Website designer, Owner
As I sit here reflecting on the past year, 2024, and turn my thoughts to 2025, I can’t help but think and remember a bit further back. Thinking about last year got me thinking about the very beginning of this business. We have not been around for a very long time. We started this business in 2017. Back then, it was called From the Desk of Ken Outten. Our work was more faceted back then. As a new business starting, the strategy was to diversify our services in various ways. You can equate our strategy for growth to something similar to throwing out fishing hooks with different kinds of bait, wondering (and hoping) we would catch a few fish.
We did a little of everything. We wrote content for other web designers and designed brochures, business cards, advertising media, logos, and branding. We dabbled in social media management and offered consultations. We did everything we thought our tool belts enabled us to do. Our early years were a mad scramble as we invented ourselves, reinvented ourselves, and then reinvented. It took roughly 3 or 4 years for the dust to settle. What eventually emerged was Alaska Web Studio. We decided to become a website design master and let everything else fall aside. It wasn’t because we did not enjoy many of the things we were doing for our early clients – we did. However, a more straightforward strategy was needed to make us good at the one thing we enjoy the most. And so it is; we have focused primarily on professional website design for 6 or 7 years.
It is hard to start a new business and make it successful. We are included in that reality. I was blessed to have a great partner, who is also my loving wife and who supported me in the very beginning. Without her, this business would have failed, as with so many start-up businesses. But we did not fail. Many web design companies, just in Anchorage, were around long before us and remain in business today. This fact still makes us like the new kid on the block, even after nearly 8 years strong. But we are thankful and truly blessed to know now we are staying.
At the start of 2025, we can look back at a long line of businesses, companies, and clients we have had the privilege and honor of working with. We are beyond grateful! Even above that, we are thankful that many of our early clients have remained clients through all the years and changes. For us, it defines the true meaning of partnership. Partners are committed to seeing the best outcome possible.
So, our 2025 message is this: Thank you! Thank you to our clients, past, present, and future. We are excited about the new year, our goals and plans, and being a part of the success of Alaskan businesses and non-profits. At the end of the day, the year – this is what we are about. Else, what is the point?
Happy New Year!
