As soon as you think Entrepreneurial success online especially in the digital industry you think young. Fresh, daring bold entrepreneurs starting early. But not 17 years old early, especially entangled with Latin American socio-economic issues along the way!
Not your typical businessman, Kevin is an amazing example of how persistence at a very young age on par with devotion and high values can get you far. 3 big time companies and app ventures valued millions far, to be exact. Starting with public experience as a Youth Ambassador for the US embassy in Argentina surely helped.
Here’s how his journey from a 17 year old college freshman invested in business interests and inspired by China’s Jack Ma has started:
“Throughout my life I have had the great honor of representing my country in the world through several opportunities: being selected as a Youth Ambassador by the U.S. Embassy in Argentina with a U.S. State Department full scholarship, in the TrepCamp Entrepreneurial Simulator program in Silicon Valley (where our team recently won a Demo Day for our startup called Tempo) and in Mexico City through the Latin American Leadership Academy.” […] “My company Team Leyes was originally founded in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Unlike many entrepreneurs who are located in the United States or Europe, those of us in Latin American countries are affected by many socio-economic problems and bureaucratic government policies.”
I’m other words, even while he has an incredible commitment to learning new things he has a different approach to that too. Aside from traditional education Kevin is a strong proponent of both of practical and other means of studying and as he says learning allowed him this success:
“I started college at age 17, right after graduating with high school honors, however, I only lasted one or two months in and dropped out. The freedom and time management that entrepreneurship provides you is unparalleled.
However, I never stopped learning. I always maintained a curious spirit of wanting to discover new things, seeing beyond the superficial and wondering why everything, thinking outside the box is very important at all times.I am not against traditional higher education, I just propose that today it is not the only source of learning to which we can turn, so there are no excuses. Wherever you are in the world, with a computer and an Internet connection you can access very valuable content in the area you want through e-learning platforms or as simple as from YouTube.”
at age 17, right after graduating with high school honors, however, I only lasted one or two months in and dropped out. The freedom and time management that entrepreneurship provides you is unparalleled, I never stopped learning. I always maintained a curious spirit of wanting to discover new things, seeing beyond the superficial and wondering why everything, thinking outside the box is very important at all times.I am not against traditional higher education, I just propose that today it is not the only source of learning to which we can turn, so there are no excuses. Wherever you are in the world, with a computer and an Internet connection you can access very valuable content in the area you want through e-learning platforms or as simple as from YouTube.
Never stopping even despite all things the systematic socio-economic and bureaucratic issues within his own Argentina. That was exactly the way this young man built a jewellery business first, then a prospering marketing app Kohetify and a hobbyist meeting place app Tempo now.
“A great influence for me has been the great story of Jack Ma, co-founder of Alibaba. Throughout his life he has gone through countless failures and setbacks, reflecting the great resilience he possesses. I think he is a great example to all entrepreneurs, and how finally, after so many attempts, effort and dedication, the fruits come, sooner or later, and inevitably.”
It would all be possible without his family of course as here Kevin shows immense gratitude for their help:
“Personally, I think I owe everything to my family, more specifically to my mother. Perhaps as a child, I never had large amounts of money or large financial support, because the reality is that our family was always humble, but I never lacked motivation and constant support and I was always instilled with the education and mentality that I have today and I have been building and improving. I was never judged for wanting to pursue my dreams and decide what to do with my life. I feel that I have had great freedom in that regard and I am grateful for that.”
So with so many new projects and celebrities like Khea, Ecko, Seven Kayne, Alex Caniggia and Blunted Vato endorsing his jewelry online store – what’s his goals next? Well, this young man’s big heart says philanthropy:
“As a long-term accomplishment, I would love to be a philanthropist, successful in my companies, in order to help young people and collaborate with social causes and non-profit organizations.”
