Building My Little Corner of the Internet (and the Developer Who Made It Happen)

Anyone who follows me knows I'm always planning the next trip. Over the years the blog grew into more than a place to post photos. People started messaging me: How much did that trip actually cost? How did you plan it? Can I come with you next time? I needed a website that could handle all of that, and one I could run myself without calling someone every time I wanted to change a sentence.

That's where Brandon came in.

He got my business right away

I'm a travel blogger first, but I'm also a certified travel agent. Some of my trips are just for me, some are open to people who want to join, and some are past trips I write up so you can do them yourself. Brandon understood that quickly. I never had to explain it more than once, and he turned my rambling voice notes and "okay, but what if…" ideas into a real plan.

He also caught things I hadn't thought about. The first version of the site still sounded like a big tour company, with words like "booking," "departures" and "our team." He pointed out that it didn't sound like me. Now people apply to join my trips, I answer every application personally, and the whole site speaks in my own voice.

He works fast, really fast

I'd mention something on a call and it would show up on the site soon after. Region colors for my destinations (coral for the Caribbean, teal for Europe)? Done. A page for the tour guides, stays and brands I personally recommend, with discount codes my followers can copy in one tap? Done. A spinning globe that pins every place I've been? Yes, it's as fun as it sounds.

He moved quickly without ever making me feel rushed or lost. After every stage he sent me a plain-English note explaining what changed and what I could now edit myself.

I run everything myself now

This is the part I love most. Every page on my site is editable in my dashboard, and it's written for a normal person, not a programmer. The labels are in plain English, with examples of what to type. I can preview my changes live before I publish them. I can add a new trip, list the real costs (flights, hotels, food, all of it), and the site adds up the total for me. I can write a blog post with photo galleries and videos right in the editor.

When someone applies to join a trip or asks me to plan theirs, I get an email right away and everything is saved in one place.

And the design… I'm obsessed

The site finally looks like me. It's clean, bright and easy to read on my phone, which is where most of my followers find me. The trip pages are beautiful, the blog posts read like a magazine, and the header with my logo makes me smile every time I open it. Brandon tried different directions and kept refining the small details until they were just right.

Would I work with him again?

In a heartbeat. Brandon was easy to talk to, patient with my endless ideas, and he got every requirement for my business onto the page. If you're a small business owner who wants a site you can actually run yourself, he's your guy.

Now excuse me while I go plan the next trip. ✈️

— Champagne Silva, TheBronxTravalaaa