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Sudhir Nunes
IESE
MBA 2004
Sudhir.Nunes@iese.net |
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Company name:
Orca Energy SL
Company website:
www.orca-energy.com
Year Founded:
2004
Current
Revenues: 0
Number of
employees: 1
Age of
entrepreneur (now/at foundation): 33
How did you fund
the company?: Personal investment |
EC: Briefly
describe the product or service your company provides.
SN: Orca
Energy SL is an energy startup company, dedicated to developing and
marketing profitable solutions based on new energy technology. Our
efforts are focused on the challenge of bringing new energy technology
into early markets which offer high visibility, growth potential,
profitability and strategic value. Our first product is a novel system
for the auxiliary generation of electricity, heating and water in a
clean, quiet manner aboard super yachts, called the Clean Marine Energy
(CME) system.
EC: What is
your role in the company? How many people in your founding team
and what are their roles?
SN: I am
currently running this alone as President but I am considering a partner.
During the MBA I had 2 partners who chose to pursue other opportunities.
EC: Current
stage of development:
SN:
Bootstrapping.
EC: What do
you consider your greatest achievement?
SN: Learning
how to shut up and listen during meetings and presentation.
EC: What do
you wish you could do over again knowing what you know now?
SN: Spend
more time setting up the human machinery behind the company, i.e., an
operational team.
EC: What do
you find the most satisfying about your life as an entrepreneur?
SN: Survival
instinct. Goodwill from others.
EC: What is
the hardest part of daily life as an entrepreneur?
SN:
Maintaining a balanced lifestyle during a psychological roller coaster.
EC: Would you
do it all over again?
SN:
Absolutely!
EC: So far,
what have been the most important things you've learned?
SN:
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EVERYONE you
talk to has something to teach you.
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Decisions are
much simpler when you are unsure about how to come up with next
month’s rent.
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Business angels
fund their own friends and family.
EC: Do you
have any words of advice for students from the IESE MBA that are
considering starting their own businesses after graduation?
SN:
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Writing a good
business plan is crucial, but represents about 2% of the work
required to start a business.
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Do your
homework, find one customer.
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Build the right
team at the right time.
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Figure out what
fraction of your first 2 years of fixed costs you are willing to
invest personally. VCs will want to know this.
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Don’t be afraid
of risk and opportunity cost. They will increase with time.
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Buckle down, get
your friends and family behind you, and be ready to slug it out.
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