A bit of a mouthful title, but it proves how powerful the Local Guides program really is.
Let me tell you my story when my life shifted to new dimensions.
A few years ago, after being informed that my full-time contract as a regular employee will be terminated in a few months a few chills when down my spine, the common questions popped up:
- Am I not doing a good job?
- What will my parents and friends think of me?
- Will I find a good job as the one I had? ?
And so on, but since I am a very optimistic person, I quickly switched to thinking that is not that bad, and I can finally start my own business by freelancing full speed… YES! ?
Working a regular job is, of course, excellent financial security, but it has its constraints. You need to follow their lead, their rules, their ideas and their limitations. With this fast-paced world, you need to keep up with the latest tech and trends, and if you don’t, the competition will do.
So now I could decide how I set up my business what tech I will use, and who to contact. I had built a good database of key contacts throughout the years. So I told them about my business ?‍?, it picked up quite well! After finishing a few amazing projects, I had a quiet time. Vacay yey.
But I realized, being a freelancer you become very cost-cautious, and you don’t want to waste your time and hard-earned cash on overpriced places, have bad service or are the local tourist traps. ?
That is where I turned to Google Maps ? and its reviews for restaurants, hotels and locations. After visiting a few places that scored well, I was convinced that the reviews were not random spam or paid for, but genuine and honest feedback! I instantly wanted to join this community! I wanted to contribute and help others! ?
And I became a Local Guide! ?
And not only that I started freelancing and Local Guiding, but I also became a dad of an adorable little angel daughter ?! Being a parent you start to have other requirements from places you visit. It becomes important to know that your little one can enjoy the location as much as you will.
Whenever I want to experience a new restaurant be it where I live or where I have to travel for business or leisure, I check it on Google Maps, get Local Guide suggestions and return the favour by writing a review and sharing my experiences.?
I usually share how the places were decorated, since it is the first thing you see, if the staff was friendly and professional, meals tasty and the facilities that the place offers. Whether it is baby-friendly, is it good for business meetings or friendly hangouts.
Local Guides has some amazing features, and it feels great to be able to contribute and help both businesses to grow and improve, and other people like me to find a nice place to be at!
I love the List Option and I will definitely be using it next time I travel! As a foodie and a ramen nuts, I have made a list of top ramen places to visit in Antwerp. Check out my temples of RAMEN ?
Fun fact: Ramen in Dutch means Windows ?!
