This Man Is Getting Paid $10,000 A Month To Explore Cancun

How would you like to get paid to hang out in Cancun? How does $10,000 a month sound? It sounds like a fantasy job, but it’s a real role.

Last year, Cancun.com announced that they were looking to hire a “CEO”— Cancun Experience Officer—to live the good life in Cancun, Mexico, for six months and share their experiences via videos, photos and writing. This “brand ambassador” is paid $10,000 a month and stays at a luxury hotel.

Ivan Nanney is the lucky man who beat out 8,000 applicants to score this gig of a lifetime. While Cancun.com said the CEO position did not require any experience, it sounds like Nanney is uniquely qualified, as this is not the first time the 29-year-old has traveled for hire.

After graduating summa cum laude from Boise State University’s business school in 2011, Nanny got a job with the Idaho Potato Commission, according to TIME. The gig involved driving around the country in a truck carrying a 12,000-pound Idaho potato to promote—you guessed it—potatoes.

Next up, Nanney scored a gig as a host of the Amazon show “The Fireball Run,” which follows people on an adventure exploring unusual places throughout the United States.

With that experience under his belt, Nanny began traveling the world and sharing his experiences through his website and social media platforms.

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What up #humpday!? How many of you have ever had the pleasure of riding one of these awkward beasties? Who would you ride into the desert with to sleep under the stars? *********** ​https://ceo.cancun.com/profile/ivan-nanney I want to give a huge THANK YOU to everyone who has taken the time to vote for my @cancundotcom application these past few days. We are nearly at 1,300 votes which is extremely humbling. Win or lose, I feel loved and that is a win in itself. Besitos! . . . . . . . . @visitcancun #CancunExperienceOfficer #ceosearch #yesicancun #camel #india #jaisalmer #incredibleindia

A post shared by Ivan The Intrepid (@ivantheintrepid) on Jan 10, 2018 at 9:26am PST

With his new gig as CEO, Nanney is bringing it full circle to the first country he ever traveled to internationally.

In an interview with The Yucatan Times, Nanney explained that it was his first trip out of the country that ignited his lifelong travel bug. That trip was to the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico more than 10 years ago.

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​Why do you #travel? #WhyITravel: There are a lot of things I love about #traveling: the food, the culture, the people, the #adventure, the freedom… But all of those things ultimately lead to one outcome. The experiences they provide make me a better person. Travel opens your mind to a world of possibility. It shows you different ways to live and gives you a different pair of lenses through which to view the world. This inevitably leads to a greater empathy for your fellow human beings and helps to guide the manner in which you interact with the world moving forward. There is a reason why your friend the server tips really well or someone who grew up on a farm sees the value in manual labor. Our experiences help us to relate to things, and what we relate to dictates what we value. So the more we experience the more we value. And that's a beautiful thing. #CEOSearch #CancunExperienceOfficer #YesICancun #IvanTheCEO #Croatia #plitvicelakes #plitvice ​http://ceo.cancun.com/profile/ivan-nanney

A post shared by Ivan The Intrepid (@ivantheintrepid) on Nov 21, 2017 at 9:36am PST

In the time leading up to his next adventure, Nanney made an effort to learn more about Mexican history and culture and is excited to share his knowledge and experiences with the world. He’s hoping that through his new role, he’ll foster better cultural understanding.

“We need more connection in this world and I hope to act as a bridge between Mexico and the USA (and beyond). But in order for me to do this successfully I’m going to need the help of locals, expats and previous travelers. I’m not an expert yet and so I would love to know what makes the region special to them and what they would like me to share with potential visitors. I hope they feel comfortable reaching out on my social media channels (@IvanTheIntrepid) so that I can promote the region to the best of my ability on Cancun.com,” Nanney told the publication.

Nanney’s job officially started on March 1, and his first task is to explore Xcaret Park, a seaside Mayan civilization archaeological site.

Congrats to Nanney, and we can’t wait to follow along on his journey!