Introduction
Let’s get real. The amount of merfolk who do nothing but work as mers are very few and far between- if there are any at all. Many of the well known famous mermaids diversify their income.
Hannah Fraser- world famous mermaid, not only works as a mermaid but works as a model, performer, artist, and photographer. Mermaid Melissa supplemented her income for years while working at SeaWorld, modelling, stunt work, and monetizing YouTube. Mermaid Linden in addition to being a mermaid launched a line of monofins and kid’s tails, monetized a popular YouTube series, and Freediving judging. “Working as a mer” can come in many varieties as well. From parties, to filming, selling accessories and tails, teaching lessons, educational events, tourism events, and more. I have spent about half of my professional mermaid career doing only mermaid work. The other half I was also a student, working part time, or working full time in addition. For the first half of my mermaid career I was still ramping up my business and it was very seasonal. This made it a bit easier to cope with school, or a part time job. Twice in my mermaid career I have worked full time at a 9-5 job while taking time off as needed for weekday mermaid gigs, and working gigs all weekend. In this blog I will cover tips for balancing your mer career with your other career and/or education, diversifying your income, and provide you with resources and problem-solving tips.
1 Comment
How did it all get started? I get asked that question a lot and it is so hard to answer. I’ve been a mermaid for so long now, and the answer seems like such a long one. I documented it a lot in my first book, but I really just wrote brief excerpts of what it was really like. I think it’s important for people to know how I started and how I got to where I am. So often mer-enthusiasts will see a big silicone tail and think, well she just bought that thing and got a business. It’s not that easy!
Hi every-fish! Thanks for the great response to my first journal entry about Mermaid K. I’ll be doing a follow up one where we post the video from surprising her, and also about her upcoming birthday once it has happened. She appreciates all your words of encouragement.
Today I am going to talk about my first aquarium experience, and the several experiences I had after that! I have always wanted the experience of swimming in either a tank or an aquarium. Over the past 7 years of my professional mermaid career I have come so close to getting to do one of those; only to have the opportunity fall through. This past June I was invited to audition and give a pitch for Doors Open Halifax through Dalhousie University. Doors Open is an event that happens all over North America where parts of the city that are normally closed to the public are opened up, and public spaces give “behind the scenes” looks. I was being contacted by one of the most prestigious marine science departments in the world to participate and I’ll admit it was a bit intimidating. The specific contact person had been at a booking of mine 4 years ago and I’d won them over back then, so they wanted me to come in!
I’ve decided to start this blog to share my experiences as a professional mermaid. The idea is that I’ll be able to share tips and tricks for others, entertain with stories, but also have a little corner of the internet of my own where I can express my own thoughts, opinions, and memories.
I’ve decided to make my first blog post about Miss K. Miss K is a special family friend who has grown quite close with me and my team of mermaids. Her journey has been a difficult one but we do our best to fill it with love and laughter.
This is the first time I met Miss K. (Named so for privacy, though images etc are shared with parental permission). It was a special summer event in 2014 and she and her family had recently moved home to Halifax. Miss K had previously lived with her family in Costa Rica. But ever since her birth she’d been dealing with a slew of intense health problems. It soon became quite clear that in order to get the best care possible she needed to come home and go to the IWK children’s hospital. (We do a lot of volunteering and donation for this hospital). Once Miss K arrived treatment began and she would be in and out of the hospital for the rest of her life to the present.
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The information in these blogs and video posts are for informational purposes only. Trying any of these suggestions are done so at your own risk. The creator/owner assumes no risk or liability and urges you to seek out professional training and advice.
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