TheyPay you for This?

62 Outside

Enlightened companies seek ambitious individuals who work hard, think big, and crave life-affirming careers, lunchtime bike rides, and soul-expanding travel. Plus: four classic dream jobs and the new rules for landing them.

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New Belgium’s Liquid Center Tasting Room

Best Places

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64 Outside outsideonline.com Outside 65

of the year and the employee of the year get a free weeklong trip anywhere in the world. NoW HIrING: copywriters, developers

9. Quality BicycleProductsBloomington, minnEsota670 EmployEEsBicycle-parts distributor

DIGs: the two-story, leed-certi-fied office building and distribu-tion center overlooks hyland lake Park reserve. cUltUre: Predictably, a riding ethos domi-nates at QbP. employees receive bike swag for cycling to work, there’s a fully stocked service and repairs facility, employees can purchase QbP gear whole-sale, and spin classes are offered during the chilly minnesota winters. dogs roam the office, and staff members are granted two days’ paid leave to volunteer. sWeet Perk: After ten years, employees can take a four-week paid sabbatical to help promote cycling any way they choose. NoW HIrING: brand manager

10. Deckers outdoorgolEta, California1,026 EmployEEsShoe and apparel manufacturer

DIGs: currently, employees are spread across three buildings in the santa barbara metro area, but construction of a 20-acre campus is under way. cUltUre: with the company owning brands as diverse as teva and ugg, deckers’ work-force is eclectic, from fitness freaks to fashionistas. in the teva offices, water-cooler talk revolves around an upcoming ironman. in the sanuk wing, it’s about a recent surfing trip. one common denominator is the company’s charitable ethos: it

gym—is under construction. cUltUre: restoration services does everything from mopping up hazardous areas to building sustainable farms to construct-ing solar arrays. it’s the kind of progressive work that attracts positive-thinking employees. to help them maintain that attitude, there are a range of benefits: compressed 40-hour workweeks, tuition reimburse-ment of up to $3,500 per year, and monthly, company-covered “wellness activities,” like charity bikes rides and sports leagues. sWeet Perk: go to your gym eight times a month and rsi will pay your membership dues.

4. UsaNa HealthsciencesWEst VallEy, Utah653 EmployEEsSports-supplements manufacturer

DIGs: A 350,000-square-foot office building with an on-site cafeteria that serves organic meals. cUltUre: You’d be forgiven for thinking that usAnA is a health club with a side business selling supplements. between conference calls and development meetings, employ-

ees sweat out stress at the of-fice’s 6,000-square-foot gym or on the outdoor basketball court. sWeet Perks: employees are rewarded for hard work with a profit-sharing bonus averaging more than 13 percent of their salary. NoW HIrING: software engineer and distribution repre-sentative, among other positions

5. rally softwareBoUldEr, Colorado306 EmployEEsSoftware developer

DIGs: A 65,000-square-foot building with an outdoor patio overlooking the Flatirons. cUltUre: coding software to improve workforce efficiency is as nerdy as it gets, but rally plays it cool: think bare feet on desks and scooters in the hallways. Plus, management occasionally pulls the staff away from their computers with escapes to the local go-kart track and mini-golf course. over the past three years, employees have donated 6,000 volunteer hours to some 175 organizations. sWeet Perk: Quarterly blowout celebrations. recent examples: a ski trip to eldora and a soapbox derby. NoW HIrING: salespeople and devel-opers, among other positions

6. taylorMade-adidasGolf companyCarlsBad, California937 EmployEEsGolf-gear designer

DIGs: A 75,000-acre campus lined with palm trees, within walking distance of the Pa-cific ocean. cUltUre: “we’re a company of golfers,” says mark

King, president and ceo, “and that fuels our passion in the office and on the course.” And while the links addicts get their fix with frequent r&d outings to the nearby shadowridge and torrey Pines courses, every-one on staff gets access to a 1,300-square-foot fitness center. sWeet Perk: Free passes to taylormade- sponsored events.NoW HIrING: designers and engineers, among other positions

7. chesapeake energyoklahoma City13,500 EmployEEsNatural-gas producer

DIGs: A 120-acre campus, with ponds and courtyards, that feels more like an ivy league college than a corporation. cUltUre: this spring the company faced serious challenges after ceo Aubrey mcclendon came under fire for a series of poor invest-ments, but the good life goes on at chesapeake hQ. long hours are rewarded with free movie screenings in the company’s theater, a 63,000-square-foot daycare center, and a

72,000-square-foot fitness facility with a sand volleyball pit and a 25-foot climbing wall. to top it off, employees earn up to $1,500 just for going to the gym and attending health seminars and screenings. sWeet Perk: summer concert series (with free margaritas) on thursday afternoons. NoW HIrING: hun-dreds of positions in everything from engineering to geoscience

8. clearlinksalt lakE City; 1,097 EmployEEsAdvertising and marketing firm

DIGs: A three-story office in salt lake city’s international center. cUltUre: Ad work is notori-ously demanding, and clearlink gets the incentive part just right. every march, the company takes top-performing employees to mexico, and in the fall there’s a weekend retreat in sin city. management also lets employ-ees’ creative sides set the tone: a blog run by staff members recommends places to eat, an employee in a bunny suit makes random appearances around the office to lighten the mood, and last year the company organized to create 1,279 snowmen in 60 minutes, earning a spot in Guinness World Records. sWeet Perk: each year the sales agent c

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HoW We PIckeD tHeMto rank our 100 Best places to Work (see the full list at outsideonline .com/bestplacestowork), Outside partnered with the outdoor industry association (outdoorindustry.org) to reach out to eligible applicants: non-profit and for-profit organizations with at least 15 employees working in an office in the United states. our research partner, harrisburg, pennsylvania–based Best Compa-nies group (bestcompaniesgroup.com), sent registrants employer questionnaires and confidential employee surveys to analyze ben-efits, compensation, policies, and job satisfaction. they ranked the winners based on which companies allowed employees to balance pro-ductivity and job satisfaction with an active and socially and environ-mentally conscious lifestyle.

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skI PatrollerWhy IT’s GReaT: You’re on the slopes every day.FIRsT KNoW ThIs: the hours are long, the weather can be extreme, and you’ll need an off-season job. GeT The GIG: “back in the day, you’d typically start as a liftie, then try out for patrol once you knew you could pass the tests: a first-aid card and a proven ability to ski,” says Arlene cook, ski-patrol director at idaho’s schweitzer mountain resort. “the rest was on-the-job training.” that’s changed slightly: today, your best first move is to take technically classes, such as the stan-dard level 1 Avalanche course, outdoor emergency care, and mountain travel and rescue. of course, you’ll still need to move through the ranks. don’t be surprised if after four years you’re still the new guy—but snagging more days on the mountain in one season than most people do in a decade. sTaRT heRe: the national ski Patrol lists courses and the mountains they operate on at nsp.org.saLaRy: About $16 per hour for assistants; $10,000 per winter for tenured patrollers

key to tHeIr sUccess deFining beneFits oFFered bY our winning comPAnies

travelsubsidies for

trips, sabbatical programs that

encourage time abroad, generous

vacation

offIce cUltUrelaid-back

workplace, dog-friendly offices,

open floor plans, gear closets, bike parking

flex tIMe

working remotely, summer Fridays, alternating long

weekends, floating free days

fItNesson-site gyms,

reimbursement for sports leagues and gym member-ships, cash rewards

for exercising

GIvING Backoutreach

programs, paid volunteer days,

corporate sustain-ability practices

sWaG!rewards for star

employees, credits for free gear, non-

traditional bonuses like free trips for a job well done

employee stake in the company. After five, they’re taken to bel-gium with cofounder Kim jordan. NoW HIrING: graphic designer, warehouse technicians

2. clif BarEmEryVillE, California311 EmployEEsOrganic- and energy-food maker

DIGs: newly remodeled former manufacturing plant, with vintage bikes hanging from the ceiling, a company theater, and workout spaces. cUltUre: Ath-letes, foodies, and tree huggers (and many crossbreeds)—that’s

who works at clif. Few teams anywhere enjoy the kind of 360-degree benefits that propel clif employees: dozens of free fitness classes in the office gym and studios, up to $350 in race-fee reimbursement, an organic cafeteria with discounted meals (including take-home dinners), a $500 stipend for buying a com-muter bike after a year on the job … the list goes on. “we strive for a great office culture, because sustaining our people is one of our five bottom lines,” says jen-nifer Freitas, human resources manager. “it’s one of the ways we measure success as a com-pany.” sWeet Perk: six-month sabbaticals are offered every six years. NoW HIrING: Food-safety specialist

3. restoration servicesoak ridgE, tEnnEssEE287 EmployEEsEnvironmental-engineering firm

DIGs: A leed-certified head-quarters—featuring an on-site

Working knowledgeFive years ago, we set out on a mission to find American compa-nies that truly believe in work-life balance. We sought out success-ful businesses that allow people to pursue ambitious careers but also spend time with their families, give back to their communities, and fulfill their passions for adventure. And we found them. Lots of them. In 2008, we celebrated 30 in the first list of Outside’s Best Places to Work. By 2010, so many quality companies applied that we were compelled to name 50. This year our research partner, Best Companies Group, was adamant: there were 100 amazing applicants that deserved recognition. And we agreed. (For more on how companies were judged, see “How We Picked Them,” right.)

In the following pages, you can read profiles of the top-ten-performing small, medium, and large companies, and some frank analysis on classic adventure dream jobs. For all 100 of Outside’s 2012 Best Places to Work (including links to apply for open posi-tions), plus past winners and advice to guide your search for an ideal gig, go to outsideonline.com/bestplacestowork. Your shot at making adventure your career begins right now.

1. New Belgium Brewingfort Collins, Colorado435 EmployEEsCraft brewer

DIGs: brewing complex with fermentation tanks and a wood-and-steel office build-ing. cUltUre: social (the staff collaborated on a hip-hop video to promote a new iPA). Active (cyclo cross on the company-built track, climbing on the company wall, on-site yoga, Ping-Pong). lubricated (compli-mentary “shift beers” at the end of the workday). the brewers that created the tour de Fat cos-tumed bike parades clearly enjoy themselves. “our core value is fun,” says media-relations director bryan simpson. sWeet Perks: After one year, new hires are included in a 44 percent

Clif Bar’s Bay area headquarters

Rally software’s climbing wall

New Belgium’s Urban assault Race

sales meeting, Quality Bicycle Products style

Clearlink employees de-stress

Chesapeake energy’s daycare

center

Best Places

to Work

l larGe coMPaNIes250+ EmployEEs

meetings are often conducted during strolls to the marina or along redondo beach. employ-ees are reimbursed for sharing healthy snacks with coworkers and encouraged to spend a few hours each week working at one of the nine elementary school gardens that bchd runs. sWeet Perk: Free access to the company’s 16,000-square-foot fitness center.

3. Goal ZeroBlUffdalE, Utah 62 EmployEEsMobile-solar-energy firm

DIGs: warehouse in an indus-trial park with a climbing wall and gym on-site. cUltUre: Philanthropy remains a guiding principle for goal Zero, which was formed in 2009 to help bring power to impoverished areas. the nonprofit donated $400,000 worth of lights and power packs to japan following the tsunami. “Knowing that the products are making a signifi-cant difference in peoples’ lives is a huge team motivator,” says ceo joe Atkin. sWeet Perk: Year-round “free” Friday, allowing an optional four-day workweek. NoW HIrING: mechanical engi-neer, web-marketing director

66 Outside outsideonline.com Outside 67

4. GroundspeaksEattlE; 70 EmployEEsGeocaching-technology developer

DIGs: brick building on the shores of seattle’s lake union cUltUre: groundspeak em-ployees spend as much time using their products as they do developing them. every new hire is given a gPs unit and, says erin carsen, “they’re encouraged to get outside and play.” back in the office, the atmosphere is “super laid-back,” says jen sonstelie, director of marketing. “People wear jeans and ride scooters around the office.” sWeet Perk: three times a week, a catering company stocks the fridge with free healthy food like eggplant and couscous entrées and frozen blueberries for smoothies. NoW HIrING: community-relations specialist, among other positions

5. Hanson DodgecreativemilWaUkEE; 65 EmployEEsAdvertising and marketing firm

DIGs: A building in milwaukee’s historic third ward district.

cUltUre: “we’re active to say the least,” says marketing man-ager joe ciccarelli. employees will often grab an office bike and go for a midday spin or hop in one of the communal kayaks for a quick paddle down the milwaukee river. the laid-back hQ is also pet and family friendly. “many afternoons you’ll see somebody’s young kids hanging out in the studio café,” says ciccarelli. sWeet Perk: in August, hanson dodge will open a 1,700-square-foot fitness center on the building’s first floor. NoW HIrING: creative direc-tor and brand strategist, among other positions

6. colle+McvoyminnEapolis; 204 EmployEEsAdvertising and marketing firm

DIGs: A loft-like office in the warehouse district of minneapo-lis, with a rooftop patio overlook-ing downtown. cUltUre: the vibe at colle+mcVoy can be intense and competitive, which is why employees are encour-aged to blow off steam by taking midday rides along the city’s bike paths. but when deadlines are met—or it’s simply 3 P.m. on any given Friday—someone pilots the beer trike around the office, delivering cold brews and snacks. sWeet Perk: A staff game room features a Ping-Pong table, billiards, and an array of video games on a 128-inch tV screen. NoW HIrING: Account manag-ers, digital-media specialists

7. Petzl americaClEarfiEld, Utah; 51 EmployEEsOutdoor-gear manufacturer

DIGs: in an industrial park roughly midway between salt

lake city and ogden, next door to soccer and baseball fields. cUltUre: “About 60 percent of our staff are pretty serious climbers,” says marketing direc-tor john evans. employees are encouraged to make use of the office’s bouldering wall and take advantage of discounted passes to snowbird and snowbasin ski resorts. every year, the company takes a weekend adventure to places like Zion. sWeet Perk: A vacation schedule modeled after that of its French parent company: after five years, you get 24 days off. NoW HIrING: copywriters and account execu-tives, among other positions

8. c3 PresentsaUstin, tExas; 95 EmployEEsConcert-production firm

DIGs: An office building in downtown Austin, six blocks from lady bird lake. cUltUre: booking and promoting more than 1,000 concerts each year is stressful, so c3 tries to keep its work environment as casual as possible. the staff—all music geeks—walk around in t-shirts and sneakers. the most popular go-to de-stressing tactic is at-tending the shows the company puts on, all of which are free to the staff. sWeet Perk: c3 closes up shop for a week and a half during the holiday season. NoW HIrING: graphics coordi-nator and marketing assistants, among other positions

9. Geographicexpeditionssan franCisCo; 55 EmployEEsAdventure-travel outfitter

DIGs: A refurbished military building in san Francisco’s Presi-dio. cUltUre: “People work here because they’re jazzed about

with clients. but it sure doesn’t feel that way. employees shout weekend plans over the cubicle walls as dogs roam the office. An always stocked bar fuels Friday- afternoon Ping-Pong sessions in the lounge. “effectiveness and success count,” says general man-ager rick guthke. “but schedules can fluctuate, and folks take advantage of slower seasons.” sWeet Perk: every year, each employee spends two weeks “inspecting and experiencing” one of the trips the company sells.

2. seeley lake elementary schoolDistrictsEElEy lakE, montana35 EmployEEsPublic school district

DIGs: typical school—except for the stashes of nordic skis and mountain bikes. cUltUre: “we see education as some-thing that happens in places not confined by four walls,” says super intendent chris stout. before and after classes, seeley teachers bike or cross-country ski on the groomed trails that surround the school and help run the Adventure club, a pro-gram that takes kids biking, hiking, skiing, and fishing. staff also participate in community-building projects like the black-

foot challenge, which promotes outdoor education in the black-foot river watershed. sWeet Perk: Financial aid for everything from a master’s in science to ski-instructor certification. NoW HIrING: K–6 teacher

3. MercurycscBozEman, montana22 EmployEEsAdvertising and marketing firm

DIGs: brick building overlook-ing main street downtown. cUltUre: it can feel more like a ski shop than an ad agency. the music is on, windows look out at the bridger mountains, and staffers are at their desks in their base layers after morn-ing runs. the work itself is both collaborative—think brainstorm-ing sessions in front of a giant whiteboard—and competitive: c

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NatIoNal Park servIce raNGerWhy IT’s GReaT: Your office is Yellowstone, Yosemite, glacier…FIRsT KNoW ThIs: it’s essentially a hybrid law-enforcement and visitor-services job that requires long hours and constant public interaction—i.e., saving tourists from themselves.GeT The GIG: According to national Park service communica-tions director Kathy Kupper, people usually start off as seasonal volunteers, or working concessions, pumping gas, or clean-ing park bathrooms, while simultaneously loading up on emt, whitewater-rescue, and fire-management courses. it may take upwards of five years to secure a permanent position at a smaller park. before landing your dream job at Yosemite, you’ll need to take recertification classes and expand your skill set to include things like helicopter and rappelling rescues. sTaRT heRe: seasonal and permanent nPs jobs are posted at usajobs.gov, and volunteer opportunities are listed at volunteer.gov. saLaRy: $41,000–$54,000

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race DIrectorWhy IT’s GReaT: organizers travel to some of the cool-est spots on earth while bringing together a huge community of like-minded competitors. FIRsT KNoW ThIs: You’ll be so busy getting permits, recruiting volunteers, and dealing with marketing issues that you won’t be able to race yourself.GeT The GIG: the way to break into this small, rapidly expanding field is through education. A few colleges, like castleton state in Vermont and rice university in texas, offer majors like sport adminis-tration through which you can take courses in event management. “then snag an internship and shadow a great race director,” says joseph desena, who started the spartan race series in 2010. “learn the ropes firsthand, even if you have to work for free.” once you’re familiar with how events operate, you’ll have the experience to pull one off on your own. And by following the right director, you may even inherit his or her race.sTaRT heRe: look for job postings online at spartan race.com, toughmudder .com, and runrocknroll.com.saLaRy: $65,000–$150,000 ($7,500–$15,000 per event)

the places we go,” says president james sano, a mountaineer and medical doctor. indeed, the staff exudes pride in provid-ing top-end trips to places like Kenya and bhutan. it helps that they get out there themselves: once a year, each employee goes on a “familiarization trip” to one of the company’s destinations. sWeet Perk: every quarter, a top- performing employee gets an airline ticket to anywhere the company offers trips.

10. spydercogoldEn, Colorado48 EmployEEsPocketknife manufacturer

DIGs: the office sits above a leafy atrium adjacent to the fac-tory and outlet store. cUltUre: spyderco, which was started in 1978 by sal and gail glesser, remains a family-owned com-pany—and frequent staffwide outings make employees feel like they’re part of that family. “our office is packed with fishermen, backpackers, and skiers,” says nicole Veney, marketing as-sistant and graphic designer, “all of whom use our knives all the time.” sWeet Perk: thirty-five miles of hiking and biking trails out the front door.

1. Natural HabitatadventuresloUisVillE, Colorado34 EmployEEsAdventure-travel outfitter

DIGs: Fifteen miles east of boulder, on the campus of its parent company, yoga brand gaiam. cUltUre: on paper it’s another desk job: spread-sheets, data entry, phone calls

Colle+McVoy’s Friday after-

noon beer trike

Lunch break at

Petzl

Ropes course at Beach

Cities health District

Lollapalooza: one of the festivals put on by C3 Presents

MercuryCsC’s 24-hour sledathon

Geographic expeditions training seminar

has donated more than $2.4 mil-lion and 224,000 pairs of shoes to nonprofit organizations since 2006, and it pays employees for volunteering—up to 24 hours per year. sWeet Perk: the company makes suPs and surfboards available to employees, even on weekends. NoW HIrING: brand marketers, footwear developers

1. readytalkdEnVEr; 153 EmployEEsAudio- and Web-conferencing provider

DIGs: two floors of a newly refurbished high-rise in denver’s hip lodo district. cUltUre: it’s a tech firm, so you spend many hours staring at computer screens. but the atmosphere is more Pixar than Office Space. each team has its own themed area—stocked bar cart and brainstorming toys for the mar-keting guys, Ping-Pong table for sales, life-size decals of donkey Kong on the walls of the video-game-obsessed engineering department. sWeet Perk: Free eco Passes, which grant employ-ees unlimited transportation on the light rail and buses through-out the entire Front range. NoW HIrING: Account managers, salespeople

2. Beach cities HealthDistrictrEdondo BEaCh, California53 EmployEEsHealth and fitness company

DIGs: the main office is a quarter-mile from the ocean; half of it has Pacific views, and the other half looks over Angeles crest Forest. cUltUre:

M MeDIUM coMPaNIes50–249 EmployEEs

s sMall coMPaNIes15–49 EmployEEs

Best Places

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every year, two employees who “have shown exceptional com-mitment to the company” are awarded international trips. sWeet Perk: At the end of the year, employees are rewarded with a trip abroad. (last year: costa rica.) NoW HIrING: creative director and copywriter, among other positions

4. Dero Bike racksminnEapolis; 17 EmployEEsBicycle-rack and locker manufacturer

DIGs: everybody, including the ceo, works in an open space inside an office in minneapolis’s Prospect Park neighborhood. cUltUre: A biking way of life is both embraced and rewarded. employees earn $3 each day they ride to work, pedaling to meetings around town is encour-aged, and company outings include rolling tours of twin cities pubs. “cycling shoes and helmet hair are the norm,” says marketing director mark skoine. the mission statement stresses “excellence and happiness,” which (sort of) explains the company president’s legendary big order dance when someone closes a deal. sWeet Perk: Quarterly outings—laser tag, ski trips, twins games.

5. Blue tent MarketingCarBondalE, Colorado24 EmployEEsWeb-marketing and e-commerce agency

DIGs: A dog-friendly loft across the street just a few blocks from the roaring Fork river. cUltUre: Flexible hours let you ski, bike, run, or play, as long as you hit deadlines. company-sponsored ski and rafting parties, and a

fridge stocked with beer for “late-afternoon stress relief,” make for a casual atmosphere in an otherwise hard-charging company. leadership is also “very open to hearing about new ways to do things,” says todd cham-berlin, a project manager. “we’re treated like adults.” sWeet Perk: Freedom to work very remotely for up to three weeks: one employee was recently logging in from costa rica. NoW HIrING: Programmers, account managers

6. clientekminnEapolis; 30 EmployEEsIT consulting firm

DIGs: An office suite above a health club in minneapolis’s warehouse district. cUltUre: number crunching. endless meetings. intense pressure from clients. so goes consulting. but clientek has a formula for keep-ing its highly educated type A staffers balanced: group fitness classes, organized races, foosball, and an extensive nerf arsenal for “random workspace battles.” sWeet Perk: clientek covers training at the club downstairs

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and entry fees for fitness and sporting events. NoW HIrING: software developers

7. stravasan franCisCo; 42 EmployEEsFitness-software developer

DIGs: the old newsroom of the San Francisco Chronicle in the soma district. cUltUre: the staff is dominated by top-tier tech geeks, many of them alums of google and other silicon Valley titans, who are also bikers or runners. the aggressive startup mentality is tempered by the fact that workouts double as testing missions for app devel-opment. sWeet Perk: twenty-five vacation days right off the bat. NoW HIrING: engineer, mobile-product manager

8. Zaneray GroupWhitEfish, montana16 EmployEEsDesign and marketing firm

DIGs: desks are scattered about an open space that looks out on the Flathead national Forest. cUltUre: staffers are dedicated skiers, bikers, hockey players, and ultimate-frisbee afi-cionados. Fittingly, “our company stresses recreation,” says office administrator miriam lewis. Flex hours—eight hours a day on your time or, say, 12 hours one day and four the next—enable the staff to “take advantage of our small-town mountain lifestyle.” sWeet Perks: the company treats everyone to an annual rafting day on the middle Fork of the Flathead river. NoW HIrING: web developers

9. realeflowparma hEights, ohio21 EmployEEsSoftware-development and marketing firm

DIGs: A central “living room” with a leather couch and a big-screen tV ringed by shared offices. cUltUre: “relaxed and friendly” is how communications manager tracy tobias describes it. employees are encouraged to take their families fishing, hiking, and camping at owner greg clement’s 100-acre apple or-chard, just 20 minutes from the office. sWeet Perk: when the company meets earning expec-tations, employees are invited to bring spouses on corporate trips to places like Playa del carmen, mexico. NoW HIrING: graphic designer, programmers

10. BrainstormamEriCan fork, Utah26 EmployEEsTechnology education firm

DIGs: office building on main street, with views of the wasatch Front range. cUltUre: it’s a competitive place, but one where people manage their own hours. “if you want to cut out early to go hang gliding, just show up earlier that morning,” says chandler milne, who works in the marketing department. it’s also a company where blowing off steam means spontaneous dodgeball games and foosball tournaments. sWeet Perks: Frequent outings to try out new experiences—curling, mountain scootering, biathlon—in an effort to spur creativity.

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aDveNtUre fIlMMakerWhy IT’s GReaT: You’re in the field doing something creative. FIRsT KNoW ThIs: You’ll spend many, many hours editing sto-ries about other people doing the things they love.GeT The GIG: many of today’s up-and-coming filmmakers went to a seminar like the banff centre’s Adventure Filmmaker’s workshop (banffcentre.ca) or (ahem) the outside Adven-ture Film school (adventurefilmschool.com). but nick rosen, co-owner of boulder, colorado–based sender Films, says you can also just buy a prosumer camera, like a canon 5d, to experiment with and get an internship at an independent film company. “Find somebody whose work you admire and hound them until you’re hired,” says rosen, who should know: four of sender’s unpaid interns have become full-time filmmakers. the next challenge is getting funding. “there are plenty of small sponsorships in the outdoor industry,” says rosen. “but 90 percent of the capital is your own sweat.”sTaRT heRe: companies to look into include sender, sweetgrass Productions, camp 4 collective, and serac Adventure Films.saLaRy: $25,000–$30,000

ZaneRay Group volunteers at Montana’s Cino heroica bike ride

strava

Best Places

to Work