Tomas Mendoza, entrepreneur at Innovatrs and managing director and founder of fonmigo, talks about the difficulties of landing a first-time job after university graduation, the merits of starting up his own company and the importance of pursuing a dream career-path.

Tomas’ company, fonmigo, is a mobile service that enables international travellers to use their mobile phones in the UK while only paying local rates. fonmigo rents local UK Smartphones and Mobile Wi-Fi modems, and delivers them to the customer’s home before they travel. Although fonmigo initially launched in the UK, Tomas plans to expand the company’s services to the rest of Europe in the near future.

What made you do it? Why did you take the plunge, become an entrepreneur and give up that cosy corporate job?

Since graduating from university I have been dreaming of setting up my own business.

I decided to take the plunge because I felt ready for the challenge and I was convinced there was a clear market opportunity in data roaming and mobile travel services. After five years in the corporate world (hedge fund) I decided it was time to pursue my dreams and seek the real challenge, setting up your own company 

What was the original @ha Idea and how has it evolved?

The original idea was to provide travelers visiting Europe with cell phone rental services. The idea has evolved into a full fledge mobile operator that enables travelers visiting the UK to avoid roaming rates and stay mobile and connected. The evolution has introduced a full range of products and services that enables the consumer to choose how they stay connected. This includes our unique Mobile Wi-Fi rental service that allows travelers to have their own personal Wi-Fi hotspot wherever they go.

What were your first steps after you fleshed out your @ha idea ? What was your first crisis or hurdle?

The first steps were to run a pilot test, gather customer and partner feedback, and draw concrete conclusions about the opportunity.

Our first crisis was when the programmers in the final stage of website development decided to avoid our emails and calls for over a week! Their first sign of life was an email requesting an additional $3,000! Thankfully we came to an agreement and the website was completed under our budget. One point of advice try to use developers that are personally recommended.

Is this your first business? Did any past experiences or good advice help you navigate the entrepreneur’s road to masochism?

Yes this is my first business.

There is plenty of advice that has helped me. A few:

1) Take plenty of time to listen to your customer.

2) The road to setting up a business is very long. Take it easy on yourself, don’t over work. You absolutely need to be 110% dedicated, but it needs to be fun.

3) Patience, Patience, Patience… When you least expect it a partner or large order comes your way.

4) Spend time out of your office (or home). Network, seek advice, attend to conferences…

5) Don’t be afraid of telling people about your business. In most cases there is more upside in sharing your idea with others. If you think you are the only with this idea, chances are you aren’t. By sharing the concept you will get valuable feedback, hear about competitors you had now idea existed, and maybe find your next partner!

What big ol’ failures have you had in the past and how have they helped you get to where you are?

When I graduated from university I had a really difficult time finding my first job. I probably did 30-40 interviews before I got my first offer.

I learnt three valuable lessons: 1) patience, 2) persistence, and 3) work-life balance. These three lessons have been of tremendous help during my professional career.