What It’s Like to Be…a Marine Biologist
Swimming with 20-foot manta rays, suffering through grant applications, and rushing to the whale freezer with Jessica Pate, a marine biologist based in Florida.
Dan Heath
Dan Heath is the New York Times bestselling coauthor/author of six books, including Made to Stick, Switch, and The Power of Moments. His most recent book is Reset: How to Change What’s Not Working. He also hosts the award-winning podcast What It’s Like to Be…, which explores what it’s like to walk in the shoes of people from different professions (a mystery novelist, a cattle rancher, a forensic accountant, and more).
What It’s Like to Be…an Interior Designer
Perfecting the soft finishes, dealing with divorcing couples, and cultivating the perfect network of artisans with Julie Anne Burch, an interior designer.
What It’s Like to Be…an NBA Referee
Ignoring 10,000 booing fans, collaborating with the replay center, and striving for perfection with Billy Kennedy, an NBA referee.
What It’s Like to Be…a London Cabbie
Outsmarting drunks, competing with ride-share apps, and discovering that some of your passengers were Spice Girls with Jamie Owens, a London cabbie.
What It’s Like to Be…a Life Insurance Salesman
Overcoming “soft objections,” hustling to line up meetings, and navigating the line between business and friendship with David Johnson, a third-generation life insurance salesman.
What It’s Like to Be…a Camera Operator
Framing a scene to draw in the audience, dealing with screaming directors, and getting lost in an actor’s performance with Pauline Edwards, a camera operator.
What It’s Like to Be…a Long-Haul Truck Driver
Hauling 32,000 lbs of dead rats, strategically planning every turn and pit stop, and soaking up the highway sunrises and sunsets with Kathy and Gene Lednicky, team truck drivers.
What It’s Like to Be…a Summer Camp Director
Conjuring a world where kids can reinvent themselves, running a small town in the woods, and witnessing camp counselors falling in love with Eric Sasson, a summer camp director.
What It’s Like to Be…an Ice Cream Truck Driver
Transforming school buses into ice cream trucks, watching kids grow up (one popsicle at a time), and struggling to keep the freezers running with Erin Bailey, an ice cream truck driver in New Jersey.
What It’s Like to Be…an Ocean Lifeguard
Learning to read the ocean, performing CPR on a dolphin, and leading daring (and sometimes foolish) rescues with Ed Vodrazka, an ocean lifeguard in California.