SPOTLIGHT ON GANYC GUIDE: JEREMY WILCOX
Introducing GANYC guide Jeremy Wilcox of his own company: Custom NYC Tours:
http://www.customnyctours.com
How long have you been a tour guide?
I just got licensed at the beginning of 2016, though this is the fulfillment of a dream I have had for many years!
What's the best way to reach you should our readers want to contact you?
Email is the most efficient way to contact me about my tours. All of my contact info, and social media options, are linked on my web homepage.
Can you tell us a little about your ideal customer?
Someone who has been to New York before, and is looking for something a little off the beaten path this time around. Or even a local who is looking for the same!
What time of year would you consider your busy season?
So far, Autumn has seemed the busiest. This weather is just perfect for exploring and walking tours.
Have you or your company received any awards (recently or in the past)? If so, what was the award for, who awarded it, and when did you receive the award?
Not yet, but I am hopeful for the future!
What drove you to become a tour guide or tour operator or create this company/organization? What's your story?
I was born in Queens, went to college in Manhattan, and now live in Brooklyn.
I’ve always felt that, since New York can be an expensive and tough city sometimes, if you’re not seeing and doing as much as you can here, you will regret it. Too often we stick to our regular haunts. Tourists too, on repeat visits, might tend to stick with their familiar. I made a goal for myself to walk every neighborhood in the 5 boroughs, and I’m well over halfway there. I always loved discovering new places here and showing my friends and out-of-town family around.
Many of my friends told me to become a guide… why not get paid to do what I was already doing and loved? So I did!
I founded Custom NYC Tours to spotlight the parts of the city I have grown passionate about, in hopes of getting visitors (or even locals) to see as much of the unique parts of New York as possible.
What is the most gratifying part of your work?
Hearing that people learned something new, and had fun doing so. I recently did a Bushwick street art tour that incorporated some of the neighborhood’s rich history. One of the tour customers was someone who lived in that neighborhood. He told me learned more in 2 hours of the tour about his own neighborhood than he had in all his time living there. That is immensely gratifying.
What celebrities (if any) have patronized your business or organization? Any fun stories about when they visit your business?
None yet, but send them my way!
How long have you been a member of GANYC?
9 months.
How did you hear or learn about GANYC?
When I got my license, I researched the tour guide industry in NYC, and came across the GANYC website online. I realized immediately how much of guiding in NYC was a strong community, and that I wanted to be a part of that.
What types of tours do you offer?
All of my tours are small-group walking tours, usually 2-3 hours in length. I offer a variety of these tours, and love planning custom adventures for individual clients.
But my favorites tours are my Bushwick street art tour, Victorian Flatbush in Brooklyn, and a Worlds Fair history at Flushing Meadows in Queens.
How has GANYC helped you and your business?
In just the 9 months I have been a member, GANYC has helped me tremendously. Personally, I have already made great friendships with other guides. Professionally, I have made lasting connections that are already helping me grow my business.
For guides in New York, joining GANYC is a no-brainer!
What's your advice or Tour Guide tip you love to share to people visiting New York?
The best way to see New York is on foot! Also, while the highlights of NYC (Central Park, the World Trade Center, Rockefeller Center, the Statue of Liberty) are highlights for a reason, and we love them too! But plan at least one day to see something(s) in the outer boroughs… the number of museums, parks, and amazing restaurants outside Manhattan will surprise you, and stick with you for a long time.
(For more info or to book a tour with Jeremy check out his GANYC profile by clicking here.)