“It’s never been easier to start a business than it is now. However, there aren’t that many entrepreneurs,” stated Marcos Llerena, founder of the branding agency MANDARiNA. This was one of the many comments from the Entrepreneurial Voices panel that challenged the idealized image often associated with entrepreneurship.

Sometimes, even with a brilliant idea, success isn't guaranteed. Or at least, the path to success isn't usually so straightforward. Along the way, there are difficult decisions, mistakes, many "no's," moments of uncertainty, and the need to continue championing a project with conviction.

Marcos, along with Eduardo Novillo Astrada (h), Candelaria Sosa and Ricky Minicucci They were the Entrepreneurial Voices who shared part of their story with students and graduates of the Universidad AustralThe panel was introduced and moderated by Lautaro Rodríguez, founder of Conectarg.

What happens after the idea

There's a long road between an idea being born and its realization. There are ups and downs, twists and turns, and changes along the way. Novillo Astrada, founder of Justoken, spoke of the "myth of the ideal romance" that often accompanies the early stages of a business venture. Then come the daily grind, the problems, and countless situations that force constant reassessment and learning. You have to get used to discomfort: " I'm outside my comfort zone all day long ," he summarized.

His own experience with Justoken exemplifies this ability to identify opportunities and develop new solutions. The company pioneered the tokenization of soybeans globally, starting from the identification of a concrete possibility in a traditional sector.

He also spoke about something common to every entrepreneurial journey: the fear of making mistakes . The key, he explained, is learning to face it, accepting countless "no's," and maintaining your conviction.

Resilience to keep moving forward

For Ricky Minicucci, founder of Trasa, obstacles can also become part of the journey.

Their project began with a concrete need: to bring banking services to vulnerable neighborhoods where there were no ATMs. The idea generated doubts, and they were even told they were “crazy.” However, they decided to move forward with a 24-hour neighborhood bank. Over time, they observed that the arrival of the service began to change people's habits and stimulate the local economy. The project also obtained B Corp certification.

The experience summarizes one of the central ideas of the meeting: the problem that appears along the way is not necessarily something to be avoided; it may be precisely what allows us to find an opportunity.

Technology changes the rules, but it doesn't replace everything.

The explosion of artificial intelligence could not be absent from this conversation.

Lautaro Rodriguez pointed out that AI is impacting all sectors and that it is now easier to implement certain initiatives. But this technological accessibility coexists with a dimension that remains essential: the human capacity to understand, create, make decisions, and build relationships.

Along the same lines, Llerena emphasized the importance of working on the details, taking time to think and rethink, reading, and doing things with dedication.

In a scenario of increasing automation, this perspective proposes recovering the value of processes and in-depth work: not everything can be resolved quickly.

Learn from those who have already walked the path

Candelaria Sosa defined entrepreneurship from a different perspective: for her, entrepreneurship is something she's been doing since she was a child, even before she called it that. Today, through Tributo Simple, she also works supporting other entrepreneurs.

Although every experience is different, there are commonalities among them: entrepreneurship requires resilience, patience, hard work, the ability to face fears, and a willingness to learn constantly.

For students and graduates, meeting people who are carrying out concrete projects provides access to learning experiences not usually found in books: understanding real-world decisions, listening to mistakes, asking questions, exchanging ideas, and discovering other career possibilities. Participating, listening, and connecting with those who are already forging their own paths can be the first step toward envisioning one's own.