What inspired or motivated you to pursue work abroad? Was this always your plan?
I studied in Madrid as an undergraduate from Trinity College and loved it at first sight! I enjoy the social element of Spanish society and the welcomeness of Madrid to foreigners. Public transportation is great and the variety of the city is wonderful, while maintaining a very human-scale.
Can you speak a little bit about your career and how it has progressed since graduating from UCLA?
When I finished my MBA, I started first by working at Oracle HQ in corporate marketing. In 1999 I raised VC funding for my first start-up, Cybermoola and built a team of 23 people. Unable to raise more funding, I closed the company in 2001 though I stayed in San Francisco and worked in tech businesses until moving to Spain 2006. In Spain, a friend was an expert aerospace engineer who was in the drone business and together we started Alpha in 2014.
What would you say to a UCLA student who is planning on having an international career?
Just do it!!! While there are many challenges everywhere to succeed, being somewhere that you enjoy and challenges you is fabulous and engaging!!! Every day is a new adventure and surviving and building a company in a foreign language, with different legal structures, corporate structures, belief systems, etc. makes everything complex though combined, it's an invaluable learning experience that I wouldn't trade for anything else.
Are you involved in any international UCLA alumni groups or support networks?
Yes, I am a part of the UCLA Anderson Alumni Club in Spain and have been an active member since its creation.