Balancing creativity and business in Spain

You might have noticed that our podcast has gone missing for a few months.

Between February and this summer, we have been forced to laser-focus on sales, leaving a few of our marketing efforts underserved, so we could keep growing our company. In fact, you can listen to my explanation (and apology) in this episode on the Spanish feed: ¿Vuelve o no vuelve Life on Mars?. If I can't find an AI that translates it perfectly (with flawless lip-sync 🧐), I will record it again in English.

But we're happy to announce that we're bringing it back. We had recorded a few episodes before the break that are too good to be left unpublished. After these episodes, we will be back on the regular schedule. That's why I am happy to introduce you to our first episode of this season of rebirth.

In the latest episode of Life on Mars, we dive into the fascinating world of design boutique studios with Brian Farrell, the founder of Farco Studio. Brian's journey from leading digital transformation at BBVA to founding his own studio in Spain offers a unique perspective on the evolving design market. The episode unpacks the challenges boutique companies face, the cultural nuances between American and Spanish business practices, and the importance of balancing ambition with harmony.

We got very close to Farco in the summer of 2023. We almost got to work together in a very large project, for which we spent 2-3 months preparing an ambitious project plan, the best project quote we had ever produced, and yet, somehow the client turned us down last minute. However, not everything was lost: we got to meet with the Farco guys, and we enjoyed the whole process with them, so we have won some great friends for life, at least!

Brian's story begins with his move from the United States to Spain to spearhead BBVA's digital transformation. This big challenge allowed him to understand the deep-seated cultural differences between American and Spanish work ethics, which I often bring up in our podcast conversations with other founders and CEOs. In the United States, ambition often translates to longer working hours and a relentless drive for success. Conversely, Spain values a balanced approach, prioritizing work-life harmony. Brian's experience highlights how blending these two philosophies can lead to a more sustainable and passionate approach to business.

One of the central themes of the episode is the decline of retainer contracts in the design and development markets. Well, in the markets overall, which is one of the main reasons why we had to stop the freaking podcast, as I mentioned before!

Brian and I discuss how the predictability of projects has become more elusive, forcing companies to adapt. This shift requires resilience and innovative thinking to sustain boutique agencies. Brian's experience with BBVA, where he led a design team during a significant digital transformation, provided him with the skills to navigate these turbulent times. He emphasizes the importance of leadership, company culture, and communication in maintaining a boutique company's stability and growth. Conversely, I share the perspective of MarsBased, where we went from having 100% of our clients on retainer, to having less than 30% now, in 2024.

Navigating the complexities of working with large corporations is another critical topic. The conversation delves into the procurement processes and the barriers that emerging companies face. The cultural contrasts between American and Spanish business practices play a significant role in this discussion. Brian shares his personal battles with imposter syndrome and how past credentials can influence one's professional path while I bring up the many experiences we have had with big enterprises like HP, FC Barcelona, Haufe, NTT Data, GFT, Orange or other big companies where we've had to undergo a procurement process.

The conversation also explores the transition from being a hands-on designer to a business owner. Brian shares his insights on redefining productivity, managing new responsibilities, and learning the art of outsourcing and automation. As a matter of fact, one of the most painful moments for a founder (I would argue, for first-time founders mostly) is to let go of certain responsibilities and to learn how to manage and trust other people to do them. Making yourself redundant is a skill very hard to acquire.

Here's the conversation with Brian, from our podcast episode:

All in all, a very fruitful conversation. I look forward to having more of these with Brian over craft beer and, of course, to working together in the near future!