Unplug Studio plugs in for persons with disabilities

Evelyn Seltier of the International Trade Centre talked with Mauricio Paz of Unplug Studio about how his start-up is empowering businesses in El Salvador, and globally, so they can focus on their jobs instead of worrying about data management or technological operations.

As a bonus, the web development provider is specializing in making websites and e-commerce platforms more accessible to persons with disabilities – a growing niche market with immense potential. 

Q: Tell us more about how you co-founded Unplug Studio.

My long-term friend and now managing partner of Unplug Studio, Carlos Avendaño, specializes in data analytics, while I had worked for 12 years in marketing, e-commerce and market research.

When I moved back to El Salvador after my studies and early career years in Spain, we noticed a strong tendency for qualified and educated personnel to move from rural to urban areas just to keep their jobs. They are often forced to move to support their families and communities.

We thought, “there must be a way for them to be able to work from home.” This is why we founded “Unplug” in 2018. The name “Unplug” reflects our commitment to providing a haven where customers can disconnect from the complexities of data management and technology operations.

We are creating a hub for skilled, tech-savvy individuals who can work from home in web and e-commerce development, allowing them to remain in their communities. We also occasionally fund their college education so they can contribute their knowledge to their communities.

What brought you success?

Our very first clients are still loyal to us. They were impressed by the quality of our work and said, “Wow! Your team is better than the one we usually have here.” We are very good at maintaining relationships and advising; and we believe in seeking out long-term stakeholders who trust us.

We work on websites and e-commerce platforms for companies around the world. Our team focuses on marketing, web development, data analytics, and design agencies. First we tried to offer an all-inclusive package as a marketing agency, but through the International Trade Centre and its project “Ilamatepec” we learned that being a niche provider will bring us more advantages and greater success over time. This is how we came to specialize in accessibility in web development solutions. 

Tell us more about why you decided to move into this area.

What we love about accessibility, and why we decided to move into this area, is that we are helping people who need to have adequate access to the internet. 

We found that, especially in El Salvador, accessibility is rarely mentioned. We were among the first ones talking about it. You see that physical infrastructures are being adapted for persons with disabilities, but this isn’t happening yet in the digital sphere.

For instance, my wife works with people with hearing impairments. It is very difficult for them to use e-banking services, even just to complete basic operations. The same goes for visually impaired people. 

What we are offering is usability testing with real users, to optimize websites to better serve different needs. We go beyond the automatic settings that are available nowadays. This way our websites perform much better.

What do your clients say?

In Europe the law requires you to create websites that are accessible to persons with disabilities. And people who care about this approach appreciate our skills. 

For example, we recently went to VivaTech Paris through ITC, and a company owner came to our booth and was amazed by our work. We want to work with people who celebrate doing things right and who care about inclusivity. Right now, we are working with the visually impaired in the Netherlands to understand their challenges in using certain websites. Then we can approach the companies who own these websites, show them the results, and offer them our services. 

What is your vision and what do you need to further succeed?

Our vision is to export quality services from Latin America, especially El Salvador, and to celebrate success with our stakeholders. We would like to expand our client base to Europe. 

For this to happen, we are grateful for ITC for the support they are giving us. The Ilamatepec project has taught us how to connect to markets and participate in trade fairs, which are a very good networking platform. 

In tech you need to meet prospective clients and partners in person to gain trust and see reactions. Also, if clients see that the EU and ITC support us, it helps show our trustworthiness, which we need as a start-up. Because it is like a quality label that creates trust.  

You see, as a start-up, it is difficult to find people who share your values. Also, especially in services and technology, it is difficult to find investors and financing, especially in Latin America. 

You need to self-finance a lot, especially when projects are being paid only by the end of the project. We have to pay everything out of our own pockets. You can get finance for housing, but for a technology start-up, it is not a given.