OCTOBER 2007: BIZ LIFE, PURSUITS
Testing out your dream job while on vacation
Baker Tim Healea (left) and vocationer Matt
Jaffe.
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TIM HEALEA LOVES HIS JOB but is often amazed that someone would
pay money to test it out for two days.
“People are actually willing to start baking at 5:30
a.m.,” says Healea, a longtime Vocation Vacations mentor
at Portland’s Pearl Bakery. “They are that
passionate about baking. And many leave feeling energized to
start their own bakeries.”
It is difficult to find a flaw in the formula created by
Vocation Vacations president Brian Kurth, whose ingenious
business plan — let people experience their dream job for
two days and charge them heftily for it — has worked like
gangbusters.
In its three-year history, the Portland-based company has
grown its mentor base from 10 in Oregon to more than 250
nationwide. Among the most requested of its 110 different
mentorships are brewmaster, dog trainer, TV producer, sports
announcer and baker. Most experiences are for two days and cost
between $949 and $1,199.
“It’s a three-fold benefit for the mentors,”
says Kurth. “You are sharing your passion, getting tons
of free exposure on our website and getting paid for your time.
It’s the ultimate win-win.”
Kurth says a nonprofit mentor in Texas saw a 50% bump in
donations after getting a mention on the Vocation Vacations
website. “Some folks are now questioning whether to keep
their PR people on retainer,” he says.
Vocation Vacations mentors say the pay and exposure are great
but admit they didn’t expect the feel-good factor to be,
well, so good.
Healea says he knows of one “vocationer” from
North Dakota, who, following his mentorship, opened his own
bakery. A couple from rural Georgia, a schoolteacher and a bus
driver, are planning to do the same.
“Our bakery also benefits from the vocationers,”
he says. “We’ve had marketing people, lawyers and
financial people come here for mentorships and end up giving us
free business advice. It’s
great.”
STACEY WILSON
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