Vigilante Guides

Born and raised in Northern New Mexico, Jerard Carlos Vigil wants visitors to experience this part of the state like he did growing up.

Vigil created Vigilante Guides LLC after he and his wife moved from Austin to Santa Fe. Vigil, who grew up in Chama, a small rural town about two hours north of Santa Fe, left an unfulfilling job in corporate sales for a telecom company to be near family. His parents had lived in Santa Fe for more than a decade.

Questioning what he wanted to do once he got back to New Mexico, he thought about the thing he loved to do the most, which was travel. In 2021, he joined a local business cohort, Santa Fe Innovates, a five-week accelerator to help startups. Vigil took second place in the pitch competition and came away with enough prize money to put towards a website and branding for his walking tour business.

Vigil came to The Loan Fund in November 2023 soon after working on the business full time to get help with marketing in a competitive field. Santa Fe attracts an average of two million overnight visitors annually, as tourism is one of its top two economic drivers next to government. Vigilante Guides differentiates itself from other tour operators in the City Different by offering a price break and curating local dining experiences in a few of the city’s more than 300 restaurants.

“Our mantra is to live like a local,” Vigil said. “Our goal is to have an option for everyone as well. We know the reasons why people come here, history, culture, art, food, drink, and the outdoors. And our family has been here for almost 400 years, which is a very small amount of time in comparison with others who have been here. But we try and be respectful of everyone and tell the story of what really happened here, how we’ve come together as different cultures of the Spanish and Indigenous people, how we’ve come together as a community, and I think that’s what makes our tours really special.”

The walking tours have options for food and drink around the historic plaza, the Railyard commercial district, or tapas and wine. Other tours include haunted ghost or family tours. He also offers the only Spanish-speaking tour in the city. Future plans include purchasing a van to tour the popular spots outside Santa Fe.

“I would be using a lot more of my own personal money if I didn’t find The Loan Fund,” Vigil said. “They have been a resource that has allowed me to be more flexible and nimble, and maybe a little more aggressive in my marketing. If I didn’t find The Loan Fund, I would have to go back and get a part-time job. The Loan Fund has allowed me to pursue my dreams in a much more realistic way.”

“What we learned during Covid is that life is short. Enjoying ourselves, having a good time and having fun – it’s important, so what we try to do is show people a good time and have fun,” he said.