Mario Rueda's Linkedin Analytics

Raised in a family of entrepreneurs & engineers in Colombia – hit by terrorism & drug trafficking in the 80s and 90s. Left home when I was 17. Studied Civil Engineering - minor in Urban Development. Took 2 extended breaks to work as a housekeeper, waiter, and pool cleaner in Vermont and NY. In 2006, moved to Tianjin to study Chinese. Ate many, but not enough, Jiaozi. Straight after, moved to Germany to pick berries in Herzogenaurach. In 2007, went to Boston to intern with an engineering firm. Got involved in projects at Yale University and the World Trade Center 7. In 2008 volunteered for in an Indigenous-run NGO in the Amazon. Next, in 2009, I was accepted into Stanford Business School for a summer program. Moved to Lisbon at the end of 2009 to start my Masters in Business. Interned in Sales at Danone, and later that year developed a business idea for evian waters that received global recognition. In 2011, relocated to Rotterdam where I finished my Master. To cover living costs, I worked in the Rotterdam port translating real-time open water training programs for the oil & gas industry (so much fun!). Wrote my thesis with Philips Electronics in Eindhoven. They liked me. They hired me. Moved to Amsterdam to work for Philips TV. Meanwhile, in 2013, accepted an offer from L'Oreal. I was not satisfied. Applied, but was rejected by the big guys: Facebook and Google. While in Lisbon, the entrepreneurship bug bit me. Quit L'Oreal and started a social enterprise to help artists on the streets. To pay the bills, found a job in a local startup, and pushed my idea on the weekends. We're up to 10 volunteers running the idea from a small kitchen in Lisbon. 2 years later, we transformed the laws regulating street art. I was so happy! In 2014, won the largest social entrepreneurship contest. Meanwhile, launched PANTA Magazine and hit 5M views within a year. Pivoted our idea to a for-profit business model. Got into a startup accelerator in Berlin. In 2017, raised money from angels. By the end of the year, we were already in +20 cities worldwide. In 2018, tried to raise further investment to grow. Pitched to +80 investors – even jumped into an ice hole in the arctic sea in Finland to pitch – but didn't get any further investment. Went back to bootstrap mode. In 2019, generated +1M euros in jobs for artists. Then COVID happened. Here we are, pivoting again to other ideas. My newest is hosting a podcast under my aka Mizter Rad. Check it out! My life has been full of enriching experiences. I'm grateful for that. My journey is my destination. What's yours?