Bucket Listers is hiring a Business Development Representative based in New York City, and the role is turning heads among sales professionals who want more than a traditional corporate gig. This position sits at the intersection of sales, partnerships, and curated experiences, making it a rare find in today's job market.
The company builds a platform where people discover festivals, immersive art exhibits, and adventure experiences. Landing a role here means selling something people genuinely get excited about.
What Bucket Listers Actually Does
Bucket Listers curates events and experiences for a community of active explorers. The platform helps users find the best things to do in their city on any given day. Think helicopter rides, pop-up art installations, and one-of-a-kind festivals.
The business model depends on strong partnerships with experience providers. That is exactly where the Business Development Representative steps in. This person builds the pipeline of events that fills the marketplace.
Understanding the company's mission is not optional. Bucket Listers wants candidates who genuinely love experiences and know their city's events scene. Hiring managers will notice immediately if you do not.
What the Role Actually Involves
The Business Development Representative role focuses on sourcing, developing, and nurturing partnerships with experience providers. You are not just closing deals. You are identifying opportunities that align with the brand's values and audience.
The job requires you to live in New York City, even though Bucket Listers operates as a remote-first company. Expect to maintain a robust CRM pipeline, collaborate with content and operations teams, and continuously research the live experiences industry.
During your first 30 days, the focus is on learning. You study the business model, map out potential partners, and get familiar with the CRM system. By day 60, you are expected to have a working pipeline of real prospects.
Skills and Qualifications Bucket Listers Looks For
The job posting makes clear that prior experience in sales or business development is a must. This is not an entry-level role for someone fresh out of college with no pipeline experience. You need to understand how to build and manage relationships over time.
Here are the core skills the company prioritizes:
- Relationship building: The ability to connect with experience providers and maintain those connections long-term
- Sales pipeline management: Experience using CRM tools to track leads, follow-ups, and deal stages
- Research skills: Identifying partners that fit the Bucket Listers brand, audience, and values
- Industry knowledge: Familiarity with live events, ticketing, and the broader experiences market
- Communication: Clear, enthusiastic, and persuasive communication both written and verbal
- City knowledge: A genuine pulse on what is happening in New York City across entertainment and culture
Soft skills matter just as much here. Bucket Listers is a brand built on positivity and energy. Candidates who come across as flat or transactional during interviews will likely not advance far.
The Hiring Process at Bucket Listers
Bucket Listers has not published every step of its hiring process publicly. Based on the role's scope, expect a structured multi-stage process typical of growth-stage startups in the media and events space.
Stage One: Application Review
Your resume and any written materials get reviewed first. Recruiters are scanning for relevant sales or business development experience and signs that you understand the experiences industry. A generic resume will not stand out here.
Stage Two: Initial Screening
Expect a phone or video call with a recruiter or hiring manager. This conversation usually lasts 20 to 30 minutes. They want to confirm your experience, assess your communication style, and gauge your genuine enthusiasm for the company's mission.
Stage Three: Skills or Practical Assessment
Many business development roles at startups include a practical exercise. You might be asked to identify five potential partners for Bucket Listers and explain why they are a fit. Prepare for this type of challenge before your interviews begin.
Stage Four: Final Interview
Final rounds often involve multiple team members, including people from sales leadership and cross-functional teams. Bucket Listers emphasizes collaboration between business development, content, and operations, so expect questions that probe how you work with others.
How to Prepare for the Interview
Preparation here goes beyond rehearsing answers to common sales questions. You need to walk in knowing Bucket Listers deeply. Study the platform, browse the experiences they currently feature, and identify gaps you could fill as a business development rep.
Do your homework on New York City's events landscape. Know which festivals, venues, and experience providers are trending. Coming in with specific names and ideas shows you already think like someone in this role.
Practice explaining your pipeline management experience clearly. Interviewers will want specific examples of how you built a pipeline from scratch, how you prioritized outreach, and how you tracked your progress in a CRM.
Prepare answers for these likely interview questions:
- How have you identified and approached new business partners in a previous role?
- Tell us about an experience or event you love in New York City and why it would be a great fit for Bucket Listers.
- How do you manage a high volume of outreach while maintaining relationship quality?
- Describe a time you had to work closely with a content or operations team to close a deal.
- What CRM tools have you used, and how did you structure your workflow?
How to Stand Out as a Candidate
The biggest differentiator in this hiring process is authenticity. Bucket Listers is not looking for a polished corporate sales rep reciting buzzwords. They want someone who genuinely lives the brand and gets excited about the same things their audience does.
One of the most effective ways to stand out is to arrive with a specific partnership pitch. Research three to five New York City experience providers that are not currently on the platform. Explain why they align with Bucket Listers' audience and how you would approach the conversation with them.
Your cover letter matters more at a company like this than at a large corporation. Write something that reflects your actual personality and your genuine connection to the experiences economy. Avoid generic openers and get specific fast.
Make sure your LinkedIn profile is current and shows a clear trajectory in sales or business development. Hiring teams at growth-stage startups often review social presence before calls. A well-maintained profile with visible results from previous roles adds credibility.
Follow Bucket Listers on social media and engage meaningfully with their content before you apply. This is not about flattery. It shows you are paying attention and already embedded in the world they operate in.
Salary and Work Setup
The job posting does not list a specific salary figure. Business Development Representatives in New York City typically earn between $55,000 and $85,000 base, with commission structures varying widely depending on the company's stage and revenue model.
The role is remote-first with a New York City residency requirement. That combination gives you flexibility in how you work while keeping you close to the city's live events ecosystem, which is central to the job itself.
Is This Role Right for You
This position suits someone who thrives in an early-stage, fast-moving environment and genuinely loves the world of live events and curated experiences. If you prefer rigid structure and well-defined processes, a growth-stage startup may feel chaotic.
For the right candidate, this role offers real ownership over a growing marketplace and the chance to shape which experiences millions of people discover. That combination is rare and worth pursuing seriously.
You can apply for the Bucket Listers Business Development Representative position directly at this link.
