One of the things I've discovered about launching a new company is that no matter how much experience you have, there's always something new to learn.
I know how to write a tour. I know how to train tour guides, manage a team and create five-star visitor experiences. Those are the things I've spent years doing.
The exciting part has been everything else.
Learning how to build a social media campaign, market our tours, understand online travel platforms, improve our search rankings and, perhaps most importantly, find ways to reach the people who want to discover Edinburgh. It's been a huge learning curve, and honestly, I'm loving every minute of it.
We're still a small company with a small team, which means most things eventually find their way onto my desk. Some days I'm writing tour scripts, the next I'm designing leaflets, creating YouTube videos, meeting hotel concierges, replying to reviews or planning our next big idea. That's the joy of a start-up—you wear every hat imaginable.
And speaking of new ideas...
September is shaping up to be a very exciting month. Alongside The Heart of the Royal Mile, we're preparing to launch two brand-new experiences: Dark Shadows of Edinburgh, exploring the city's sinister history and legendary characters, and Historic Sites with Scottish Bites, a unique storytelling tour combined with authentic Scottish food tasting.
But we're thinking even bigger than that.
Our ambition isn't simply to offer great tours. We want Experience Edinburgh to become a trusted hub for anyone visiting the city—a place where visitors can discover not only our experiences, but everything Edinburgh has to offer. Whether it's hidden attractions, local recommendations, restaurants or unforgettable experiences, we want to help people make the most of their time here.
Of course, with so many ideas comes one important lesson.
Knowing when to say, "That's a fantastic idea... but let's save it for later."
Right now, though, we're all riding a bit of a high.
The reviews coming in have been incredible. We are now proudly a 5-star rated company, and The Heart of the Royal Mile continues to hold a 100% recommendation rating. Seeing visitors leave our tours smiling, and then taking the time to tell others about their experience, means the world to all of us.
Those reviews are a reflection of every member of our team. They represent the passion, enthusiasm and hard work that goes into every single tour we deliver.
Now comes the next challenge.
Helping more people find us.
Launching a business is one thing. Building its reputation is another. Every day we're working to make sure more visitors discover Experience Edinburgh, choose one of our tours and leave with memories they'll talk about long after they've returned home.
It's a challenge we're more than happy to take on.
When I used to play rugby, there was a saying we'd hear over and over again:
"Head down and drive."
Keep moving forward. Keep learning. Keep improving.
That's exactly what we're doing.
And I genuinely can't wait to see where this journey takes us.