After 12 years as a communications specialist, Laura Badertscher decided to pivot in her career journey and pursue an opportunity that combined her love for nature, human connection, and adventure. In May 2025, she started her own tour company using her background as a Swiss American to serve as a bridge between the two cultures. Her company, Hello Switzerland Tours, recently was awarded LUXlife Magazine's award for Best Private Rail Tour Provider 2026 and the Best Travel Company for Family Holidays award from Business Awards UK.
After graduating from the University of South Florida with dual degrees in German language and literature and international relations and affairs, she spent time in Berlin, Germany, as a Fulbright Scholar. Her cross-cultural experiences have prepared her to present Switzerland's culture and natural environment authentically during her tours and help her guests connect with the country deeply during their stays.
Now, Badertscher is partnering with the Judy Genshaft Honors College to bring those experiences to the Honors community through Beyond the Postcard: Switzerland and Milan, the college's first-ever alumni study abroad program. The eight-day program, planned for spring 2027, will give Honors alumni an opportunity to explore Switzerland and Milan alongside fellow members of the Honors community.
You founded a Swiss tour guide company. What inspired you to start this career path?
I've joked many times in my life that I should become a tour guide, so it felt like a natural path for me. I'm someone who likes to discover details and learn the stories and history of the places I visit, and when I have visitors, I enjoy showing them beautiful and unusual places that are off the beaten path.
I'm lucky to live in such a beautiful country because all I have to do is bring the personality and know-how, Switzerland does the rest of the work.
When you were a student, did you imagine your career would lead you to entrepreneurship in Switzerland?
I never specifically thought I'd build a business in Switzerland, but I certainly imagined myself working internationally. When I was a student, I wanted to become a diplomat, so I always wanted an international, people-oriented career that requires a lot of soft skills.
Now that I run my own tour company, I have all of those elements, plus I get to have fun with my travelers and bring more joy into their lives.
Funnily, I have degrees in international relations and German, and for the first time in my career, I'm putting both to excellent use.
What do you think your travelers appreciate most once they experience Switzerland?
Switzerland is an incredibly beautiful country, and the views can't be overstated. But aside from the impressive landscapes, my travelers are blown away by Switzerland's excellent public transportation: our trains, trams, boats, and cable cars. I cater to a North American clientele and offer exclusively private tours on our public transport network.
They're not used to having such reliable access to even the most remote mountain locations, and they're surprised how frequent, clean, and comfortable our trains are.
Even my most die-hard car lovers appreciate having multiple transportation options, and someone always mentions how nice it would be to have them back home.
What aspects of your job are the most fulfilling and which are the most challenging?
I love my job and find so many aspects of it fulfilling. I enjoy people, and it's a true joy to see them experience the natural beauty of Switzerland for the first time. When we're at the peak of a mountain, overlooking the expanse of the Swiss Alps, they experience awe, and it's a contagious feeling that never gets old.
My travelers and I spend many hours and sometimes days together, and it's my job to show them the best parts of Switzerland and explain them in a culturally relevant way. It helps that I'm Swiss American, and since I know both contexts, I'm a bridge between the cultures. In a way, I get to be an ambassador for Swiss culture and heritage, a role I take very seriously.
My biggest challenges have been around growing my business. There's a lot of competition in the market, and the barriers to entry for partnerships and other networking opportunities are high in terms of cost and requirements. As a small, independent company, it's been frustrating to learn how many doors are simply closed to operators my size, so I've had to be tenacious in finding new avenues of entry. I keep trying, though, because every success brings my business forward and makes the effort worthwhile.
What pushed you to make the "meeting rooms for mountain views" career change? Was it something you grappled with or did you always know you wanted to make this switch?
It's not a glamorous answer, but the big push came from experiencing burnout after working 12 years in corporate communications. Even though I had interesting projects and some fantastic coworkers, my work didn't align with my purpose anymore, and at a certain point, I couldn't continue.
I reflected a lot on my values, what I'm good at and like to do, and what would leave me feeling energized instead of depleted at the end of the day.
It turns out, nature, adventure, and human connection were the cure for my burnout, and now I come home from work knowing I did a great job.