Alvaro shares how his first app, a social media platform to be the next SnapChat, became a platform for good in helping schools, victims, and communities combat online cyberbullying. Alvaro brings passion and energy into this episode. Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review.
Alvaro shares how his first app, a social media platform to be the next SnapChat, became a platform for good in helping schools, victims, and communities combat online cyberbullying.
Alvaro brings passion and energy into this episode.
Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review.
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EP 18_Alvaro Carrasco_Repurpose_Transcript
00:00:00:06 - 00:00:27:13
Alvaro Carrasco
It is that then the first step like grown is that you have a lot of meeting of different schools, lunch of this group start to see what happened was the feeling of the schools were the feeling of consider, and we're super open to change again, if the counsellor needs another feature update they don't understand the same the way that they look there, the relationship of the Latin-American market.
00:00:28:17 - 00:00:53:04
Rob Napoli
I'm excited. And yes, for those that we're here in that right, he did secure an amazing pre-seed round of funding after all of the hard work that he's been doing. And yes, Alvaro and I met through an organization called Startup Ventures. They are really awesome accelerator community here in New York City that I'm an entrepreneur in residence and coach for.
00:00:53:22 - 00:01:18:01
Rob Napoli
I had the chance to work with Alvaro a little bit and, you know, we hit it off right away, partly because Alvaro has a lot of energy as a millennial entrepreneur who not only is running a company, he is also an adjunct professor. He's also a mentor for a startup. CHILLAG Giving back to his communities. And it's really important.
00:01:18:20 - 00:01:43:08
Rob Napoli
You know, when we look at the communities that we serve and Bear Nation knows is this that we want to be a kind of that community that other communities connect with and help grow the communities. And every episode we get back through a philanthropic organization called Phin. It's a mission and impact. It's really important to us. And so these are all the reasons that Alvaro and I just like, connected immediately.
00:01:43:08 - 00:02:12:10
Rob Napoli
We all got to work together for like a week or two. Then the program is over and now he is going to be on a plane back to New York City to officially launch Brave Up in the U.S. So we are excited to have you on the show, Alvaro. And I want to get to your journey, but I think a really good place to start, because I made a big point about the mission and impact is tell me a little bit about what is brave up and what are you trying to do when you say we're stopping bullying across the world?
00:02:13:08 - 00:02:38:00
Alvaro Carrasco
Yeah. Well, it Brave up was born like an app, like a social media to this. A C said generational like that. Yeah, they're super. They love the technology. They love they absolutely love the smartphone. But half of the of the young people in the world are victim of bullying. I mean, like more than 150 million of kids say, like, yes, I make them of bullying.
00:02:38:00 - 00:03:15:15
Alvaro Carrasco
You know, it's like and for me was like, well, you have this huge problem. They love the technology. So let's bring something like that, this app. And after five years of working with different schools now brave up is are software to prevent, predict and detect bullying. And cyber bullying is a SAS is a software as a service that the Council of the Schools use that my main user, the counselor team, the council of the school, they have all the tools they have it reserves, videos, activities, everything to work with the students, to work with the teachers, we work with the parents and we have to serve is just more a service to the student.
00:03:15:24 - 00:03:43:01
Alvaro Carrasco
And we created this algorithm where we could predict this bullying. I mean, the students, they they, they choose the names of the classmate, guys of the of the generation. And they say, like, Robbie is my best friend. We have five in in relationship but with Carlos is not it is not that good so we have to this algorithm create this network and we can tell to the counselor and to the teacher.
00:03:43:06 - 00:04:00:02
Alvaro Carrasco
A they go with Carlos because all the students are saying that he's maybe a victim of bullying. You know that tools that information helps to the counselor and to the school staff to manage the money, manages the interventions and know exactly what's happening is at a school and also the Internet.
00:04:00:21 - 00:04:23:12
Rob Napoli
That's amazing. And so, you know, what was about, you know, bullying. And now we're starting this he started this an app and as a social experiments and you know, bullying is a big problem. And it's something that, you know, when we were in school as done a little differently because we didn't have online tools, we got those, you know, kind of post college.
00:04:23:12 - 00:04:41:13
Rob Napoli
And to be honest, I'm kind of glad it was our post college that it really happened because my life and probably been different. But as you saw this unfolding and as you're, you know, seeing this play out, what was it that really struck you that this needed to be something you addressed specifically?
00:04:42:12 - 00:05:08:20
Alvaro Carrasco
Yeah, it it I mean, we all saw bullying in the school. I mean, it's like, yeah, I wasn't a victim of bullying. Never in my in my school life. I had a really good school life. I play tennis. I had my girlfriend had like a normal school moment in my 12 years, you know, in that typical middle class, the school 1200 students, a big school, but normal experience.
00:05:08:20 - 00:05:40:21
Alvaro Carrasco
But I saw the problem. You know, I, I call it empathy with the with the situations, you know, and after many years after this, the university after everything, when we create these first social experiment, this first app and we launched this in the in this in the school and this do it this is the most for me the most important part of everything of this journey, that this braveup that I created, this one idea and a girl used this to report that she was a victim of bullying.
00:05:40:21 - 00:05:59:24
Alvaro Carrasco
You know, she told me like a I think that this is good for these people. And when they received this message, it wasn't like I wasn't a victim. But wow, this is stuff. This is not good. This is not okay, what's happening? This school. And when I started to talk with the school, they didn't know what to do.
00:06:00:06 - 00:06:22:08
Alvaro Carrasco
I mean, they had some ideas. They have some vertigo, some, like structure of stuff, but not much. Not like, Yeah, don't worry, I'm going to do something with this, this and this. So I saw that. I mean, I was like, wow. I mean, I was 25, I was a kid. I was in a five. I never was. I didn't I haven't been working in any other place that is brave.
00:06:22:08 - 00:06:46:02
Alvaro Carrasco
But, you know, it's like it's like what it's like my first experinece. So I think that was the that I girl use my platform to that important issue and that important like personal stuff that to me change everything. And I didn't care if I didn't leave that or it was not too close. It was like, let's care about it.
00:06:46:16 - 00:06:47:16
Alvaro Carrasco
Let's do something, you know?
00:06:48:15 - 00:07:12:00
Rob Napoli
Yeah. So I that's really unique. You know, you built something and somebody used it and then it was it was kind of like a amazing moment. One to have your product used, but should have been like, What are we go through here? How do I fix this? And that became a really personal issue for you. When somebody uses your product and you don't know how to take it to the next step.
00:07:12:00 - 00:07:32:10
Rob Napoli
And I think that's, you know, really interesting. And, you know, it's I think what you're doing is amazing. And I love the name Brave Up, but I want to get into that here because I was bullied at one point in my life. I grew up with a twin brother. And I think that that was a bit intimidating for others.
00:07:32:10 - 00:07:58:15
Rob Napoli
And so, you know, at times we got we got bullied and some very vivid memories across middle school, junior high and high school of those times. And, you know, one of the you know, I played sports, but one of the reasons that I started really working out, I got to high school and I started getting bigger and I had a twin.
00:07:58:15 - 00:07:59:07
Rob Napoli
And when you.
00:07:59:07 - 00:08:00:04
Alvaro Carrasco
Test her, yeah.
00:08:00:18 - 00:08:27:03
Rob Napoli
You know, people kind of like, oh, she can maybe, maybe not. And then, you know, I was also one thing and now I was also really shy when I was younger. And it was through this exploration of finding myself and going to Germany, having the boy that I grew to be more of that a talker. In fact, one of the things that got me in trouble with is I became a people pleaser because I was so afraid of getting bullied again.
00:08:27:03 - 00:08:47:11
Rob Napoli
And I just started and that became its own problem. But, you know, bullying has a very special place in my heart. And I've seen it happen to not only myself, but my younger brother, both my brothers. I got bullied back in the day and I was away in college. And I think about it and it's a different world.
00:08:47:11 - 00:08:59:15
Rob Napoli
And so you know, it's also scary, right? You have to be brave to stand up and say something about it. So let's talk about the name. Why? Why brave up? How did that come about?
00:09:00:04 - 00:09:29:08
Alvaro Carrasco
First of all, thanks to Jerry. I mean, I know that is hard. I know these like sometimes it's like ten, 20, 30 years of that moment and you remember that and you connect and you, like, feel that. So, like, thanks for that in me goes, Yeah, I know. And the first idea was this report, you know I mean and not just for the victim that was the first idea but to me because at that point it was like I know the big thing is this.
00:09:29:10 - 00:09:51:12
Alvaro Carrasco
I know that I know that all the international bibliography, the studies, the the, the universities, everything, everybody say that the schools need a channel to report If you're a victim of bullying or cyberbullying, you know, some schools are in a in a box with a letter. So other schools with a Google form or their schools with Brave Up.
00:09:51:12 - 00:10:17:15
Alvaro Carrasco
And that's one of the of the idea that I wasn't a victim and I wasn't an aggressor, a bully. You know, I was the witness. I was the guy that didn't like the situation, didn't like that is happening. But maybe I didn't say like, stop doing that because I don't want I didn't want to be a bully, a bullying, you know, like, I don't want to be the victim.
00:10:17:15 - 00:10:39:09
Alvaro Carrasco
If I do something, I don't want to be the victim if I say something because, you know, changed their they like the victim changed depending if what you're doing. So my point was like, let's help. Let's give some channel 24 seven to that is doing all that they want to do something, but they don't know what to do.
00:10:39:12 - 00:11:05:01
Alvaro Carrasco
And remember, this is not their job to fix this problem. That's super important because a kid of ten or 12 years old, she or he can fix the problems, the bullying, you know, but she or he can report can help us to know that is happening, that it lets us to know that is in improbable of something happening in TikTok.
00:11:05:01 - 00:11:36:16
Alvaro Carrasco
Something happened in an instagram something happened because like a counselor, like a teacher, like a parent, I don't know. I don't understand or I'm not part of that work. But we need to know because we need to fix this process, you know, and brave up is, of course, at the ready message to the victim of bullying. Like, don't worry we are here brave up tell us you know talked about this but also to this guy was look in this situation and with that report you are helping a lot.
00:11:36:16 - 00:12:01:03
Alvaro Carrasco
I mean you're changing all the game. You're changing all the situation just and anonymous. Don't worry if you don't want to say your name, don't worry, man, don't worry. Use anonymous. But like super good. Just super. Im sure about what you're talking about. It's not like a fake report. Not like something that I think I know something real.
00:12:01:06 - 00:12:10:20
Alvaro Carrasco
Do it. And is that really powerful tool meant that that's the idea and that's everything behind of that name is is that idea like brave up you know.
00:12:11:05 - 00:12:37:05
Rob Napoli
I love that because you know you made a good point there that the problem we know that there's a need for the victim to have a place to speak up and we know as a witness that we should speak up. And, you know, not to be silent, but usually there's no good forum. It's either with an online ID or you're going in person to tell somebody anonymously, but that's sucking it back.
00:12:37:14 - 00:12:55:04
Rob Napoli
And so you created a tool to have people report, right? Witnesses can stand up, but because because they don't know what to do. Reported on Brave Up. And then not only that, you have the algorithm piece to it and then, you know, I think what's really interesting the other pieces than talking to school is that what they can do to fix it?
00:12:55:04 - 00:13:23:00
Rob Napoli
Because a lot of times as it happens, some reports it if they if it's lucky and then they reprimand them with like detention or something. And so there's there's actual two way conversations. And I know if it went into the fourth thing on the conversation about brave up there's you know for the listeners out there, there's a whole side of Alvaro and his team are working with schools to create protocols on how to fix not just, hey, here's reporting and here's the data, like what's the next step?
00:13:23:00 - 00:13:47:17
Rob Napoli
And and that's a big piece of brave up future growth is to implement some of that. But I would like to switch gears for a minute because you're really passionate about your product and, you know, it's come a long ways to where you are today with Pre-seed funding. You've already launched the Latin America market, right? This is something that's already happening in Chile and Latin America.
00:13:48:06 - 00:13:52:01
Rob Napoli
And so it's not like you just got funding and now you're trying to launch this. This has been validated.
00:13:52:12 - 00:13:56:07
Alvaro Carrasco
Yeah, 70 schools now using this over 70.
00:13:56:07 - 00:14:20:00
Rob Napoli
That's amazing. So tell me about this. You started this for 25. Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur? Did you always think, hey, I wanted to solve a problem and fix like, how did you get into this idea of entrepreneurship and saying, I want to be the person to build a company to fix something?
00:14:21:20 - 00:14:47:16
Alvaro Carrasco
Yeah, Yeah. I think that everything started in my email, my my patriotism is entrepreneurialism and always an entrepreneur. He he studied construction, but he had different ideas and he always was talking in the in the in the table eating together in the family about the the team about the mission, about the next step about is growing and about the next project.
00:14:47:16 - 00:15:08:10
Alvaro Carrasco
You know, and for me was like, wow, super excited. I mean, I have pictures of me like four or five years old sitting in the in this Apple computer, this video with my dad, like, work, like living like, I'm going to do this. I don't know what, but I'm going to be like in that energy, you know, like doing this, that doing brilliant stuff.
00:15:08:10 - 00:15:37:14
Alvaro Carrasco
So for me always was that the idea? I wanted to be an actor in the school, then I wanted to study journalism. Yeah. You know, when you are a teenager, you change your mind. But and I studied business in the university, so I was super, like, focusing like, this is the next step. And I didn't know what to do exactly in, in, in the first moment, but I knew that I wanted to do my own stuff, you know?
00:15:37:19 - 00:15:58:01
Alvaro Carrasco
And the second it wasn't like it has to be global, you know, it has to be global, not just to Chile is not just to Latin America. This has to be global. I mean, for me always was like, oh, this has to be like huge. And, you know, in the university, I started different ideas with a classmate in a different brewery.
00:15:58:02 - 00:16:23:01
Alvaro Carrasco
They didn't work. And I started to sell some stuff here and there. And actually I didn't have like, like many good free ideas. And when it was like in the last years of the university when I was 25, this we created with, with a classmate this first like MVP. We launched this to the school and I received that report that they told you.
00:16:23:01 - 00:16:53:11
Alvaro Carrasco
And for me, I think that this is what happened, that that report becoming my purpose. You know, like in the in the last seven years of my life, I have been like working every day to that purpose, you know, is like I didn't know why and and how and what changed. And in myself. But I circled it and I have people my solution have people with my business more than I have with my technology.
00:16:53:11 - 00:17:07:10
Alvaro Carrasco
I have been with my team. I have changed my my partners in the company. I have did every segment. But the purpose the problem is that that focus you know like I yeah yeah.
00:17:08:00 - 00:17:36:14
Rob Napoli
So so as always I mean coming from your family and your father being, you know, somebody who really drove innovation, drove your ideation, your energy of entrepreneurship in that you knew that you were going to do something where you could create, inspire and build, which is awesome. And, you know, it's interesting to see how these things come together of of what that solution looks like.
00:17:36:14 - 00:18:05:07
Rob Napoli
And he talked about seven years. You've been going 70 schools already preseeds coming you know it's it's been a long time coming for you to grow and scout that what you've been trying to do so what were you know what are some challenges that you had to overcome? You know we're talking preshow. You know, originally this idea started as a social experiment and app and some reported it and all these things kind of fell into place.
00:18:05:07 - 00:18:21:12
Rob Napoli
But what were some of the things that you've had to go against? I mean, what are some the challenges that you face in the last seven years to get to where you are today? So I want to get into, you know, what what's been some of the big overcoming defining moments for the company and what are some of things that maybe you failed?
00:18:21:12 - 00:18:24:24
Rob Napoli
That was a tough lesson to learn, but it's it's beneficial today.
00:18:25:22 - 00:18:50:22
Alvaro Carrasco
Yeah, I think that every moment is super difficult when you're an an entrepreneur. I think that yeah, I mean, I saw all the all the movies and everything that I love to be an interviewer there, but it's hard to be an entrepreneur, you know, It's like it's not easy. Every day is difficult. Every day you have a different like challenge that you have to fix and a problem that you have to fix.
00:18:50:22 - 00:19:14:05
Alvaro Carrasco
And I think in the first time, for me, the most difficult part was the the product market fit. You know, like exactly that the schools needs, you know, because I wanted to have this social media app, you know, I wanted to be the next Snapchat that I wanted to be that in the schools, But the schools didn't want that.
00:19:14:11 - 00:19:33:24
Alvaro Carrasco
They didn't want to pay for that. They want to pay for a social media for a student. They need another tool. So I had to understood that. And in the first day it like all the all the like books and everything and say like, you have to do it faster in 18 months. You need to have this market for the market for it and everything.
00:19:33:24 - 00:20:14:01
Alvaro Carrasco
But I for me was like five years and what like five years going out and talking to the schools, dug into the schools, tried to to raise some funds trying to create this team. So it was really difficult to create this market fit after that when when you did you do that and you have your four selves and you and young growing for me was the team like this the right team, you know, this match, this perfect with their experience with young guys, with a person of different social categories and social places, cities, you know, and it's not easy.
00:20:14:01 - 00:20:33:16
Alvaro Carrasco
You know, it's hard to because you have to you only Oh, you are the father is your idea. They expect that you have some answers from the questions as then you don't have the answer of the question. You have to like men. Let's find it together because I don't have it. I created this like a three years ago.
00:20:33:16 - 00:21:05:23
Alvaro Carrasco
This is like new for everyone, you know? And now that I'm playing this, like, new kind of league that is like me sees Angel investment and investment day and all that stuff. And for me it's like, be this perfect middle between the energy and the serious part, not to passion like I am because I do passion something more like coal mine super cool like this is the business this know this is not the way this is done.
00:21:05:23 - 00:21:28:06
Alvaro Carrasco
Sometimes it's hard to like stop because it's the dream, you know, It's like we're doing it. We're going to New York City, I'm going to launch and this has been so hard, but I think that's for me in the person that is like my, my, my challenge today, you know, try to be super like this. This seven years have to be something, you know, is like the moment to be so.
00:21:28:06 - 00:21:38:09
Alvaro Carrasco
It's so cold so easy sometimes not to anxious. Yeah I think that's now I think that's now yeah awesome.
00:21:38:09 - 00:22:05:12
Rob Napoli
So I mean you know for an altogether it's going to be challenges for actually five years to give up by product market fit partly because what you wanted was create the next Snapchat a social app and what schools and not only schools but what students needed was something very different. And to figure that out and also have to pivot away from something that you're super passionate about.
00:22:06:03 - 00:22:06:12
Alvaro Carrasco
Yeah.
00:22:07:02 - 00:22:14:04
Rob Napoli
It wasn't easy, you know, from that first person who reported something into turning it into an actual usable product, a viable product.
00:22:15:11 - 00:22:39:13
Alvaro Carrasco
And you know that that was, I think, the most difficult part because we raised a lot of grants, a lot of prizes, a lot of money to do that, to keep doing it. And we have success cases every month and every year. So I have money, I have awards, I have written in there like ecosystem of Jello was like new this social media anti-bullying platform.
00:22:39:13 - 00:23:03:00
Alvaro Carrasco
Look, these social media anti-bullying software and it was like super like new paper and everything. So you start to believe that the schools around that you are right, you know, and it's like, man, they run because everyone in the ecosystem that the ecosystem this is not is not your client is not your your industry is yours. Your guys, your your friends.
00:23:03:00 - 00:23:23:10
Alvaro Carrasco
You know. And I think that's that's why in the first I think two years it was like super like you believe in that I was a real entrepreneur. I wasn't I was just like starting bad. Yeah, it was hard to understand and realize like, okay, the market is stuck in the school talking like, listen. And it's like, yeah, it's.
00:23:24:02 - 00:23:42:14
Rob Napoli
Yeah, it's sometimes it's really easy for us to say that we know better because we know what the ecosystem wants, but we don't actually listen to our customers. And somehow you have to understand that your customers, that the ecosystem and I think that's a really tough lesson to learn. And the reason I bring this up is, you know, it sounds like amazing.
00:23:42:14 - 00:24:06:02
Rob Napoli
You know, from where you started to where you are today, we talk on the high points. We forget that, you know, this is the bare necessities of entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship isn't easy. And and those five years from the first person that use your app to raising money to to to now come to the US market was five years of a lot two years of product market fit and thinking that you were right and they were wrong.
00:24:06:11 - 00:24:25:14
Rob Napoli
And then a couple of years after realizing and realigning, then building and it team building teams are never easy. What the biggest mistakes founders make is they make wrong hiring decisions. I mean, you scared the company from you two now what, 17 employees? I think you have something like that. Yeah. Yeah. You know, that's not easy to do.
00:24:25:14 - 00:24:56:12
Rob Napoli
I'm sure there are some, you know, bad hires along the way. So people who laughs if people have had like, Oh, yeah, but that's part of this journey. And when you start building a team and start thinking, okay, cool, not how do I need Americanization, you know, your passion, high energy, who can help me out? Who can be a more rational, pragmatic decision maker who is a critical thinker that's going to lay it out in black and white so that we bring these things down and you bring those skills and team into the organization as well.
00:24:57:10 - 00:25:08:01
Rob Napoli
So, I mean, I love that the journey is one that is long. Did you ever did you ever want to quit? Do you ever think about quitting?
00:25:08:22 - 00:25:39:24
Alvaro Carrasco
Yeah, many times. I mean, I think that two times in these years we didn't have money to pay the team. Like I had a car, I had my lovely car. I had to sold my car, and I have to. Okay, Bye bye, car. Let's pay the salaries this month and everything. And I remember one time when my CTO, in that moment he was hired with another company and he left the company from like Friday to Monday and he was like, Wow, I explosion inside of team.
00:25:40:06 - 00:26:04:04
Alvaro Carrasco
We were in the middle of the of the development of the store. We weren't like the day to day schools and everything. And yet in that moment we didn't have many schools. We didn't have nothing. And he was like, I can quit, You know, it's like I can do it. But, you know, I think that the purpose is bigger is like fire is like, I don't know.
00:26:04:04 - 00:26:30:00
Alvaro Carrasco
And and I don't see myself working in a bank, working in a traditional company, working for other guy from, you know, Jin is like minor country you know all the of the Chileans working in a in company and I didn't see myself doing that. I don't want to destroy my work. I want to change the way I want to improve the way I want to like try to the schools has a better environment.
00:26:30:00 - 00:26:50:12
Alvaro Carrasco
You know, it's like I don't know if I think that's like connect to myself. And I have the the like you have the super like I have to say that they have my parents always like making me are like, don't worry, we can help you. If you need something you can call come to live a few months here in the house.
00:26:50:12 - 00:27:14:01
Alvaro Carrasco
You can pay the rent and everything. So I have that support. And I have to say because someday you say if you're not telling how you feel, you know, yeah, I have sometimes that support and I try to sell everything that I had. I tried to always do some stuff, some freelance work into freelance stuff for next classes in the university and tried to, to to do that.
00:27:14:10 - 00:27:34:23
Alvaro Carrasco
And yeah, I think that moment also when you're going to pay something or going to the gym and you don't have the money I think that mom is also is super hard. You know, it's like you see your friends, your, your see your your sister, your brother, that they're grown. They have just they're doing something awesome. They have money is like, I really want to do that.
00:27:34:23 - 00:27:49:23
Alvaro Carrasco
And 28 man I'm some 30 and you have this pressure of the third a row The rubber band is like yeah I think sometimes that moments are super hard and that moment is not easy to like fix it, you know, I think that, yeah, that's hard also. Yeah.
00:27:50:07 - 00:28:09:17
Rob Napoli
Yeah. I mean, I appreciate you sharing that because it's hard. Like you had to sell your car to pay salaries and what, you know, we have this glorified view that, you know, you have a great idea, you validate it, you're going to get funding and you scale it and yeah, there's all these things they don't realize is that that doesn't usually happen.
00:28:09:24 - 00:28:39:12
Rob Napoli
And even if you do, you're playing with house money. You've got investors or the bank wanting their loan money back. At some point that money's got to go back and you have to have a plan for that. And so, you know, I let the normal out and do different things. That's how I can actually worship. And I started your company is and I said those things that for me I see all my friends like have the house, the car, the kids and that's amazing you know that that's their journey.
00:28:39:17 - 00:29:03:12
Rob Napoli
Their journey is impressive because there is. But I was like, that's that's not mine and I need to stop comparing myself to them. And that was a hard lesson to learn. You know, a lot of time, just like you get a nice paycheck coming. Anyway, I got to pay that right off into paying my employees or, you know, upgrade my website, are buying this for the team or buying that for the company or doing these things.
00:29:03:12 - 00:29:25:10
Rob Napoli
And you're like, because I can really just like, you know, put it in my right hand, put it my left hand and it's gone. That's entrepreneurship. That's that's running a business. And I think it's really important that those that get into entrepreneurship, yes, you're going to have people around you to help and supportive parents and, you know, maybe have some money that bank you saved up all these things.
00:29:25:10 - 00:29:49:23
Rob Napoli
But that's not everyone's case. I think it's really important that people understand that they can't just find somebody to fix their problems. And when you're an entrepreneur, you got to fix all that. You got to come in and do it. And then as you build and make those things happen. So I appreciate you sharing that. It's I think we tend to have a very glorified view that things very optimistic that this is going to happen.
00:29:49:23 - 00:30:24:18
Rob Napoli
It's going to be actually fine when reality is it's not. And there's a lot more that goes into it and you forget that you have to be your own admin, You had your own scheduling around marketing your own product, you know, So it's really important. You know, I think when whenever an entrepreneur says, Oh, I'm never I was never going to give up, I never even thought about it, I kind of I kind of throw the bullshit flag because the owners and you're so passionate about it is because you did think about giving up and you realize, you know what?
00:30:25:14 - 00:30:39:14
Rob Napoli
Fuck that. If I gave up, I'd be unhappy. I regret it. And that was the motivation to keep me going through. I think it's more important to like, let's highlight that, that, hey, at one point I thought about giving up. I wasn't sure if this is right for me, but I knew that I love what I was doing.
00:30:39:14 - 00:30:45:21
Rob Napoli
It made me happy, is how they go to work every day and to work on this project. So I'm going to keep going even if I want to quit.
00:30:46:11 - 00:30:47:02
Alvaro Carrasco
And yeah.
00:30:47:16 - 00:31:07:03
Rob Napoli
That is, that's, that's the mindset of an entrepreneur, right? There's being an entrepreneur and there's that mindset piece that comes in as I appreciate you share that. So you know, you're coming to New York City here at the end of August. Yeah, Yeah. When this when this launches will be probably in September. So you're just going to New York City.
00:31:07:14 - 00:31:22:22
Rob Napoli
So what are those plans? So when you get here and you start building here, what are those things you're looking for to to scale? You're looking for companies right away are going to hire you as team. What is day one look like for Alvaro now that U.S. expansion is a go?
00:31:24:00 - 00:31:51:11
Alvaro Carrasco
Well, we're working with the Startup Ventures in New York, and we also were selected by new Chip Accelerator of Austin, Texas, the number one online program of of of acceleration. So they chose us also. And the first idea is try to find this next round of investment, this seed round of between 500 KS to 1 million. That's that's the next round that we're thinking.
00:31:51:16 - 00:32:26:13
Alvaro Carrasco
And we have the product ready. We have the algorithm. We want to know the American market. We have this free, free model is still in the model, obscure community model, different prices and the free model we want to launch menu scores. So we think it's going to be like a lot of percent of the of the money into the growth hacking cells marketing, you know, like the peoples knows that we're here and we have this solution and we have this free model, this gym model and everything is that.
00:32:26:23 - 00:33:01:08
Alvaro Carrasco
And then the first step growing is that you have a lot of meeting of different schools, lunch of this group, start to see what happened was the feeling of the schools, what the feeling of the counselor. And we're super open to change again, if the counselor needs another feature, if they don't understand the same the way that they look, the the relationship of the Latin American market, I mean, that's the idea of this first year, like tried to learn, try to list and try to create this better brand, but always with the customer.
00:33:01:08 - 00:33:23:07
Alvaro Carrasco
You know, we we're we did in Chile, in Latin America. So we will do in there and yes there to sell start to sell start to grow and see what happening with it with the startup and with YouTube. I mean I think that in the next three or four months, maybe we're going to change a lot the way that we sell, the way that I, how we communicate our solution and everything.
00:33:23:07 - 00:33:24:23
Alvaro Carrasco
So yeah, yeah, I mean, that's the.
00:33:24:23 - 00:33:41:15
Rob Napoli
First thing you got to do. New come here is, you know, put other process in place to start the conversations. But if that seed happens in the next 3 to 6 months, it, it, it really accelerates the way that you go out and take your message to the market. So be interesting to see what kind of happens in as we have 3 to 6 months.
00:33:41:15 - 00:33:59:19
Rob Napoli
So if and bear nation if anybody is a school counselor or as close to school counselors that would be interested in talking with Alvaro, please will have his contact information at the end of the episode of the show notes for you to connect him up, have a initial conversation and start learning about what brave up could do for your school as offering your school community.
00:34:00:24 - 00:34:17:06
Rob Napoli
When you come out into the market, you know, I started and I said, Are you going to go after the whole U.S. market? Are you going to start down in like, you know, Florida, Miami, kind of capitalize on the Latin American connection? Do you have a plan on how you're rolling out across the U.S.? Because you try to hit the whole U.S. is going to be a bit exhausting.
00:34:17:06 - 00:34:18:05
Rob Napoli
So do you have a bit of a go?
00:34:18:14 - 00:34:40:06
Alvaro Carrasco
Yeah, it's impossible. It's impossible. No, no, no. It's like crazy to think that we're going to do it. Like in the beginning, all America is now is is is to me is huge. I mean, a fun fact, just the state of Florida has more schools that all Chile that huge is making them America is like.
00:34:40:06 - 00:34:41:13
Rob Napoli
Some it's crazy.
00:34:42:00 - 00:35:02:19
Alvaro Carrasco
Yeah it's crazy for us is what like what all this country is is less than just one. The state in America. But for us, the first stop is New York actually start there And this is schools. You know, in America, you have three kind of schools, public, private and public charter schools. For us, the first target market is this public charter school, because they're more innovative.
00:35:02:19 - 00:35:30:14
Alvaro Carrasco
They have this this budget to this sub where they have the budget for this kind of. Yeah so we're so that's or for market of New York and also Texas because the national right there is in Texas in Austin. So that's the first market after that really that is the next step. I mean we know that some places in Florida there's been a lot of spent I mean, you also Spanish in some places.
00:35:30:14 - 00:35:52:24
Alvaro Carrasco
So yes, super like yeah, Latin American solution to a Latin American places is is perfect. So that's the first like idea New York, Austin, then Miami I think or some part of Florida and then what what I mean I don't know I mean that's the idea of the software I mean maybe is scaling faster than we think.
00:35:53:15 - 00:36:12:07
Rob Napoli
Yeah yeah we're excited to see it launch. We're excited to see it grow and scale. And, you know, obviously it's going to be a bit interesting because you have a team down in Chile and that's still going to run for South American and Latin American market. So you know how you kind of manage, but that is going to be really intriguing.
00:36:12:07 - 00:36:22:11
Rob Napoli
What's the you know, what what advice would you give? You know, Gen Z, millennials, anyone is entrepreneurial minded out there looking to get into entrepreneurship. What advice would you give them?
00:36:24:06 - 00:36:47:05
Alvaro Carrasco
A for me is like, try, try. It's not going to be easy to find. What is your goal or your purpose is not simple, but this is not going to happen sitting in your house looking business. Sorry man. Sorry, but we love to watch you be injured. But that's not going to work. So go outside. If you want to sell ice cream, do it.
00:36:47:05 - 00:37:07:06
Alvaro Carrasco
If you want to paint something, do either take pictures, do it. Try, try, try, try to see something. And then you're going to find something that you didn't expect. I mean, I again, don't believe of that movie of the entrepreneur that, like you said, like I have an idea. I really found a great that and I'm a multimillionaire.
00:37:07:06 - 00:37:17:09
Alvaro Carrasco
That's not true. Go outside live, learn a lot of experience, and then maybe you're going to find these and you're going to be in love with some of some of the money.
00:37:17:16 - 00:37:20:13
Rob Napoli
Yeah. Be brave. Right? Be brave and go be brave.
00:37:20:13 - 00:37:23:06
Alvaro Carrasco
Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Exactly Yeah.
00:37:24:05 - 00:37:26:22
Rob Napoli
So what is what is your superpower?
00:37:29:02 - 00:37:58:08
Alvaro Carrasco
I dug super fast. And for the pitch, for the elevator pitch is amazing, man. No, I think that. Yeah, I, I see the life like a circle, you know? So sometimes when I'm in the ground of the circle, I just. I don't see that. And the down part of the circle, I just preparing for this. The next up part, you know, that's how I see the problems.
00:37:58:08 - 00:38:20:01
Alvaro Carrasco
Like when I have one brother, the two or three bronze, I think like, Ooh, what's coming, man? Was that big good news that is coming because I'm preparing for that. So I think that that's my superpower. You send me a really bad feedback of you. You share something of my software I'm going to use it to, to improve, to prepare to do something better.
00:38:20:01 - 00:38:22:02
Alvaro Carrasco
So I think that's my superpower. Yeah.
00:38:22:07 - 00:38:39:00
Rob Napoli
Yeah. I mean, I love that you kind of never give up moment it, right? Like you think about quitting or giving up on the company and ending it. Yeah, but, you know, you knew that something better was just around the corner is going to come back and saying, back up for you. It's I love that I asked, So what is your last message?
00:38:39:00 - 00:38:44:19
Rob Napoli
You know, as you as you think about this podcast, you know, what do you want to say to everyone out there?
00:38:45:24 - 00:39:12:16
Alvaro Carrasco
Yeah, for for everyone who is listening this and is if you are leaving some problem, some issue of you're a victim of violence in the school, in your house with your parents or with your partner or whatever. My good in there you may hug and try to find some help, try to try to speak up and be brave up because we care about you.
00:39:12:18 - 00:39:31:22
Alvaro Carrasco
That's always we always say that in any interview that we have to like a mission of the of the team and for all of they're like, you can do it, man. It's like the dreams come true. I'm nor from Santiago Chile and tell that to them not from the capital I'm from the north part of this country is a small country Chile is a small country.
00:39:31:23 - 00:39:57:21
Alvaro Carrasco
My city is smaller than that. And I'm in and 20 days and coming to live for a year in one of the most amazing cities like this New York City. And for me, it's like, wow, it's insane. Just the journey. So be brave, be strong. You're going to have really bad days. Really, really, really bad days. But sometime something's coming, something better, it's coming.
00:39:57:21 - 00:40:23:02
Alvaro Carrasco
So I think that's my my last message. Like we prepare for the good news. And when you're in that bad moment, that sad news in that offer of feedback or bad review of your app, be prepare at least in that fix that and we'll for it you can do it so it's that thank you for your time and this is my first time speaking indeed it's that time so thank you very much.
00:40:23:02 - 00:40:25:05
Alvaro Carrasco
I hope that everyone understood everything.
00:40:25:05 - 00:40:49:07
Rob Napoli
So I love I love being able to be the, you know, the first English podcast doing all this. You know, I think that's a great lasting message. Yeah. If you're you or somebody you know is affected by bullying, there is tons of resources out there and support and that community, if you're always looking for resources, contact brave up, but they can point you to other relevant resources.
00:40:49:19 - 00:41:11:23
Rob Napoli
Alvaro, thank you so much for being a part of the show. I will make sure to have your Twitter, your LinkedIn, the company page and your email all in the show notes. If you're wanting to follow or connect with Alvaro, you can connect with him on Twitter, LinkedIn, email and learn a little bit more. And thank you so much, my guy.
00:41:11:23 - 00:41:29:01
Rob Napoli
It was a lot of fun. I can't wait to have you in New York City and on this episode drops, he'll probably be in here. I probably already had a beer, but we got settled in and one of the first things we're going to do is we're going to go grab a beer. We'll celebrate briefly on the big win and we'll probably I'll probably switch gears now.
00:41:29:01 - 00:41:50:16
Rob Napoli
Okay. And like, what's next? Like, let's go right say celebrate when you get 24 hours to celebrate, you get 24 hours to you know, to if you lose. But then, you know, short short mindset. I've been watching too much Ted lasso be a goldfish have that forgetful memory and move forward so you know kind of like you're always just hey, it's going to come back up.
00:41:51:01 - 00:42:04:16
Rob Napoli
So I love it. Alvaro Thank you, Bear Nation, thanks for tuning in. And again, make sure you subscribe. If you're on Apple, please leave us a review. It'd be super helpful. Thank you so much, Alvaro, you for being a part of Bear Nation, my friend.
00:42:05:11 - 00:42:06:17
Alvaro Carrasco
Thank you, man. Bye bye.
00:42:07:20 - 00:42:17:16
Rob Napoli
Baby Bear Nation. Thanks for listening to the bare necessities of entrepreneurship. If we enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave us a review.