By Lily Embark On A Flavorful Journey Through Lancaster’s History With Unique Lancaster Experiences
- Tower After Hours
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Welcome to season 2 of Tower After Hours! We have a great lineup for season 2 and we’re so excited to get to know some great individuals in the Lancaster community. In this episode, we’re sitting down with Kendra Frazier, owner of Unique Lancaster Experiences.
Known for highlighting Lancaster through a minority lens, Kendra works hard to share hidden gems with people online and through interactive walking or bike tours.
Getting Unique Lancaster Experiences Started
{1:15} Kendra moved to Lancaster during the pandemic, where she was involved in mission work and going to bible college. With little knowledge of how to run a business, Kendra realized that life was short and she wanted to make the most of the time she had left. And so, Unique Lancaster Experiences was born.
This isn’t the first place Kendra has lived. Her entire adult life has been spent on the road, getting involved in new communities, and working various positions. After Kendra lived in Lancaster for a few short months, she realized there was so much to learn about the history and expansion of Lancaster. She created Unique Lancaster Experiences to share those “hidden gems” with the community.
The second part of her business is teaching others how they can replicate this model in their own hometowns or favorite cities. Because although she loves traveling, when she travels she wants to truly enjoy the city without the feeling of work following her everywhere.
How The Business Got To Where It Is Today
{6:00} When Kendra moved to Lancaster, she loved working in missions but recognized that she wasn’t getting paid enough to fully support her and her toddler. She quickly put her skills together to find something of value to offer the Lancaster community.
What started as a photography business has now grown into hosting large community group tours around the city. Her business stands out because she is the only year-round tour guide in Lancaster, most tours shut down in the winter months.
As a minority business owner herself, her focus will continue to highlight black and brown businesses because they make up less than 1% of the brick-and-mortar stores in Lancaster. Especially with starting her business right after the pandemic, she knew it was crucial to help these local places be top of mind and noticed by the community.
Balancing Passions and Analytics
{11:40} We then asked Kendra where she learned about the opportunity to start a new tour or include new businesses in a tour. Interestingly, she starts by saying that every opportunity or new tour has been sparked by one of her passions. She loves history, cycling, and food which encompasses a majority of her tours.
On the other hand, Kendra also talks about being analytical when it comes to making decisions and takes time to do keyword research and make updates to her Google Business profile. This helps her understand what the need is and how she can fulfill it.
Another tactic she follows is making sure she’s covering all the bases when it comes to getting her name and business out there. Everyone is going to be searching for things on different platforms, so it’s a best practice to make sure you’re not “putting your eggs all in one basket.”
Organic posting is KEY for Kendra and she’s been able to grow quite successfully through SEO and organic social media.
It’s Not Just For Travelers
{16:10} We’ve all had thoughts in our minds about our hometowns — how we think they’re boring and there’s nothing new to learn about them, especially if we’ve been there our entire lives. Lily and Alex, both, have spent the majority of their lives in Lancaster and had similar experiences when it came to Lancaster County.
Kendra has seen that her tours don’t just attract people from out of town, but a lot of locals love touring and discovering new places in the place they grew up in. She’s also noticed that this is a great way for companies, teams, and classes to come together for a team-bonding experience.
Customizing The Tour For You
{21:00} Before we went on the tour, Kendra asked us about food allergies. She tries to make the tour as inclusive as possible, so this is part of her pre-tour routine. Kendra and her staff and very educated on all menu items, so they can easily adjust the tours based on a variety of dietary needs.
As for choosing places to include on her tour, she wants to choose places that have stories to tell. And these restaurants are supportive of Kendra and her tours and are ready to provide food for everyone in the group. Kendra states that she is texting the business owners the morning of with group numbers and dietary restrictions so they are prepped and ready for when the group comes.
At the end of the day, Kendra is telling stories and sharing others’ stories. On her social media, she’s not explicitly talking about her tours, her business, or her products. She’s engaging with the community, sharing those hidden gems, and uplifting the people she cares about.
Personal Growth Through Unique Lancaster Experiences
{29:31} As someone who didn’t have much experience in owning and running a successful business, we asked Kendra about what she’s learned about herself along the way.
Her Potential. Taking this leap of faith and working hard to learn everything she could, she realized that she can do this and she can do it well. She mentions her gratitude towards the community members who poured into her and supported her throughout the entire process.
Check out the full episode: Unique Lancaster Experiences: Tourism with a Fresh (& Tasty) Lens
Alex S 
Marisa