Antigua Miami: "Anything could happen in Bolivia"

“Bolivia is a fun place to start something in. You never know what is going to happen. Anything could happen here,” says Sukko Stach, Founder of Antigua Miami, a café in the heart of La Paz’s bustling tourist district.

Sukko grew up in the Bolivian restaurant industry. When he studied at a Canadian University, he worked for and helped open several restaurants and bars in the area. “It was a lot of work and I put in a lot of energy for something that wasn’t my own.” So, Sukko decided to pack his bags and return to Bolivia to start his own venture.

“One of the great things about opening a business here in Bolivia compared to Canada is that the initial investment is A LOT lower,” explains Sukko.

Sukko discussing coffee with a customer from Germany.

“I decided to open a coffee shop as opposed to a bar or restaurant because a coffee shop is manageable by a single person and involves less energy,” says Sukko. Sukko sees Antigua Miami as an incubating space for future ideas. “It’s a way to test and better understand the Bolivian market in La Paz,” explains Sukko. In the future, he plans to open other businesses, starting with a micro brewery.

Despite the fact that Sukko opened the coffee shop only 10 weeks prior to our interview, Antigua Miami was already listed as the #1 restaurant /café to visit in La Paz on Trip Advisor. So far, about 80% of Sukko’s customer base are tourists. That’s because tourists tend to be more in tune with the coffee culture than do Bolivians.

The coffee shop itself is an accumulation of Sukko’s travels. “I was super inspired by traveling through Europe. I’ve been taking ideas from other places and have finally been able to put them all together and to manifest Antigua Miami’s identity.”

When it comes to entrepreneurship, “It is about taking a risk and really following through with your ideas. A lot of people have great ideas. Having a good idea is just 5% of success. The rest is when you make those ideas a reality.” For Sukko, making his dreams a reality starts with putting his ideas on paper. “I carry around a moleskin journal and write down all of my dreams and ideas. You never know when one of those ideas will come in handy a few years down the road.”

Masterline Logistics: "If you die with your boots on, at least you can say you tried!"

Entrepreneurial Trek: How did this business get started?

Jean Dessenoix: I grew up with a French diplomat for a father and a Mexican mother. We traveled the world and I fell in love with international relationships.

That childhood, primed me for international opportunities in business (politics just weren’t my thing). After a sting in the “Real World”, my wife and I teamed up to start Masterline Logistics in 2003. At the time, we were located in Mexico but after a couple years, we decided to move the business to Bolivia. It is important to us that we invest money in Bolivia and make sure that the money we did invest, stays in Bolivia.

Masterline has a very artistic and human approach to business that makes us different from competitors. That is my wife’s influence. She is a painter and the business has become the perfect joint collaboration between business and art. We are less focused on numbers and more focused on the relationships.

Being an innovative entrepreneur is a lonely journey (modestly speaking...I am still looking for the good formula and I may not find it at the end of this journey...). We are trying to build and prove our own business theory.

Jean Dessenoix Left, Kaity Ersek Right

Entrepreneurial Trek: Why did you decide to start your business in Bolivia?

Jean Dessenoix: You don’t need to be in New York City to make money. Don’t get me wrong, the volume of business is larger in The States and Europe, but the rules in Bolivian aren’t so strict that it won’t let your imagination flow.

Look at it this way, when building a company in Europe you have to first consider the rules of the system and taxes and all that other crap. It is not only difficult, you just don’t want to invest the time into figuring it out. The system keeps creative people from launching new companies.

Entrepreneurial Trek: What makes Bolivia special?

Jean Dessenoix: I believe there are more opportunities and freedom in Bolivia. Everything is so new here and there are just so many needs for an entrepreneur to respond to. If you want to open a company in Bolivia, You will find an idea and, chances are you won't find a ton of competition. Plus, it is the only country in South America growing at 5%. Unlike the rest of the world, we really aren't feeling the economic crisis. 

The Bolivians are a very special group. Something like 50% of the people here are entrepreneurs. Everyone is buying and selling. They are constantly doing business.

Entrepreneurial Trek: What was your initial investment when launching the company?

Jean Dessenoix: About $13,000 USD

Entrepreneurial Trek: What is a mistake people make when starting a business? 

Jean Dessenoix: Some people make the mistake of starting businesses with their eyes only on the numbers. It is a very cold vision. I believe, you need passion and a goal. Running a business is more than just money.

Entrepreneurial Trek: What advice would you give another entrepreneur?

Jean Dessenoix: Forget about what you already know, open your mind to new things, new experiences, and new knowledge. Also, you have to invest more than 100% your effort. It is not just a business, it’s your life. If you die with your boots on, at least you can say you tried.

Entrepreneurial Trek: Do you have to go to University to be successful? 

Jean Dessenoix: I didn’t finish my university career. All those books just weren’t for me. I found that learning to sell was a more worthy education than what they were pandering at school. Your experience is your knowledge.

Forget all the years you spent in University. When you leave University, you know all the same things as all the other graduates. Instead of spending time there, try to understand the way the world works. Go travel and open your mind. Burn your passport and start fresh. Life isn’t always about numbers; it is about sounds, images and emotions too.

Start Up Chile: Can we create an entrepreneurial ecosystem in Chile?

“Five years ago, Start-Up Chile was born. Its mission – to literally transform the Chilean entrepreneurial ecosystem. It all began with a single question. What would happen if we could bring the best and brightest entrepreneurs from all around the world and insert them into the local ecosystem?” Would it create an entrepreneurial ecosystem in Chile?

While hanging out at El Centro De Emprendimiento Telefonica Open Future – one of Start-Up Chile’s co-working spaces in the trendy part of Santiago, and looking out at the multitude of entrepreneurs from all around the world, there is no question about it: Start-Up Chile is making a difference for these companies and the local economy.

Today, Start-Up Chile has accelerated 1,100 startups (about 300 per year) from 70 different countries, with about 35% of those entrepreneurs originating from Chile. 79% of those startups are still alive today, 1% have been sold and 20% have died. In addition to providing grants worth 30,000 USD to each team, a six-month mentoring period to jump start their businesses, and a kick-ass academic program, the best startups are also offered a spot on Demo Day where they have the opportunity to connect with investors in Latin America and the rest of the world.  

According to recent data released by Start-Up Chile, their startups are having a big impact on Chile’s economy. 32% of startups in Chile have been funded (outside of Start-Up Chile’s grant), amounting to 41,559,000 USD, and their top 5 most successful startups have valuations from 10,000,000 to 75,000,000 USD. These startups are also responsible for job creation in both Chile and abroad; 485 foreign jobs and 974 Chilean jobs have been created thanks to Start-Up generations 1 through 12. The community has also seen an increase in incubators and accelerators. And the Start-Up concept has spread to Brazil, Peru and elsewhere in Latin America.

“There’s still a lot of ground to cover,” says newly promoted, Director Rocio Fonseca. “The future looks awesome and we are continuing to improve Start-Up Chile.” Already, Start-Up Chile has offered new programs ranging in time frames to meet the needs of different types of startups and industries. “We are also working on improving our academic program and building an investor club to help catalyze an investor ecosystem within Chile. As we continue to improve our services for startups we are hoping to retain more and more foreign startups in Chile” (About 10% of foreign startups are choosing to stay in Chile).

According to Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak, “It’s the greatest program I’ve seen of this type in the world! I’m gonna recommend it to my own kids.”

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5 Reasons Why You Should Choose Start-Up Chile

1.   It goes without saying that the 30,000 USD grant provided by the Chilean government is a tempting treat for any startup looking to make a name for itself.

2.   You are surrounded by some of the most creative, and brightest entrepreneurs in the world. Companies have come from 70 different countries to be part of the program with about 35% of entrepreneurs originating from Chile. As my great-grandfather used to say, “A wise man learns from his experiences, but a super wise man learns from the experiences of others.” By being part of a huge and extremely diverse community of entrepreneurs, you can further your entrepreneurial learning by hanging out with and learning from other startup founders.

3.   They are serious about educating entrepreneurs. Not only do you get access to mentors, but they bring in tons of workshops and events so you can get your learn on. For example, each week they have a intensive pitch training workshop that’s popular with the program’s current entrepreneurs.

4.     El Centro De Emprendimiento Telefonica Open Future Co Working Space is a fun place to work and network. We had the opportunity to sneak in (shhh don’t tell anyone) and hang out with some of the entrepreneurs at Start-Up Chile’s headquarters in Santiago.

5.   Santiago is just plain awesome! Chile’s capital is nestled in a valley of mountains, only a couple of hours from amazing surf, hiking, wine and skiing. The city itself is a fun mixture of cute cafes, businesses and a fun bar scene. Santiago, Chile has been one of our favorite cities (we do play favorites) in South America! What are you waiting for?