Embarking on a new startup adventure 🚀
It’s been a whole decade since I first jumped into the startup world. It feels just like yesterday, and yet here I am, a decade wiser (hopefully) and just as eager to dive into new challenges.
I come from a family of entrepreneurs. My father shared the excitement of creating value for people through business and the importance of resilience from early on. From a young age, I started small businesses like a candy stand in our neighbourhood and a custom jewellery in primary school.
Exploring the startup landscape
I was at university when I transitioned from more traditional businesses to the world of startups. In 2014, I launched Food Bazar, an app for ordering food from different restaurants, in my university’s accelerator program. I made a lot of beginner mistakes, focusing more on what I liked creating instead of figuring out what people wanted.
Fast-forward a month later, with only $400 USD, a laptop, and a phone, I founded my next startup: “Mi Dulce Hogar”. An app where people could schedule a reliable home cleaning service as we directly employed the cleaning workers, providing them with legal benefits and job stability. My primary focus? Learning from my past mistakes and validating the service first. I started cleaning houses myself to understand the market and what customers were willing to pay.
The journey with “Mi Dulce Hogar” was an incredible experience of how market validation and the impact a well-thought-out business can have on its employees’ lives. Witnessing our employees achieve personal milestones, like buying homes or sending their kids to university, was incredibly rewarding. In total we delivered over 100,000 services, fostering employment for 800+ women in the process and raised venture capital of more than +1M USD. But every chapter comes to an end, and in 2022, I made the tough decision to step down as CEO of Mi Dulce Hogar. The experience was bittersweet. On one hand, I was proud of what we had achieved; on the other, I felt that familiar itch to start something new
A new adventure
It wasn’t long before the next opportunity swiftly arrived in the form of Builders Studio. After spotting the opportunity on LinkedIn, I delved into the concept of working within a Startup Studio model, a model I hadn’t encountered before. However, it quickly made perfect sense to me.
Unlike other models, this one is designed to guide you through their playbook at each stage, from discovery to shaping and later, the incorporation of the company, with the aid of a team of experts in each area. This means you won’t start alone, a critical step for any entrepreneur.
Another important aspect is that they offer networking support to help raise the first round of investment from angel investors. This, to me, being from another country, seemed like an amazing solution to kick-start my next startup venture. Moreover, the studio’s focus on B2B SaaS solutions for the Future of Work was precisely the kind of challenge I was seeking.
So, I packed my bags, left Mexico, and set off for the Netherlands, ready to embark on this new adventure.
The transition to a new country and a new startup ecosystem was challenging but rewarding. The first few weeks at Builders Studio were eye-opening. I was introduced to the Startup Studio model, which emphasised the importance of validation and understanding the market before diving into solution development. Considering my past experiences, this is the way I see myself building my next startup.
The world of Learning and Development
Now, I’m getting fully immersed in Learning and Development. I have talked with over 100 professionals in only 8 weeks to understand their challenges. I’m really excited to make an impact in this field. Going through the journey of building another company, especially in a new country, comes with its challenges. I’m learning how to deal with cultural differences and what it’s like building a network from scratch. I would however not want to miss out on this experience, and am curious to know what will come.
In these early stages, I’ve focused on connecting with industry professionals, understanding their needs, and identifying the key pain points that our solution could address. It’s a process that requires patience, empathy, and a willingness to listen — qualities that are essential for any entrepreneur.
As I continue on this journey, I’m reminded of the lessons learned from my previous startups. The importance of resilience, the value of community, and the need for continuous learning. Starting a new venture is never easy, but it’s the passion for solving real-world problems that drives me forward.
To all my fellow dreamers and doers out there, here’s some wisdom: embrace the journey, with all its ups and downs. Stay resilient, focused, and true to your vision. Because in the end, that’s what makes all the magic happen. 🚀
Let’s stay in touch! Connect with me on LinkedIn to get notified on the latest developments on my venture here.
