Alejandro Freund is an Ecuadorian entrepreneur who started YaEsta.com, Ecuador's most influential ecommerce company. Listen to his story on the Crossing Borders podcast.
Outline of This Episode
[1:44] What it’s like to do ecommerce in Ecuador.
[6:22] Closing the deal with a small business supporter to build out the company.
[8:54] How the team decided which products and brands to launch with.
[12:42] Tapping into the artisan communities surrounding their suppliers.
[15:30] Fundraising after a successful trial-and-error first year.
[20:27] Understanding Ecuador as a country and as a place to do business.
[22:22] Why are the big retailers in Ecuador so far behind those in other countries.
[35:16] Dealing with the logistics and shipping in Ecuador.
[41:08] The reasons Alejandro decided to return to Ecuador to build a company.
[45:55] Why Alejandro believes he’s been able to raise the funds he has.
[52:00] Advice for other entrepreneurs getting into competitive markets.
[56:00] Why yield is a great reason to invest in Latin American companies.
[59:32] Surprising things about doing business in Ecuador.
[1:00:45] Alejandro’s advice to himself as a beginning startup founder.
