8M. International Women's Day

March 8, International Women's Day, is a key date to focus on and take stock of the achievements and challenges achieved in terms of equality. From the ONE Platform we wanted to take advantage of this day to learn about and share what entrepreneurship entails, through the testimonies of five entrepreneurs in charge of successful projects. Five women capable of transforming the world with their contributions, ideas and talent. 

They are: Patricia Astrain, founder of Recircular; Lorena Hidalgo, co-founder and CMO of Scoolinary; Raquel Richi, founder and CEO of Langoo, Sandra Nolasco, CEO and Founder of Twinco Capital and Adriana Aliaga, CEO of Adventurees Alliance of the Token City Group and founder of Tapiocas. 

Although their beginnings and sectors of activity are quite different, the possibility of being faithful to their values and building something with an impact on society is one of the common points that are intertwined in the stories of these five entrepreneurs. 

“After many years thinking that I was not cut out for entrepreneurship, I naturally realized that it was a way to choose my path, to contribute my grain of sand to the planet and society,” explains Patricia Astrain, founder of Recircular. 

In the case of Sandra Nolasco, CEO and founder of Twinco Capital, her driving force was the possibility of promoting a project capable of improving things. “Twinco allowed large production chains to be financed in a more efficient and inclusive way. A company with options to generate economic growth and improve the quality of life of people both in emerging markets and in the rest of the world.” 

For Lorena Hidalgo, the spark that ignited Scooinary dates back to confinement, a complex moment, but one in which she felt she had found her “ikigai.” “I could create the company of my dreams, the project that would allow me to be the owner of my time, my ambitions and be very happy working.”

The importance of having a community of entrepreneurs

When talking about their trajectories, they all refer to people in their closest circle, many female faces embodied by mothers, grandmothers and sisters, who sparked their curiosity about entrepreneurship. And in that circle of support and motivation, these five entrepreneurs also agree in highlighting the importance of having a community with which to share the journey of entrepreneurship. 

Raquel Richi, founder and CEO of Langoo, says that in her case what helped her make the decision to embark on entrepreneurship “was finding a community of entrepreneurs and a motivated team that helped me land my ideas. “I learned the importance of always surrounding myself with people who think differently and who challenge me.”

An idea, that of community, that we also embrace from the Platform of the National Entrepreneurship Office. A meeting point that, according to these five entrepreneurs, would have been a good help tool in their beginnings in building a business. 

“I believe that solutions like the ONE Platform provide a lot of value to entrepreneurs, they smooth out the difficulties that arise when starting a business". Having all the valuable information in one place would have been very useful to me,” says Adriana Aliaga, CEO of Adventurees Alliance of the Token City Group. 

Lorena Hidalgo, for her part, points out that the ONE Platform represents “a good start. In a world where incubators, accelerators and associations dedicated to promoting the entrepreneurial ecosystem abound, the most important thing is to create an authentic and supportive community, where entrepreneurs find a space to celebrate their successes and can support each other during difficult times".

Perseverance, agility and self-criticism, three keys in the entrepreneurship journey

For these five entrepreneurs, talking about recommendations or useful advice for those who are starting to undertake is talking about perseverance, agility in decision-making, faith in one's own ideas, the ability to listen and self-criticism, among others. 

“Starting is not easy. You have to have a lot of conviction and know how to get up despite falling again and again. But it is also a wonderful experience that makes us grow both professionally and personally,” says Patricia Astrain.

For Raquel Richi, the emphasis would be on the ability to “make quick decisions and be willing to start from scratch if necessary. Even if you have a big vision, it's crucial to learn how to break it down into achievable steps. The construction process is gradual and requires flexibility and adaptability.”

Five projects to be proud

With these shared lessons also comes the time to feel proud of the achievements achieved. Different goals or milestones surpassed that they themselves emphasize with these words: 

“My greatest satisfaction has been and is the possibility of improving the lives of my clients and having the team that has made this project possible.” Adriana Aliaga 

“Success is in every step in which I can clearly see that all the effort and planning I have invested pays off. “It fills me with pride to know that I am building something meaningful and lasting.” Raquel Richi 

“In the case of Recircular, my satisfaction is measured in the environmental and social benefits we generate by giving a second life to industrial waste and other disused materials. “The more resources we save, the more impact we generate.” Patricia Astrain 

“My success is the positive impact we can generate in society. We were born with a purpose that goes beyond economic performance. Cooking is more than simply preparing food, it is a way to transform our relationship with food, improve our quality of life and take care of the environment.” Lorena Hidalgo 

“I find that gratification in the fact of being able to change the way international trade is financed. Through financing, we will have an impact on the way we buy and produce, promoting economic growth and improving the quality of life.” Sandra Nolasco