Becoming an expert for Curated isn't something that you can just do. It is something that, really, took me years to become. My journey started as soon as I was born. You see, my father was, or is, an avid outdoorsman. My parents took me and my siblings everywhere with them. We were always hunting, camping, picking mushrooms, fishing, and even cutting our own tree down for Christmas. My family was always together outdoors, doing what we loved.

Since before I could walk, the outdoors has been a part of my life. I have so many memories being outdoors, and most of them happen to be fishing. When I was probably 6 years old, I hooked a large carp and was beyond excited! I almost had the fish to the bank when my old brother decided he was going to "help me". Needless to say the fish got off and I never forgave him.

Or the time I cast my line into the water and almost instantly reeled my line back in. My dad said to me "Rachel, why are you reeling in? There is no way you have a fish on." Well, guess what? I did have a fish on. Except I didn't know it, haha, and I was just being impatient. My dad then threw my fish back out in the river and told me to do it again, thinking he was funny. It didn't happen again, ever in my 33 years on this earth.

As I got older my fishing evolved from simple pond fishing for stocked trout to exploring new rivers and catching trout and bass. As a young adult I began fishing for Salmon and Steelhead. I ditched archery hunting every fall for the fall run of Chinook and Coho. Woke up at 3 in the morning to get to the best hole before anyone else. I stood in the river while it was below freezing, snowing, and raining to catch those fish. And catch I did.

Soon I began outfishing the boys around me. I learned how to read the rivers and know where those tired fish would be resting, waiting for my perfectly trimmed piece of yarn and salmon roe to fall in front of them. OH and how it made those boys mad to watch me outfish them. They would try to tell me it was just luck, but that didn't last long. Soon they realized I knew what I was doing and let me be.

I took all of my knowledge and even taught my father, the man who taught me everything, how to tie rigs for salmon. This is what ignited something in me. This simple act of teaching my FATHER how to fish made me realize that not only did I love fishing, but I loved sharing my knowledge for it as well. I loved showing people cool gear they never would've thought to use, new spots to fish, and even how to tie new rigs.

Now being a mother of 3 kids, my job is to pass down what I know to them. Our weekends are mostly filled with going outside and exploring. We all enjoy being on the water and fishing. I get to show my son and my daughters what I know and it is so fulfilling. I get to show them that the gold spinner their dad swears won't work, really does work.

Let's talk about that gold spinner for just a minute. That gold spinner has caught me SO many fish, when nothing else is working flick one out the next time you are fishing for trout, bass, or even kokanee and it will get you a fish. The color just attracts them, it has just enough flash for either cold or warm water, and they just hit it hard.

My passion for fishing and my love for showing others how to do it is what really led me to want to be an expert for Curated. I took my whole life to be good enough to do it. It isn't something you can learn overnight. Knowing which brands are good and worth your money is something that takes a lot of time to figure out. A lot of companies change, some good, some bad, and that takes a lot to keep up on. Have you heard of the company G-Loomis? I'm sure you have. But, did you know that the company was sold a few years back? If you did I applaud you, but most people haven't heard that.

Scrolling some job postings one day I came across Curated. I have been staying at home with my kids, and thought it was a good fit for me. I mean, I get to help people shop for fishing gear. How cool is that?! So I applied for a spot to be a fishing expert and crossed my fingers. After one very awkward self-recorded interview I got the OK to take some tests, just to make sure my knowledge was what I said it was. I got brought on with a group of awesome experts and we started our training, which we did all online. After our training, I did a mock sale with a fellow expert and I was on my way to doing the real thing.

Now, if you have been considering becoming an expert but think you need actual sales experience, you don't. The nice thing about Curated is that you really are building a relationship with the people you talk to, you aren't just trying to push a sale. They want this so much that they even pay you to have quality conversations with your customers. Before I decided to stay at home with my kids, I was a phlebotomist for 13 years. Now I didn't sell anything to those patients, but I knew how to build a relationship with them and try to help them the best way I could, this translates over to Curated for me.

My favorite thing about working for Curated is the fact that we are all real people. When you log on and make a profile with us you are talking to a real person, who actually does the hobby you are interested in! I love being able to talk to everyone for whom I get to be their expert. Everyone has a different skill level and needs something different, keeps you on your toes! I get to use my brain and maybe tap into something I haven't had to think about in a little bit. I get real pleasure out of helping the first-time anglers. Picking out their first rod is so exciting! Knowing that after they buy it that in just a few days they will be out on the water with it landing their first fish.

While it only took a couple weeks for me to be a "Curated Fishing Expert", it took me a lifetime to become a fishing expert.