Last Wednesday, April 9, a new edition of Top Entrepreneurs took place. This time it was held on the Campus of the Autonomous University of Madrid, in order to bring this experience closer to the most enterprising university students.
The Top Entrepreneurs are monthly meetings with a relevant successful entrepreneur, who shares his entrepreneurial experience with the attendees.
On this occasion, the guest was David Castro, entrepreneur who carries out his activity in the craft beer sector. David is the founder of The Cibeles, Madrid's reference craft beer. Currently expanding, La Cibeles produces 250,000 liters per year and exports to countries such as Finland, Japan, Sweden, India, China, New Zealand and the United States.
Whatever you do in life, let it be something you are passionate about.
Until 2010, David was a computer scientist and due to the trips he made as part of his work, he suffered from continuous jet lag. Sleepless nights spent making beer for colleagues, family, and friends.
Those who tried it said that it had an intense and different flavor. And so, encouraged by the idea of devoting himself to one of his passions, along with flying and diving, he ended his period as a computer scientist and began to build what would become La Cibeles.
Create a product for each type of consumer
David has developed his business idea based on a line contrary to the idea taught in many business schools, that of starting by creating a single product and directing it to all consumers. At La Cibeles, we wanted to create a product for each type of consumer, each person. Beers for athletes, for those who like to drink them all night long… “We don't all dress the same, live the same, nor do we have the same tastes. Why should we only have one beer for everyone?”
Product 100% national, and very Madrid
David highlights the importance of the origin of the products and explains it with an example: “If you import the products, the beer producers in the countries of origin will have fresher products than you, so their product will be better, and with that cannot be competed.”
When this adventure began, this entrepreneur had in mind the idea that in Madrid, unlike other cities in Germany or Belgium, it does not have any typical beer from the region, a beer produced here and a reference.
From where it is produced, through the name and labeling, based on the typography and the tiles that name the streets of Madrid, and the water with which it is made, from the Canal de Isabel II, La Cibeles has wanted to establish itself as the beer Madrid.
Solve big problems by turning them into small ones
David highlights that even if there is no supplier, person or company that can give you a solution to a business need that arises, it can be satisfied if you destructure the problem and turn it into small gaps to solve. Which is what I want? What I need? By dividing the answer to these questions, you can take ideas and look for suppliers to cover all those small needs and resulting premises.
Before answering the questions from the audience, and to conclude a presentation marked by anecdotes, David Castro wanted to share a phrase that, according to him, defines quite well how his beer adventure began: “We only wanted to make it for friends, but we “We realized we had more friends than beer.”
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