Professional Fairy Godmother
November 29, 2019 10:48 PM Subscribe
How do I become a Fairy Godmother for a living?
One of my most favourite things to do is to grant people's wishes. Sometimes it's buying them a gift they really want or relates to something they love, sometimes it's connecting them to the right people to make their dreams some true, it can take any form really. It's really personalised to them and their wants.
Earlier this year I threw a surprise birthday party for a dear friend who's also a local community arts legend. She always puts on cabarets for community stuff, so we put on a cabaret for her with performances related to her at her favourite venue. I reached out to almost every group she's worked with and so many said Yes, sending presents or cards or showing up. We even made sure to get cake that she could eat (dietary restrictions). She was having a really hard year and that party made SUCH A DIFFERENCE - for MONTHS she talked about how the party made her feel so loved and gave her the strength to keep going. She was especially touched by how all the details were so personalised - she kept going on and on about the cake! It was easily one of the most fulfilling things I've ever done.
How do I do more?? And especially in ways that can help me earn a living from it? I often wish I was Oprah specifically because of the fairy godmother things she does, but I'll never have a billionaire budget. I recently learned about Odyssey Works, a collective that makes highly personalised performance work for 1 person and is basically what I want to do with my life - I've applied for their Masterclass next year so hopefully that pans out. I have tried signing up to volunteer for Make a Wish but they're not responding so I'm not sure what's going on.
What other ideas are there along those lines? Asides from being a surprise birthday party planner?
One of my most favourite things to do is to grant people's wishes. Sometimes it's buying them a gift they really want or relates to something they love, sometimes it's connecting them to the right people to make their dreams some true, it can take any form really. It's really personalised to them and their wants.
Earlier this year I threw a surprise birthday party for a dear friend who's also a local community arts legend. She always puts on cabarets for community stuff, so we put on a cabaret for her with performances related to her at her favourite venue. I reached out to almost every group she's worked with and so many said Yes, sending presents or cards or showing up. We even made sure to get cake that she could eat (dietary restrictions). She was having a really hard year and that party made SUCH A DIFFERENCE - for MONTHS she talked about how the party made her feel so loved and gave her the strength to keep going. She was especially touched by how all the details were so personalised - she kept going on and on about the cake! It was easily one of the most fulfilling things I've ever done.
How do I do more?? And especially in ways that can help me earn a living from it? I often wish I was Oprah specifically because of the fairy godmother things she does, but I'll never have a billionaire budget. I recently learned about Odyssey Works, a collective that makes highly personalised performance work for 1 person and is basically what I want to do with my life - I've applied for their Masterclass next year so hopefully that pans out. I have tried signing up to volunteer for Make a Wish but they're not responding so I'm not sure what's going on.
What other ideas are there along those lines? Asides from being a surprise birthday party planner?
Best answer: My wonderful aunt was hospitality director for a very large US military base overseas. She was essentially a very powerful party planner, charity organizer, special delivery point-person, surprise family reunion arranger, travel guide and nostalgic cuisine concierge with US tax backing and a literal army under her command. After she passed, more people came to her memorial than I could have imagined - they traveled halfway across the world, some of them, and they shared so many stories of all the thoughtful things she did for them or their loved ones that I had no idea about.
So anyway, maybe look into a career in hospitality.
posted by Mizu at 12:47 AM on November 30, 2019 [21 favorites]
So anyway, maybe look into a career in hospitality.
posted by Mizu at 12:47 AM on November 30, 2019 [21 favorites]
There is a degree program at the university where I work, called SportS and Event Management. (Actually, these may be separate programs.) It teaches more about business and logistical and legal topics, I believe -- but it goes to show that there's definitely a business out there for you!
posted by wenestvedt at 4:29 AM on November 30, 2019
posted by wenestvedt at 4:29 AM on November 30, 2019
Party planning and/or event planning.
A hotel concierge has a similar task, though it's often more utilitarian.
posted by gideonfrog at 6:49 AM on November 30, 2019
A hotel concierge has a similar task, though it's often more utilitarian.
posted by gideonfrog at 6:49 AM on November 30, 2019
Event planning, personal shopper, travel/tour operator, curator is one kind of approach.
I also think people who are really good at the skillset you're describing do well in fundraising...it's like you have an extra radar that keeps you sensitive to matching what people need (donors = recognition, good feelings, galas, etc.; recipients = money, time, objects, activity) with what people have.
posted by warriorqueen at 8:39 AM on November 30, 2019 [2 favorites]
I also think people who are really good at the skillset you're describing do well in fundraising...it's like you have an extra radar that keeps you sensitive to matching what people need (donors = recognition, good feelings, galas, etc.; recipients = money, time, objects, activity) with what people have.
posted by warriorqueen at 8:39 AM on November 30, 2019 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Open a small business. Do event planning. Build a separate website telling how you grant wishes, and will accomplish wish-granting tasks and what you charge. I think you might also be a good tour guide. You can work with the Aus version of Adult Education to do day trips for seniors.
I understand your goal
posted by theora55 at 8:59 AM on November 30, 2019 [2 favorites]
I understand your goal
posted by theora55 at 8:59 AM on November 30, 2019 [2 favorites]
Become a wedding and party planner?
posted by pseudostrabismus at 12:41 PM on November 30, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by pseudostrabismus at 12:41 PM on November 30, 2019 [1 favorite]
Help people choose gifts - like a gift consultation service.
Become a consultant for motivating employees of various companies.
Become a mom.
posted by amtho at 1:45 PM on November 30, 2019 [1 favorite]
Become a consultant for motivating employees of various companies.
Become a mom.
posted by amtho at 1:45 PM on November 30, 2019 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I'm curious about the suggestions around fundraising and grants, which has come up a few times. I don't think I'm particularly good at convincing people to give me money (my success rate with grants or sponsorships has been middling at best). Also it doesn't seem to have any of the personalisation aspects and isn't so much about gifting people what they need/want. But perhaps I'm wrong?
posted by divabat at 5:11 PM on November 30, 2019
posted by divabat at 5:11 PM on November 30, 2019
Best answer: I’ve been thinking about this question all day, partly while watching the newest season of Queer Eye, which I feel is tapping into a cultural desire to have a fairy godmother (or five) fix what’s wrong with our lives. And I was thinking I would pay someone to connect me with someone who could help me improve my wardrobe or design my home because I wouldn’t have the foggiest idea where to look for someone like that or how to be sure the person would actually be helpful. I think there may be a business idea here. Sorry this is vague, but I’m so not the entrepreneurial type. But maybe this will give you something to think about.
posted by FencingGal at 5:28 PM on November 30, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by FencingGal at 5:28 PM on November 30, 2019 [3 favorites]
There's a person in my neighbourhood with a business called Loot Bag Lady. I know about this because of flyers in the local coffee shop and the fact that her car is decorated with her business name and cartoon. She makes custom "loot bags" for the guests at kid parties to take home. (This wasn't a thing when I was a kid, but it sounds cool if all the guests are bringing presents for the host kid.)
posted by heatherlogan at 7:06 PM on November 30, 2019
posted by heatherlogan at 7:06 PM on November 30, 2019
There are tons of great volunteer programs at hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. Aside from this being a budget-friendly option, you would be helping individuals heal/thrive through therapeutic interactions. Check out Google Scholar or Pubmed for research, if you’re interested! :)
Some examples below are from UCLA, but feel free to explore options wherever you live! I hope this helps.
https://www.uclahealth.org/healing-the-heart-with-music-and-art
http://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/hospital-volunteers-ensure-that-no-one-dies-alone
posted by beastelyse at 7:14 PM on November 30, 2019
Some examples below are from UCLA, but feel free to explore options wherever you live! I hope this helps.
https://www.uclahealth.org/healing-the-heart-with-music-and-art
http://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/hospital-volunteers-ensure-that-no-one-dies-alone
posted by beastelyse at 7:14 PM on November 30, 2019
Best answer: I did a lot of this when I was an event planner in the development (fundraising) office of an arts organization. When I became a major gifts fundraiser, I discovered that the part of fundraising where you use the skill set you're describing is called "stewardship" - basically, making people who have already given feel special. "Cultivation" is about making people who might give in the future feel special, and cultivation and stewardship activities can be similar and overlap (i.e., when you are stewarding one gift, you may also be cultivating the next gift from the same person). The higher the level of giving, the more personalization is involved. The larger the development department, the more likely it is that there will be people or teams devoted solely to stewardship.
posted by TrixieRamble at 9:46 PM on November 30, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by TrixieRamble at 9:46 PM on November 30, 2019 [1 favorite]
Work for the Make a Wish foundation.
Or Disney. They have the power to make a lot of dreams come true
posted by raccoon409 at 4:02 AM on December 1, 2019
Or Disney. They have the power to make a lot of dreams come true
posted by raccoon409 at 4:02 AM on December 1, 2019
If you work as a program officer at a private foundation, you are the one granting organizations funding for their programs/cause. You don't necessarily have to fundraise (though I do know that some foundations "raise funds" in a sense by partnering with other foundations to work on joint projects.
posted by Stewriffic at 11:00 AM on December 1, 2019
posted by Stewriffic at 11:00 AM on December 1, 2019
Best answer: Yeah-- there are lots of different jobs in the development / fundraising sector depending on your skills and experience. I was, for example, a research assistant at a small family foundation, so my job was to research people and orgs doing good work in the particular spaces that the foundation was funding and pass their info up to my boss. I never had to call and ask for money, which would have given me hives. But I did file the "thank you!" letters that came back from the orgs, some of which were insanely heartfelt, and so I think that "you made my dream come true!" factor is definitely there.
posted by athirstforsalt at 9:49 PM on December 1, 2019
posted by athirstforsalt at 9:49 PM on December 1, 2019
Response by poster: raccoon409: I live in Australia, alas, where the closest thing we have to a Disney related venue is a Marvel sports stadium.
Speaking of which though: is "stewardship" called something different down under? Googling got me organisations mainly around biological sciences, which makes me think the job is called something different. Also if you do do this job, could you explain more about what it entails? I'm getting visions of already-moneyed people being treated fancily by organisations that are supposed to help the less fortunate, which brings ethical quandaries.
posted by divabat at 4:17 AM on December 2, 2019
Speaking of which though: is "stewardship" called something different down under? Googling got me organisations mainly around biological sciences, which makes me think the job is called something different. Also if you do do this job, could you explain more about what it entails? I'm getting visions of already-moneyed people being treated fancily by organisations that are supposed to help the less fortunate, which brings ethical quandaries.
posted by divabat at 4:17 AM on December 2, 2019
Just coming back into this discussion. If you're very opposed to asking for money then you might want to skew more towards events/personal shopper-type work than fundraising. But if you're just worried about it, well, that's part of learning to be a professional fundraiser. I am not one, but I've worked alongside enough to know that a lot of them had to work at learning that part.
For stewardship, an example I would have is that I worked in a large arts organization that depended on donors for both outreach programs (for socioeconomically disadvantaged kids) and more sort of elite funding for Really Cool Arts stuff and also supporting the education of really talented people. Making sure those people were aware of things that were going on that met their musical tastes, organizing lunches and talks and meetings and access to master classes and things like that all fit into stewardship, as well as remembering anniversaries, sending condolences, etc.
The Fundraising Institute of Australia talks about stewardship so I think it is a thing there too. But that might be somewhere to start.
posted by warriorqueen at 6:45 AM on December 2, 2019
For stewardship, an example I would have is that I worked in a large arts organization that depended on donors for both outreach programs (for socioeconomically disadvantaged kids) and more sort of elite funding for Really Cool Arts stuff and also supporting the education of really talented people. Making sure those people were aware of things that were going on that met their musical tastes, organizing lunches and talks and meetings and access to master classes and things like that all fit into stewardship, as well as remembering anniversaries, sending condolences, etc.
The Fundraising Institute of Australia talks about stewardship so I think it is a thing there too. But that might be somewhere to start.
posted by warriorqueen at 6:45 AM on December 2, 2019
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posted by athirstforsalt at 12:44 AM on November 30, 2019 [7 favorites]