Pedersen Family Enterprises
Non-profit, not on purpose.
Gesina’s travel photography can now be purchased and printed in the US:
https://gpphotography.smugmug.com/
We spend a pretty decent amount of time watching travel YouTube. Largely for research, sometimes to fantasize, almost always to be snarky about the hosts / format / content. Secretly, though, wouldn’t life be nice as a Certified Travel Influencer?
Prior to adventure year we considered making a YouTube channel for ourselves to document the year. This never got off the ground because we quickly realized that the only one of the three of us who enjoys being in front of the camera is the one of the three of us who we will not put in front of the camera.
One of the more (frustratingly) popular types of YouTube travel video is the “Top # Do’s and Don’ts”. In their honor, the top five types of YouTube travel channels:
Personality Driven. Early career couple with ambition to become the next Kara & Nate. This is a majority of YouTube travel, spawned entirely by people looking at one very popular channel and deciding that “we could do that.” The concept of getting paid to travel (most presumably make no money) makes the channels more seductive than the content, which generally does not vary. This is what we thought we could do. Then we remembered our personalities.
Visually Driven. Early to mid-career couple trying to be influencers generally, travel typically being part, but not all of their content (strong ties to Instagram here). One or both of them has a degree in visual design. They believe they are very artsy. The cinematography is generally good. Coffee is featured very prominently. All the content looks eerily similar.
“I Only Watch for the Great Travel Information.” Single woman or young couple in which the female is decidedly attractive. Swimsuits are always worn. The videos look Personality Driven until you click-in, then you realize why the view count is so high.
Monetizing Children. A thing we can’t get past, which many people apparently can, is putting your children front and center. Derivative of Personality Driven, but with kids. The family backstory generally includes a tremendous amount of wealth. If you watch more than two videos you feel bad for the kids as you realize how many of the shots are composed and probably re-shot multiple times.
Mid-Life Crisis Driven. Late middle aged how-to guides. Appealing to those having a mid-life crisis, the channels include ‘we bought a dump in Portugal/Italy/French countryside and are fixing it up’ and ‘I’m an expat, let me tell you all about the country I’m an expat in.’ The latter here, of course, is something we’ve thought about for CR (the space is obviously well occupied).
The goal for all travel YouTubers, and any Certified Travel Influencers, is, of course, to sell out for free luxury trips and comped flights/rooms. Would we put in the work for someone to let us make promotional videos for their international business class seats? Yes. But I’m not sure we have the stamina (or aggressive smiles to make the video thumbnails) to build enough audience to get the free stuff.
So we’re not doing YouTube. Probably.
Even without YouTube, our goal with the family being full time in Costa Rica is to still be doing things.
Lucrative things? No.
Career things? No.
What I’ve jokingly referred to as Pedersen Family Enterprises on LinkedIn? Yes.
Pedersen Family Enterprises (PFE), the non-serious name for our family business (which is not a business), is our version of Prestige Worldwide. It’s a collection of activities to help us grow, maybe defray some costs, and prompt us to develop new skills.
PFE currently consists of the following:
This sweet blog. Free and worth the price.
Gesina Pedersen Photography. You can now purchase any of the artwork Gesina has been creating while we travel. Get it delivered to your home in the US with a complete ranges of sizes and print mediums, including framing if you prefer.
Borrowing with Pride. Matt’s new writing outlet, testing two questions that have been on my mind through most of my career: 1) Why are only the most superficial (and/or chest-thumpingly silly) parts of military doctrine and techniques discussed or used in the professional world? and 2) What if someone tried to connect more dots between voluminous unclassified military texts and common challenges for leaders, managers, and anyone trying to plan their life?
Real estate (because we own some).
In the future, we plan to extend the PFE empire to include the following:
More real estate. Our next search is in Uruguay, more on this soon.
More writing. The greatest novel ever written is in our brains. And that makes us totally unique.
Small business ownership. This is a ‘down-the-road’ interest. Perhaps combined with real estate. Who knows. Since our residency precludes work in Costa Rica, but not business ownership, there is a lot of appeal here. What this would be we have no idea. Maybe I’ll set up my own Global Capability Center (this is a consulting joke, be happy if it makes no sense to you).
Investors? You. Just kidding.
We might add more to the list. There are no limits to PFE.
Except maybe becoming Certified Travel Influencers. That might be the limit. But please, in all earnestness, keep sending your Costa Rica travel questions. We like sharing! Even if our recommendations don’t earn us kickbacks. YET.