What no one tells you about entrepreneurship as an immigrant mother
A few years ago, I was unpacking my bags in a city that was not my own, with a foreign accent, no network, no office, no plan B... but with a very clear idea: I wanted to build something that would leave a mark. And although the path has not been linear, I can say with certainty that it is worth every step.
Entrepreneurship in the cultural sector is already an act of faith. Doing it from scratch, in another country, and also becoming a mother in the process, sounds -and sometimes is- crazy.
Not to mention that not everyone will believe you can do it. Sometimes you'll hear more doubt than support, and that can make you doubt yourself. But that's where the most important thing comes in: that you do believe in yourself. Because if you don't, who will?
Being an immigrant: a transforming disadvantage
Many people think that migrating means starting at a disadvantage. But in reality, being an immigrant forces you to see the world through different eyes. You become more flexible, more curious, more aware of the gaps in the market. You face the "no se puede" with an energy that only those who have had to start many times can understand.
In my case, coming from Venezuela, passing through the United States and then arriving in Madrid taught me that to adapt is not to betray oneself, it is to transform oneself. I had to explain many times an idea that did not yet exist here: a museum that was not a museum, an experience that could be touched, smelled, tasted. And I succeeded because I did not have the weight of the "established", but the need to create.
Entrepreneurship in culture: the invisible challenge
Nobody tells you that the cultural world -so beautiful on the outside- can be chaotic on the inside. That finding funding for something that is neither "classical" art nor pure entertainment is swimming between two waters. That to be heard, you often have to build the loudspeaker yourself.
And although I started in 2019, I can't say that being a woman has made the road easier for me. There is still - not in all spaces, but in many - a mentality that is still a bit macho. Sometimes, as a woman, you feel you have to speak louder, demonstrate more, insist more... to be taken seriously. It's not an impossible barrier, but it is one that forces you to be even more firm with your purpose.
But also no one tells you how amazing it is to see how an intangible idea becomes a real place. To see a child walk into Sweet Space with their eyes light up. To see an adult reconnect with their inner child. To see your community grow, get excited and recommend what you created. That's priceless.
Being a mother while you are an entrepreneur: it's not a subtraction, it's a compass.
When I arrived in Madrid, I was not yet a mother. It was in this city where I experienced two births at the same time: that of my first child and that of my great project. Motherhood and entrepreneurship grew at the same time, and that marked me deeply.
Being a mother has given me a new way of looking at the world. It has made me more empathetic, more practical, more focused. Thanks to my children I understood that creating safe, creative, inclusive spaces was not a luxury... it was a necessity. That families needed a place to play, imagine and feel welcome. And that entrepreneurship with purpose is more sustainable than entrepreneurship for ego.
A business idea is a living idea
When we started Sweet Space, we had a very clear vision. But over time, the public, reality and our own lives made us evolve. I have learned that a business idea is not something static: it is something alive. That you don't have to hold on to the initial idea, because many things can -and must- change.
Sweet Space has grown because we have known how to listen, adapt and change. Because we understood that it is not enough to have a good idea: we must have the flexibility to reinvent it without losing its essence.
If you are thinking of starting a cultural business in another country...
This I would tell you, no frills:
Surround yourself with people who are wiser than you, who understand the terrain.
Lose the fear of stating the obvious. No one knows your vision better than you.
Celebrate each small breakthrough as if it were the big launch.
And don't forget why you started: because the world needs more beauty, more play, more spaces with soul.
Today, Sweet Space is a museum that receives more than 150,000 visitors a year, works with incredible artists, and continues to grow with new projects like VR Explorers or AstroHub. But it all started with an idea that seemed impossible. With a woman who was an immigrant, curious and stubborn. And who believed that art could be sweet, close and transformative.