Jim and Chris Guld built their business, Geeks on Tour, from their ability to clearly explain digital photography, photo and video editing, smartphone apps, and other technologies of interest to travelers in the context of their own travels around the country and the world.
They will be the featured speakers at our next workshop, which will be delivered online because our usual in-person meeting room is unavailable. You’ll probably learn something about smartphone photography — Chris is the author of Learn Google Photos — but you’ll also get their perspectives on speaking technique and learn how they run the YouTube Live show they use to connect with a worldwide audience.
This is David F. Carr, DTM, and VP of Public Relations of Club Awesome Toastmasters writing to you with a preview. I first wrote about Jim and Chris in a Forbes article, Running a Subscription Website from the Road, shortly after I met them in in 2010, when I was a columnist on technology for small businesses.
Here’s an excerpt:
I wondered whether they thought of themselves as semiretired, but, no, Chris said, this is their income. “If we didn’t have this business, we would have to stop and get jobs,” she says. But as GeeksOnTour grows, it is creating a residual income stream that is not directly tied to her hours of labor. And that makes her very happy.
Forbes.com, June 10, 2010
Today, they actually do consider themselves semi-retired, but the residual income from their extensive library of online content keeps rolling in. Meanwhile, their professional focus gives them an excuse to travel and do the things they love, such as scuba diving around the world.
I wrote about them as a journalist before we became friends, but I soon discovered that they were active in Toastmasters. Chris’s involvement with the organization dates back to before women were officially allowed to join. They helped me start Online Presenters Toastmasters, sharing their technical expertise, and continue to help out with special events.
They are current leaders at Early Birds Toastmasters in Fort Lauderdale.