All of Chile’s startup and entrepreneurship community (mas o menos) thought it was impossible, but Start-Up Chile Generation #2 was up for the challenge and they accomplished an insanely crazy thing – they made me see the potential of the greater good of Start-Up Chile.
And as some of them begin their exit from Chile and move on to their next adventure, I have to admit, I am actually going to miss them!!!
How unbelievable is that? (even co-founder rockin’ hard to the core boy is still in shock and got one of his wishes today)!
As of now, while it is neither here nor there, I can tell you this much, even after giving him the ‘Shoni Start-Up Chile Smackdown’, (think everyone knows the drill), the ‘Romanian boy’, Denis Todirica, Glazeon, (pictured), Start-Up Chile Generation #2 ‘Fearless Leader’, did not ignore me nor was he afraid to get in my ‘personal space’. The boy got nerves of steel, I tell you!!!
And no matter how much grief I gave him, every single time I crossed his path, he sincerely made me happy and was able to show me another side of Start-Up Chile that I really needed to see. Not to mention, he and his mom, Nadie Todirica from Day 1 were AndesBeat die-hard evangelists!! I just love it when I see him and he says ‘AndesBeat is my favorite movement’. Soooo frickin’ adorable. Even grrrl dragon slayers have a soft-spot :-P
While it has been slow coming, I got to meet and personally connect with his co-founder Alex P. and several Start-Up Chile founders, up close and personal, who truly worked hard to do outreach and connect with the local Chileno entrepreneurs and share resources, contacts and so forth (and engaged AndesBeat in the process). And there were others who looked first to find Chileno startup co-founders and hire local talent while offering competitive rates.
And then I started actually ‘bonding’ with some of the Start-Up Chile founders, imagine that??? (shoni victim nice mode-on… carlos edits)
At a slightly deeper level
Mitul K. Jain (Presstler), made me think of my work in terms of its value in emerging markets.
Matthew Phiong and KoeKoe Crunch (Catmoji), reminded me of Sunday dinners and lounging with my family.
Anthony Chew and Weiting Tan (Epic Pledge), gave me the motivation to get out more and get my social networking groove on again
Yinka Aab (SuedeLane), brought back memories of cutting edge urban fashion from north of the border.
Miguel Torres and Luis Loaiza (Escapes with You), confirmed that I really want to go to Ecuador and learn to kiteboard!
And a special shout out to, Maritza Lanas and Pablo Ambram, SUP alumni, Agent Piggy, who always stopped (and could never resist) to offer a hug even when they were in passing or the middle of ‘networking’.
Of course, it is a given, how much I love ALL of my Chileno founded startups and hacker boys (and girls)!
It seems that I found myself in a little of everybody and in some ways, I think they found a little of themselves in me. It was only a matter of time I suppose.
Although I certainly cannot take away from co-founder boy’s infinite patience, daily motivational efforts and constant reminders to engage….not outrage (everyone I meet along the way).
Perhaps there is some truth to the Start-Up Chile Generation #2 founder
who recently referred to him as Chile’s ‘Entrepreneur Angel’.
Amen to that!
Update (moments before I published this post…this is what Denis wrote having no idea what the post was about)!
