Tag: Entrepreneurship

Banafsheh Fathieh, Prosus Ventures: Betting on Latin American entrepreneurial spirit, Ep 166

Category : Crossing Borders Podcast
Posted on March 10, 2022 by Nathan Lustig

You can now find the full show notes of the Crossing Borders podcast on LatamList.com’s podcast section. I’ll still post the audio of the podcast on my blog and I’m planning to start writing more again on my blog, like I used to.

Subscribe to the LatamList Weekly newsletter to get updated on the week’s top tech news and stories from the region.

Thanks for listening to Crossing Borders all these years! If you have any feedback or questions, please feel free to reach out here, or contact me on social media.

Outline of this episode:

[01:25] – About Prosus Ventures
[02:47] – What types of companies does Prosus invest in?
[05:40] – Banafsheh’s background
[07:59] – Diplomatic training’s lessons
[09:17] – First connection to Latin America
[12:15] – Evolution of investment thesis in Latin America.
[15:39] – Receiving investment from a fund vs. from Prosus Ventures
[18:23] – Some of Prosus’ most interesting investments
[23:02] – Being a bullish investor for Latin America
[27:30] – Advice for founders
[29:15] – Banafsheh’s recommendations
[30:30] – Advice to Banafsheh’s younger self
[32:18] – What’s next for Prosus Ventures?

Shownotes on Latamlist.com

Greatest Hits Episode: Mariana Castillo, Ben & Frank: Direct-to-Consumer Eyewear for the Mexican Market, Ep 159

Category : Crossing Borders Podcast
Posted on December 16, 2021 by Nathan Lustig

You can now find the full show notes of the Crossing Borders podcast on LatamList.com’s new podcast section. I’ll still post the audio of the podcast on my blog and I’m planning to start writing more again on my blog, like I used to.

Subscribe to the LatamList Weekly newsletter to get updated on the week’s top tech news and stories from the region.

Thanks for listening to Crossing Borders all these years! If you have any feedback or questions, please feel free to reach out here, or contact me on social media.

Outline of this episode:

[1:37] – About Ben & Frank
[2:06] – Traditional retail experience for eyewear in Mexico
[3:23] – Mexican roots, nomadic upbringing
[5:05] – Entrepreneurial journey
[6:00] – Internship at ALLVP
[6:55] – Lessons learned at the Central Bank and ALLVP
[7:55] – Why tackle this specific problem?
[9:04] – Ben & Frank’s inflection point
[11:48] – Building a brand in Mexico
[13:15] – Insights into Latam’s direct-to-consumer category
[14:20] – Competing with traditional retailers
[17:25] – Expanding Mexican direct-to-consumer brands
[18:15] – Advice to Mariana’s younger self
[18:41] – Fundraising for a direct-to-consumer startup
[23:18] – Being a female founder in Latam
[26:35] – Avoiding biases in the VC ecosystem
[29:07] – What’s next for Mariana and Ben & Frank?

Show notes on Latamlist.com.

Santiago Aparicio, Ontop: Building the future of work from Latin America, Ep 158

Category : Crossing Borders Podcast
Posted on November 30, 2021 by Nathan Lustig

Subscribe to the LatamList Weekly newsletter to get updated on the week’s top tech news and stories from the region.

Thanks for listening to Crossing Borders all these years! If you have any feedback or questions, please feel free to reach out here, or contact me on social media.

Outline of this episode:

[02:18] – About Ontop
[02:39] – Top line metrics from Ontop
[02:39] – Santiago’s background
[04:53] – On joining Rappi
[07:05] – Launching Fitpal
[08:48] – Santiago’s biggest lessons
[13:54] – Coming up with the idea for Ontop
[14:23] – Fundraising for Ontop
[17:13] – The crazy world of fundraising
[18:42] – On building a sales engine
[19:14] – The best salesman (or woman)
[21:00] – Predictable metrics
[23:52] – The big milestones
[27:33] – Being famous is not being successful
[28:13] – Advice for a younger Santiago
[31:06] – How to hit network effects
[32:48] – The importance of hard conversations
[34:11] – The future of work

Show notes on Latamlist.com

The Investment and Startup Community in Peru

Category : Latin America Startups and Investing, Peru
Posted on September 8, 2017 by Nathan Lustig

Many travelers visit Peru to experience Machu Picchu, and though incredible, there is much more to this country than its wonder of the world. Known for its gastronomic sector, Peru has some of the most diverse (and delicious) food in the world. Through its long history of eating seafood, mixed with Spanish, Japanese and Chinese immigration, it’s always a pleasure to go to Peru, even if it’s only to eat, and entrepreneurial Peruvians have taken advantage.

Peru has diverse terrain, from the steeply sloping Andes and dense jungles to the cerulean coastline. About one-third of Peruvian residents live near or close to the ocean. The population is just shy of 32 million, surpassing Chile but falling below Colombia. Monthly wages are on the upswing at 1680.67 Peruvian Sol (roughly US$519), with a minimum wage of 850 Peruvian Sol.

The capital city, Lima, is experiencing rapid growth and the government is allocating investment towards more infrastructure and improving public transportation. Foreign investors are paying close attention to the new Cuzco airport which offers easier access to Machu Picchu, though has caught some local scrutiny. Peru offers multiple visas for foreigners interested in the business sector, but these visas can come with an unwanted amount of red tape. (more…)