Office Hours: I’m a serial tech entrepreneur with 20+ years of experience in executive roles. I’m Rosario B. Casas. AMA!Featured

rosariobcasas·May 01, 2022

Hi Elphas!

I’m Rosario B. Casas and I’m a Colombian-born entrepreneur with more than 7 years of experience in data and technology platforms and more than 20 years in executive roles.

I’ve co-founded XR Americas, BCPartners Tech, Dreamers & Doers, and Brooklyn2Bogota. I started my career dreaming to be the President of Colombia.

Some years after working in the public sector (I reached to be the Chief of Staff for a Colombian First Lady) I realized the importance of the private sector and entrepreneurship to really change lives. Then I did an MBA, and started my career as an entrepreneur. Some years later, I discovered exponential technologies, and I jumped and converted myself into a developer, tech founder, and passionate geek.

I’ve been also a member of the SXSW Pitch, XR In Learning, The World Innovation Network - TWIN Tech, Big Data Advisory Board of Rutgers University, and a member of the Board of Directors of Artizen Premium VR Grant.

I’ve been a Business Mentor at New York University's Tandon School of Engineering, a Mentor of Mujeres Tech and the WE NYC program, Founder Institute, Harvard Ventures, One Rise, and Mentor Makers of Nasdaq entrepreneurial center.

I’ve spoken at TEDx, NAB Show, Augmented World Expo, The World Summit on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, VRAR Summit, The World Innovation Network TWIN Global, EnlightEd, IioT World, SingularityU, among others.

Ask me anything about spatial computing, machine learning, digital transformation, mentorship, career transformation, or anything else!

ElphaStaff·May 01, 2022

Thanks so much for joining us @rosariobcasas!Elphas – please ask @rosariobcasas your questions before Friday, May 6th. @rosariobcasas may not have time to answer every questions, so emoji upvote your favorites 🔥👍🏾➕

martina·May 02, 2022

Hi @rosariobcasas! Thank you for pushing women in business forward :) My question is regarding mentorship. How did you find your mentor, and what advice would you give women founders when they are seeking their mentors? Have a nice day ☀️

rosariobcasastech·May 06, 2022

@martinagrgic I’ve been very fortunate to find mentors early in my career and connect with them in the long term. I love the Nasdaq entrepreneurial center program: Mentor Makers (https://mentorcloud.typeform.com/to/SOuVreP6). It has a tremendous and large list of mentors with different skills; it is volunteering time (as Mentoring should be from my perspective).

Waleria·May 02, 2022

Hello @rosariobcasas it's nice to have you here! My name is Waléria, an brazilian architect working at an office in my hometown. At this point I'm looking to balance my personal and professional life, bc during the pandemic isolation most of us tasted the bittersweet experience of suddenly work from home, but after a few months in this model of working it got me questioning all my professional future. In this moment I'm considering search for a remote full time job, or a part time one that allows me to keep some of my architect activities. Do you think that the growth of remote work positions will keep strong in a long therm? What do you think about the viability of remote and hybrid models?

rosariobcasastech·May 06, 2022

@Waleria, thank you, and it is great to have another Latina asking!Personally, I have worked semi-remote for more than 7 years already. For example, before the pandemic, in XR Americas, it was never mandatory to go to the “office” (co-working in NYC). We went there only for ideation sessions, gathering as a team, and events with third parties, but not for the regular daily work. Since the pandemic, everything I do has been fully remote. And I don´t think I will return to define my daily work in the "in real life" logic.I think people are more productive when commuting is not mandatory. But of course, it is essential to differentiate remote work from working from home. It is also is key to understand that it is difficult to concentrate from home for some people.To answer your question, I think that remote work is more efficient, productive, and cost-effective, and people can match their daily personal and professional routines better. Nevertheless, companies need to train their people and give them the right tools, to work remotely, lead remote teams, and collaborate and co-create through digital tools. Architects will play a critical role in re-designing the current concept of office and home. So maybe your current question can be a significant professional opportunity!

ershovamaria·May 03, 2022

Hi @rosariobcasas, how did you convert yourself into a developer after MBA and how much did this help to found your tech start ups? Have you decided to code the first mvp ?

rosariobcasastech·May 06, 2022

@ershovamaria I think everything falls in place at its time. Long story short, I decided to do my MBA when I switched my career from the public sector/government to the private one. I love to learn and study, and of course, I knew I had gaps to fill before jumping and working in the private sector (back in 2007).Years after, having a consulting client - a merging process for a tech company from silicon valley acquiring a Colombian company - I entered the technology world (back in 2013). Some months later, they offered me to be the Global CEO at that group. I was appointed because of my management/financial skills, but managing a tech company is the best way to realize the importance of an excellent technical team, and become in love with technology.After it, I decided to start learning (I must confess it is a very demanding process), and I found an activity I love! (I love learning and being challenged... that is the only way to be a developer, so I found an activity I really enjoy). I code some things in my endeavors, and I love to test assumptions and ideas all the time, but I still add a big value to the strategy / bizdev / management / positioning of the companies, so I can’t be dedicated 100% to code.The last point: for MVPs, I use no-code and quick prototyping tools. That is the best way to test assumptions before investing in product development.

isabellondonopoloph·May 04, 2022

Hola!

rosariobcasastech·May 04, 2022

@isabellondonopoloph Me encanta verte acá!!

joclark·May 05, 2022

Hi @rosariobcasas & thx for doing AMA. I'm a non-tech founder hvg a difficult time with tech co-founder. He keeps promising things (app, NFT) but never seems to get them done. I then hired a Contractor and he got stuff done quickly but then disappeared on another project in the middle of a tight delivery timeframe. Now I'm with Indian develop team with terrible hours of availability, slow work and low fees but bad UI. I'm in Houston, not Austin or SV. So do experienced Entrepreneurs with brilliant ideas just have to give up b/c they can't find someone to do an app or NFT in today's market? I haven't raised $$ yet (which makes it even worse/can't pay cash). What would you do (I have 22 companies who signed LOI's -want what I'm offering and can't get the product done to sign them as customers due to tech dev issues.)

rosariobcasastech·May 06, 2022

@joclark, I perfectly understand you. I decided to learn code and convert myself into a technical founder because I was entering this industry, and I found it difficult to advance with the technical teams without the basic knowledge. It took me years of effort, and fortunately, I entered a world I love. Nevertheless, I know not everybody needs to change their career this way. That is why:1. We created the Brooklyn2Bogota incubator to give the foundations of mindset, knowledge, and understanding of the digital transformation journey.2. From BCPartners Tech, we are the technical team for non-technical founders. That way, our clients can grow their business while we care about their technology development, prioritization, and delivery. In this last case, we have the business understanding (our consulting background helps very much), the cultural code (building a business in the US is not the same as in another country), and the timezone (we have our team remote, but everybody is within the EST time zone).If anytime you want, I am happy to check your needs or also I use to allocate volunteer mentorship time at the Nasdaq entrepreneurial center program: Mentor Makers (https://mentorcloud.typeform.com/to/SOuVreP6)

katr·May 02, 2022

Hi @rosariobcasas! Thanks for taking the time for an AMA!My name is Katrina Rodriguez and I'm a software engineer currently working at Meta. My parents are both immigrants to the United States - my mom was born in Bogota and my dad was born in Havana. Given my background, I'm interested in taking my skills back to my parents' countries and seeing what kinds of opportunities there are for technical innovation. Through my company, I've worked with Rappi, seen how fast they've grown, and have also noticed how more tech-enabled companies are forming and receiving venture funding out of Bogota. I'm curious to learn more about your work in Brooklyn2Bogota. What areas do you see as currently going through a digital transformation in Bogota? Are there any industries that you think are overlooked and in need of digital transformation? Looking forward to hearing your take. Gracias!

rosariobcasastech·May 06, 2022

Thank you, @katr, and it is always great to find more Latinas in tech! Indeed in the last years, Colombia was proactively growing its tech ecosystem, increasing the programs to train developers and promoting initiatives to connect entrepreneurs, developers, and resources. It is now giving results! And of course, we all want to keep growing the educational initiatives (formal, boot camps, and others)! We need as a country to increase bilingualism to connect those developers with global opportunities!Related to the developers, we are working from BCPartners Tech, where we are growing a team of developers to work on global projects.But returning to your question, from Brooklyn2Bogota, what we are doing is creating a community of digital transformation. We run 2 times a year a digital incubator program for non-tech small businesses in the 3 Americas, with 100% scholarship for the selected participants. We are now running our 4th cohort, and we have alumni from the US (NY, NJ, CT, FL), Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, México, Dominican Republic… And a network with more than 100 mentors. So we are creating a bridge between small business owners and bridging the gap in the use of technology and exponential mindset for Hispanic/Latin business owners.Thank you for asking!!!

kimberleyeennis·May 06, 2022

@rosariobcasas Awesome track record!!! Do you still have goals of becoming President of Colombia? If so, what's the journey been like so far?

rosariobcasastech·May 06, 2022

@kimberleyeennis Thank you!! I don´t have that goal anymore. I completely fell in love with the possibilities that entrepreneurship and the private sector give. If I want to increase job opportunities, I create the position and take responsibility for it… In the public sector, it takes longer, and the impact is not that direct.We need great government leaders everywhere, but after years of working in the government, I found my personality and style match better with the private sector.

rosariobcasastech·May 06, 2022

Thank you, Thank you everybody for asking! I am starting to post answers in minutes!

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