Dave's success story is just the way we like it: unconventional and grassroots.  As a graphic designer with years of marketing experience, he was uniquely well-positioned to design and publish his own book ideas, and to spread the word about them.  But the key, as he'll tell you himself, is not that he had an idea, but that he acted on it. People write to us gastrognomes every day to praise us for stealing their idea, and we don't take it for granted.  Instead we use our platform to introduce people like Dave, who just might encourage someone out there to take the leap on an idea that's been keeping them up at night.

What attracted you to a good food job?

Ever since moving to Portland, Oregon (known around here as "Beervana"), I've been fascinated with the local beer scene. There are more breweries in Portland city limits than in any city on earth. Not per capita, not by any statistical trick. Just more. Beer is culture here.

In 2006, I started a beer blog on a lark with some friends, and pretty soon, we started getting invited to cover beer events like festivals and barrel tappings and private brewery tours and ? pretty much the dream. Admission was free, but I felt obligated to write about the events afterwards, no easy trick when you've sampled 30 imperial you-name-its in 90 minutes. Inspired by some seemingly unrelated events (a beer festival, a TV show and a sustainable graphic design lecture), I had the idea of creating a sustainably-produced notebook designed for quick note-taking at beer festivals. I thought I might sell a few and give the rest away as gifts, but it turned out other people are as obsessive as I am about beer reviewing. Lots of people. Hordes, even.

How did you get your current good food job?

I self-appointed myself "beer blogger," and at the time, there wasn't much competition for the job. I just started writing, and things kind of took off from there. As to the "publishing magnate" title, again - I didn't ask, I just did. I'm sure if I asked someone who knew anything, they would have dissuaded me. But I didn't. And now I have a beer journal, a wine journal, a cheese journal, and a coffee journal ? and who knows where it will stop!

How did your previous work or life experience prepare you for a good food job?

I'm a graphic designer by day, so the design skills in creating the books came pretty easily to me. I have something of a knack for distilling the complex into something simpler. I've been in marketing for 10+ years, so that was a major help in getting the word out, as were my connections in beer journalism circles. I know people who will do shameful things for beer schwag.

What advice do you have for others in search of a good food job?