Today we’d like to introduce you to Christine Williams.
Hi Christine, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up in North Carolina and relocated to Florida, a year after college graduation, with little more than a small U-haul of personal belongings, a cat that my roommates & I had adopted from the shelter, and $1000 in the bank, I chose Tallahassee because it reminded me of North Carolina & was a day’s drive to family. I had the general plan of living fulltime in Florida to establish residency and then attend college again to obtain a master’s degree. I managed to get hired at an Applebee’s within 48 hours. That first year was hard financially with long hours. I actually asked my dad if I could move home for a few months, while I figured out my life. He said “you made your bed, now lie in it.”. That was probably the best thing a parent can ever do for an adult child. Within a few months, I was in the field of property management. A couple of years later, at the age of 25, I purchased my first home. At the frequent urging of friends and colleagues, I obtained my real estate license. I began my real estate career at age 29. That first year was another hard one! I gave up my salaried position with health benefits, for an insecure income as a commissioned sales person. I borrowed money from a friend that first year, to stay current on the mortgage. I worked long hours, often from 7:30am to 11pm. I cried every Sunday from sheer exhaustion. Every Monday, I started again. I worked and worked and worked constantly. By my second year, I purchased another home and rented the first. By the 4th year, I owned my primary residence, a 3-bedroom rental and two investment duplexes, so 5 rental units. I was 34 years old. I had money, a career that I loved most days and lots of friends. Yet, I felt like something was missing. In 2005, just as the recession was settling in, I made the decision to relocate to Ponte Vedra Beach. Most people work hard to have the life they want during retirement, but some folks do not make it to retirement. I made the decision to create the life I had always wanted at age 35: living at the beach. The next 17 years years were filled with trials and tribulations. I often felt like I was taking a step forward and two steps back. It felt like I was swimming upstream most of the time. Life brought one challenge after another. Those years deserve their own autobiography. In 2020, the world changed for all of us. It felt like everything just came to a screeching halt. I was restless, frustrated and wanted something to change. In September 2020, I decided to take a road trip to a city I’d never visited before. I chose Sarasota. As I took the exit ramp into the city, I felt an immediate sense of peace and familiarity. I had not even arrived at the hotel but I made the decision to relocate to Sarasota. The next few days were amazing. I explored, I dined in gorgeous restaurants, I initiated conversations with locals. I didn’t want to leave. Over the next few months, I studied Sarasota online, joined Facebook groups and visited again in April 2021. It had been six months since my last visit. I was anxious. In my mind, I had been building a new life in Sarasota. What if it was simply the freedom of being on vacation in a beautiful city during Covid lockdown? The moment I arrived on that second visit, that same peace & connection came back. I began traveling the 5-hours to Sarasota every month. My goal was to be a Sarasota resident in August 2021. That didn’t happen for a myriad of reasons. I continued the monthly trips but I started questioning myself, too. Why was I starting over AGAIN? Was I running from something? Your past and suitcases in your head always travel with you so why was I doing this again? And yet, every trip brought inner peace and outward excitement. I started experiencing new things and I felt alive again. I would observe people and muse at how lucky there were, to live in Sarasota every day! In May of 2022, I secured living arrangements. I would be moving into an apartment in August. It was much smaller than how I had been living for the past 7 years or so. That first year was a year of transition and trials again, just as the other two “first” years had been in Tallahassee and Ponte Vedra Beach. 2023 was the year of gaining traction, continued new experiences and creating strong friendships. One of the many things that happened was my first gig as a local tour guide. I was trying to figure out how to be outdoors, share my enthusiasm for Sarasota and get paid. I was browsing Indeed and applied for a contractor/part-time role as a tour guide! My research and monthly visits were investments that got me hired. To prepare, I had to do a deeper dive into the history of Sarasota. I studied for months before I led my first tour. In 2024, the owner offered me the opportunity to purchase the business that he had built. His professional endeavors were taking him in a different direction, and he knew that I would operate the business as he had been. We entered into a binding contractual agreement. And then the storms came. August brought devastation from Tropical Storm Debby, September brought more from Hurricane Helene and October brought Hurricane Milton. I was now obligated to purchase a business that had NO business. The storms destroyed so much. Businesses, homes, lives. And yet, the spirit of this community was the glue that held us all together. We cleaned muck from flooded homes of friends and strangers, we shared stories, food and whatever we had. In the past year, we’ve recommended each other’s businesses and reminded people relentlessly to “shop local”. We’ve survived on spirit, hope, friendship and that special connection we have to this very soulful place. A year after three catastrophic storms reduced us to scenes reminiscent of a war zone, we are still standing. We are still holding on to our little businesses and we will thrive again. It’s the continued support of friends and other local business owners that remind me how all of the pieces have come together. Sarasota was the place where I was always meant to be. It was the piece that was missing all of those years. My soul must have been here for many years, waiting for me to discover it all. I am finally home.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Oh, gosh. SO many struggles! I’m not the person that publicly shares all of the dark and evil people and situations that I’ve encountered. Some have knocked me down, with shattered fragments of myself scattered like puzzle pieces. I’ve been scammed, betrayed, slandered-multiple times. I think it hurts a little harder each time. I’ve had an actual stalker. I’ve had debilitating financial years. I’ve learned that it’s okay to hold people accountable for their actions, though. I’ve learned that justice doesn’t always happen as it should but karma does. What people put out into life, truly does boomerang back. Time brings vindication and validation and the truth always gets revealed. The struggles teach you alignment. Who to connect to, and who to set free.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a tour operator. I recently acquired an existing small business called Sunset Food Tours. It offers different types of tour experiences throughout the historical areas of Sarasota. The most popular is Taste of Downtown Sarasota. It is a guided walking tour, led by me or an experienced tour guide. The 3.5-hour stroll is an immersive experience that provides history, landmarks, insight into the arts/culture, lifestyle, current events and of course, food! We also offer a shopping tour of local boutiques, an elevated culinary experience, scavenger hunts and curated events for corporate groups. This IS very personal to me. I am sharing something that I love-this city, the people and the lifestyle. Even as owner, I prefer to guide as many tours as my schedule allows. The recurring theme in reviews from guests is that I am passionate and enthusiastic about Sarasota. How amazing is it, that I am the owner of a small business that also helps support other local small businesses, in a place that I chose to live in! I am so grateful for the businesses that want to partner with me, and for those that support me by word of mouth.
This unique situation provides me the opportunity to share the unique and charming lifestyle of Sarasota with people from all over the world!
What are your plans for the future?
Sarasota is my forever home. I will continue to grow Sunset Food Tours into more than just a seasonal tourism business. I’m already working on creating more tour experiences. We are also in downtown St Pete and have had pilot programs in other cities, too. I intend to be a business consultant to help others launch a tour business in their cities, too!
Pricing:
- Experiences range from $75-$250 pp
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sunsetfoodtours.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/floridatoursandexperiences/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sunsetfoodtours/
Image Credits
Christine Williams
