Thank you Elizabeth Helsley for the opportunity to speak about my experience in MotsAndCo! Mexico continues to face many economic challenges, including improving the public education system, upgrading infrastructure, modernizing labor laws, etc… but I think Social Media (promoting civic participation through ‘Politica 2.0′) will change the situation!

ESP : Gracias a Elizabeth Helsley para invitarnos a ser parte de la aventura de Mexipreneur y por la oportunidad de hablar de MotsAndCo México.

FR : Le point en quelques questions et autant de réponses que j’espère intéressante sur mon aventure au sein de l’agence MotsAndCo México.

Mexipreneur:  Tell us about your business…

MotsAndCo is an independent social media agency specializing in Web 2.0 communications and new media marketing. We aim to help self-employed people or small and medium-sized companies familiarise themselves with social media and understand how these new media may help them to improve customer relations but also to diversify and gain clients.

According to our clients’ needs, we propose the creation and management of accounts on the major social media networks (Facebook, twitter, Flickr, youtube etc.), consumer generated media (TripAdvisor, Yelp, Ciao, Looneo, Vozavi..), specialised forums or shopping websites and many more.

Mexipreneur:  How did you get started?

After working in content management for several years, I started my social media marketing company in May 2001. I was tasked in the mid 90′s with a series of projects that required linkage between online marketing and online sales through earned media and engagement. I personally used blogs and social networks for 13 years and now, my modest business growth has happened organically via word of mouth referrals and online buzz.

Mexipreneur: What do you think that Jalisco has that other states in Mexico don’t when it comes to creating a positive business environment for entrepreneurs?

Jalisco is relatively affluent and because of Guadalajara (Mexico’s “#2” city of 12 million people), has long been exposed to Western/US business culture. Outside of Mexico City and Monterey, Guadalajara is unequalled in terms of the number of foreign and domestic businesses and the quality of its large university, for example.

Mexipreneur:  What are the biggest challenges you have faced as an entrepreneur in Mexico?

There are many cultural differences that it takes time to learn to navigate. The famously different attitude towards time is in some ways overstated, but it does take longer to get most things done here than in the US or Europe. On a related note, there can be a lot of bureaucracy involved in fairly simple things.

Mexipreneur:  What advice would you give to people in Mexico who are thinking of starting their own businesses?

Well, especially as regards time and bureaucracy, you have to be patient. You have to build “unexpected” delays into your business plans. Once you find partners or vendors who “get it” in terms of deadlines and business culture, you need to take care of them and nurture those business relationships. The biggest mistake you could make in Mexico would be to work with the lowest bidder rather than someone with a proven history.

Mexipreneur:  How do you go about finding employees that share your passion for the product/service you are offering?

Higher education and international exposure are key. Almost all my employees and contractors have degrees and have spent significant time abroad, in the US, Europe or both. That experience helps break the belief that the way things are is the only way they could ever be.

Mexipreneur:  What is the best thing about being an entrepreneur in Mexico right now?

The other side of the coin of some of the less-positive things about Mexico, is that there a lot of wide-open opportunities. Because entrepreneurial culture isn’t as old or as deep as it is in the US, many people aren’t seeing openings and possibilities. Also, when you find the right people here, they are incredibly hard working.

Mexipreneur:  If you had it to do all over again, what would you do differently (if anything?)

I’ve made some whopping, huge mistakes gone about some things the wrong way, and I’ve  paid for doing so. But no, I wouldn’t change it beause although I’ve had some negative experiences, I believe that most things happen for a reason and I think all my actions and expérience have led me to become the man and the entrepreneur I am today.