I started Avocationist.com to find the answer to the question "How can I end up doing work that feels like play, living where I want to live all while enjoying my family and the rest of my life?"
I share interviews with people who are Avocationists, ideas on how you can find and grow your own passions and examples from my own experience in moving from regular job to Avocationist life.
Who is the Avocationist?
I'm Allan Bacon. I am in the middle of becoming an Avocationist. Currently I am on my 5th 6th career - my current "day job" involves traveling the world developing new business for a Silicon Valley technology company. is working with growing technology companies to get their products to market faster and with the right first customers. (That's me at age 4 in the photo below.)
I have interviewed hundreds of people about their careers through the course of my career changes and travels. The Avocationist site is my way of sharing some of what I've learned along the way.
“Work becomes more like play - our vocations can become more like avocations...”
I have a passionate belief that we are all born with unique gifts and that our careers provide a way to better understand these. I also believe that as we better align our jobs with these gifts, work becomes more like play - our vocations can become more like avocations...
In my own career, I have navigated through a PhD in physics, worked in a national research lab, researched in academia, worked in technology and e-commerce start-ups, and a Fortune 50 bank in roles of management, strategy, sales, marketing and R&D. I've also had businesses in photography, consulting and career coaching. (In addition to jobs in fast-food, lawn services and the carpet industry during my early years).
The Avocationist lives in the Southeastern US with his wife, daughters and a crazy wire fox terrier.
Help make Avocationist better
Send me a note, comment on the interviews, share your stories. I'm always looking for interesting people to interview.
