OUR STORY

From Software Engineer to Tour Guide

For fourteen years, I worked as a software engineer. It was a secure, respected and well-paid career, but it never felt like the life I truly wanted. Ruby Tours began when I finally stopped looking for another corporate job and started building something of my own.

MY STORY

A Life That Never Quite Felt Right

For fourteen years, I worked as a software engineer. It was a career many people dream of—secure, respected, and well paid. Yet, despite everything it offered, it never felt like where I truly belonged.
I’ve always been drawn to people, history, and discovering new places. While my family and friends built successful careers in some of the world’s biggest companies, I quietly dreamed of something different: creating a small business of my own, built around quality, authenticity, and genuine human connection.
The problem wasn’t a lack of ideas. It was fear.
Leaving the corporate world meant walking away from certainty, and my logical mind always found another reason to stay. Looking back, I often describe those years as living in a luxury prison. Everything looked perfect from the outside, but deep down I knew I was following a path that belonged to someone else—not me.
That feeling stayed with me for years, quietly waiting for the courage to do something different.

A TURNING POINT

The Month That Changed Everything

My last software contract ended in April 2026. Normally, I would have started looking for another position before the project even finished. Instead, I kept telling myself, “I’ll update my CV tomorrow.” Tomorrow never came.
During that month, I spent long mornings walking through Kraków with Ruby. Somewhere along those walks, I realised I wasn’t avoiding the job search—I simply didn’t want to go back. For the first time in fourteen years, I admitted to myself that I wanted a different life.
I still needed to earn a living, but I wanted something that involved people rather than another desk. Then, almost by accident, I came across an advertisement looking for Melex drivers.
I met the owner expecting just another temporary job. Instead, I found someone whose personality immediately stood out. He was kind, respectful, and genuinely passionate about showing people around Kraków. A few days later, I became a tour guide.
At the time, I thought I had simply found a temporary job.
I had no idea I had just found my future.

FINDING MY OWN WAY

Building Trust Instead of Chasing Customers

The first few weeks weren’t easy. My manager and colleagues taught me everything they knew about attracting customers, and I was grateful for their support. But one thing didn’t feel right—I didn’t want to stop every tourist who walked past or persuade people who clearly weren’t interested.
Instead, I asked for the freedom to find my own approach.
Rather than chasing customers, I focused on creating an experience worth recommending. I designed my own posters, built a small personal brand around Ruby and myself, and let curiosity do the work. Before long, people were coming to me instead of the other way around.
There was one principle I never compromised on: honesty. I never rushed a tour, never overpromised, and treated every guest with the same care, regardless of how much they paid.
Over time, my manager realised that while I spent longer with each group, I gained more recommendations, repeat customers, and tips. From that moment on, he simply trusted me to do things my own way.
Looking back, that experience shaped the philosophy behind Ruby Tours: people may forget what you say, but they’ll always remember how you made them feel.

MEET RUBY

The Little Dog Behind the Name

Ruby wasn’t part of the original plan.
A few years earlier, I had shared my life with a dog named Roxy. Saying goodbye to her when I moved out was one of the hardest parts of leaving that chapter behind. When my partner later suggested getting a dog of our own, I hesitated.
After one unforgettable evening with Roxy—who made it very clear she didn’t like sharing my attention—we started looking for a small, friendly Maltese puppy. Instead, we unknowingly adopted a little white dog with a big terrier personality.
Her name was Ruby.
When my relationship ended in 2022, Ruby stayed with me. From that moment on, we were inseparable. She followed me through some of the most difficult years of my life, including losing my job, moving to Germany, and eventually returning home to Kraków.
When I started working as a tour guide, I had just one condition: Ruby had to come with me.
Customers fell in love with her before they even met me.
Looking back, Ruby didn’t just inspire the name of my business—she changed the direction of my life.

HOW RUBY TOURS WAS BORN

More Than Just a Tour

Today, Ruby Tours is built on the same values that led me to leave the corporate world: honesty, quality, and genuine human connection.
I don’t believe in rushing through the city or treating guests like numbers. Every tour is private, personal, and designed to give you the time to enjoy Kraków at your own pace.
My background in software engineering also inspired another idea. Instead of simply talking about history, I use multimedia to bring it to life with historical photographs, videos, and visual reconstructions, allowing you to see places as they once were.
Ruby Tours combines my passion for history, technology, and meeting people with one very special tour guide who has been by my side through every step of the journey.
I hope you’ll enjoy discovering Kraków as much as I enjoy sharing it.

THANK YOU

Thank You for Being Part of Our Story

If you’ve read our story this far, thank you. I hope we’ve already made you smile at least once.
When I left my career as a software engineer, I wasn’t searching for another job—I was searching for a different way to live. I wanted to build something personal, honest, and memorable. Something I could genuinely be proud of.
Every guest who chooses Ruby Tours becomes part of that journey. Whether you’re visiting Kraków for a few hours or a few days, I hope you’ll leave with a deeper appreciation of the city, a few great stories to take home, and perhaps a new four-legged friend you’ll never forget.
I look forward to welcoming you to Kraków.
– Arman & Ruby

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