Gabriel Arrom Aparicio
Gabriel Arrom is the founder of B-BACUS, a business focused on promoting and selling wine. Through his work, Gabriel makes young generations of people aware of the richness of wine and busts common myths and misconceptions about wine.
While currently living in Madrid, Gabriel is a Mallorquin and someone who has always enjoyed the countryside and most of the activities that come from there. Beyond wine, he is passionate about logistics, entrepreneurship, and gastronomic experiences. Gabriel attributes his success to the love of his family and friends and the faith they have in him, which has enabled him to triumph over bad experiences.
"Attend many events, meet lots of people, and invest time looking to the future."
Q&A WITH GABRIEL
Why did you choose your program(s) at IE University?
I wanted to become an entrepreneur one day, and I knew I needed some legal basis. Also, many great professionals recommended that I study a BBA and LLB if I wanted to become an entrepreneur one day.
Please share a favourite memory from your time at IE University.
I have many great memories of the extraordinary friends I found in my class, of the professors that believed in me and gave me strength with their lectures, and from the times I stayed at the buildings on Maria de Molina and Velazquez to continue studying or working.
I remember my time at IE as a great routine that was different every day. I went to class, I was with my colleagues, and I studied. But that was never a burden or a repetitive schedule. I had many places to do each of those activities.
How did your experience at IE University prepare you for your professional career? What competitive advantage did it provide you?
I made many friends and mentors that guided me and still do. Also, we had many activities and seminars that helped me to develop important skills and knowledge (communication skills, personal branding, customer trends, etc.).
There are so many extracurricular activities, clubs, and seminars that you can attend, learn from, and network at, which makes it impossible for any other university to compete with the knowledge that students are able to acquire at IE.
Tell us about the IE alumni community and the impact it has had in your life and/or career.
It is very important to continue using the tools IE provides us as alumni, which includes participating in the clubs or forming new ones, attending conferences, and networking.
Now for the advice. Is there anything you wish you had known when starting at IE University? What advice would you give to incoming students?
I would tell them to use all the tools that IE provides them, attend many events, meet lots of people, and invest their time looking to the future.
Describe your current role and how you got there. What was the hiring process like?
I am an entrepreneur; therefore, I did not have to go through a hiring process. What I had to do was build relationships with many producers and customers. That was, and still is, tricky. I had to convince the producers to believe in my business model, which they had never heard of before. On the other hand, I had to convince companies and individuals that I could give them the best prices with the best service. Doing this requires a lot of time and patience. The key is to continue trying until they use your services and discover its potential.
Tell us about your proudest career accomplishment to date.
Managing to convince all my providers to join me in this adventure.
Let’s talk about skills. What skills should job seekers develop to be competitive in today’s workforce and what skills are necessary to succeed in your field?
Job seekers in general should have patience, trust, courage, and the ability to work in teams. In my field, it is also important for job seekers to be able to communicate and negotiate with strength while understanding the needs of the people they are dealing with.
What advice would you give to IE University students and alumni who are looking to pursue a career in your field?
I would tell them that there are still many opportunities within the wine industry and that many things will change in the next few years.
What motivates you in life?
The perspective of forming a family and being happy with what I do. Also, the idea of creating new concepts and building a company that creates a positive impact on society. For instance, today my biggest challenge is helping wine producers to empower themselves in the value chain.
Name one thing you can’t live without and explain why.
Human relations specifically with family and friends. They make me see a long-term perspective of what I am doing. Also, they are an inexhaustible source of support.
Share something most people don’t know about you.
I also drink beer… when there is not another option obviously.
If your former classmates and teachers could give you a superlative award, what would it be? For example: “Best person to have in a group” or “Most likely to play devil’s advocate in class”
We did that on our graduation trip and I was awarded the prize for “Best dancer”, but jokes apart, I would like to be known as the “Best person to count on”.