Este mes de marzo se inaugura el blog de coaching para emprendedores H&H Business Intructors a cargo del economista Brendan Heaphy. En esta edición el autor me ha realizado una entevista bastante amena.
Comparto con todos vosotros esta entrevista que seguro os animará a seguir vuestros sueños…
Business Name: Yeyehelp
Owner/CEO: Mr. Carlos Manuel Guaman
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Yeyehelp is a collaborative consumption platform that offers students or the unemployed the opportunity to earn extra money by providing services to the over fifties (Silver Surfers).
Interview with Mr. Carlos Manuel Guaman
BH.
Thank you Carlos for taking the time out of your busy schedule. Firstly, why Yeyehelp?
CM
Yeyehelp is born from three historical factors; unemployment, ageing in Europe and the new paradigms of the European economy.
In Spain and Europe, unemployment has grown exponentially and we have seen the rise of two problems; ageing and unemployment. Students, unemployed or people who want to earn extra money can offer their services to elderly people. In addition we have identified that there is a group of people over fifty years of age that use the internet regularly (Silver Surfers) and their needs are not being met. Yeyehelp has devised a solution for this problem by providing a platform for elderly people who require various services and in return this creates employment for the service providers. This approach allows a union between the generations creating a win-win relationship.
BH.
What are your dreams/aspirations for Yeyehelp?
CM
I would like Yeyehelp to have a global reach in the future. We plan to have a large impact on society. Yeyehelp’s approach assists many people and additionally makes the business profitable in providing richly rewarding services to an important group in society.
BH.
What do you believe is your greatest strength in driving and growing your business?
CM
There are many important factors. I think the most important thing is passion. The love I have for the project, my work and discipline.
Another important factor is in understanding my target audience. Years of study has been conducted on the behaviour of Silver Surfers and with this information, Yeyehelp was born. Yeyehelp has not invented anything, just reflecting what this generation requires. I also believe consistency is important, where I truly believe in reaching my goals.
BH.
What have you found to be most difficult so far in carrying out your work?
CM
Unfortunately, many people do not see aging as part of society. They are not interested in working in this sector and this poses challenges for Yeyehelp which we will work on overcoming.
BH.
If you were to offer one piece of advice to anyone wishing to begin their own business, what would it be?
CM
The first is to have passion and love for the project. It is very important to know your target audience and what they are going to want. You should make it clear what makes you a differentiator from others in the market. I also believe it is very important to create a good and transverse team. Your team is vital to the development of your work and I think it is equally important that the organization must be linear, all opinions count and management can then make the best decisions and lead the team accordingly.
BH.
What do you believe is the most important aspect of developing your business?
CM
In our case, the customer experience is very important. Collaborative consumption is based on trust however elderly people need more security. They need to feel protected when making an online purchase. This is why Yeyehelp focuses on providing a satisfying experience from start to finish. BH.
Is there someone or something that inspires you? Pushing you forward in continuing to do what you do?
CM
Absolutely! I have personally worked with elderly people to pay for my studies and I’ve learned much from them. I believe that intergenerational relationships are win-win and we all learn from each other, contributing to a better society. It encourages and motivates me that Yeyehelp is connecting generations and uniting people.
BH.
There are never enough hours in the day especially when you run your own business. Do you have time for hobbies/interests? What do you do to shut off for a while from running Yeyehelp?
CM
It is very difficult to have time for yourself when you have your own business, but for me the gym is sacred. Each morning I wake up at 6 am and I do one hour of exercise.
When the time allows, I love to travel, preferably to other countries. I love to escape the routine. Travelling inspires me, helping me to learn how I can improve my business from other points of view.
I wish to thank Carlos Manuel Guaman for taking time out for this interview and sharing with me his passion for running Yeyehelp.
