For most students, social media is an outlet to unwind—a way to scroll through short videos and catch a glimpse of their friends’ lives. But for Rowan Harmon (‘27), it’s become more than a pastime. He’s turned his hobby of videography into a large-scale business, amassing over 80,000 followers on Instagram, building a network of travel-focused accounts that spotlight hidden gems, restaurants, and local attractions.
Through san.diego.local, Rowan has collaborated with numerous brands, both small businesses and popular names. Marriott, Kendra Scott, Hyatt, and even Seaworld have all reached out to him to create sponsored posts. On the more local side, the account publicizes charming cafes, breakfast bistros, and even toy stores, such as the Rikka Fike Cafe, Morning Glory, and Pop Mart, for the wide range of his audience.
The most viewed video, a joint post from san.diego.local and los.angeles.local, another one of Rowan’s accounts, has 4.7 million views and almost 100,000 likes. It draws online users in with the allure of a unique form of transportation – a coastal train. The caption reads, “Next time you go LA from SD take the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner!” with accompanying clips of the stunning Pacific coastline views. Intrigued users flooded the comment section, asking for pricing and time details.
All this success didn’t emerge out of nowhere. Rowan’s interest in cinematography started years before, fueled by a passion to capture the world around him. “I’ve always been interested in, not necessarily social media, but I was really interested in video and photography from a young age,” he recalled. In 2019, when he moved to San Diego from Los Angeles, Rowan quickly tried to familiarize himself with the new city, particularly where to find the best food spots. “I love going to restaurants, I love taking pictures of food, it really makes me happy,” he explained. “Out of everything, I just really like using my camera and just filming everything.”
It wasn’t until November 2023 when he started his first Instagram account, called san.diego.local. “If you were to visit San Diego, everything that you would want to do is what I embody on my page,” he said.In January 2024, about a year in, the account reached 10,000 followers, the figure quickly rising to 50,000 in April. And those numbers haven’t stopped growing. Now, san.diego.local has amassed 84,000 fans with around 400 posts.
He has now created over 18 accounts on Instagram, featuring other metropolises such as Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas. While most are still in their infancy, Rowan hopes to bring them to the same level of success as his initial San Diego page. Similar to his flagship account, Rowan highlights notable locations in the area, which not only drives up account engagement, but also helps local businesses gain curious customers who interact with the posts.
But before success usually comes a bit of experimenting. When Rowan started the account last November, he searched for trending ideas that would appeal to an online audience. “I was trying to find viral content ideas, and it was trial and error,” he said.
As his following grew, so did the complexities of managing a business at such a young age. “I’ve gotten into some legal issues. Obviously when you’re a young kid, and you don’t know what you’re doing, you can screw up sometimes,” Rowan admitted. One conflict he faced was a partnership with Bonchon, a Korean restaurant —the company failed to pay him in a timely manner. “I actually sent a demand letter to Bonchon,” he explained. “Because they didn’t pay me, but eventually we worked it out and they’ve paid me now.”
Arguably the most impressive aspect of Rowan’s business is his dedication and consistency. Posting videos takes half an hour, and he rarely has more than two days of inactivity. However other matters can be more time consuming. “When I’m working on my accounting or working with brands, new brands, and working on scaling the other cities, it can definitely be a larger commitment,” he said.
Looking ahead, Rowan has large ambitions. He aims to attain two large numerical milestones: 100,000 followers on san.diego.local and 10,000 on los.angeles.local. Furthermore, he wants to expand his other accounts, though some will require traveling — another dream of his. “I definitely want to begin to travel, be able to travel to other places, like New York,” Rowan said. “Then maybe even work on a personal brand in the future.”
For now, though, he continues to steadily grow his page, showcasing the best of San Diego and beyond in a project that began from a simple love of filming.
