Article written by Carlos Jonay Suárez , co-founder and head of digital strategy at Pueblos Remotos.

As I write these words, I'm becoming increasingly aware that 2022 is drawing to a close. That means it's been almost ten years since I began my entrepreneurial journey, whether launching my own projects or helping others launch theirs as a consultant. 

Entrepreneurship, perhaps, has also been the buzzword of the last ten years? Be that as it may, the world of entrepreneurship has revolved, at least around me, around innovation, technology, startups and all that language in a perfect Spanglish that we have created to glorify the term.

But that side of entrepreneurship is only one part within all the modalities, categories and areas that exist within the entrepreneurial world , and for that reason I want to tell you in this blog post about some of those ventures that have captivated us from Pueblos Remotos.

When the essence of entrepreneurship lies in the why 

In many conversations, over coffee, dinner, or drinks, many friends ask me why? Because I've decided to start a business, or as I prefer to say: 'to get things going'

Often, I don't know the exact answer, I like to do things with meaning, put them together myself (or put them together with someone), watch them grow, experiment and enjoy what I do.

Behind many ventures there is a great 'WHY' and if that venture takes place in the rural world, that 'why' usually has even more value. 

Among all the experiences we have had during these almost two years of life, we have seen all kinds of stories, both professional and personal, that have captivated us: 

• People who have returned to their native island to continue with third, fourth or fifth generation family businesses, keeping alive the essence of their parents, or their grandparents. 

• People who are one hundred percent passionate about what they do, and when I say passionate, I mean that they live it with their emotions on the surface. 

• People who dedicate a large part of their time to carrying out social or charitable work, such as cleaning a beach or collecting abandoned animals. 

• People who embrace traditions and pass on their knowledge so that it is not lost to oblivion. 

• People who want to change things, who fight every day to improve their environment and to activate collaborative networks. 

In short, these are people who have embraced taking action rather than complaining , and who are proposing changes, calls to action, and are committed to changing the vision of the rural world.

Whatever their 'why', it's what drives them to keep going and bring their projects to life.

Examples worthy of recognition 

If there's one thing I'm sure of, and I can speak for Elsa (co-founder of Pueblos Remotos) as well, it's that all the projects we've worked on in these 3 editions of Pueblos Remotos are worthy of recognition. 

Whether we talk about our main local actors, the supporting actors, our local leaders, or even several projects that have been left out, we can always say that human quality is the essence of them all. 

If I had to list the different ventures we've worked closely with under certain 'categories' (instead of separating them again by editions), I could tell you about: 

Accommodations 

As I always tell you, the place where we stay is the cornerstone of all our editions; they are our home for twenty-one days and that is precisely what they do, they make us feel at home.

No matter how much time passes, we always fondly remember the sunsets at Alberto Dorner (Icod de Los Vinos), at Era de la Corte (Antigua), or at Los Melindros (Fuencaliente). All those moments of connection, dinners filled with laughter, and many hours of working from home. 

Coincidentally, the stories of these three accommodations have certain similarities and coincidences; at their core, they have a story behind them, a family history that gives them the essence they want to convey. 

• Alberto Dorner boutique hotel located on the coast of Icod de Los Vinos (San Marcos Beach), and the story of its founder, Kay González , is deeply rooted in his connection to the land. Kay was an Associate Professor of Hispanic Languages ​​at the University of Chicago, where he lived until just a few years ago. Seeking to be closer to his homeland (Tenerife) and his family led him to return to the island and launch an innovative project, linked to the municipality, that aims to promote local products among its guests.

• Hotel Era de la Corte is a rural hotel located in the municipality of Antigua (Fuerteventura), and the story of its founders, Malole and David , has certain similarities to Kay's story. After working for several years as Human Resources Director at Wombats-Hostels (Austria), Malole decided to return to Fuerteventura to become the CEO of Era de la Corte, taking over from her father and continuing a family business in a charming house steeped in history.

• Los Melindros is a complex of two rural houses located in the Los Quemados area, in the municipality of Fuencaliente ( La Palma ). The story of Lourdes (the house manager), Cristóbal (her husband), and Diego (our local leader in Pueblos Remotos Fuencaliente) is a story of resilience. Los Melindros is a family project, a house purchased and renovated with years of hard work and savings. That dream was shattered by a fire in 2009, which completely destroyed the houses. This is where the resilience so often discussed in the entrepreneurial world comes into play. With hard work, dedication, and ingenuity, they managed to fully restore the houses, returning them to their original design.

With this blog post, I want to introduce you to the first examples of entrepreneurship in rural areas that we've encountered with Pueblos Remotos, as well as answer some fundamental questions. In upcoming posts, I'll share more examples related to organic farming, baking, winemaking, traditions, and rural volunteering.

In the meantime, I encourage you to share this blog post and subscribe to our newsletter to receive new posts directly in your inbox.