DRAFT:
Serendipity in the City: The Spark Behind My Small Business
Starting a small business is always a leap of faith, but sometimes the city itself conspires to give you a nudge. My venture, focused on helping people slow down and truly appreciate San Francisco, was born out of a moment of pure serendipity.
It all started when I joined my friend Cathy on one of her Castro walking tours. Midway through, I struck up a conversation with a lovely couple visiting from southern Germany, currently on a sabbatical year to explore the world. We shared stories, admired the neighborhood, and then went our separate ways. Or so I thought.
The very next day, I was stationed at my pop-up kiosk at the Union Square Muni station, my small business was barely a day old, when I looked up to see that same couple strolling by. We laughed at the coincidence, and we all had the pink rose crystals from the Pink Triangle Park, which commemorates LGBTQ+ history in such a moving way. We even snapped a photo to send to Cathy, connecting the threads of our serendipitous meetings.
As if the universe wasn’t done weaving the story, the couple immediately booked my POPOS (Privately Owned Public Open Spaces) tour for Monday morning. That tour turned into another magical moment, Yana, the brilliant designer behind the San Francisco walking map, joined us just before our meeting to discuss the upcoming New York City map design. I found myself guiding new friends from across the globe through hidden rooftop gardens and tucked-away plazas, while collaborating with a local creative talent I deeply admire.
That’s the heart of why I started this small business: to create opportunities for spontaneous connection, discovery, and appreciation of the city. San Francisco is full of moments like this, glimpses of beauty and community, if we simply slow down to notice.
If my first week in business at the kiosk was any sign, serendipity is not just a theme for my business, it’s at the core of my artist lifestyle, and the ethos for the experiences I hope to share with every curious person who engages in community with me.
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