I like to think that if you want to get somewhere fast, go alone if you want to go far, go together. And if you want to go fast and far, go surrounded by people who know how to go alone.
Guillermo was born in a Hotel. He is the fourth generation in his family´s extensive Hotel business. with more than 15 years of professional experience in the travel and Hotel industry, he is specialized in business development and strategy in luxury and business Hotels. Guillermo holds a strong experience in launching, managing, and operating new travel e-commerce businesses internationally.
Where did the idea for BYHOURS come from?
The idea of micro stays and BYHOURS originated in 2012 while I was still working in the Hotel Industry. My current business partner, Christian Rodriguez, asked me a very simple question I had never thought of before: Why is the minimum stay at a hotel 24 / 22 hours? I didn’t have an answer to that question at the time, but we made up one from this conversation. Together we created the idea of bringing flexibility to business with rigid and stipulated rules: the hotel industry, by allowing the customer to choose the check-in and check-out time from more than 3,000 hotels worldwide and in packs of 3, 6 and 12 hours.
What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?
I like to think that no day should look like any other. Traveling constantly also makes it easier to not have mundane days. What I try to do every day is sports, even if it’s just 30 minutes of exercise.
How do you bring ideas to life?
The best way is to adapt what is already happening in other industries to your own. Innovation and trends are transversal. In this way, any trend can be replicable. It’s important to never accept the answer “because it has always been done like this ..:”.
What’s one trend that excites you?
The pay per use trend! I believe that technology has enabled many companies to adapt their product to pay for use model.
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
I believe listening to the people around me, especially my team. There is quite an age gap in our company, now I am 40 and the average age of my team is 27. Young people contribute an immense amount, although always with their certain particularities. 😉
I like to think that if you want to get somewhere fast, go alone if you want to go far, go together. And if you want to go fast and far, go surrounded by people who know how to go alone.
What advice would you give your younger self?
There’s no hurry! Do not rush! And invest in your education. The more languages you speak perfectly, the better!
Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.
That is impossible that the man has reached the moon. My common sense does not allow me to accept that theory.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
As an entrepreneur, consistency is very important. Accepting that you are going to make mistakes and fall many times, but that you must get up quickly and keep going. At the same time, you shouldn’t be in your office all the time, business is always done between people and the most interesting ones will never come to your office on their own.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?
Honesty with yourself, your partners and employees. I believe that trust is built little by little, it can be lost in 1 second and it can never be rebuilt.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
The loss of focus. I think it’s a typical failure of any entrepreneur who wants to do and start too many projects at the same time. The way to rectify this is to listen to your Board and experts.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
I believe that within the peer to peer concept, we must further develop the areas of helping, solidarity and common gain, without thinking about how much there is to make or earn. It must be monetized, however, more so in the context of large corporations integrating it.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
Giving a personalized Barça shirt (FCB) as a gift to a customer. Without a doubt, it gave me luck and I was able to close the deal. The Barça FC is admired all over the world, and it was a great souvenir for those who live many thousands of kilometers away from Barcelona.
What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?
I define myself as an inept fan of technologies. Of course, I use them, but the best software I have is my paper planner, which never fails me and organizes my agenda and my mind.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
My business partner wrote a book “Despegar” (¨Take Off¨), although, I do not believe that it has been translated into English just yet, for those who speak Spanish and are looking to start a business, it has really great advice.
What is your favorite quote?
“We must not turn off the light of others to make ours shine brighter”, by Gandhi.
Every morning there are people who wake up thinking or even wishing to confront or criticize someone, you will never see me spend even a second of my life doing that. Envy is the worst of the traveling companions.
Key Learnings:
o Only 1 thing will prevent you from fulfilling your dreams and that is the fear of failure.
o Our worst communication problem is that we listen to the reply, instead of truly listening.
o It is better to be talented in one thing rather than being mediocre in everything.
Connect:
Steve (Stefan) Junge hails from Germany and helps with the day-to-day publishing of interviews on IdeaMensch. While he and Mario don’t share a favorite soccer club, their enthusiasm to help entrepreneurs is a shared passion.