“Hacia el sur” (English version) (Southward)

The person I introduce you today is special for many aspects. Many of them are related to entrepreneurship and her powerful professionalism, but there are many others that, without being typical of an entrepreneur and without any doubt, are part of her added value. Her name is Ro Venegas and she is the CEO, image, soul and smile of Hacia el Sur (southwards), her dream project.

If you are interested in getting to know a person who defines herself as cheerful, social, extroverted, but serious and hard-working, and whose objectives include personal and professional growth by working with creative people who are capable of building things out of nothing to make people’s lives more entertaining, you just have to keep reading.

In June 2023, after almost (I said almost, eh) half a lifetime working non-stop in many jobs and in different national and international cities, Ro, a woman with a lot of experience and energy, and with her feet on the ground (near the sea) decided to return to her place of origin, her home and her island, Calle San Rafael 1, San Fernando (Cadiz). She took the leap of faith. All of this to fulfill his dream, for which she continues to learn every day working on something that inspires and motivates her.

Hacia el sur is a fashion-related venture that I found one summer day, by chance, on instagram. I must admit that, from the first moment, the life and light that she transmitted attracted me a lot. Even without having its website up and running, I threw myself into making a purchase. And how proud I am to confirm that mine was the first purchase that Ro sent out of San Fernando.

Su sueño no es “solo” tener su propia tienda, Ro quiere ir produciendo su propia marca, y ahí va, poco a poco, con diseños propios, cómodos y muy bonitos, os lo aseguro. Ella sola ha emprendido su proyecto y es algo de lo que está muy orgullosa.

Her dream is not “only” to have her own store, but Ro wants to produce her own brand, and there she goes, little by little, with her own designs, comfortable and very beautiful, I promise you. She has started her project on her own and she is very proud of it.

She is clear that “entrepreneurship today is crazy”, that “there are those who do not understand you”, that “business is a roller coaster and for someone as emotional as I am, feelings are always on the surface” Ro says. But she is also very clear that, “when I see that you like what I choose, or better yet, when my designs are your favorites, it’s worth it”. That, Ro, is a success.

At the moment, Ro has her suppliers in Spain, Italy and France, but I am more than sure that she will not stop there, even she herself recognizes that some of her products are Chinese, because they are everywhere. But let’s not forget that what she wants and what she is doing is to develop her brand.

If any of you still have doubts about why Ro deserves a place in this blog, here are several reasons. It’s an attachment to the post (it’s the first time I do it), but it’s worth reading, really. You will like it. If you go to Cadiz, be sure to visit her store and give Ro a kiss from me..

Those who know her well say of her that:

1. She has a clear objective, with a clear action plan, although, sometimes, “unforeseen events, make Ro look for new original and dynamic solutions to her “planned” plan.
2. She is committed to new challenges, “she is not afraid to jump into the pool with her many good ideas”.
3. She works (a lot, a lot, a lot), “she is very committed to her work and always puts in the time and effort necessary for everything to go well”, “she is always thinking of ways to improve and grow her company, and works around the clock so that her clients receive a unique and personalized experience”.
4. She strives to do her job well and to work at ease and at what she enjoys: “This is something that represents her very well”. In fact, “she is very proud of her brand, she has a very personal bond with it, she makes an effort to give the best service and the best product”.
5. She is persistent in her work, where “there is never a lack of effort”.
6. She is determined and will face whatever it takes. “If there is a problem, Ro doesn’t hide, she faces it and starts to solve it”.
   She doesn’t wait for things to come to her, she goes for it. She is a proactive person. “Ro is a very good example of how you have to pursue things and do pick and shovel work to get things done.” Ah, “if she comes up with a new idea, she goes for it. She always appreciates what she has, but she never settles for just that.”
7. She perseveres in her work and doesn’t give up at the drop of a hat.
8. She is very responsible, “sometimes even irresponsible, but if she were not she would not dare to do the things she does so well in her work”.
9. She is self-efficient, confident and believes in her own abilities. “She knows what her strengths are and is confident in them. “Confidence in her abilities is one of her strengths.”
10. She is assertive when she has to be, and she shows it.
11. She is self-motivated, although, “from time to time she needs a push, but that rarely happens.”
12. She is a team player, and works very well in many contexts.
13. She is open to change, flexible and open-minded, since “if she wasn’t, she wouldn’t be where she is now”.
14. She is committed to her dreams. “She knows what she wants and does everything she can to get it, but at the same time, if something needs to be changed or adjusted, she is not afraid to make those changes”.
15. She has a lot of initiative, as well as being creative and innovative, “she is always creating and trying to come up with new things to get out of the ordinary a little bit.”
16. She is passionate about what she does and puts a lot of desire and enthusiasm into achieving her dreams. “In one year, she already has loyal customers all over Spain. Ro radiates confidence and a light that is contagious, and all that comes from her passion and enthusiasm”.
17. She is a leader, of people, projects and experiences, with whom she is involved and committed. “She is a vitamin person.
18. She has the gift of seeing opportunities where other people see “problems”. “She is a positive person, who turns problems into opportunities to improve”, “she always sees the good side of things”, “she has a strong character, where others would give up, she keeps fighting”.
19. She is courageous, even though she knows that the road does not have to be easy, ” she has achieved almost all her achievements on her own. Some of them easy but many of them difficult, and of course, she has fallen, but she always gets up. Always. And that can’t be done by just anyone”.
20. She is learning (and training) constantly. “She is always looking for courses, self-training to improve herself and to be able to take advantage of everything. “She is very interested in training and learning new ways to grow, both his company and personally.”
21. She takes risks, because “she knows that if she risks nothing, she gets nothing, and with the courage she has, she is always willing to accept that responsibility (and the consequences).
    Her curiosity and observation skills encourage her to discover new places, new people and new initiatives that add value to what she does and that make her step out of her control zone to advance and evolve.
22. She gets emotional, yes, but she is emotionally stable. “It’s very nice to see how she gets excited about everything, but at the same time she doesn’t let it get the better of her”.
23. She has a solidary, responsible and sustainable “vein” that she reflects, when she wants to and/or can, in the type of projects she carries out. “Always relating to other companies so that they all grow, and she is happy when others do well, even if they are her competitors.” “Many of her projects reflect her values, and even in the name of her own store, you can see the connection she has with her homeland. She cares a lot about what’s going on around her, and she tries to contribute to the community however she can”.