Name of your website?Atitlan Resource
Your name?
Xanti
Your Location (city, etc)
San Marcos la Laguna, Lake Atitlan, Guatemala
Please give us a short summary of your website?
Atitlan Resource is the premiere travel site for Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. You can find the pages of restaurants, hotels, Spanish schools, massage/yoga centers, retreats, Eco/Tourism, real estate, Mayan Culture ruins and adventure. We also offer web design, and some limited web hosting.
What inspired you to launch your own website?
When i Created this website my real goal was to teach design in a place where people have limited financial opportunities. My expertise is in design and if people from an impoverished part of the world wanted to learn these skills it could rapidly and greatly improve there financial standing. The local Mayans interested in learning would get paid to learn design. Also this site and design was set up to support a not for profit association in Guatemala called the Jovenes Mayas Kaqchikel.
When did you launch your first website, and what was it?
My first web site was designed in 1998 for our graphic design firm in California.
How did you decide on a name for your website?
Well we live on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala and we offer resources for the traveler. Rather practical. Also Atitlan Resource is great keyword for our location.
What makes it different from other, similar offerings?
We offer web design at discount rates that directly benefit under advantaged people in Guatemala.
What is your eventual goal? (To sell it, keep it for income, secure a book or other mainstream media deal?)
My eventual goal is that the company continues without me, to provide quality websites by people that would no other way be able to afford the training necessary. Also to increase the designers on staff, and self sustainability.
How does your investment of time and money balance against your success?
I have been very happy with the results.
If you had an unlimited development budget for development, how would you change your site?
My goal for the company is to be self sufficient so an unlimited budget would have to happen by the work of the students and staff. well the list in an educational setting is too much to list. But the main thing for us is to constantly learn new web design techniques that help our customers' visibility and aesthetics. More equipment, programs etc...
If your site got really big, really quickly, would you be able to keep up with the demand?
Well we are an educational site no web design gets done without a student at the helm. So if your in a hurry, well don't be.
What unexpected costs and headaches have you had to deal with?
None, i Knew exactly what we where getting into. Our business has been in the black since the beginning.
What has been your biggest challenge?
Patience.
What method has been most successful for promoting your website?
reciprocal links and a css design style.
How has running your website differed from your expectations?
It has exceeded our expectations there is more work that we can handle at this point in a country that has very little web presence.
How long have you run the site already, andontinue to keep it up if you don't enjoy big gains in traffic, income or popularity? how long will you c
We have been up for more than two years and our arrangement is self sustaining so we are not thwarted by lack of action. Our web site will be there indefinitely.
What is your website address?
Atitlan Resource
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