I’m enjoying running a business, especially in an industry where I get to travel regularly, and have no plans ever to retire. – Steven Vigor, www.iberian-escapes.com
Wouldn’t it be great if you felt the same? Imagine finding a work and lifestyle that align so well with your values that you never want to quit.
In our interview, Steven Vigor explains how he got there. It wasn’t a straight path though. He found the perfect niche and type of business only on the third attempt, after he and his family moved from London to Portugal and wondered: “Now what?”
If you’re looking for inspiration, practical business-building advice, and a dose of reality, then you won’t want to miss Steven’s story.
1. Steven, what motivated you to start your online business? Was there a particular challenge or opportunity you believed you could fill? And how did you decide to use Solo Build It!?
We had used Solo Build It! in the past to build two websites. Whilst neither was particularly successful (Panda issues, wrong niche, etc.), we had gained a lot of experience using SBI! and gained an understanding of how the online world worked.
This time I was determined to start a business that went beyond the idea of the solopreneur. Two years before starting the business, we had sold our apartment in London and moved full time to Portugal. But what to do?!
The business we have today is vastly different from the business we initially set out to create. Initially it was a concierge business both for local people and people visiting.
It also highlights the importance of being adaptable. Steven didn’t stick to his initial vision; he evolved his business based on his new circumstances and opportunities in Portugal. This flexibility is key to long-term success.
Your initial idea may need some tweaking as you learn what works and what doesn’t. Solo Build It! makes it easy to adapt your online presence to your evolving business, from a simple redesign to a complete rebranding (as we’ll see in the next answer).
2. Iberian Escapes initially launched in 2017 under a different name. What motivated the rebranding in 2019, and how have your business goals evolved since then?
We originally started the business as “Algarve Lifestyle.” This reflected the idea of a concierge service in the region we are based. But as the business developed and expanded to cover all of Portugal and then Spain, our brand name no longer made sense and we decided to rebrand to “Iberian Escapes.”
Five years later, we find ourselves expanding outside of the Iberian Peninsula as our customers keep demanding it.
So early 2025, we will rebrand for the last time. We now provide tailor made vacations to Portugal, Spain, France and Morocco. Very soon that will extend to the UK and Tunisia. Then later in 2025, Egypt and Italy.
It’s so in line with one of Solo Build It!’s core principles: OVERdelivering. When you truly satisfy what your customers want, they’ll not only happily return but also tell their friends about you. Word-of-mouth is marketing at its best!
The fact that Steven is planning another rebrand and service expansion confirms that he has the right mindset for success. He just needs to think carefully about that next business and domain name… who knows how far his services are going to spread? Perhaps even halfway across the globe!
3. Your site saw some impact from Google’s Helpful Content Update in 2023, but traffic has been rebounding well. What’s your content creation strategy, and how are you adapting to changes in search, like algorithm updates and generative AI?
Yes, we were impacted I think in March this year. Starting in August, the traffic came back. Until March our traffic had been growing at a minimum of 50% every year, and we now seem to be back on a growth path again.
When the impact in March hit us, we simply ignored it, as we believed our content strategy was sound. Whilst we may use AI to gather ideas, we do not use AI to generate content nor do we buy backlinks. All our backlinks are natural.
We have a content strategy/roadmap for the next two years focusing on self-guided itineraries for travellers. We’re now using AI to generate lots of packages for us based on the itineraries.
Additionally, our website is in five languages. We find non-English keywords rank quicker, which in turn generates backlinks. But, the majority of sales are from English-language visitors.
Both updates aimed to prioritize content that’s genuinely helpful and created for people, not for search engines.
You can read more about the Helpful Content Update here: Google’s official announcement on the Helpful Content Update.
Steven’s experience perfectly illustrates how to stay on Google’s “good side.” It’s not about gaming the system; it’s about doing the right things for your audience.
First, create outstanding content that truly satisfies the user’s search intent. Steven’s focus on self-guided itineraries and tailored packages is a prime example.
Secondly, provide an excellent user experience. This means a fast-loading, mobile-friendly site with clear navigation — something SBI! makes sure you have.
And finally, build up a reputable brand that people like and trust. Steven’s approach of earning backlinks naturally (not buying them) is a testament to building authority and trust.
It’s also impressive how Steven has embraced AI to boost his output but without losing the human touch. And his multilingual approach is proving to be a great way to grow his brand.
By the way, if you’re wondering which tool Steven uses to translate his site into five languages… he uses the real thing: humans! He told us: “We don’t always want literal translation — we need it translated for the audience of that country to be super interested and engaged.”
And up until now, translation tools just didn’t satisfy their quality requirements. In the age of AI, this may change though.
4. Have you used Solo Build It!’s AI assistant, Tai, for any aspect of your site or business? If not, what’s been holding you back?
We’ve recently started using ChatGPT Team and have also used Tai, but we’re careful not to overuse AI-generated content.
We find AI useful for generating ideas. Going forward, we’ll also use AI for generating vacation packages, as I mentioned above.
It’s still early days, and we’re refining the prompts to create the vacation packages, but here are two examples:
Exploring the Basque Country: Wine, Culture, and Heritage
Timeless Tunisia: Culture, Coastlines, and Charm
As we have hundreds of itineraries for many cities and towns, we enter the URL of just one or even several itinerary pages into Tai or ChatGPT and ask the tool to create an inspiring vacation package around it. Which it does!
All we have to do then is to edit the output and add images.
The way they are using Tai — feeding it existing itineraries and asking it to create inspiring vacation packages — is a great example of how to use it effectively. With hundreds of itineraries to cover, this kind of work would have taken a long time. AI helps them get it done much faster.
You still need to fact-check the output and infuse it with your personality and your experiences, or, as we like to call it: JUST. ADD. YOU!
This way, you maintain your brand’s authentic voice. And that’s exactly how we envision our members using Tai: to save time, boost creativity, and create content that OVERdelivers on search intent.
5. Your income streams include travel and concierge services, as well as holiday rentals. What role does your website play in attracting customers to these offerings?
Early on, we decided we cannot rely on organic traffic from Google and other search engines alone. While everything can be booked from our website, we get lots of calls and referrals from other websites and agencies.
If Google stopped sending traffic to us tomorrow, we’d probably lose about 30% of our business. The rest would continue.
His diversified approach — combining direct bookings on his website with calls and referrals from other websites and agencies — provides a more stable foundation. This approach is key to long-term success and means he can weather any storm should a big algorithm change (or similar) happen again.
I’d like to think that SBI!’s comprehensive training contributed to Steven’s diversified approach. From day one, our Action Guide stresses that you’re not just building a website; you’re building an online business that can generate traffic and income from multiple sources.
6. How long did it take before you started generating income? Does this provide a full-time or part-time income for you and your family?
The business now provides full-time income for eight people, plus several part-time contract staff. Income started reasonably quickly; it just wasn’t enough to make a real profit in the beginning.
To be honest, it took us more than two years to really figure out how to make money away from showing ads and having affiliate links.
During these two years, we learned who our customers were, what we could offer them, how to earn their trust and convert them from browsers to customers, etc.
Now there are no ads on our website, and just a few affiliate links on each of the self-guided tour pages. Over 95% of income today is from real customers whom we talk to and know.
If our traffic keeps growing well, then we may start to look at adding sponsored banner ads related specifically to what we do.
Many of our members start like Steven with easy-to-implement methods, such as ads and affiliate links, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But as you gain more experience and insight, you’ll likely want to explore higher-paying monetization methods.
And that’s where Solo Build It!’s training comes in. It encourages you to start simple, but also to think beyond ads and affiliate marketing as you grow. In fact, two full sections of our Action Guide are focused on helping you find and then implement the best monetization options for your niche and personal preferences.
7. What impact do social media and email marketing have on your business success? Have you used the social media guides included in SBI!, and did you find them helpful?
We do use social media but it gives us no business directly. It’s used primarily for brand awareness and also useful for customers when they’re checking out the company. We do send occasional newsletters and they do provide occasional leads.
Whenever we have a new person help us with our social media activities, we point them to SBI!’s social media guides. They’re a great training resource.
Their email marketing efforts only play a small role in their business, which is surprising given how many businesses rely heavily on it to generate revenue. This shows how well Steven and his team have built their business based on a combination of organic website traffic and word-of-mouth referrals.
My colleagues in the Content Team will be happy to hear that SBI!’s social media guides are being used for training new staff. 😍
8. What are the biggest challenges you face running your business, both generally and specifically as a family operation?
My wife works from home and I work from the office. We try to keep our relationship separate from work other than a quick catch up when I get home.
Some of our biggest challenges are political. The majority of our vacation package customers are from the US. The recent presidential elections persuaded several customers to put their plans on hold. The increasing tension between Ukraine, Russia and NATO have also had an impact.
Our biggest issue, though, is the quiet period between October and December. We’re looking to start offering winter vacations in warmer countries. Saudi Arabia and Oman are on our list for 2025/2026.
It makes sense though. External factors like political instability and global events can significantly impact any business, especially in the travel industry.
It’s also interesting to hear how Steven and his wife work together as a family operation. Separating work and personal life seems a smart move to maintain a healthy business and a healthy marriage.
The other big takeaway here is the importance of adaptability and planning for seasonality. Their plan to offer winter vacations in Saudi Arabia and Oman to combat the slow season demonstrates their proactive approach.
The lesson for us business owners: always look for ways to diversify and adapt to the market.
9. What do you find most rewarding about being business owners? How has this journey impacted you, your life, and your family?
I spent my entire career in “corporate life” as an employee. Running your own business is enormously different. No longer are you relying on someone else for sales, or spending someone else’s money.
Now we’re responsible for all sales and all spending. Whilst we have hired staff into specific roles, I’m still head of HR, IT, Legal, Finance, Admin, etc.
I’m enjoying running a business in an industry where I get to travel regularly, and have no plans ever to retire.
As a business owner, you’re wearing many “hats.” This can be both incredibly exciting and, at times, challenging. One thing’s for sure: there’s always something new to learn, which keeps life interesting!
And I absolutely love his closing statement: “I have no plans ever to retire.” That sums up the passion and dedication that drives many solo- and entrepreneurs. It’s not just about making money; it’s about building a life you love.
Solo Build It! provides the tools and support to help you achieve this kind of freedom.
10. Finally, what’s your single most important piece of advice for someone just starting a business, whether online or offline?
Just get on with it! The sooner you can figure out your product, pricing, who your market is and how to find your customers (not just any customer but the right customer), the quicker you will achieve success.
Be patient and take it one step at a time. It’s unlikely you can answer all those questions on day one. It took us two years!
Final tip: When you get constant cold calls for marketing or advertising in magazines, hang up!
No procrastination, no endless planning — just start. Of course, that doesn’t mean jumping in blindly.
You need to thoroughly research your niche and figure out how you can best serve your audience if you want to be successful.
The good news is: When you combine Solo Build It!’s guidance with your experience and passion for your niche, you’re off to a great start.
Steven’s final piece of advice made me chuckle. I might add: Also, ignore the cold emails that promise you a top position in Google’s search results, to fix your SEO problems, or — worse — offer you a list of “warm” leads.
Neither the calls nor the emails are worth your time or money! Put your blinders on and focus on growing your business.
Latest posts by Margit Streifeneder (see all)
- From Concierge to Global Tours: 10 Lessons for Travel Business Growth - December 19, 2024
- Start an Online Business From Your Kitchen Table - November 13, 2024
- What Search Intent Is And Why Itβs Important for Ranking - September 20, 2024
Try it. Simply follow the Video Action Guide. 
No strings. Better, actually...
