CROWNTAINER – AGUSTIN CARO
“The idea of the name arises because I wanted to relate our arrival to the country with the history of beer and I referred to the origins of beer commercialization in an aluminum container.”
About the young entrepreneur
Agustin Caro is a young entrepreneur of 24 years old from Rosario. Since November 2017, he has been working on Crowntainer initiative, from the preliminary project, project preparation and now execution. Crowntainer is the name of the first aluminum container in which beer was marketed in history. Analogy upon its arrival in the country with automatic canned aluminum cans. He is an environmental engineer, who instead of entering the workplace, decided to create his own path.
Why you have decided to launch this start-up?
Because after my father lost his job, he found himself with 52 years old and the possibility of investing without knowing how or where. I had Crowntainer in mind and we decided to take it forward. The start-up has been established in Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina, an important city with many land and naval accesses. In October 8, 2017 I was working in my previous job when I received a call from my old man and thought that it was the moment to start developing this idea of a canner that I have been thinking about for a few months.
How did you come up with the idea of the start-up?
I will always remember the exact moment I came up with the idea. It was an encouraging discovery, I was excited with the possibility of developing a company with enormous potential under my responsibility. I did not think it was silly since it exists around the globe, but I also tried to give it a twist, canning beer barrels lowering the minimum requirements to hire the service (50Lts).
The idea came up because of being very soaked in the world of craftbeer. I am usually spends my free time searching global trends, and that is how I’ve knew the market was tending towards cans, so I thought of incorporating this option into the country as pioneers. What differentiates the project from others is its size, the quality with which my start-up seek to do things and that in the country there was nothing like it and the market was in need of it. By inventing something from scratch that is not available the country, there is no way to copy or ask someone for advise, and that is what gives the product itself a greater value.
What are the lessons you have learned?
I had many ideas in my life, I abandoned many of them before even starting because of lack of motivation, and sometimes lack of a partner with an enthusiastic personality.
Although I consider myself an enthusiastic person, i know i won´t be able to develop the idea as long as I feel really passionated about it.
I do not regret a single thing, and if I went back a while ago I would not change anything, I think that everything I did left me more than what It took out. However, although I do not feel that I have failed today, I don't feel successful either.
What are the skills need and the challenges you have faced?
When you start something new you always have the idea that if it goes well and if it is good you will continue doing it forever, you never even think of leaving it, you are never prepared to leave it behind, that is why the thing I fear the most is to never be prepared to find the right time to leave this job because of not being able to delegate or teach another person to do my job and always have to be where I am now. Not because I do not like my job, but because I want to try and do new things.
What do you think about formal and non-formal education.
I was never part of a non-formal education system. I know that the formal education did not gave me the necessary tools to face this challenge. Some subjects served as a basis for me to continue growing and continue. College was the type of education from where I’ve had learnt the most and I believe that having an engineering base is as useful as are management tools. Being an engineer gives an entrepreneur more support for this type of activity.
What about mentorship? Have you searched or received during this process?
I think that I’ve been my own mentor. I admit that I am self-demanding but enthusiastic.
However, I think the person who sold the canning line is one of the most important pieces of this project, no only because of the things I learned from him, but from his interesting points of view.
My previous boss is now my company partner. He accompanied and encouraged me all over this process and I’ve been able to learn from his experience in the field.
What about work life balance? Do you consider that entrepreneurs can achieve this balance?
When I'm not at work I think about how to improve the process or what to incorporate. It is difficult to disconnect by being the heart of a project since it is something that you like, that you have built from scratch and you want it to succeed. I sometimes Google up things about beer, new products, labels, and other stuff connected with. I also enjoy rinding my bike, it inspired me and help me think of more ways of innovating.
By the time it all started, my personal life and my start-up were extremely connected. I used to work with my dad, my girlfriend and some Friends. Although nowadays my girlfriend does not work here anymore, I am still working with dad and Friends.
I am really keen on hanging out with my Friends, we have dinner once a week. I am also fond of going to the club with them and just spend the day. Fortunatelly, as I have said previously, my social environment have been truly supportive during this whole process. However, if I had to make a balance between work-life, I know my personal life would lose because work is taking a lot more time than it should.
What are the next steps?
Regarding national and international opportunities, I am interested in expanding at national level since I know craft-beer market is growing and I believe this expansion would be worth it. I am thinking of expanding at an international level, mostly in nearby countries.
Some key advice you would give to young people who want to become entrepreneurs?
In order to succeed in a project, the first 5 things you should do are:
1- get funds;
2- get ready to tolerate the risk and overcome fears ;
3- study all advantages and disadvantages of the Project, and run an intense market analysis;
4- discuss the idea with several people in order to observe and listen to their reactions;
5- dedicate your life
To be a bit riskier when making decisions, do not look for the steps to be so solid since sometimes it is better to listen to the advice of others than to take our own based on fear.
