Turning Passions into Profits

Cristobal+Arrubla+fishing+with+his+friends+in+Bahia+Solano.

Courtesy of Cristobal Arubla

Cristobal Arrubla fishing with his friends in Bahia Solano.

At 15, Luciana had big dreams and limited funds. She wanted to save up for her own bills, however, with limited job opportunities for someone her age, Luciana felt stuck. That was until she discovered the world of entrepreneurship. With her creativity and determination to make her own money, she learned and finally had what it took to create her own mango business. With the right mindset and guidance, making money as a teen is more accessible than ever before. 

Three TCS Students pursue the dream of making their own money with different businesses. Some students use the money for their bills while others save it up. 

Two seniors, Luciana Alzate and Cristobal Arrubla, have massive business outside school, Arrubla in Bahía Solano and Alzate distributes her mango’s around Medellin. Manuela Isaza and Candelaria Navarro, Grade 10, sell in school during lunch, window, and in between classes.  

“I have a mango business and the money I receive goes to my savings, but if I want something, I buy it with that money, Alzate said. 

Luciana Alzate: Behind the Successful Mango Business 

Senior Alzate chose to take the entrepreneur path by selling mango in her dance classes. As her dealings have grown she has grown as a person too, reinforcing her determination and mindset. Now, when Alzate has any kind of problem she looks at it in a much different way than in the past.

“This has brought me so much in life, good and bad things, but most importantly I have grown so much as a person. My determination and mindset has changed forever, I look at things much different than I did before starting,” Alzate said. 

Alzate started selling cups of mango with lemon and salt brought from her finca before March 2020. The pandemic came around and she found the solution to her business: selling around her neighborhood. Her friends also supported Alzate, they ordered mango’s to eat at home while quarantined, they were distributed by RappiFavor. 

“I sent the mango’s through RappiFavor since we were not able to leave our houses. When the Rappi arrived at the buyer’s home the buyer paid for the delivery fee,” Alzate said. 

Right now, she distributes whole mango and cups of sliced mango to the farmers market in Medellín called La Mayorista.’These mangos are brought every 8 days from her finca located in Venecia, Antioquia. She also uses her profits to pay her mayordomo that helps her pick and maintain the mangos. 

Cristobal Arrubla: Fishy Business in Bahia Solano

Wild Catch Colombia is a TCS student-managed tourist fishing charter business that was born when Senior Cristobal Arrubla decided to share his passion with other people including his friends. He started by taking a group and it was very successful. 

“It started out last year with a group I took. Everything went very well which helped me with the motivation to start, I had this idea a very long time ago,” Arrubla said. 

Ever since he was little he traveled various times a year with his dad and brothers to practice the sport.  

“I have been traveling my whole life to Bahia Solano to go fishing with my dad and my two brothers,” 

The fishing season is from April to May and Arrubla has already 5 groups ready to take to Bahia Solano this spring. 

“The fishing season is coming up. I get excited when groups start to form because more than the profits I am making its the passion that I have for fishing,” Arrubla said. 

Wild Catch Colombia offers various tourist activities such as whale watching, fishing and tours in Bahia. The main one and most popular is sport fishing.  

“We have various tourist activities including whale watching, but the one that engages more people is fishing,” Arrubla said. 

The costs vary depending on the number of people and days. Prices range from 2.550.000 to 3.850.000 and include a fishing boat with captain, hospitality, food, transport in Bahia Solano, laundry, cameraman, fishing equipment, tourist tax and Garmin for satellite communication. 

Arrubla is starting a new branch to his business by selling fresh tuna brought all the way from Bahia Solano. Arrubla is working with Senior Moises Cuartas on this part of the business. The goal is to distribute fresh tuna to restaurants and sell to the general public. 

“Moises and I are selling fresh tuna, this started about 20 days ago, we have had only 2 orders and sold more than 70 kg,” Arrubla said. 

For more information contact Arubla at 317-6682416.

Candelaria Navarro and Manuela Isaza: Bringing the Comuna 13 Culture to TCS 

Candelaria Navarro and Manuela Isaza bring the Comuna 13 taste to TCS selling the famous Mango Biche paletas made by Doña Consuelo. They brought up the idea because both wanted to bring something different that students would enjoy. 

“We wanted to sell something different and thought of popsicles because we know that people love them,” Navarro said. 

The popsicles have a cost of 5.000 COP and a big part of the profits will benefit the Comuna 13 since these paletas are bought directly from someone that lives and works there. Navarro and Isaza want to help the Comuna 13 business grow, even more so that people there can expand their businesses.  

“The profits that we have are being saved and we plan on investing it on something big that will pay off,” Navarro said. 

Selling their paletas in school has been very successful thanks to these girls’ dedication. Even during their lunch and window time they visit each table offering their paletas.

“Having this opportunity be in my favor at such a young age is a very big learning advantage, I have learned a lot of things,” Alzate said.