mind is full of vision and he’s learned to become fixed not on what is probable but what is possible.
What dream are you currently turning into reality?
I’m currently building a record label and creative agency with a group of friends. It’s been a wild ride, constantly stepping into the unknown, but we couldn’t wait any longer for someone to just give us a platform. God already did, and we’d be fools not to take it.
Our heart is to raise up and father artists in the faith, while pushing creativity and branding to another level of excellence. We currently have two more songs to record on our debut album and plan on releasing the project and label sometime next year.
When did you first realize you discovered your dream?
I’ve always been a creative with a huge passion for photography. People I grew up with always knew me as “The Photographer”. I took photos of everything and tried everything, but it took me a long time to discover my niche and what truly made me happy. I didn’t want to blend in and pursue a path that everyone else was pursuing, I wanted my own.
It was just over a year ago that God told me I would be stepping into the music industry and I had no idea how serious He was. I’d been doing photography for about 12 years and had never shot anything with music before.
Since that word was spoken in October of 2020, within a year, I have filmed 6 music videos, photographed a live recording for Bethel Music’s latest album “Homecoming”, captured photos for various cover art, began building a record label, and am currently leading the creative direction for an entire album coming out next year.
How does your faith go hand in hand with pursuing your dream?
God is the only One I let open doors for me. If you open any doors prematurely on your own, you’re the one that has to hold it open. But, if you patiently wait for His hand to open the door, He’s the One responsible for holding it open.
Everything that’s happened to me has been given in grace. I found that freedom comes by letting go of control (timeline and expectations), and watching Him move in your life, just because He loves you.
If you are always in control, you’ll never have the joy of being surprised when opportunities are offered to you when you least expect it.
What’s one or two practical steps you take to keep moving forward?
I meet with mentors multiple times a week and share everything with them. You never outgrow being a student. It’s important to find people who are more successful than you are in a certain area and build that relationship. Let them pour into you, because you don’t know everything.
I’ve found, the slightest thought of frustration on a project is a sign that I’m no longer creating, but working. I’ve learned breaks are needed, even when they’re inconvenient. If you don’t take a break, you might end up stirring up a hatred for a project you once were extremely passionate about. Those feelings can spill over into how the final product looks.
What encouragement would you share with someone who’s going after their dream?
No one has ever pursued a dream in the same way you are. Everyone’s journey is different. You cannot grow in comparison, so don’t expect to go anywhere until that distraction is dealt with.
You must rely on God’s word. There will be times when the belief in yourself comes to an end and you’ll want to start looking for quick tips or tricks from other people to get yourself out of it. But, there comes a time when you have to start relying on God’s belief alone.
If He is the only voice you listen to, comparison will never exist in your craft. Whenever you lose belief in yourself, allow it to draw you closer to God. You’ll see Him standing firm in what He says about you, completely unmoved and unshaken. That experience alone will reignite a fire in your own belief of who you are and what you're capable of.