Through twists, turns, and a few straightaways here and there eleven years have come to pass since I earned my Bachelor in Hospitality Management at Les Roches Marbella. Not only did I enjoy the best years of my life and make lifelong friendships, the experience was also crucial to my professional development. Thanks to the hands-on approach of the school and the opportunity they gave me to use my new skills during international internships, I was able to meet the industry head-on and develop professionally once I finished. Little did I know that I would find myself today writing an article for the school about how I took the leap into starting my own business. But before I get to my entrepreneurial aspirations, I feel it would be best to give a quick rundown of how it all happened.
Upon graduation I wanted to travel and work in different parts of the world. I ended up in Munich, London, Palm Beach, and areas of Spain where I employed and improved my hotelier skills in a wide range of departments at some of the best known hotel establishments in these cities. No matter the destination my connection to Les Roches was always present, to the point that I found myself unexpectedly working alongside one of my former colleagues and good friend Carlos Erburu at a mountain resort in the Pyrenees town of Panticosa.
As time came to pass, I accepted a position in London working for easyJet and after four years learning the ins and outs of the airline industry, the company offered me a position at their Spanish head office in Madrid. With my career well underway I had begun to develop a unique and creative way of working at easyJet that caught the attention of the media, landing me interviews in newspapers and television programs. And after five more years with the easyJet team I was now a seasoned professional with a desire to explore the uncharted waters of becoming an entrepreneur.
The move from employee to business owner was inevitable although it remained latent for several years while I was building my skills and market experience. Given my love for hospitality and gastronomy that has followed me throughout life, at thirty-three years old my entrepreneurial spirit had taken over and I felt compelled to take the dive once and for all. I had several ideas that showed potential, however, in the middle of an economic recession here in Spain I knew I had to be original, efficient on all ends, and extremely creative in order to succeed.
I was able to satisfy these criteria through my current venture in “HOYNOGUISO”, Spanish for “Today I’m not cooking”. Hoynoguiso is simple in practice, efficient in costs and resources, and creative in its approach to both service and product quality. In short – we prepare, deliver, and serve delicious homemade food to customers both in their homes and their workplace. In return they are given a quality service comparable to eating out in a restaurant without the expensive bill at the end of the meal and we are able to serve them well without the heavy overhead costs associated with running a dining establishment. In the end it’s a win-win situation where my customers and I both gain while saving everybody precious money in these difficult times.
In future posts for the Les Roches Blog I hope to share my experiences and challenges as well as the solutions I am applying as an entrepreneur to overcome them. It will be both a fun adventure and a learning experience for us all should you choose to follow my progress on the blog over the coming months. What about you? Do you have any ideas or suggestions you’d like to share with us? Don’t be afraid to contribute your feedback, it will surely benefit all of us and perhaps even open some doors along the way.
Until my next post, good luck to all in your ventures and adventures!
