More than 70% of Americans say a rewarding career or job is extremely important for them to live a fulfilling life — more important than family, friends or wealth. CBS News interviewed a broad array of workers who chose unique jobs, for a series we call: Unique jobs, extraordinary lives.
Andrew Boese, a 38-year-old Arizona-based music enthusiast, isn't a fan of travel. But online and for work, he might find himself impersonating an older Australian gentleman with wanderlust looking for love. He's adopted several other different personas too, including a professional ice hockey player, advertising executive and 22-year-old heir to a family business fortune.
For the past decade, he has been a ghostwriter for Vida Select, a global company with 135 employees that does the legwork of online dating — including creating a profile, swiping and messaging with prospective dates — for people seeking new relationships.
It's an emotionally fulfilling career and one that satisfies his creative instincts, Boese said.
"It gives you a chance to live vicariously through your clients. You may be terrified of heights, but typing the words 'I love bungee jumping' could be cathartic," he said. "It's a chance to try on new shoes and see myself in another life."
Boese, who landed at Vida Select by answering a classified ad for a creative writer, takes pleasure in making love matches for others and enjoys the flexibility the job affords. He typically sets his own hours and works remotely.
Boese spends hours every day logged into dating apps, on behalf of a handful of the company's 387 clients, inhabiting their communication styles and dating preferences, even if they're a different gender or generation, or have interests vastly different from his own.
He is single himself — but logs on to dating apps strictly for work. "It's like a car mechanic that drives a broken-down pickup truck. You don't take your work home with you, I guess. There are other ways to meet people and I enjoy those," he said.
Clients either don't have time or aren't skilled at navigating online dating so they hire Vida Select, whose employees — including Boese — say they've found a uniquely satisfying career path.
Revolutionizing Dating: The Rise of Outsourced Dating Services
In a world where outsourcing has become a common practice for various tasks, from dog walking to scheduling appointments, one entrepreneur has taken it a step further by offering to outsource people's dating lives.
The brainchild behind this innovative concept is Scott Valdez, who founded the company after facing disappointment in his own online dating endeavors. After sending 47 messages on dating apps without a single reply, Valdez decided to apply the outsourcing model to his dating life.
Valdez's journey began when he posted a job ad on Craigslist and found a writer who excelled in the art of online dating. With the writer's help, Valdez not only improved his approach but also found himself in a fulfilling relationship.
Today, Vida Select boasts over 100 employees and has grown into a multi-million dollar company. Matchmakers at Vida Select manage clients' accounts, swiping left and right on potential matches to find the perfect fit. While the exact revenue of Vida Select remains undisclosed, Valdez revealed that employees are compensated on an hourly basis, with rates adjusted based on experience and location.
One of the ghostwriters at Vida Select, Boese, shared that while the job may not bring in millions, the opportunity to have a stable career with flexibility and autonomy is a tradeoff he is willing to make. As his own boss, Boese finds common ground with the high-profile clients he writes for, despite the wage gap.
Matchmaking Industry Insights
The matchmaking industry is estimated to be worth $1.2 to $1.5 billion globally, with nearly 40% of the market located in the United States, according to an estimate from Marketdata. High-end matchmakers can charge clients tens of thousands — or even hundreds of thousands — of dollars a year, with no guarantee of a happy ending.
Personalized Online Dating
Cam Smith, who manages a team of 36 ghostwriters, has mastered the art of adopting clients' tones and styles for online dating. They can switch between assertive and confident or passive and empathetic based on the client's needs.
When dealing with clients of different personalities, Smith uses a unique technique. "I find a point of comparison in my life, whether it's a friend, family member, or character on a show that has a similar archetype of personality. I'm implanting that in my mind as my anchor point," they shared.
Creating Connections
The Vida Select team aims to understand clients' core values and desires to spark meaningful online interactions that could lead to fulfilling offline relationships or marriages. "It's about being able to embody who they would be if they had all the time and energy to put into it," Smith explained.
"Crafting Authentic Profiles for Love Seekers"
Ghostwriters like Boese, a former record producer and night club manager, specialize in creating compelling bios and crafting messages for potential matches in the unique voice and style of each individual. Boese dedicates up to four hours daily to curate and manage a single client's various dating profiles on popular apps such as Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, and more.
During his college years, Boese explored scriptwriting and discovered a natural talent for developing characters and writing their dialogues. "My experience in scriptwriting prepared me for my work at Vida Select, where I don't invent characters but rather authentically represent real individuals based on the extensive information gathered during client interviews," he explained.
Although Boese continues to pursue music production as a hobby, he realized that relying on it for income diminished the joy he found in his passion.
While Boese caters to clients of diverse ages, genders, and backgrounds, he has discovered a particular niche in crafting profiles for divorced men in their 40s and 50s who are reentering the dating scene. "I find fulfillment in writing for all kinds of individuals, regardless of gender. The challenge excites me, and I embrace it wholeheartedly," he shared. Boese highlighted the gratification he derives from enabling his clients to simply "be themselves" if he executes his role effectively, a sentiment that brings him immense satisfaction.
"The excitement of realizing that one of our clients has found their happily ever after is a feeling unlike any other I've experienced in my writing career."
Assessing a potential match's physical appeal from a different perspective isn't as uncomfortable as it may appear. "I have a set of client preferences and I understand what they are seeking, so I am not injecting my personal preferences into the process at all," Boese explained.
When the subject of travel arises, he must balance his inclination to stay in one place with a client's eagerness to explore.
"Almost all of our clients are passionate about traveling, and right from the start, I am connecting with individuals whose initial query is, 'Where would you like to travel?'" he stated. "I respond as honestly as possible from the client's perspective."
For Smith, the greatest satisfaction comes from creating a lasting connection. "The excitement of realizing that one of our clients has found their happily ever after is a feeling unlike any other I've experienced in my writing career," they expressed.
