Interview with Fernando Carrera López - Spain

Tell us about your background

As for my background I can only say that my eagerness to succeed in the business world made me enter the working world very quickly. While I was studying the degree I devoted myself to university debating, an activity that has contributed enormously to who I am now. At 20 I started teaching public speaking and debate at the Universidad de Barcelona, creating the subject from scratch. Shortly after I started as assistant to the commercial director of an insurance brokerage, but I kept combining work with the classes I taught. From Barcelona I moved to Granada to open a financial consultancy and I was there for a year and a half until I decided once and for all to devote myself exclusively to training and I created Inspiring FC. I currently teach at the Universidad Internacional de Catalunya, I lead its team with which we are starting to achieve important victories in Spanish university debating, I am a professor in the Postgraduate in Persuasive Communication at the Universidad de Barcelona, in the Master in International Business at the Universidad de Castilla la Mancha, in the Postgraduate "Patients advocacy" at the Univ. Internacional de Catalunya, in courses for philosophy doctoral students at the Universidad Pública del País Vasco and in several public speaking projects sponsored by different organizations. All of this combined with the work I do with different politicians and company directors. In addition, I am currently developing new lines of business at Inspiring FC with my colleague Alba Gómez.

What motivated you to study Business Administration and Management?

The truth is that the main motivation was to gain an in-depth knowledge of the world of economics while also learning the practical application that I considered essential to succeed in the business world. My desire to become recognized for my work made me believe that in the business world I could find everything that "successful people" had.

What satisfactions has this career given you? And what disappointments?

In my case, because of my strong entrepreneurial character, I needed a few years to realize what life project I wanted for myself and what relationship I wanted my life to have with my work. At first, being subordinate to a hierarchical structure that in many cases I considered outdated drove me to despair, but from the moment I started working on my own on a project I am passionate about, the satisfactions are daily. Feeling that people like what you do and being in control of your "small" company is simply fascinating.

What do you think is the most important thing to succeed as an Administrator?

First of all, having enough foundation to master all those things you have to manage day by day and secondly understanding that of the tools they give you in your studies... you will end up using few, but they will be essential. Otherwise I could only say that you need passion and above all perseverance.

As a professional, what advice could you give to someone who is thinking about studying this degree?

I would tell them that if they are thinking of choosing Business Administration because "it has many job opportunities" do us a favor and don't study it, but if they believe that the degree will really give them the tools they need to understand a global world, to develop their passions and to grow as a person who leads people, go straight ahead and study this degree.

Would you say you chose a career that allows you to travel the world?

Travel? Of course! I'll tell you about my last month. I started the month traveling to Switzerland and meeting the candidate for the Congress of the Partido Obrero Popular, on arrival in Barcelona I gave some classes and went to a country house to give training for 3 days, from there I rushed off to San Sebastián (Basque Country) to teach doctoral students, back in Barcelona 3 more days of classes and... off to Salamanca, then Andorra, then Toledo... in short, I love traveling and I am lucky enough to do it very often.

Were languages important in your career?

Of course, and every day they are more important in such a global world.

Was it expensive for you to study?

The truth is that I was lucky enough to study at the public university when our Government had not yet gone overboard with tuition fees... but well, leaving the financial side aside, for me it was a wonderful stage in which obviously I had to make efforts, but which did not cost me nearly as much effort as what I have to make now.

Young people ask us about job prospects. Did it take you a lot to get a job? How did you manage it?

I have never had problems finding work. I finished the degree and did my internship in a place where they kept me on working as soon as I finished it. Then I moved to another company even though the previous one tried to retain me, and currently I have my own business. I think that with the right attitude nothing is impossible.

About annual salaries and pay, what range would a Business Administrator with 5 years of experience be in?

The truth is that I don't know what my former classmates are making salary-wise, but if I have to speak from my experience this is my range: from 35,000 to 40,000 US Dollars.

Fernando Carrera López