This transcript was generated from the episode audio and may contain minor errors.
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Hey listeners, thanks for tuning in today. Chris Guillebeau, your host of "Side Hustle School." Today we're gonna take a listener question from Kansas City. This comes to us from Nora, a professional in the travel industry and a long time listener. Really appreciate Nora and everybody else out there. And I love hearing your ideas, your side hustle ideas, your business ideas, what you hope to do to make extra money without quitting your job, perhaps a full-time income or just something significant, whatever's important to you.
In Nora's case, she has identified a potential gap in the market, an app that connects adventurers with local guides in less explored destinations. Now there are a few things like this already, I'm pretty sure, but of course that doesn't mean there isn't room for one more or for something a little different. So she's wondering about whether she should develop this app or perhaps a similar service, and she's looking for insights on development, user experience and marketing. Basically she's hoping for some validation on whether this idea has the potential that she thinks it does. Now it's hard to know for certain in these situations, but what we can do is look at the potential, hopefully offer a couple of next steps.
Should I make a tour guide app? And if so, how do I do it? That's today's episode, stay tuned. [Music]
Hey Chris, I'm Nora from Kansas City. I've been working in the travel industry for several years and have been a fan of your show since its inception.
Here's my idea, I'm thinking there's a gap in the market for an app that connects travelers with local tour guides in off the beaten path destinations. I'm keen on developing this app or maybe it's another kind of service, I don't know. But unsure where to start, could you provide some insights on development, user experience considerations and effective marketing strategies? If that sounds like too much, how about this? Do you think I'm on the right track?
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Nora, thanks for being out there. So glad to hear from you about this idea. Well, it could be, it could be interesting. You could be on the right track, but of course I always want to be realistic. I want to be encouraging and realistic.
And as I've said before, making an app can take a lot of work. You have to think about not only how do you make the app, but then how do you maintain it? And for something like this, there's a lot of process to it because it's not just about the technology of making the app. It is how do we then connect local tour guides with potential travelers? Like that's what the app does, but who are the tour guides?
How do you market it to the travelers? It's just a big, big project. So I always say, when you have a big, big project, just make sure it's really what you want to do. And if it is, then no one should discourage you from it. But if it is the kind of thing where you're like, well, this is one idea of meaning, then I might choose a simpler idea just because of all the time it's going to go into it and probably a good investment as well in terms of making the app and such compared to projects that cost very little money to get started.
But nevertheless, if you do want to proceed or if you want to do some more research, then I would proceed on two tracks. And the first track would be learning more about making an app. And the second track would be thinking through the actual business model a bit more. Are you working with a company that then partners with guides? Are you trying to do all that yourself?
If so, maybe it's best to just start with one area, one city, and in that case, you might not need an app. That might be a totally different thing where you're just trying to do it through a website or some kind of forum or some other tool that's just a little bit easier to get started. And if, as you reflect on this and you think, okay, maybe the app is daunting and maybe that service is also daunting itself because of everything that's involved in connecting with people all over the world and such, what might be similar but more feasible? So it could be a website that offers bespoke travel planning services and you choose a really specific niche and you're like, I'm going to try to connect with these people to plan travel for them. And that will include connecting with local guides in different places wherever they end up going.
But the whole focus is not then connecting travelers with guides worldwide. That's my thought. Nora, like I said, I just want to give you an honest answer and also want to be encouraging. So if it does work out, let us know, of course, we'd love to promote it a bit. And if you choose something else, then let us know that as well.
Whatever you do, always on your side. Listeners, I'm on your side. Let me know what you're up to, sidehustleschool.com/questions. New episode every day, seven days a week. Listen wherever you want.
It's completely free. My name is Chris Guillebeau. This is Side Hustle School. [Music]
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From the Onward Project.
