Title: Owner, Operator, Guide
Company: Guided Tours DC
Location: Washington DC
Education: ASAS in Fine Arts, New Mexico Junior College (2002)
Career History: Owner, Operator, Guide, Guided Tours DC (2017-Present); Owner, Liam Gideon Photography, (2002-Present); Partner, The Black Dress Wedding Photography (2009-Present); Director of Operations and Marketing, Signature Tours of DC (2012-2017); Instructor, Center for Digital Imaging Arts (2013-2014); Marketing, Art Director, Conscious Corner (2011-2013); Sign Admin Director, Balducci’s (2008-2009); Operations and Marketing Manager, Studio One to One (2004-2008); Staff Photographer, Sun Publications (2003-2004); Marketing and Sales Manager, I Got It Business Machines (2000-2003)
Liam Gideon, Owner, Operator, and Guide at Guided Tours DC, has been recognized as a Marquis Emerging Leader for their contributions and achievements in the field of education and tour operations.
A gifted commercial photographer with a deep passion for history and food, Mr. Gideon has established himself in Washington, DC as a memorable guide, as well as chief executive officer, owner, and operator, for his company, which provides people with a unique view of Washington through his eyes. For Guided Tours DC, he not only leads specialized walking tours of Arlington Cemetery and Capitol Hill but handles all marketing, photography, videography, and graphic design involved, as well as customer relations, the recruiting of new guides, and keeping all information up to date. Mr. Gideon started Guided Tours DC in 2017, determined to show that a business that treats people well will be a successful operation—one of the group’s major founding principles is to pay above a living wage to every employee.
Mr. Gideon has been most proud of growing his company from two employees to eight employees and establishing their own office. It has been recognized as one of the “Top 20 Experiences in the USA” in 2023, won him a Travel and Hospitality Award in 2022, and has been Five Star-rated and earned a Badge of Excellence by TripAdvisor and Viator.
In addition, Mr. Gideon has owned and operated his own photography business since 2002, through which he captures portraits, interiors, architecture, events, and food for promotional use, and has served as a partner at The Black Dress Wedding Photography since 2009. He previously excelled as the director of operations and marketing at Signature Tours of DC from 2012 to 2017, an instructor at the Center for Digital Imaging Arts from 2013 to 2014, a marketing and art director at Conscious Corner from 2011 to 2013, and a sign admin director at Balducci’s from 2008 to 2009. Prior to these appointments, he was active as an operations and marketing manager at Studio One to One for four years, a staff photographer at Sun Publications, and launched his career as a marketing and sales manager at I Got It Business Machines from 2000 to 2003.
Looking toward the future, Mr. Gideon, who’s equipped with an Associate of Science in Fine Arts from New Mexico Junior College, aims to continue running Guided Tours DC smoothly to the point where it can operate well with or without him’; beyond that, he strives to expand his tour expertise into other cities, like Philadelphia or New York.