Side Hustle School Ep. 3303 - STORY: Food Tour Guide Chomps Down on $100,000 Profit
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Jan 16, 2026 A former marketer pivoted from private cooking lessons to launching a successful food tour company. She started with a modest $3,000 and quickly gained traction, earning $200,000 in a year with $100,000 profit. Her innovative approach included forming partnerships and rapidly scaling her business by hiring additional guides. With newfound freedom and flexibility, she expanded her offerings to include cocktail tours, enhancing her side hustle while enjoying the perks of travel and financial independence.
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Career Reset Led To A Food-Tour Pivot
- Jessica left marketing after a year-long travel break and experimented with private cooking lessons and guiding paid food tours.
- She preferred guiding and launched her own Saver Denver tours eight months later with a $3,000 start-up budget.
Start With Low-Cost Essentials
- Start small and allocate funds to essentials: website, logo, LLC, local membership, and insurance.
- Jessica launched with $3,000 and used a Visitors Bureau membership to drive early customers.
Use Concierge Outreach For Early Bookings
- Use local partnerships and free demos to get referrals from hospitality gatekeepers.
- Jessica offered hotel concierges free tours to encourage recommendations and booked her first customer within five days.