I met Auður a year ago in Iceland. It was my first day in the country, roughly four hours after I hopped off the plane. I was relaxing in a café when Auður came in smiling, “I am between tours.” She told me before we started chatting like old friends.

Auður’s blog “I heart Reykjavík” was one of the first search results shown in Google when I keyed in “local tour Reykjavík (the capital city of Iceland)”. She started as a blogger introducing unique touristic and natural features of Iceland about three years ago. Her informative and friendly approach is highly acclaimed by tourists and blog readers all over the world.

A year ago, Auður began to run local tours. Tourists can choose between scheduled tours and private tours online. Auður has a rough routine but the real factors that influence each tour are the people on it, and the weather. “I try to be as flexible as I can… I actually never know where people are going to take me,” Auður said. “I want to show people what is cool and quirky, for example street art and good coffee. Of course Iceland is best known for its amazing nature, which I try to include in my tours.” As I was staying at my friend’s townhouse in Reykjavík for a few days, I actually saw Auður at work for a few times in different places and time of day in the city. Her clients seemed to be intrigued by her speech even they were just standing at a common street corner.

The signature “I heart Reykjavík Walking Tour” is also featured in TripAdvisor and ranked number 16 of 136 Outdoor Activities in Reykjavík.  Ninety two of the total 99 reviewers gave the highest “excellent” ratings. I heart Reykjavík is a “one person travel company” as Auður stated in her blog. It is not easy to run a small company as time and resources are limited. Since Auður started her touring service, she has been working almost 24/7, from morning to night. “It is tough, but it is completely worth it and I cannot be happier,” she said.

Auður is hopeful for the future of her business, “since I am only in my second year of business I am trying to take things as they come. My hope is that five years from now I can have a business that provides more employment opportunities and continues to offer unique and meaningful experiences for visitors in Iceland.” She also encourages people to do local tour start-ups. “Just do it,” she said, “if you enjoy being around people and tell people around your city you cannot find a better job. Starting your own business is a lot of work but it is the most rewarding experience of my life.” Despite all the excitements the new business would bring, Auður advised the startuppers to have a good work-life balance.

Auður’s work is inspiring in different ways. First, she proves that one can make a career out of a hobby. Second, a good business plan is needed, but more importantly is one’s enthusiasm. Auður’s love for her country and her observations on small things are deeply appreciated by the others.

Macao is a city with rich, colourful history and culture with most of the downtown area listed as UNESCO World Heritage. The heritage buildings are indeed remarkable, but the story behind them and the lives of local people are the real treasure of the city. A local marketplace or an old family shop is full of memories. Who is a better storyteller than a person who is born and raised in Macao? It is quite disappointing this great city is full of unenthusiastic tour guides reading information from a prepared speech. Walking tours with style is definitely part of cultural and creative industry and has a lot of room for development in Macao.