165: Kay Walten- The Adventurous Entrepreneur

"I wanted to encourage people to try something new, step out of the box, get a passport, do something different with their life, and have a unique experience." Kay Walten

About: Kay Walten- Co-Founder of LocoGringo

Overview: Kay is an adventure-driven entrepreneur who started her company unexpectedly after taking up a passion for cave diving in the Riviera Maya with her husband. She shares with us her entrepreneurial experiences in Mexico and her passion for travel and adventure.

LocoGringo: LocoGringo started in 1996 by Kay and her husband renting villas and accommodations for adventure seeking travelers. Their connections started in the cave diving industry, a passion that inspired their move to the Riviera Maya in the early 90s. LocoGringo creates better vacations in the Riviera Maya, Costa Maya, and Yucatan by researching, organizing, and sharing vacation and travel information online in order to give travelers a unique vacation and valuable experiences.

Team: 7 full time employees, with occasional part time employees and freelancers.

Schedule: Contrary to popular belief, Kay doesn't always have her toes in the sand. She is constantly working to help make sure travelers have a great vacation. She works six days a week, and often loses sleep thinking of ways to solve problems they encounter.

Safety: Kay says that if you're coming to enjoy yourself on the beach, and you're not looking for trouble, then you have no need to worry about your safety while staying in Mexico.

Challenges: The biggest challenge Kay and LogoGringo experienced was the economic struggles of 2009.

Marketing: LocoGringo relies on social media and eBooks which helps them generate leads, and also differentiates them from their competitors.

LocoGringo Numbers: They average 2,500-3,000 reservations a year. Because of their newly renovated website, they hope their revenue increases by 35% in 2015.

Advice for Entrepreneurs: One of the lessons Kay has learned is to make sure that you know your limitations. She admits that she is not good with a checkbook- so she doesn't do the accounting. Build a strong team that will complement your skill set.

Website |@LocoGringoCom

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