Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Luke Wuellner. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Luke, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?
There’s no one way to be successful but I can think of a few things that have helped lead me to become successful.
First, you need a good support system. No one is going to succeed on their own. You need friends and family that you trust and that support you. Without them, you’re not going to be good at what you want to do.
Secondly, you need to work hard. Nothing comes from sitting around and twiddling your thumbs. If you really want something, be aggressive and go get it.
Thirdly, you need to make your own luck. This goes together with working hard. Use your ability, and perseverance to capitalize on opportunity instead of relying on luck to possibly happen.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Luke Wuellner, I’m 43 years old, recently married, and have lived in San Diego for just over 20 years. I moved to San Diego in 2003 from Missouri with a college friend and I have never once thought about leaving. I decided to start Taco Tour San Diego because I wanted to be my own boss, stay in San Diego, and do something creative. I never liked the thought of a 9-to-5 job and had wanted to do something different and interesting while putting my stamp on the city I love. Not enjoying my work and getting lost in the shuffle was never appealing to me.
I had always worked in the service industry since I came to San Diego. When I first moved here, I worked at Torrey Pines Golf Course, then as a Realtor, and finally in ticket operations for the San Diego Padres. All these jobs helped me hone my people skills and prepared me to run a successful tour company. I never actually put solid thought into starting a tour company until a friend had offhandedly mentioned that I should ‘do tours’. I know he was talking about using my skill set to work for one of the more established tour companies in San Diego, but I didn’t want to do that. I wanted to make something my own.
I had the idea of Taco Tour San Diego for about a year before I started to put it together. Whenever friends came to town, I always took them on a ‘taco tour’. We’d drive to different parts of San Diego and try tacos. It was a great way to learn about San Diego while eating amazing food. Eventually, after doing some research on San Diego food tours, I concluded that there was a niche for Taco Tour San Diego. We have great weather, tasty tacos, eclectic areas, and interesting history. This made me realize that San Diego was the perfect spot for a taco tour.
Taco Tour San Diego isn’t your usual food tour. Most city food tours you will see are walking tours. We are not. We have a cool bus, fun music, an entertaining tour guide, a scenic route through coastal San Diego, and delicious tacos and drinks. What’s not to love?!
Other than being the only mobile food tour in San Diego what sets us apart from other tours is the personal touch we provide. We are a small business that cares immensely for our patrons. We manage to get a lot of repeat business because of that personal touch. I’m most proud of our ability to make people feel special while showing them a good time. Our patrons can expect a variety of tacos from off-the-beaten-path places. There is so much diversity throughout San Diego regarding tacos and locales. I want our patrons to experience that. It’s a great way to get away from their daily lives and enjoy the city.
How’d you meet your business partner?
I can. My business partner is my wife, Leigh Ann. Without her, there would still be a Taco Tour, but it wouldn’t be anywhere near as successful as it is today. Coincidentally, or not, I met her while she was on vacation and took a tour. We started our relationship at the beginning of the pandemic and two years later we got married. Now, she helps with the marketing, advertising, and communication parts of the company. She’s a godsend and I am lucky to have her.
Have you ever had to pivot?
I had to pivot when I realized that my dream job was not a reality. For my entire life, I wanted to work in the front office of a major league baseball organization. When I realized that wasn’t going to happen, I decided to take a chance on my career path and start Taco Tour San Diego.
It’s never easy realizing that your dream job isn’t a reality. It’s pretty disheartening. But what I’ve come to realize is that it wasn’t my dream job. My dream job is to show people a good time on Taco Tour San Diego.
I get to meet interesting people who all want to have a fun time enjoying San Diego while eating great tacos. What’s better than that? Showing people a fun time and showcasing the city that I love is my dream job.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.TacoTourSD.com
- Instagram: Www.Instagram.com/TacoTourSD
- Facebook: Www.Facebook.com/TacoTourSD
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/mwlite/in/luke-wuellner-7220002
- Yelp: https://www..yelp.com/biz/taco-tour-san-diego-san-diego-2