Every Entrepreneur Needs a Big Onion

Achieving an ambitious goal takes an exceptional focus. Becoming a doctor, or a university professor, for example, requires years of schooling, sacrifice, and commitment. When someone follows such a dream, she may relinquish other potential opportunities that are attractive. She hopes that professional and even financial success will be the reward for her choice.

Sometimes, however, letting go of a long-held ambition at the right time yields the greatest personal fulfillment. This is certainly true in the case of Seth Kamil, founder of Big Onion Walking Tours. I was fortunate enough to recently enjoy a Big Onion tour of the Lower East Side in New York City, and was interested to learn Seth’s story.

In 1991, Kamil was pursuing a PhD in history at Columbia University, planning a dissertation on 19th century Manhattan. He left the prestige of an academic career to create a walking tour company, Big Onion Walking Tours. Big Onion spotlights the little-known history of the city, offering tours such as Brooklyn Heights, Immigrant New York, and “Satan’s Seat,” or New York City during the Prohibition.

This decision was a leap of faith for Kamil, and the results have been impressive. According to UMass Amherst’s magazine, Big Onion has grown to offer 2,000 tours per year with 34 guides (Kamil is a UMass alumnus.) The company has earned accolades from New York Magazine and TripAdvisor.

Part of Big Onion’s success lies with its guides. According to its website, Big Onion hires graduate students, usually prospective PhDs, who are working on their dissertation and have teaching experience. Thus, Kamil hires very qualified guides with similar backgrounds to his.

Kamil’s experience shows the importance of taking risks as well as keeping one’s eyes open to the possibility of new experiences. What risks have you taken lately? What was the result? Which great ideas have you rejected in an effort to remain on the “straight and narrow” path? It’s never too late to change your route.

By the way, if you ever find yourself in Manhattan with some time to spare, I highly recommend a Big Onion tour!