Lots of folks have gotten their professional break on the streets of San Francisco. There was Karl Malden . . . Robin Williams . . . and GraceAnn Walden, to name a few.

If the name Walden doesn't ring a bell, then you probably haven't had the pleasure of experiencing one of the most entertaining and tasteful street tours of San Francisco's Little Italy, better known as the North Beach district.

You have also deprived yourself of meeting one of the more entertaining and inventive entrepreneurs on the block. Fifteen years after following her vision and creating the tours, she's booked solid every Saturday morning at $60 a pop. That's over $200 an hour (before overhead) for the 5-and-a-half-hour walking tour, tasting and lunch.

Not bad for a once-disgruntled Manhattan office worker who had little college and few prospects. As she saw it, her choices were either to find a job or "marry some guy." Today she pats her chest as she talks of those 9-to-5 times, remembering how she hated the work so much she had heart palpitations on the bus ride home.

Then a good thing happened - she got fired for being one of the ringleaders of an effort to unionize her workplace. She eventually won unemployment benefits, and the break from work gave her an opportunity to think hard about her career prospects. Few would have realized it at the time, but an entrepreneur was about to be born.

Her story is a classic example of what career experts recommend. Before you rush into a career, take time to explore your options.

The culinary world was one of the primary interests Walden pursued over the next 18 months. Having one of her recipes published in a newspaper contest boosted her confidence in both her cooking and in her writing. Next, she worked her way into cooking schools, where she paid close attention to guest chefs.

When she felt she was ready, she applied for and got a cooking job in an Oakland restaurant. "That was a baptism of fire," she recalls. After about a week on the job, she finally found the time to take a peak into the dining room. It was quite a rush to realize "people plunked down money to have my food."

Recipe for Change

The thrill ebbed with her desire to make more money. But out of her discontent came inspiration. She had her epiphany in the shower one morning.

"I wondered if people would pay to follow a professional cook around on her regular routine (going to the market, etc.) and I could throw in a little Oakland history."

Some people thought she was crazy, but the tour was an instant hit. Then she took another career risk. To help her fledgling business, she began writing a column for a weekly newspaper about the comings and goings of staff at regional restaurants. In lieu of pay for the column, she received free ads promoting the tour.

She soon realized that San Francisco was the big draw, and her North Beach tours began. She got another break when her column turned into a paying gig. The San Francisco Chronicle hired her to recreate her column for them. Fortune, indeed, favors the bold.

Now she spends the first part of her week gathering information and writing her weekly column while she rests up for her Saturday tour.

Her weekend ritual never fails to lift her spirits. "You know, when I worked in offices, all I did was watch the hands of the clock. I was so stressed and tired . . . and now I don't feel that."

It's true. You would think that after 15 years - approaching 800 roundtrips of the neighborhood - Walden would be blas‚ about the trek.

Not so. I recently saw her at work when I had the good fortune to tag along on one of her Saturday morning jaunts. Walden is the virtual grand dame of North Beach, as she parades her troops in and out of gift shops, bakeries, butcher shops, restaurants and bars. Along the way, she recounts stories of other entrepreneurs like herself.

Sweet Inspiration

At one point, the tour group entered a humble storefront that GraceAnn assured us was home to the greatest candy truffles in the galaxy. The owner, we were told, was a renowned French chef who had suffered a heart attack at 32. No longer able to work in the stressful atmosphere of a restaurant, his wife gave him a simple directive: "Make something I can sell."

Voila - a childhood recipe gave birth to XOX Truffles, to the delight of critics and customers alike.

Next, we are introduced to the saga of the Washington Square Bar and Grill. Its youthful owners were struggling until they decided to restore the restaurant to the glory of its heyday, when movers and shakers would lunch with the likes of Columnist Herb Caen. To ensure success, they hired a well-known bartender who brought back the old-timers. Today, the refurbished eatery is booming.

The food is also good, and this is where Walden treats her tours to lunch. "I admire (owner) Guy Ferri . . . it was a huge gamble," Walden confides, bemoaning those who lack such vision and commitment. She sees many restaurants come and go because an owner does not want to be flexible - they would rather go down with the ship. "Some don't learn, they are so stubborn."

A Helping of Fun

Walden confesses she approaches her career quite differently than the rest of her family. "To my family, work was something you waited to be over on Friday, and then your fun and your life could begin."

Now she prefers the mantra of her old SF State instructor, who encouraged his students to transcend traditional employment, insisting that "Work should be your fun and fun should be your work." That instructor was a Sierra Club activist who, despite contracting polio, was still excited about his life.

Another instructor gave her this tidbit: Entrepreneurs and juvenile delinquents never think they can fail. "They don't have that negativity," Walden adds. "They just do it."

To fledgling entrepreneurs, she recommends the book Guerrilla Marketing: Secrets for Making Big Profits from Your Small Business (Mariner Books, 1998) as a low-cost promotion guide. "There's all kinds of ways to get yourself noticed," Walden counsels. Currently, her tours are so established that she is listed as a must-see in most visitor guides to the Bay Area. She also should be a role model for any disgruntled worker who thinks there are no alternatives.

Today, Walden continues to test new ideas. Her tour of the Mission district flopped. But visitors can now enjoy her unique perspective on tours of Chinatown and Nob Hill (priced $65 and $80 respectively to cover the more expensive restaurants.) The Napa Valley tour (including a bus ride) is $150. She is also exploring the creation of a cooking/team-building school. "The creative part of it excites me," Walden confesses.

If her cooking school sounds like nothing you have ever heard of before, don't be surprised. "Everything I have done is kind of unique." The more than 15,000 San Francisco visitors who have relished her tour of North Beach would agree.

You may contact GraceAnn Walden at gaw@sbcglobal.net or (415)925-9013.

Are you an entrepreneur waiting to happen? Some of these sites may help you make the leap:

Are you an entrepreneur waiting to happen? Some of these sites may help you make the leap:

• Entrepreneur.com - Online home of Entrepreneur magazine. A comprehensive site devoted to starting, managing, and sustaining your own business. Includes advice about franchise opportunities.
• Entreworld.com - Real stories by real people provide practical insights that can help you avoid the potential pitfalls of a typical startup.
• Fsb.com - Fortune magazine's small business website. An entertaining blend of business news, features and how-to advice.
• FTC.gov - The Federal Trade Commission has cracked down on several fraudulent work-at-home schemes. For a quick, eye-opening education, type "work at home schemes" into the website's search box.
• GoHome.com - Business@Home website is overflowing with advice on planning, marketing and executing your home business.
• HomeBusiness.com - Take advantage of discount insurance, reduced long-distance rates and online purchase rebates for a membership fee of $9.98 per month.
• HomeWorks.com - An entertaining site by husband and wife authors. While they peddle their books, tapes and seminars, the site provides a wealth of insight and useful links.
• SBA.gov - The Small Business Administration can help you build a business plan and pursue funding, if you qualify. Also provides extensive links to other resources. Type "home business" in the home-page search function.
• Score.org - Free business advice from retired executives is available at this website produced by the Small Business Administration.