Last Friday, 6 October 2023, I delivered a session on entrepreneurial attitude in the Deusto START I ath the University of Deusto. Another year and new participants, students from different degrees and double degrees who have decided to take advantage of an opportunity that many of us have not had throughout our studies. So, first of all, congratulations to all the people who believe in and are committed to this type of programme, in this case, the participants and the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Unit (Deusto Emprende) of the University of Deusto.
I like to start this kind of session by insisting that I am not going to discover the formula of entrepreneurship or of the entrepreneur, but I also give a gift (those who attend these sessions know this), something that they take away and that is “magic”.
Before the end of the session, whenever I can, I like to invite an entrepreneur to tell “their personal story”, because it is a way of moving from theory to reality, that of entrepreneurship reflected in a person. This time, by chance of life and trust in people, I decided to choose a person I had just met, Silvia Serna, from Arbola Consulting Pertsonak. It was my namesake Arantxa Arocena (she spells her name with X, I spell it with Z, although we both have more than common ties) who sent me an audio message a week ago telling me that I had to meet her, that I was going to love her. So I did, without a doubt.
When I entered her linkedin account and spoke to her on the phone, I knew that there was “something” that I liked. Not surprisingly, there were values with which Silvia defines herself that quickly caught my attention: “curious by nature, innovative in essence, creative at every moment, a connector of relationships, passionate about life, people and their relationships, the potential of each individual, committed to my purpose“. If we add to this that she is also the mother of 3 children of similar ages to mine and that she enjoys her work “as a place of growth and fulfillment”, and “feels fortunate to have turned my passion into my work”, well, what can I say? All that was missing was Friday to listen to her live and share her person and her experience with future P.E. Oh, by the way, she also studied at the University of Deusto, so “something” more that we share.
Silvia, partner and CEO at Arbola Consulting Pertsonak, arrived at the Bilbao campus accompanied by José Rodríguez, CEO, like her, of the project. They came from San Sebastián-Donosti, where they had been at an event, although their origin was Tolosa, where they are located. The first sensations could not have been better, to be honest (well, I thought so), and the last ones, when we said goodbye, were even better, so it means that they could have been better. I liked them as people, but also very much the project they shared with us.
Arbola Consulting Pertsonak is made up of a team of people who accompany organisations and their people, who are, as we know, the ones who move the world. They work in a coworking space, weaving networks and taking advantage of research opportunities (I liked that a lot).
I took away from her talk, which personally was very short, that Silvia (and I think her team too):
- They are aware that Arbola Consulting Pertsonak is a project with “a long way to go”.
- They understand entrepreneurship as an attitude.
- They are convinced of the need to generate relational spaces.
- They are committed to a humanist organisation.
- They believe in new ways of doing things that contribute to the wellbeing of people (in their personal lives and at work); in the need to contribute value to society; in the creation of trust networks; in the self-management of people and in valuing their skills; in having a clear purpose to guide us; and, in short, in the development of people themselves, among others.
It is from this way of thinking and with these beliefs that Arbola Consulting Pertsonak was born. At a time of Silvia’s personal search and transformation process and as an innovative humanist company project, in which, obviously, people are at the centre of the organisation.
I encourage you to visit the Arbola Consulting Pertsonak website and investigate a little more, because there is still a lot to say. You will find a great team of facilitators, coaches, trainers, advisors, and transformation consultants.
Thank you, Silvia and José for your time, I hope it was well invested.
Enjoy these days of rest that are coming to us.