As a cyclist and a skier, Brendan Matheson has truly taken his lifestyle and turned it into a challenging and satisfying career in the tourism industry. Matheson started on the front lines of the industry, working as both a ski instructor at Mount St. Louis Moonstone and a mountain bike instructor at Hardwood Ski and Bike.
After a slew of other tourism jobs across Canada and a return to school for a college diploma in marketing, Brendan returned to Simcoe County and landed a job with The County of Simcoe as a Product Development Coordinator. What does that mean? It means Matheson is tasked with developing new products and experiences for visitors to Simcoe County, largely in outdoor settings while working closely with local tourism businesses and operators.
“My current goal is to bring jobs and income to the very same businesses I once worked the front line at,” laughs Matheson. “I’ve truly come full circle. I had my very first job at Mount St Louis Moonstone and now I’m meeting with them in my current role to see how we can best support them.”
Education: College marketing diploma
First Tourism Job: Ski instructor at Mount St Louis Moonstone and mountain bike coach at Hardwood Ski and Bike
Current Job: Product Development Coordinator at Simcoe County
Years in the Tourism Industry: 20
Career Myth: You can’t turn your passion into a job
Why would you recommend this path to someone:
Because I’ve been able to take my lifestyle and turn it into a job.