Meet Jonnie: the tour guide who’s been helping people fall in love with London for over a decade

• Business name: Bowl of Chalk

• Industry: Tourism

• Founded in: 2011

• Top business product: Card payment machine/contactless payments

• Key learning: “It’s really important to do the things that you want to do in the way you want to do them, otherwise your own enthusiasm and passion won’t come across.”

When the pandemic brought walking tours to a standstill, Jonnie Fielding found himself in unfamiliar territory – a tour guide with no tours to lead. 

Rather than call it quits, he turned to Instagram, sharing bite-sized videos packed with fun facts about London. Slowly but surely, his following began to grow.

Fast forward a few years, and Jonnie — better known online as Bowl of Chalk — has more than 275,000 followers across social media, and a book due out in September.

Here, he reflects on how Bowl of Chalk came to life, and why building a successful business doesn’t always start with a grand plan.

What encouraged you to start your business?

I started Bowl of Chalk in 2011. I was working as a copywriter, coming up with ways to sell things to people that no one needs, and I decided I needed a change. So I got a job as a tour guide working for a tour company. The company folded after a year or so, and then I decided to set up my own as a sole trader. Now, Bowl of Chalk has now been a limited company for a year or so.

How has social media changed your business?

Interestingly, for the first year of posting videos I didn't mention I did walking tours. It was kind of like anti-marketing. Although quite a number of people had put two and two together, most didn’t. The attention my walks have received through the videos has been phenomenal. It’s always been a challenge to get Londoners to explore their own city, but now, on my weekend group walks, I’d say around 95% of attendees are locals. Tourists are often surprised to find themselves outnumbered by people who actually live here.

Another product of my videos has been people and brands asking me to either collaborate or make videos for them. I didn't get involved for about a year, but I do them now if it sits well with me and is something I think my audience would appreciate. It's usually things about London that I'm interested in anyway. 

I unwittingly created my own 'brand' or style, and brands usually want me to bring that to the table, to be myself, and to talk about whatever it is in the way I usually would. Although my tours form the bulk of my earnings, over the last year or so, these brand partnerships have been a nice little bonus. 

It’s a case of making the most of it while I can, because ultimately my videos are at the mercy of the platform I publish them on. That said, I’m really happy with how they’ve resonated with so many people and encouraged them to see and explore the city in a slightly different way.

What has been your biggest business challenge? 

During Covid, work came to a complete halt. With no tourists, there were no walking tours – that was the biggest challenge. Up until then, everything had come through word of mouth; I’d never advertised or used social media, so I had to start from scratch. I handed out flyers and put hand-drawn posters in shop windows – that’s how I got my first customers.

What about your biggest success?

I’d have to say a huge success has been my social media content, which I was kind of forced into because of Covid. With my walks drying up, I seriously considered having to do something else. But I realised this is what I love doing.

I started posting my 'Fun London Fact' videos, mainly on Instagram, and they quickly became popular. Off the back of that, I now have a book coming out in September called Why is Downing Street Painted Black? (and 364 other fun London facts). 

Interestingly, I don’t appear in many of the videos — I just do the voiceover — so I’ve developed this strange situation where people might not know what I look like, but they all recognise my voice.

What is it about walking tours that you think people connect with? 

People come on my walks for all sorts of reasons. Tourists often want to see the big sights, but also feel like they’re getting something they wouldn’t experience on their own. I’m a big fan of pointing out the small details people usually miss — things they walk past every day without noticing — because those often help build a fuller picture of the city.

Many Londoners join to learn more about their own city. Understandably, people are busy and don’t always take time to notice what’s around them, so they’re often amazed by how much they’ve overlooked. I like to get to know everyone on a tour a little, that way I can tailor the walk where possible. It means each one ends up being a bit different from the last.

How did you fund your business?

There was no finance. Originally I worked during the week and did the walking tours on weekends. I had no overheads, so it was fine. I did that for a few years, but I was working freelance so gradually did less and less of that until I was just doing walking tours. 

As long as I’m fit and able to do walking tours, I’d love to continue as I am. I don’t have any interest in expanding the business or employing other people. As long as I can exist and enjoy what I do I’m happy. I also have ideas for other London books, but we’ll see.

How do you manage the financial side of your business?

Until Covid I was completely cash-based, barring a few of the corporate tours that I'd invoice. For 10 years I worked on a pay what you want basis for my group tours, and had set fees for private tours, but it was all in cash. 

I then started using iZettle — now just Zettle and owned by PayPal — to take card payments on the spot. It completely revolutionised things for me. Although I have a card machine, most people pay by simply tapping their phone or card on mine. Zettle charges a small fee of 1.75% per transaction and notifies me as soon as the money hits my account. As we move increasingly toward a cashless economy, this has become incredibly important.

I now have an accountant and use Xero to track all my incoming and outgoing payments. This helps me keep a clear record of tour income, content creation earnings, voucher sales, and expenses.

I also started using Eventbrite, so all my walks now have set prices and can be booked directly through the platform. This has saved me a lot of time – previously, people would email me individually with enquiries, and I’d have to send information, reminders, and follow-ups. It was incredibly time-consuming.

What would you say to someone who’s considering launching a business in a similar space?

Go for it! It’s really important to do the things that you want to do in the way you want to do them, otherwise your own enthusiasm and passion won’t come across. It’s also probably a good idea to have another flexible job on the side when you’re starting out.

This case study is for informational purposes only and is not intended as financial or professional advice. The results described are specific to the individual's personal experience, so please consult with a qualified professional if you need financial advice.