**GG:**
Your CV is quite a journey: starting at MODUL, the School of Tourism in Vienna, moving through the service sector in Switzerland and Kitzbühel, working on a cruise ship, through Vienna's luxury hotels into congress organisation, and then becoming an adult education trainer specialized in SAP, while also running your own business, Guide Vienna, as a Licensed Tourist Guide.

Let’s start at the roots—the "school of life."
Be honest: What do you learn in room service at the Hotel Imperial that helps you today

when leading a city tour or explaining SAP modules?
**RN:**
Well, looking back at nearly 40 years of professional life, many of my workflows have evolved—and, of course, so have I. But it was always about the people I wanted to work with. Guests on one hand, and work processes on the other. It’s been an evolution from analog to digital; from shorter paths to more efficient processes. However, for me, the human being still comes first. And I simply love it when people are happy.

**GG:**
At places like Hotel Sacher and Hotel Imperial, you learned how to care for guests at the highest level - how to bring them joy. Was becoming a Licensed Tourist Guide the logical next step, where the whole city became your "living room" instead of just the hotel?
**RN:**
A continuation, definitely. An addition, a refinement, and - with all the years and experiences in between—the completion of the "big picture."

The sum of all its parts.
**GG:**
As a guide, you are an entertainer, historian, and psychologist all in one. Which talent from your time as Night Manager at the Hilton saves you today when a tour group is standing in the rain in front of St. Stephen's Cathedral?
**RN:**
I think it’s primarily about finding solutions. It’s about empathy, intuition, and providing alternatives.

And I certainly won't leave my guests out in the rain!

**GG:**
Let’s jump to the founding of your business: In 2016, you started your own company. You came from a world of big budgets and many colleagues. What did it feel like to suddenly be a "one-man show"? What was the biggest adjustment?
**RN:**
The feeling is still very exciting. I managed this development consciously—slowly, with care, and step-by-step. I always say that I treat my small business exactly as if there were a few more zeros at the end of the figures. The biggest adjustment? I report to myself now. Self-motivation rests entirely on my shoulders. It’s a constant process of change.
**GG:**
The market for city tours is huge. How did you manage to position yourself as a guide while booking portals are flooding the market?
**RN:**
The foundations for business were excellent thanks to my career path. I already had strong contacts within the industry.

Plus, I was born and raised in Vienna. I love art, history, and culture. Many years of experience in the "premier league" of tourism - congress and meeting management.

**GG:**
What has been your best entrepreneurial moment since 2016? Was it a specific VIP tour, or the moment you realized,

"My business is actually sustaining me"?
**RN:**
A mix of both. Seeing the business develop, being able to steer it myself, and having success. But above all, it's sensing and noticing the joy of my guests - seeing that I can spark their interest and that they are truly having fun.
**GG:**
Regarding challenges: Was there ever a moment during your time in congresses or on tours where you thought, "This isn't going to work"—and how did you turn things around?
**RN:**
I started in congress organization at a time when there were no mobile phones, no internet, and no emails. That adds a different perspective. In the beginning, I was always terrified that I had forgotten to order a bus for the participants or failed to confirm it in writing.
You wake up in the middle of the night with that panic, and you develop specific mechanisms to cope. Today, there is so much wonderful technical support, yet I still carry the most important documents in printed form. Smartphone and apps in my pocket - but I might still need to use another phone to change a time slot at Schönbrunn Palace, just as an example.

**GG:**
Now for the "curiosity": You are a guide AND an SAP trainer. Do you ever explain Vienna's history to your guests using process diagrams? Or does SAP logic simply help you run your accounting and tour planning more efficiently than any other guide?
**RN:**
From the start, I thought about where the interfaces lie. What are the commonalities? Where are the differences? And are those differences good?
Primarily, I want to work with people. I share different types of content, speaking to small groups or individuals. In terms of organization, time management, accounting, planning, and budgeting—it is immensely helpful.
And yes, when it comes to the Habsburg family tree, I sometimes wish I had a flipchart to draw it out! My guests always have a great time on our drives, walks, and museum visits.
**GG:**
Visionary thinking: Where do you see your company in five years? Will it remain an exclusive "boutique" experience, or are you planning a fusion of your two worlds—perhaps "Digital-Historical Tours"?
**RN:**
Well, yes, I imagine steady development and expansion. However, I want to continue to be there for my guests

as an authentic, real-life human being.