Rising Stars: Meet Arlin Pacheco of Kansas City

Today we’d like to introduce you to Arlin Pacheco

Hi Arlin, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Ooof! It was very Mr. Magorium Wonder Emporium. Believe it or not, I was actually Vegetarian when I started on the bbq tour. One of their previous TourGuide’s had found me in a KC actors page. He was going to LA and I was coming from LA. Having a performance and hospitality background- it takes a unique skill set that I just happened to have.
I have always been a fan of mutually beneficial business so I had struck a deal with the initial owners that I would handle their marketing and promotions, generating the rising business for our tours for the next eight years.
By 2016, I was Head Tour Guide and Operations by 2018. I became Owner by 2020 with a rebranding to Tour Kansas City & The KCBBQ Tour by 2021. We have built every bbq tour in town including our own competition, but somehow we just keep growing and coming up with new and creative ways to show off Kansas City. We are true cheerleaders of Kansas City!
The last two years we have also moved into specialized corporate and social nightlife events throughout KC including speed dating and music festivals. We are now the go-to company for not only bbq tours but company parties or social gatherings in general!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Is anything a smooth road?
We had a good long run for a period of time where the hardships were just coming up with enough buses and hours in the day to run our tours.
Little did I know that Ownership is a whole different ballgame. When we root for local-local-local, sometimes it means our margins are smaller and we grow a bit slower, just a bit.- But I’ve never considered that a problem as long as our network and community is cared for well.
Our biggest road block has come as of recent when we went into business with the wrong company that we found would end up lessening the quality and ethics of our tours.
We are an “Experience” company- NOT a “party bus” company, so when we partnered with such companies, we most definitely found a difference in the quality of our tours and our customers. We obviously no longer do business with them. We would never want to be a nuisance bus, or company!
Luckily we have stayed strong in our business morals and turns out, you just cant keep up with us if you don’t have passion, enthusiasm and ethics. People know the difference when you care about their experience.
At the end of the day, our customers end up looking for us time and time again. We do what we do- well and always have, no sense in changing that formula!

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I have been a performer since a very young age. Singer, dancer, actor, there’s not a whole lot of art I haven’t gotten into. I’ve shared the stage or screen with common names like Danny Trejo, Adam Sandler, and even some Disney productions and work back in the day but now I frequent a good comedy open mic or local show. There’s something about standup comedy that is pure and challenging, which I enjoy.
I also dabble in several art mediums including oils, pastels and graphics.
An alum of both the American Academy of Dramatic Arts-West, as well as Art Institute for Animation and Computer Sciences makes the exact clash of art and logistics in my brain.
I love coming up with a vision in my imagination and bringing it to life as an experience for people to make a memory of. Kansas City is full of amazing artists and establishments that make it like LEGO pieces for me to come around and piece together one-of-a-kind experiences for both KC visitors and locals alike.
Even if you’ve grown up in KC, we’ll show you something new in the city you’ve never seen before!

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Passion. I tell every tour guide: If you are not “Enthusiastic” about your tour, don’t do it. Showing off a hometown requires passion, enthusiasm and the sheer joy of walking into a space and wanting to connect people and friends. The food and beer sells itself, but what people don’t realize is that the People of Kansas City are the best part and what visitors truly love about us! And well- you have to be able to maintain those good connections if you want people to welcome you back. So you have to stick up for your restaurants, you can’t let customers walk all over them and vice versa. You are a KC Ambassador at all times. You are coworker, friend, family and concierge for people all in one.
And you just won’t last – at least not well without a genuine passion for people and your community.

Pricing:

• 125 per person for our BBQ Tours
• 125 per person for our Tacos and Margaritas Tours
• Custom Pricing available for Custom Tours
• $60-$125 Ghost Tour
• Ask about our Chiefs Tour

Contact Info:

• Website: https://TourKansasCity.com
• Instagram: Tourkansascity
• Facebook: Tourkansascity
• Youtube: Tour Kansas City & The Kansas City Barbecue Tour