This is how you start a business in Ecuador: these are the five most innovative businesses with the best projection of the first season

The potential for growth and profitability, the innovation in its value proposition; and business management and administration were the three variables he analyzed Guillermo Maldonado, founder of the Entrepreneurs Club, in the 21 products exhibited in the segment This is how you start in Ecuador, created by Diario EL UNIVERSO. This December 27th the first multiplatform season of the journalistic space ended.

This space, which began on August 21, showed innovative ideas, growth, and obstacles that entrepreneurs from Guayaquil, Manabitas, and even foreigners faced. And we began to prepare the second season of the segment that will be released on YouTube and other social networks, on eluniverso.com and our print edition.

These are the steps for entrepreneurs to enter supermarkets in Ecuador

Maldonado believes that these types of spaces are necessary to inspire others. “For me this segment is formidable because tells first-hand the stories of entrepreneurs to inspire us and to recognize what their successes are and be able to emulate them and also the failures told by the same entrepreneurs to learn from them”, he pointed out.

In this segment participated:

1. Marielisa Marques, from Botaniawho increases their income by 15% each year with natural products.
2. Davide Di Grumo, owner of the Di Grumo venturewho as a result of his lactose intolerance, created his own goat cheese.
3. María Graciela Borja under her brand La Chica Bahía it became a purchasing channel for other entrepreneurs.
4. Robert Wright, president of Bodega Dos Hemisferioswho dismissed the myth that it was impossible to make quality wine in the country.
5. Diana Carrión, owner of Postres de Diana Carriónwhich expands to other cities and employs 30 people.
6. Bertha Serrano, owner of Fulgorewho went from selling his creations to university classmates to having a local, factory and even making clothes for chains of retail.
7. Carmen Perea, owner of Calzado Carmenwho left his native Colombia and learned how to make shoes on YouTube and in Durán successfully built his homemade ‘factory’.
8. Jorge Morán, owner of Picantería El Solitario Georgewho started from the corners selling onions and now has a store.
9. Aylli Fuentes, co-owner of Picantería Miltiñowho saw in the typical dishes an economic income from which his family now lives.
10. William Parra, owner of La Casa del Encebolladowho invested $50 and earned $10, but later managed to have nine stores.
11. Charlize Zederbauer and María Cecilia Lapentti, owners of Le Dessertwho managed to enter markets and supermarkets in Ecuador.
12. Enrique Cevallos, owner of Keccsa Food Productswho together with his son Carlos sold cassava starch cookies on the streets and in neighborhood stores, and today they are sold on Amazon.
13. Javier Zambrano, owner of JZ Ukuleleswho carries his manabita stamp to his largest market in the Sierra.
14. Landy Andrade, owner of Bolos Gourmet Sagawho started with $20 that his mother gave him and today sells up to 3,000 bowling pins a month.
15. José Carlos Fallú, owner of the Barbecue Leaguewho did not let himself be defeated by the pandemic and focused on his passion: barbecues, where he even works in Guayaquil.
16. Monika Nätscher, owner of bambooSmilewho devised sustainable products with Amazonian ingredients that arrive in Germany.
17. Gustavo Paredes, Executive President of Agdronec SAwho changed his office job in a financial area to do drone spraying.
18. Mónica García, owner of Vía Monawho defeated cancer and is now battling Parkinson’s, while undertaking with natural products that are offered in shopping centers and specialized stores.
19. Paulina Cascante, owner of Greco Baby Store, who sold empanadas, clothes and his son’s car on Facebook, added new items, and today he has a store.
20. Inge Behr, owner of Ready Happy Healthywho due to his lactose and gluten intolerance and also that of his family, created the vegan cassava bread waffles that conquered supermarkets.
21. Jaime Santillán, co-owner of Wipala Snackswho together with his friend Mario Torres saw the university thesis as a great opportunity that are now vegan products that are exported to four countries.

Of the 21 businesses, Maldonado selected the top 5 startups more innovative, with better growth projections and management.

In fifth place he considered Monika Natscher, owner of bambooSmile, for being involved in a high-growth industry. “The value proposition is fabulous, it seeks to create, educate and promote a change in the impact of plastic. It is doing a great job in distribution, entering the main supermarkets in the country and even exporting to Germany,” he said.

So you can start a business in Ecuador

In fourth place are Enrique and Carlos Cevallos, from Productos Alimenticios Keccsa, for its growth plan. “They began to cover large stores nationwide and exporting through Amazon and even reaching fifth place in the cookie category. He has managed adversity well, suffered the earthquake, then the pandemic and has continued to progress. Also the transition from Enrique’s leadership process to that of his son Carlos, ”he commented.

In third place, Maldonado positioned Robert Wrightpresident of Bodega Dos Hemisferios, for his storytelling. “He has a very interesting story about making wine in Ecuador is impossible, so much so that one of his wines is called Paradox, because it is a paradox to know how the wine would turn out here. Have a great distribution channel and a growth potential”, he pointed out.

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In second place is Marielisa Marques, of Botania, because according to Maldonado it is a growing industry. “Have a aggressive growth plan, above 20% per year and it is ready to further develop the local market and export, but I like the management more because it began to delegate to grow its business. And he is helping himself with mentors, ”she said.

And first of all, Maldonado considered Jaime Santillan, co-owner of Wipala Snacks. “He was born good from the beginning. With his university thesis -he wanted with his partner- to define a product with which it can be exported. Not only have they created processes, teams, but they have managed adversity with the flooding of their factory and they knew how to make decisions ”, he assured.

Secondly, Maldonado gave gifts to the 21 enterpriseswho participated in the segment, a free three month membership. There they will learn more about what an entrepreneur should do.

Advice:

• Find a business with high potential for growth and profitability to have financial freedom.
• Define an innovative value proposition so that you stand out in the market and are not competing on price.
• Manage and administer the business well to change from entrepreneur to businessman. (YO)