Introducing Marguerite Bravay: Berliner, Content Creator, and Founder of Berlin & Around

Welcome back to my Introducing: Berliner series where I interview local business owners in Berlin. Next I’m introducing Marguerite Bravay: a Canadian transplant and content creator who moved to Berlin a few years ago, after testing out life in Australia, New York City, Switzerland, and France in between.

Marguerite’s business Berlin & Around aims to encourage people to have adventures locally, get outside more, and travel. Her content originally began on Instagram, but she has since expanded to several social media platforms, alongside starting a blog to properly tell the stories behind her photos. Today her work is mainly Berlin focused, but she plans to write more about her travels outside the Berlin area once travel picks back up.

She recently decided to take the plunge and turn Berlin & Around into her business. She now uses her marketing and copywriting background to her advantage as she photographs and writes about Berlin and her travels. I especially enjoyed putting together this article because Marguerite’s business interests me so much, and I was inspired by our conversation. If you’re currently living in Berlin, especially during COVID times, her blog is a must. She perfectly balances more serious and informative Berlin-related articles with fun posts about things to do in the city.

I am pleased to introduce you to a leading voice in Berlin’s blogging community: Marguerite Bravay.

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“I’ve never felt so passionate about anything career related in my life, so I decided to turn this into a business. This genuinely just feels right.”

Marguerite & Her Business

Can you tell me a bit about the process of taking Berlin & Around from an idea to an Instagram to a blog to a business? Was this idea born in Berlin?

Yes, the idea was born in Berlin, but I think I’d be doing this even if I was living elsewhere. I knew I wanted to talk about my worldwide travels, yet still make it clear that Berlin was my base. I didn’t start the blogging aspect of my business until March 2020 so my blog has been much more Berlin-related, with a heavy focus on things that are relevant to the current times like my article on Berlin English COVID Resources. Previously Berlin & Around was primarily based on Instagram, but I wanted to have a space to properly tell the stories behind my photos so I decide to create my blog.

Now that I’ve had a growth in partnerships and followers, I’ve been able to turn my hobby into a business. I’ve never felt so passionate about anything career related in my life, so I decided to turn this into a business. This genuinely just feels right.

What is the goal of Berlin & Around?

My goal with Berlin & Around is to encourage people to discover more places, especially ones that are off the beaten path, whether that’s in their area, on their travels, or in Berlin. I’d love to help people disconnect more so that we can all spend more time outside and exploring.

Who is your ideal audience and how do you attract them?

My ideal audience is people who enjoy walking around, taking photos, and discovering new places, be it in their home city or abroad. Which is exactly what I like to do! My audience is mainly made up of travelers and expats. I like to say I have a community of expats and explorers.

I come from a marketing background so I’ve honed in on that to attract new people. I try to write authentically, stay true to my voice, and talk about things that I think people will find helpful. So I would say it’s a mix of targeted marketing strategy and being myself.

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“My audience is mainly made up of travelers and expats. I like to say I have a community of expats and explorers.”

Do you think your view of Berlin has changed since becoming a content creator?

Yes! I find that I notice details more frequently and am just generally more attuned to my surroundings. I can go by the same street I’ve crossed a couple times and immediately see a cool new aspect like some street art I’ve never seen before or a garden square I hadn’t previously noticed.

I also try to take note of places that I think my community might be interested in. So instead of just making my way through the city lost in my own thoughts, I’m viewing my surroundings a little more prudently.

Why do you think Berlin makes sense for you blog and your line of work?

Berlin is wonderful because it’s a big city so there’s always stuff to do, but there’s also so much to do in the surrounding area. There’s nature and hikes, as well as cute villages and countryside. Further out there are plenty of other cities that are a train ride away. Even past that Berlin is located quite centrally in Europe so you can get to awesome and completely different places in a two or three hour plane ride. So from a logistics perspective it’s a smart place to base a travel business out of.

There’s also a deeply present entrepreneurial spirit here, it feels like every second or third person I meet is creating a business, working at a start up, or just going off and doing their own thing. I honestly feed off that energy and it motivates me quite a bit. People come from all over to start over or to live out their dreams; it really feels like everyone comes to Berlin for a reason.

“People come from all over to start over or to live out their dreams; it really feels like everyone comes to Berlin for a reason.”

Marguerite & Berlin

What originally drew you to Berlin?

I did a high school trip here, and later studied abroad for the summer. It’s hard to explain, but that summer I simply felt at home. I just got this Berlin feeling. That summer went by so quickly and I realized there was so much I still hadn’t seen so I decided to come back and actually make Berlin my home. In between I lived in a few other places, but every time I was in Berlin I was drawn in even more so.

After so many years here do you consider yourself a Berliner?

I would say so. More like a newbie Berliner still, but I’ve never deeply thought about it. I do feel like I have a truly special relationship with Berlin, but I leave pieces of myself in every place I love.

Are there any notable groups or organizations that you joined when arriving to Berlin that made you feel more at home in the city (that you could potentially recommend to others)?

Definitely! I used to go to Becycle, it’s shut down right now because of COVID, but it’ll open up soon enough. I would go there like three times a week and take plenty of cycling classes, especially their spin classes. I just love it because it’s such a fun expat hangout, all their classes are in English too! You can also hang out in their lobby/café and I used to sometimes do a couple hours of work there before taking a class. I got to know the instructors, girls at the reception (I even wrote an expat story about one of them!), and other students. They’re a very welcoming and friendly space!

I also made a few friends from the Berlin | Girl Gone International Facebook group. Several people I met from there ended up being in Berlin long term too which was great because so many people in expat groups are here for just a few months.

Also: date a local! I met my boyfriend on Tinder, and it was so special getting to know the city through a German’s perspective.

“I’d love to help people disconnect more so that we can all spend more time outside and exploring.”

Since you know Berlin quite well, can you share some of your Berlin favorites like favorite neighborhood, café, eatery, etc.?

Favorite Neighborhood: Probably the Hackescher Markt area in Mitte, from Museum Island to Rosenthaler Platz especially. There are so many amazing cafés and restaurants, plus the architecture is stunning. That’s where I like to hang out the most.

Favorite Café: Ben Rahim is one of my favorites. The Greens is a beautiful café and the coffee is really good. Also Coffee Drink Your Monkey in Charlottenburg.

Food: Thai Park is super fun, there are so many options. Aiko is my favorite sushi spot, and I also like Papaya, which is a Thai place with a few locations across the city.

Bar: I like Bar Milano, which is near Rosenthaler Platz. It’s run by an Italian family, and not only is the wine great, but they also give you free tapas with your drinks, and they’re all so tasty. Monkey Bar as well because I just love rooftop bars! Actually that reminds me there’s another rooftop bar I like a lot called Hotel de Rome. It’s a luxury hotel, near Unter der Linden, but the bar is open to the public. It is pricey, but a nice treat! They have a lovely terrace where you get a view of some of the monuments and surrounding streets.

Favorite Dessert: Brammibal’s Donuts! I typically visit their Warschauer Straße location.

Marguerite, Etc.

Thank you, Marguerite! I wholeheartedly recommend that you continue to learn more about Marguerite, and follow her on her various platforms. I’m thankful I stumbled upon her blog last autumn, and her content has kept me informed on Berlin-related happenings, and inspired me to visit new spots in Berlin! I got to see so many cherry blossom trees this year because of this article of hers. I’m happy to call Marguerite a friend, and look forward to seeing what Marguerite and Berlin & Around get up to next!

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“I do feel like I have a very special relationship with Berlin, but I leave pieces of myself in every place I love.”

I’ve also been featured on Marguerite’s blog! I did a little interview earlier this year about my blog and time in Berlin, and I wrote a guest post about my favorite flat whites in Berlin.

If you liked this post, be sure to read last month’s feature with local energy therapist Elaine Colclough.

Thank you!

Berlin, BerlinersNatalie EtcComment