EMPLOYMENT

I start with this because, over the years, I have taken note of the kinds of people that have been successful working for Gentleman Forager. There are ten common threads I gave a great deal of thought to and have listed for you. You will notice I have not listed common things like “2-4 years’ experience in mushroom sales” as prerequisites to success--- because I found that the traits of the individual played a much larger role than did their experience due the very niche nature of what Gentleman Forager does.

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1.) They are not personally fulfilled in whatever current work they are doing and have struggled to find more purposeful work in their lives.

2.) They are at a point that they are willing to take a certain amount of risk both personally and professionally to make that change/happen.

3.) They are supported by a significant other to pursue the opportunity both personally and financially, or they are single and comfortable living frugal for a while.

4.) They have their own personal transportation and a computer beyond a phone.

5.) They are smart, resourceful, humorous and have a strong work ethic.

6.) The nature of their personal life allows them to sometimes travel extensively and keep disjointed hours.

7.) They are genuine “people persons”—they enjoy interacting with strangers and friends alike and people generally like them back.

8.) They take initiative routinely and work well with minimal direction.

9.) They have creative minds and have learned to be comfortable, even when they are uncomfortable with the constantly evolving nature of the business.

10.) They want to be successful, however they may define it, and are willing to work harder than others to achieve it.

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I am at a point with the company where I am looking for a someone who, in a perfect world, takes over managing GF in the next 5 years or so. For this reason, I would like someone to learn all aspects of the business from foraging & sales to events and education and much more. Compensation would depend on the individual chosen, but a successful candidate has the real opportunity to make a 100K+ income within 1-2 years and depends greatly on their ability to help create new revenue. Hours can be very irregular, depending on season and several other factors. You would generally need to be widely available 7-days a week (for an apprentice role not for interns), though this does not mean you would be working 7 days a week!

Now some of the awesome “stuff”. You will meet lots of interesting people from all walks of life, maybe even a few celebrities, but mostly just super interesting folks that all have a story that is rarely heard outside their home. You will get to spend lots of time in the forest at a point you are ready. Clearly being able to “work” in some of the most remote and beautiful areas of the state and country is an incredible experience for the right person. You will learn a great deal about fungi and identification and learn or polish your public speaking skills. You will meet lots of great chefs and join as a dotted line family member of the hospitality industry—it’s a welcoming small world that brings lots of fun. You’ll get to craft ideas and learn how to take that idea and create revenue and bring it to fruition. You will be constantly challenged with new things to do, you will not ever be bored. You will learn that you don’t have to “work for the man” to have a great career in a field that you find fascinating!

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If you are one of the few that this appeals to, shoot me an email and tell me about yourself! mike@gentlemanforager.com