Today we’d like to introduce you to Kendra Wolfe.
Hi Kendra, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania from Colorado a couple months before the pandemic, at a time when so much of life felt uncertain. I started working at Water Street Mission in the dental and health clinic. I didn’t know anyone in Lancaster County.
At the same time, I was looking for two things: community and a way to create additional income. I began attending Lancaster Bible College, and around that same season, I started Unique Lancaster Experiences.
What began as a way to connect with the city quickly became something much bigger. I started learning the stories of Lancaster’s small businesses, immigrants, refugees, and minority-owned businesses, and I realized how powerful it was to create experiences that allowed visitors to see Lancaster through those stories.
Within two years, I was recognized as a YWCA Woman of Achievement and honored by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the community impact of the business.
Since then, we’ve had the privilege of welcoming thousands of guests from around the world and introducing them to Lancaster as a welcoming city. We do that through experiences like our International Food Tour, Breakfast and History Tour, scavenger hunts, electric bicycle tours, and other experiences designed to bring people together.
One of the most meaningful parts of building this company has been the relationships it has allowed me to form with Lancaster’s small business community. Through those relationships, Lancaster became more than the place I moved to. It became a place that feels like home.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When I started Unique Lancaster Experiences, I was a single mom, going to school full time, working a full-time job, and still getting to know Lancaster myself. Add in COVID and trying to build a business that brings people together, and there was a lot to figure out!
One of the biggest challenges was simply having enough time and energy for everything. I was trying to be present for my son, keep up with school and work, and build something from the ground up in a place where I didn’t have an established community yet. A lot of it was learning as I went.
I started the business partly because I wanted to find community and make extra income, so it’s pretty special that creating experiences for other people helped me build those connections, too. There have definitely been hard seasons, and I’m still figuring things out. I love what I’ve created, but it has taken a lot of work, creativity, and willingness to adjust along the way.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Unique Lancaster Experiences helps people explore Lancaster through food, history, and activities that bring people together. We specialize in unqiue teambuilding for corporate groups or small teams. We offer international food tours, breakfast and history tours, scavenger hunts, electric bicycle experiences, and custom outings for businesses and private groups.
Our International Food Tour is one of the experiences we’re best known for. Lancaster has an incredible immigrant and refugee community, and our tours give people an opportunity to enjoy food from around the world while learning about the people behind these local businesses. People often come expecting Pennsylvania Dutch food and leave surprised by how much cultural diversity we have here!
What sets us apart is the relationships behind the experiences. These are people and places we know and care about. We want our guests to feel connected to Lancaster, whether they’re visiting for the first time or have lived here for years. I love when a local tells us, “I’ve walked past this place a hundred times and never knew it was here!”
Brand-wise, I’m most proud of creating something that supports other small businesses. We only exist because of the small business community in lancaster
How do you define success?
For me, success is having freedom over my time, being able to provide for my son, and doing work that I enjoy and feel good about. I want to make a good living and still have the time and energy to actually enjoy the life I’m working so hard to build.
With my business, success means that other people eat because I ate! Others benefit from what I’m creating. Our guides earn income, local businesses gain customers, and guests make memories together. That means a lot to me.
My definition has definitely evolved. Recognition is nice, but these days I’m more interested in whether my life feels sustainable, whether I have room to be present with the people I love, and whether I’m proud of how I spend my days.
Pricing:
- Food Tour $65/each
- E-Bike $100/each
- Scavenger Hunt $20/each
- Custom Gift Cards
- History Tour $55/each
Contact Info:
- Website: https://experience Lancaster pa.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UniqueLancasterExperiences/
