For 18 years, the Nantik Lum Foundation, a private non-profit entity, has been helping people who want to start their own business, especially those for whom, without starting their own business, would be excluded from the system and the market. Through their Avanza Programme, our partner Nantik Lum provides specialists to help and accompany them through what can be a long and daunting process. Indeed, their support has enabled 100% of its users to access finance and create their microenterprise.
Carmen Mármol and Neiro Barrios are a clear example of how, with hard work and effort, it is possible to make a business idea a reality. In the midst of the pandemic, they opened their restaurant Itazura Sushi, a place located in the north of Madrid that is gaining more and more followers every day with its mix of Asian and tropical flavours.
Why did you decide to start up?
We have always been an entrepreneurial couple. In our country, Venezuela, despite our university degrees and good jobs, we always thought about entrepreneurship. However, the socio-economic situation there forced us to look for new horizons.
In 2015, when we arrived in Spain, we had to reinvent ourselves. We joined forces and worked towards our dream. We were sure that we had an innovative and quality product in our hands and we prepared ourselves to undertake in a new country and a new city, Madrid.
How did the beguinning process in Spain go?
We had many moments of doubt, of wanting to give up, of wanting to continue working for others, etc. But we took up the idea and found the right people at the right time. But we picked up the idea and found the right people at the right time. Despite the pandemic, we decided to turn things around and focus on the strengths rather than the weaknesses of the situation.
As our parents say, “no risk, no gain, no loss”, and we chose to take risks and probably lose in order to learn from our mistakes, rather than not doing so and remaining in doubt as to whether our idea was really worth it.
How did you found out about the Nantik Lum Foundation?
We were looking for information on whether our business was viable. We signed up for various talks, courses and conferences, and it was at one of these that we discovered the organisation. We participated in their week-long Avanza training, which was very dynamic and rewarding.
At first we were in disbelief and did not know if they could help us with our project. We thought that as foreigners we would have fewer opportunities. But nothing could be further from the truth: the boy who welcomed us that morning became our guardian angel, Javier Camacho (head of the self-employment programme), who, from the moment we asked for his help, has been our protector, guardian and guide in our entrepreneurial project.
How did the organisation help you?
They helped us to sort out our ideas, deal with our various anxieties and doubts and motivated us. They made us feel at home and gave us the confidence needed to start our business. It took several months of work. We were able to put our business plan on paper and make sense of it, present it to a credit committee and get a microcredit.
We are very grateful to the Nantik Lum team, especially to Javier and Lisbeth, because they helped us to start the project, to give it shape and, after giving birth to it, they help us to develop it. Thank you very much.
Start your business with Moneytrans and Nantik Lum
If, like Carmen and Neiro, you want to make your business idea a reality, your time has come! Join the Smile Community! At Moneytrans, we partner with Nantik Lum to help you become the owner of your own future. Take advantage of the training, online platform and expert advice and access financing tailored to your needs. In fact, they provide you with over 40 online training courses so you can learn quickly while being monitored by our advisors.
I want to start my own business!
