Built By: Oliver Sanchez of ckaps
When he was 16, Oliver G. Sanchez decided he wanted to work on his tennis skills. Most teens would reach that goal by practicing to the point of perfection, but Sanchez and his brother took a different approach.
The duo would leave their roots and their family in Mexico and move in with their tennis coach, in a resort based in California.
“It was really challenging having to make most major decisions day-in and day-out at that age,’ said Sanchez. “We had to make our own meals, make it to tennis practice and do our school work on our own.”
The time spent at the resort, Rio Bravo, would end up giving Sanchez the self-discipline and independence he would one day use as a budding entrepreneur.
Sanchez is currently the co-founder of ckaps, a Cambridge-based technology company that enables live translation in multiple languages over the web, as well as the co-founder of PLUG Cambridge, a co-working space for early-stage immigrant founders.
PLUG Cambridge, which sits on the quiet side of East Cambridge, focuses on immigrants from Latin America, but offers its resources to support international founders from all over the world, Sanchez says.
Sanchez realized his momentum comes largely from Boston’s urgent, and altruistic startup environment.
“In the U.S, the majority of startups plan their future in months instead of years,” Sanchez said. Mexico, he added, has less of a sense of urgency, which sometimes stunts growth, and gets in the way of bringing people to the market.
Sanchez also refered to the constant stream of networking events, mentorship programs, and startup accelerators as invaluable resources for founders to tap into.
“These connections and exchange of knowledge truly helps entrepreneurs overcome many obstacles, especially at an early stage when there is no money to pay for this advice,” he said.
Sanchez is working on both ends of the totem pole right now- as an entrepreneur seeking advice, and as a mentor offering guidance. His most recent venture, ckaps, is an offspring of the challenges he has faced while working with entrepreneurs and mentors.
“We were frustrated with the difficulties in communication and wanted to be able to have a live translation service that allowed all participants to be able to communicate with each other,’ Sanchez said.
“People sometimes underestimate the challenges faced by immigrant founders that might not be able to communicate effectively due to language or culture challenges.”
Written by: Natasha Mascarenhas
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