For the Love: Six young adults get professional about their passions

What is the American dream today? A half-century ago it was a white picket fence, 2.5 kids and a secure job to support them. Today it encompasses the hopes of a constantly changing America, and what constitutes a successful life is a definition that’s just as volatile. Ask five young people what they hope to accomplish as adults, and you’ll likely get five very different answers.

But according to a 2005 study by Rochester, N.Y.-based research firm Harris Interactive, only 20 percent of Americans are passionate about what they do. So what are the rest of us waiting for? For some, it’s a confluence of our passion with some means of making money; for others it’s the influence of family or friends that keeps us from pursuing what really lights our fire.

For this photo essay, which I’m calling For the Love, I explored the day-to-day lives of six young people who have made significant sacrifices to be in that 20 percent of Americans following a true passion. They’ve given up comfortable lives, conventional schedules and even personal relationships to do what they want to do. And they wouldn’t have it any other way.

Kaustubh, 31, musician

Kaustubh Pandav is no stranger to taking the road less traveled. Instead of going to college as his Indian immigrant parents had hoped, he left high school and childhood in the dust of a tour van. For the past 13 years he’s been a fixture on the mostly white Midwestern and national punk scene with bands like Lucky Boys Confusion and The Insecurities. “I’m doing what I’m supposed to do,” he says. “People seem to like it, and the response is really good so far.”

Follow Kaustubh from his day job in downtown Chicago to the place he feels most at home: On stage.

Griffin, 28, musical instrument expert

When P. Griffin Baron graduated from New Trier High School in the tony Chicago suburb of Winnetka, where the school district reports that between 97 and 99 percent of graduates matriculate to a four-year college or university, he had a suspicion the collegiate life wasn’t for him. “I hated all four years of New Trier’s unbelievably tough academic setup and didn’t want to be thrown into four more years of school,” he says. “I love learning, but I hate being taught.”

Griffin also knew that he could pursue his passion – musical instruments and accessories – without a university degree. Follow him on a typical day at Make ‘n’ Music, a Chicago instrument boutique where he handles Web sales and marketing and in-store merchandising.

Neil, 32, partner in a green coffee company

Neil Balkcom loves coffee, but perhaps his true passion is supporting the people who grow it. It explains, if nothing else, why this Chicagoan works with green startup Crop to Cup, a Chicago company that imports coffee directly from Ugandan farmers. Their methods ensure that the farmers are compensated fairly for their product and that Crop to Cup’s customers know the real history of their joe. “What really gets me enthusiastic and passionate is engaging with someone about coffee and speaking on a real level about inequities, about labor and farmers, and all of the effort that goes into one bean,” he says. “When people want to and start to understand that, that makes me happy and makes my day that much better.”

Get a behind-the-scenes look at Neil’s work with Crop to Cup, including the incredible Chicago skyline view from their office’s rooftop.

Neph, 26, aspiring fashion boutique owner and writer

“My grandfather got himself through law school and worked one day in a Manhattan law firm before he quit and opened his own practice,” notes Chicagoan Neph Basedow. “He decided that he never wanted to work for anyone else.”

Neph shares her Greek grandfather’s spirit, and her Parsons-trained grandmother’s knack for fashion. That’s why she plans to open her own boutique, and she’s been learning the ropes from a number of fashion retail and marketing jobs in Chicago and Austin, Texas. Did I mention that this self-starter has also made a name for herself on Chicago’s music criticism circuit? She’s covered live events like Lollapalooza as a freelancer for a number of Web sites, including gal-centric Cheeky Chicago and NBC’s local affiliate. Check out one of Neph’s typical days of fashion merchandising and freelance writing.

Danny, 30, aspiring chef

Chicagoan Danny Ong has been cooking for years and tried last summer to find a job as a sous chef, but he soon found out that restaurants weren’t very impressed with his film degree. “It’s hard to find work when you have little experience and no culinary school in your background,” he says. “I know this is what I want to do, so I have to take the necessary steps.” That means he’ll be attending Chicago’s Kendall College in the spring to get his culinary degree, and he’s looking forward to putting his unique blend of Asian and Spanish flavors into practice on Chicago’s hot dining scene.

Follow Danny as he does “research” at favorite lunch spot Hot Doug’s and takes new ideas back to his own kitchen.

Chris, 31, bar owner

Chris Dandino, or “Nixon” to his closest friends and customers, worked in the music biz for nearly a decade before opening The Burlington with his brother in Chicago’s Logan Square. Half neighborhood dive and half hipster destination hangout, the two-year-old Burlington has made its mark on the city’s nightlife scene. Running a successful business is a ton of work, but Nixon and brother Greg have stayed true to their ideals for the bar and are fixtures on radars of hip Chicagoans as a result. “I wouldn’t say that I always love owning a bar,” he admits. “But in the end, it’s a place for friends.”

Take a peek at life behind the scenes as a tavern owner, from kegs to keeping the books.