A Winner of Multiple Video Contests and a Perpetual Runner-Up

Can you make a career out of winning video contests? Here are two young men who think so.

In the past 18 months, Michael Beaudoin, a 2006 UMass graduate, has made $60,000 dollars entering and winning a series of online advertising contests run by companies including Snickers and Tic-Tac. “I’d really like to escape my cubicle,” he said. “You gotta follow the dream.”

And Daniel Janis is a three-time (at least) runner up for his entries in contests sponsored by People.com, Honda, Pepto Bismol, and others. Lots of others. "One day I want to be on TV as a talk-show host," not an Alex Trebek, Charlie Rose or John McLaughlin, but "the fun, late night TV variety," Janis says.

Related:
- Video Contests: Can All These Dogs Hunt?
- How to Make a Video Contest Succeed - or Suck
- Denny's Contest Has No Entries. Dear Denny's: We Won't Work for Food.
- No nuns on catwalk, priest stops "beauty contest"