In this episode, Curro Romero opens up about the humbling experience of transitioning from the world of snowboarding to the world of business, drawing parallels between the two. We explore the importance of continuous growth, both personally and professionally, and the excitement that comes with innovative thinking and doing things differently.
About Curro Romero
Curro Romero is the CEO and founder of Vimbu, an innovative mobile and web app connecting skiers and snowboarders directly with instructors. Considered the “Airbnb of ski lessons”, the Vimbu app connects learners with highly qualified instructors in a range of sports, including skiing, snowboarding, and also various summer sports. Vimbu focuses on delivering a personalized and convenient experience for users of all skills. The company raised a VC funding round recently and entered into partnership with Decathlon, the world’s largest sporting goods retailer in a bid for global expansion.
The Power of Innovative Thinking
In today’s competitive business environment, innovative thinking is what will help to set you apart! When you are thinking innovatively, you aren’t just following the crowd and using tried and tested methods. These may work but they aren’t going to “wow” your customers. Innovative thinking is a skill that can be developed over time by embracing a growth mindset, encouraging collaboration, being open to taking risks, and investing in continuous learning.
Episode highlights:
- In life and in business, there will always be more to learn and a new goal to achieve. To progress in the entrepreneurial world, be humble enough to understand that “you don’t know what you don’t know” and never get too comfortable! (8:53)
- How the concept of “progression” from a beginner to a pro in snowboarding helped Curro get excited about growing in business and stacking accomplishments while being humbled. (9:31)
- Building a thriving business isn’t something that can be done on the fly; it requires a lot of deliberate research! Ensure that you understand your customers, your team members, and yourself so that you can give your company the greatest chance of succeeding. (22:22)
- One of the most important things for a business especially in its early stages is making sure the people you add to your team are a perfect fit for your vision. (23:19)
- The success of an entrepreneurial journey isn’t only defined by how well your business does or how much you sell it for. The enjoyment that you get out of it is also a valuable measure of success! (36:19)
- For Curro, success is all about satisfaction: deriving satisfaction from having fun in your work and being present with family, as well as personal growth and self-development. (37:49)
Curro’s best advice for entrepreneurs:
“You have to constantly adapt yourself to where the company is, and not just adapt but also understand the next five steps of where to take it to so that progression keeps happening.” (13:50)
