[00:00:37] Good morning. Welcome back to another episode of Supply Chain Now in Spanish. My name is Enrique Álvarez and today I have the pleasure and pleasure of talking with and introducing Luis Felipe Zamora. Luis Felipe is a partner in logistics in Costa Rica, commercial director of multimodal, international logistics operator and I am sure we will have a very interesting and very, very relevant talk for what we are experiencing around the world and particularly in Latin America in terms of logistics. As always, if you enjoy these types of interviews, these types of talks, be sure to subscribe to Supply Chain Now. Again Enrique Alvarez Supply Chain Out in Spanish Luis Felipe how are you? Good afternoon.

[00:01:25] Good afternoon Enrique and thank you very much for the invitation. It is a great pleasure to be with you on this beautiful day.

[00:01:33] The pleasure is all ours and tell us from where you are joining us for the people who are listening to us.

[00:01:39] Well, we are at this point. We are located in Heredia, Costa Rica. It is half past eleven in the morning. Exactly.

[00:01:45] Heredia where? Where is Heredia?

[00:01:47] Well, as you know, Costa Rica is a very small country and the main provinces of Costa Rica are Heredia, Alajuela, San José and Cartago, but in general as we are so small we call it the Greater Metropolitan Area. So we are only about five kilometers from Heredia, five kilometers from Cartago. We are very, very close.

[00:02:11] Perfect, perfect. Luis Felipe Let’s start then. At first we would love to do a little bit more about your childhood, where you are from, where you grew up. Something, something about what, as you were saying before you started recording, what makes the person who then gives the whole professional and business side. But tell us about yourself.

[00:02:34] Well, very good. I am a native of Alajuela, precisely here in Costa Rica, 36 years ago. That is, it is thirty-thirty-six years. As a kid I loved running after a soccer ball. I am faithful, passionate about this sport that moves passions throughout Latin America and also riding a bicycle. I think that’s what I could sum up my childhood. A very, very restless child, as I used to call him, my mother always passed by breaking the school’s shoes and pants.

[00:03:12] Next to the bicycle.

[00:03:13] Of course, from kicking balls and soda boxes around so much, anything that had a formal shape served as a ball.

[00:03:21] What is it? What is your favorite team when it comes to soccer?

[00:03:24] My favorite team is from my region of Alajuela. Alajuelense is a very popular team. And it is one of the top two teams in Costa Rica.

[00:03:41] How nice, how nice! And Costa Rica has had a very good, a good decade, I would say. As for soccer.

[00:03:49] Yes, well, I think that those of us who like soccer remember the 2014 World Cup in an incredible way, that we were able to reach the quarterfinals in the match against Holland, which was finally decided on penalties, and we have had good generations of soccer players. Now that Keylor Navas is our main reference, he was playing for Real Madrid and now PSG and we are not doing very well in the qualifiers for Qatar. I think if we spend a little bit of that golden generation, but. But soccer is the king sport in Costa Rica? No doubt about it,

[00:04:25] Of course, in many parts. In Latin America I think it is a good thing and in the world I am in the United States, but even here the passion is already alive, as it has not been for a long time. I think soccer is a sport that finally entered the United States and is a sport, obviously, as everyone knows, a leader in the rest of the world. Tell us now, from your childhood, something at best that you remember that started to push you towards supply chains and into logistics.

[00:05:00] Well, Enrique really has a family background, certainly my father is a customs agent, so since I was about thirteen, fourteen years old, I really helped him. He exported at night, because normally here in Costa Rica the export of perishables is quite strong at night, mainly on Fridays and Saturdays. And it wasn’t my turn to stand next to him. I was helping to do some typing in a system that was in place. I used to accompany him to the customs office at night and I think that’s where he started to get into that circumstance. In my life too.

[00:05:45] What a great opportunity. And apart from that, through the customs brokerage or apart from imports and exports, I think it gives you a very valuable foundation for the supply chain in general. Something that you remember about your dad, something that I imagine you must have learned a lot of things from him, but something that stayed with you.

[00:06:07] I have always stayed with my father’s efforts. No, because I remembered that at that time we had to work very long hours because we worked during the day. Then we would arrive in the evening or he would arrive in the evening, rest a little, have dinner and then we would have to go to customs again in the evening. So that’s where he would ask me for help and he would say Felipe, well, help me transfer this to the computer in the meantime. And so I quite gladly have always been very close to him. And so I accompanied him. And I think that is what I always, always remember, as that enthusiasm and hard work and also the responsibility, because maybe at that time I was not so conscious, but if we had a shipment of flowers or a shipment of a perishable product, it was a serious problem.

[00:06:57] The wings named a couple of times the perishable part on the export side. What is exported from Costa Rica? What? What does Costa Rica’s economy depend on in terms of exports? And also a little bit of the import part.

[00:07:12] Well, back then, when we were there, I had told you that perishable products were the key and star product, especially in air exports, where we were involved. Obviously, Costa Rica has also made an important shift towards free trade zones and specifically in medical devices, and today it is the most exported product of all the medical devices and U.S. companies that invest in Costa Rica. But agricultural products are still, are still quite strong on the maritime side. We continue exporting a lot of fruits such as melons, bananas and the air part, we continue exporting a lot of flowers, a lot of fish and more or less frozen products. This is how the export products are currently divided up

[00:08:03] And it is the aerial part. I imagine it is still predominant for all these perishables.

[00:08:10] Absolutely. The Juan Santamaría International Airport, which is the main airport, is where absolutely everything perishable goods leave and also the medical devices sector, which, as I said, is the boom that has been taking place, I would think that in the last 10 years or so, there has been an important shift towards this sector.

[00:08:29] Where it normally goes. Where is the cargo movement to and from Costa Rica?

[00:08:41] Normally if there are people who listen to me, yes,

[00:08:45] If they listen to you,

[00:08:47] Ok, perfect. I was telling you that the main export products go to the United States. The airline industry really travels a lot to the United States. The part of full and refrigerated containers and River travels to the European area. And there are some Asian markets that are emerging markets that have begun to be explored as important possibilities for products that are also typical in Costa Rica, such as coffee, mainly to their destination. Let’s say, a little more exotic. They really are the Arabia that they are. Asia in general.

[00:09:31] Perfect, Felipe. Well, tell us, going back to your trajectory, sorry for giving us such a cultural platform, but tell us a little bit about yourself and how you helped your parents. At the age of 14 you started to see a little bit what else you kind of studied and how did you then get to where you are now?

[00:09:52] Yes, I always do. Let’s see, as I was telling you, I was, I was working with my father in an informal way, it was more like an unpaid assistant.

[00:10:02] Sure, sure, yes, sure, but quite remunerative. At the end of the day we don’t realize it when we are young, but. But then that kind of learning and above all that time spent with the people who gave us life, in this case our parents. I think that’s very, very valuable too, no?

[00:10:23] No, no, absolutely not. As I was telling you, I was a pretty restless child, but. But he was also quite studious about saying it, wasn’t he? So the whole school part and the school part. I was in the public system in Costa Rica, which is also quite strong. For this reason, it is one of the facilities we have in Costa Rica that we can study in the public system. Within the college part there is also a technical college technician system that gives us additional tools. I went for the accounting side, so I spent three years studying accounting and from there my ambition was always to be an administrator. I studied business administration at the Universidad Nacional, went on to the Universidad Latina, where I majored in commerce and finally went to the Universidad de Costa Rica and obtained a master’s degree in Business Administration, with an emphasis in management. It’s a bit of my professional background. I have worked in the family company since I was about 19-20 years old and this is how I have been developing and training myself professionally as well.

[00:11:39] Tell us a little bit about the history of the company, of the family business. I think that also that has its own story in parallel to your personal story, and I think that would be very interesting for people to connect a little bit your personality and your role now in the company with what the family does, the family business.

[00:12:02] Yes, of course, as I was saying, this company will be 23 years old right now in 2002 and my father started it, as he says, almost by chance, as I was saying, starting to export, doing some customs clearance as a customs broker. And one thing leads to the other truth of this company, because when I entered a small company basically dedicated to the customs part, little by little we diversified our services, we added the local transportation part with our own fleet. Then we got into the international transportation part. Then, well, ready, we can also comply with the transportation part, both in the air, sea and land modalities, and finally the last projects that the company has been involved in the warehousing part. We want to give our customers a three-way logistics experience, that is, with one supplier they can do their entire import or export process and start adding value by outsourcing their entire operation to a company like us.

[00:13:20] Excellent, what has it been from? I’m going to ask you a little bit more about this time in a moment and everything that we have lived like. Entrepreneurs and also as logistics workers, but some of the challenges that the company has gone through, something that you remember, maybe not recently, not the pandemic, but before that, some challenge, some stage in which it was critical, something that the company did and gave them the push they needed to get out and be where they are now as one of the best logistics companies in Costa Rica.

[00:14:01] Yeah, look, I really think it’s been a journey, hasn’t it? Full of obstacles, of thorns in fact, and we always hesitate among ourselves as we say in Costa Rica, which is that we have practically always, always been in crisis. It is a highly competitive sector; it is a sector where you have to be always in the front line of attack. And I believe that these circumstances have forged us to be able to face very complicated situations such as those that occurred as a result of COBIT. But if I could tell you any of them, you would see that no, I mean, there have really been many circumstances that have had to be overcome. Where the key, Enrique, has been not to give up and to be very creative as well. Obviously always hand in hand with the client, because the client is the one who dictates the guideline of what their requirements and needs are. And that is where we have been able to emerge, work and finalize our portfolio, which fortunately is also quite loyal, because I believe that the key is always in the service.

[00:15:20] Of course, of course. Hey, not only did you graduate in business administration, you have good experience in foreign trade and obviously with your father’s teaching in customs you are also a founder. You started the company Don Antón. Tell us, tell us a little more about don Anton and how he fits into your story.

[00:15:47] Yes, look, I think I am an entrepreneur by nature. I really love everything that has to do with creating new projects, innovative projects, how to improve the customer experience. So, on a casual topic, really really. But what I do is that I take advantage and catapult the opportunities that arise and we wanted to somehow also take advantage of our experience in logistics to be able to commercialize a product that also generates value, obviously to the supply chains. And at that time we were in Panama, there was a conference of tire distributors and suppliers. So we turned around to see what and what was to be seen, what was to be found. And well, it wasn’t, it wasn’t a story. We found a good supplier there and started bringing in and importing tires. And this project is a project that is already eight years old, it is going to be completed and we are more or less importing a year, the closing last year or this year. Rather, we are going to be importing 35 to 40 containers of products when we started with one five years ago. So it is a company that, as the partners say, was totally born with Estrella,

[00:17:11] Not with much pride and congratulations. I think that’s said faster than it is to actually start from 1 to 40 containers a year. This one shows that there is a lot of hard work, effort and commitment involved. Don Yankton then and what is your role? Luis Felipe Tell us about it because now you have several things. What does the day to day look like in your life? I imagine he’s pretty busy, but. What is your role in all this now?

[00:17:46] Notice that I have different hats during the day. Right? I think I’ve learned to be quite chameleon-like, to be changing hats because we see several projects together. As you were saying, this one. I am the one who leads this company at Anton’s place. Obviously I have a work team that supports me in my efforts, but obviously I am the one who leads it. I am also responsible for the business development part of something, but logistically. And I must also give a lot of follow-up to the other project, which was the one I mentioned to you about the warehouse, which is also a fairly new project. It is approximately two years old. So my day to day is. I say we have to. Change and above all, trusting a lot in the work team that I try to empower them always and at every moment, because it is really impossible to do it alone. Enrique I believe that the success of this is that the people who are working with you feel the project, feel the passion, because undoubtedly the key to success is them, it is our people.

[00:19:04] Totally agree, totally agree. Something, something in particular that makes your team so. Efficient. Some characteristics you can share with. With other people in this industry.

[00:19:21] What I believe is that in order to be efficient, you have to have a passion for the work you do. Logistics we know is a really stressful job, I would say it is in the top of stressful jobs. No doubt everything is time, everything is for, you can no longer delay, there is always enough dollars to average in any circumstance that happens. So I think it has to be people who are committed and have passion now. People also say Well, but how do I know if someone is passionate or not? What I really like is to prove to people that I trust them and to reach them at the moment when they feel that we are trusting them, that we are delegating the work to them, that we are delegating the responsibility to them. I think people always bring out their best version. Absolutely.

[00:20:18] Totally agree. On the other hand, and as if you don’t have other things to do, you are also Chairman of the Board of Directors of Acacia, right? Tell us what Acacia is and how you got into that part of that advice as well.

[00:20:35] Acacia is the Costa Rican Association of Logistics Companies and Freight Forwarders. It is an association that has been in existence for almost 40 years. We participated in Acacia maybe 15 years ago, but at some point I decided to run for office because I felt that the association had lost a little bit of the direction they were going in. Fresh ideas also, because it seems to me that also the sector, beyond the fact that we are competition, because at the end of the day it is a guild, that is, we are all competition, but we must also defend and catapult in our sector. In other words, we want people to be competitive, we want people to be able to develop within the organizations and obviously it is also to be a promoter of negotiations with the public sector on regulations and legislation that could affect or improve the sector. So, as such, Acacia is a group of consolidated freight forwarders and logistics agencies that have come together in pursuit of the sector.

[00:21:48] We will obviously put in the notes of our talk all the links so that people who listen to us and are interested in knowing a little more about not only you and your business, but also about acacia, for example, can access the information. How many members do you have almost now? And what would you recommend to the people who are listening to us, who want to know a little more about this association so that they can learn a little more about it?

[00:22:17] If we are going to see if those countries or people who are listening to us, who have their own associations, we often leave the guilds, the guilds aside and they are very, very important. For me there are three essential focuses, which is the governmental part, as I was telling you. That is to say, we need to join forces because you know that in Latin America sometimes there are legal circumstances that can affect the good development of our activity, in this case of cargo and logistics agencies. So it works very well for us for this, but also from our board of directors we wanted to give it other approaches that have to do with focus, competitiveness and how do we achieve competitiveness? By sharing with other associations throughout Latin America that can share their experiences with us, providing training to people within the companies themselves in order to develop competencies so that they themselves can be more competitive and the sector can improve. Because as I said before, we are at a point in time when a lot of foreign investment is coming in. Obviously we have to compete against large transnationals. But small and medium-sized companies. It can be other associations and the last part, which is also very important for us, is networking. Being in contact with people in the same sector allows us to share ideas, to know what the other company is going through and as I say, on that side we leave competition aside, because sometimes we run into each other selling and looking for clients, but we leave that terrain aside and start sharing ideas in a frank and transparent way and that helps us a lot and improves our business vision, without a doubt.

[00:24:10] Luis Felipe, thank you very much for sharing this, you know. If anyone is interested in understanding and learning a little more about acacia, please do not hesitate to contact Luis Felipe and obviously we will put there all the links in the interview when it comes out to all the social networks. Another member of the FAC, it seems to me. I also wanted to see if you could also tell us a little bit about FARC, what it is, what it means and also what advantages it could have for people who listen to us?

[00:24:47] Well, I think it is the National Trade Facilitation Council, probably this is done because Costa Rica has an agreement with or has a trade facilitation agreement with the World Trade Organization and the WTO and from there what it seeks is the interaction between the party. In other words, we bring together the different actors involved in the international trade process, seeking common projects, joint projects to improve and facilitate trade. Costa Rica currently has a lot of room for improvement with respect to infrastructure. We have problems in ports, we have problems at the border and we as the private part of what we have been attacking ourselves and trying to somehow improve these circumstances. I will tell you no, it is not an easy task, they are not, they are. Let’s see, on the governmental side it is very bureaucratic, but I think it is an enormous opportunity to show the public sector what the needs, requirements and demands are to improve international trade in the region and in Costa Rica as well,

[00:26:11] Which in fact is a good is a good topic and is a topical issue. We now see that ports and infrastructure in various parts of the world have not been sufficient to meet the demand we are experiencing. For example, here in the United States we know that there are several delays in all the ports, from California to Savannah, on the east coast of the west coast, in the infrastructure part, in the efficiency part. How does it look? Costa Rica told us that it still has some way to go, as do all the countries in the world, including the United States. But where are the most important areas of opportunity? In Costa Rica? And then he will pass on the question to expand on his vision of the world and what is happening right now in logistics.

[00:26:57] Ok, I can tell you that in Costa Rica we lack a lot. We really have a lot of room for improvement at the port level. We have a Pacific port that cannot receive deep draft ships, for example on the Limon side there was a recent investment with Ape Moller of Merckx that made an investment in building a private terminal, however, there is no competition, so costs are rising for importers and exporters, which is also something that is currently suffering at the infrastructure level, roads are also practically in the last place in Central America. So, as you can see, we are at quite a disadvantage there and at the border crossings. It is really quite sad the infrastructure that Costa Rica has over there, taking into consideration the amount of commercial exchange trucks that we have with the Central American region, because many, many, many import and export trucks leave there daily and today the infrastructure does not give us enough and that is what we have been fighting through Conaf, that investments are urgently needed, but not investments, not like putting a band-aid, a blessing, of course, but we really have to work in a serious and organized way to dedicate resources to these sectors, specifically in order of priority where we should. Having people on the northern border with Nicaragua, which is the one that has the greatest flow because it goes north with all the countries in the region, from Mexico to Nicaragua and obviously in Panama.

[00:28:50] As for now, extrapolating the question a little bit to your global or worldwide perspective, how do you experience what is happening, how did you experience the pandemic a little bit? As you see, not only this year’s closing which is basically already over, but as you see 2022 for global logistics.

[00:29:14] Obviously there are a lot of challenges, I don’t think anyone had or had ever thought about the situation that is happening to us today. In other words, we are talking about freight from Asia to our region in fifteen thousand eighteen thousand dollars. We have seen insane amounts, which have turned importers completely upside down. And the worst part is that ultimately that cost experience is passed on to the end customer. So we, the consumers, are the ones who are going to pay for these costs out of our own pockets. I really believe that it was something that could be predicted, but that no one had seen it. I believe that obviously no one has a crystal ball, but we know that at the maritime transport level there are very few players and they have been getting smaller and smaller, and that does not suit anyone. I believe that the authorities should somehow promote greater competitiveness and investment in the maritime transportation sector to prevent something like this from happening. Because let’s see where there are five, four actors. There really is no competitiveness as there should be for the volume of maritime cargo worldwide. Now, then, I think it is something that no longer depends so much on us, on the cargo companies or the Faithful, but I think it has to do more at the governmental level. Somehow, investments should be promoted or incentivized so that more players are in this, in this sector.

[00:30:54] Totally agree and well, it has been a very punctual problem and it is reflected in several parts of the world and equally. I think many of us are going through the same thing, not only in Latin America but in the rest of the world, and it is something that is obviously affecting us. How do you see the forecast for this one, which one? What would it be? And I know that’s an extremely difficult question to answer, because there really is so much volatility in the market that anything changes the course of what could happen. But when you think it could be improved, how do you think prices will react? What is your prognosis as a business leader and your involvement in the Chambers of Commerce? What do you think for 2022 and maybe for the next five years?

[00:31:44] Of course, what I think is that obviously what happened is a before and an after. The first one is going to answer what I think is going to happen in the next five years. I believe that supply chains will tend to move closer together rather than further apart. I think people, the big companies, are not going to want to risk having all their production in Asia, for example. For example, in the United States, what was produced in China may be moved to the Central American region, for example, as has been happening, or countries or sectors closer to home may be sought, because in the end what was sought at that time was cheaper labor. And those sectors, but we achieved nothing with that. If transport prices are sky-high, then I think it will conveniently start getting shorter around 2022. I do not believe that the situation is regulated in such a simple way. I think we are going to spend a whole 22 years in transition, where little by little the prices will be adjusted a little bit, especially the container crisis, that is, the maritime part. And I don’t think so. As long as there is no clear policy, governments will have the same costs as we have had in the past. Enrique I mean, I’m saying that he’s not going to

[00:33:17] Back to that, then

[00:33:18] We are not going to go back to those times, if it is going to get a little more comfortable, but we are not going to go back to freight rates of 2,000, 3,000,000 dollars. The shipping companies realized that they could do, that they could make money with this. Not even a little bit, but we are going to walk in front of 8000 and 7000 and 9000. That is. That is my vision in the short term.

[00:33:47] Okay, and I imagine that with this vision and with what we have been experiencing, it also leads to inflation, worldwide inflation, which is what we are seeing. How are you now in Costa Rica? That in the United States we are in pretty bad shape and I feel it’s just getting started.

[00:34:05] Absolutely. I think there are similar states because we are really in a very complicated economic situation, because obviously we are coming from the pandemic, we are trying to reactivate the economy, we have very high unemployment. I think it is in the top 5 in the region, we are around 15 or 16 percent unemployment. Currently we also have a depreciation of the Colon, that is, dollars are worth more today. So, obviously, imported products are going to be more expensive. If we add even more expensive freight, then I think people are going to suffer a lot financially. This will make them think twice, three times about the type of product and the type of consumption they are going to make. That is to say, it will not be usual, let’s say, to go to buy the volumes that were done before and no, people will obviously go to look for the first and second necessities. And those products that could be considered luxury, would be in the last place. And these are also challenges that companies specifically dedicated to these sectors have to overcome in order to see how to promote their demand a little more, because this will definitely tend to decrease.

[00:35:19] Okay and thanks again for sharing your vision and experience with us and especially with the audience. One of the things I usually like to ask successful people like you is, “There are a lot of people in logistics, so many young people who are wanting to go into logistics, which there are more and more of them fortunately, as well as people who maybe want to change careers and look into logistics, maybe something they are passionate about to continue to grow professionally. In your experience and with what you have done this one, what would be the top three characteristics that someone successful not in this industry should have?

[00:36:01] Look, I have always thought that the key to success lies very much in the ability to serve. Enrique. We often think that success is about getting to a high position so that people serve you and having a lot of employees to boss around or collaborators to boss around. And it’s really not about that. I believe that if we discover that our passion is logistics, for example, in this case or any of its associated branches, we must understand that the ability to serve others is really important. Because the serving part Enrique, because serving helps me to be a reliable person. Serving will allow me to give my best and go the extra mile in everything I do. So, on the service side and if you see, we talk a lot about customer service and the service capability, etc. But I must live that as. As a person I must understand and know that I must serve others. And from there the doors will open because you will see my example of effort. Example of passion. Tenacity which are the indispensable requirements for success, not only in that, but in any management that you want to perform.

[00:37:23] Totally agree, and well, I guess that speaks clearly of the kind of company and culture you have and I am proud of it. To be able to share that with all the other people in Latin America, because it is a very important type of culture for the future. I think more now people are thinking more about having a company with a culture of purpose. I think that attracts value then and talent then. Thank you.

[00:37:57] No, not at all. And I believe that, as I was saying, one must lead by example from leadership positions and people must see, must see that you serve, that you make an effort, that you work with passion and from there you will obviously learn and they will put that same, that same example into action. That to me is the key. I would have no other than that.

[00:38:23] Any examples of this or a life lesson you would like to or could share with. whether professional or personal, to talk a little bit about this for all the entrepreneurs who are listening to us and who would like to maybe take your entrepreneurial path and start something, something, some company themselves.

[00:38:44] Yes, look, as I was saying, I believe that those who have an entrepreneurial streak have to know that they are going to face thousands and thousands of obstacles. As I said, there are a lot of them. The road is totally rocky, absolutely. And I think you have to be willing to do everything. Enrique. I mean everything in the sense of the kind of work one has to do. I mean, we come from at least our family culture is a culture of rolling up our sleeves, I mean, I’m not just sitting here with the air conditioner and my computer. I have to show people and this has always been the case that you want to give the customer a load. I have personally taken a car and gone to a small truck, I have gone to deliver it personally, there should be no problem with that. In other words, work is dignity and no work is inferior to any other. Every job and every position we do within the company is very important. And the other thing is that since we are entrepreneurs, we have to learn to do everything, we have to learn how to sell, we have to learn about accounting, we have to learn about logistics, we have to learn about customer service and then nothing better than having the open mind to say ready, I do what I have to do, that is, and if tomorrow we have to open gates and we have to get dirty and we have to unload a truck, we do it. And if the other day I have to go to a meeting and I have to have a white shirt hanging in the bathroom, we don’t wear it and we go to a client meeting. I don’t think that really changes anything, because passion and energy are indispensable to have a good project.

[00:40:27] I agree, I totally agree with you. The last question is if you could go back in time and give yourself one piece of advice from when you were younger, what, what would it be? What would you have liked to do or do or be different?

[00:40:45] I think let’s see, the first thing I would tell myself 15 years ago is that there is no perfect time to do things. In other words, we are always looking for the right moment. We are always looking for. When X or Y condition is given it may be a personal condition. It may be an economic condition, it may be an academic condition. I say that the life Enrique has we have to know that it is really a sigh, even though we are young people, time goes by very fast. And then, when you have a desire in your mind or in your heart, what remains is to do it. I mean, I didn’t wait for the right moment, because I can tell you that in almost 20 years of career, it has never been the right moment to start anything. So there has always been something, there is a crisis and there is a conjunctural issue. You are going through a personal issue. There is always, always, always something then and we are never prepared for what is to come, which was the other issue I wanted to address, which is the issue of fear, that is, rancor. My recommendation would be to do it, you will see, there is no perfect time and the other is even though obviously fear is an issue that is inherent to human beings, we have to go through it.

[00:42:09] In other words, there will always, always be uncertainty, there will always be anxiety about what is going to happen. But success is full of thousands and thousands and thousands of failures. In other words, one must collect failure after failure in order to learn. And from there, obviously being smart enough to capitalize on those failures to learn, because it’s worthless to be carrying a stick if we don’t learn from it, so I think that would be my main life lessons that it brings. I would try to tell my other 20-year-old self or any young person or person who wants to undertake a project. The time is now. Obviously you have to have a clear and structured plan. It is not to take unnecessary risks, but do not wait for the perfect moment because? Because it will never arrive and the fear will always accompany you, but when you overcome it, it dissipates absolutely. So that would be the final thoughts on what I would say to the 20 year old Felipillo?

[00:43:14] Luis Luis Felipe Thank you very much. This has been an extremely interesting talk. I think it is very relevant not only what you are doing, but the work you are doing with the different associations in Costa Rica. As you say, I think we are all in the same boat. We have to keep working hard, not only to change certain regulations, but to keep pushing our industry forward and keep helping our customers and above all life lessons. Thank you so much for sharing a little bit of yourself and your personality with us. Where you people who want to connect with you, what would be the easiest way to learn about you and also obviously about multimodal.

[00:44:00] If the easiest way is to search for us on the web as a logistics operator, there is our website. We are also on all the social networks that we currently have to do so. We’re on Facebook, we’re on Instagram, we’re on Index, so you can find us on any social network and from there you can get in touch with me or our sales team or any kind of situation. I was just mentioning Akasha, that’s where you were going to leave the league. If anyone wants to know more about the project or understand how we get together and how we weave all that part of the guild in Costa Rica, we will be glad to serve you.

[00:44:36] There are many, many synergies throughout Latin America. I think that and I hope that is one of the objectives of having this show. I hope that through these talks that we have with different businessmen in different Latin American countries, we can continue to grow as a community, continue to grow as a region and continue to grow as professionals in an industry that is becoming more and more complicated. And well, we need to work as a team. So Luis Felipe, thank you very much again it has been a pleasure to talk to you and we will be this and we will be talking in the future to see how all your projects are going and again to all those who listen to us. My name is Enrique Alvarez, this is one more episode of your Chain Now in Spanish and have a great week.