Renata Raya
Hello, my name is Renata Raya, Co-CEO at Triciclo.
I was born in Mexico City and have had the privilege of living in the US, Paris and London. I studied Communications at Universidad Iberoamericana and specialized in Creative Advertising. I also had the opportunity to spend a semester abroad at the London College of Communications.
I am a Shopify expert. I worked at Havas Media and Likeable before I started my own agency with a business partner (originally 3). I was part of Forbes 30 Most Promising Businesses 2021.
For my hobbies, I love travelling, eating out, and discovering new places. I enjoy indoor cycling and swimming. I also like reading, listening to podcasts and watching movies.
Company Name: Triciclo
Location: Mexico City, Mexico
Operating since: 2015
Company Website: triciclo.mx
Instagram: @triciclo.mx
Tell us all about your company. What services do you offer?
We are a full e-commerce agency. We develop online stores, and we are consultants and experts in performance marketing. We have created over 550 online stores to date. We also develop e-commerce solutions such as Go Shipping, Go Seasons, Go Cancel - these are all apps (plugins) for Shopify.
How did you get the idea or concept for your company? What was your mission at the outset? Was there anything in particular that inspired you to start at the time you did?
We started Triciclo as a social media agency - that was the real goal, but fortunately, we pivoted right on time when we saw that the social media market was completely saturated and yet saw a huge opportunity in the e-commerce field. Mexico was lightyears away from the US e-commerce scene at the time. I feel like I started at 25 because I had nothing to lose at the time, and that is when I met my business partners (which made sense).
Growing up, did you always intend to start your own company?
Yes, I always heard my parents saying, "be your own boss". So it was a no-brainer, but I felt like it was something I would do when I was much older. Before, I wanted to live in New York, work at big agencies or Facebook first, but I guess you can’t plan everything!
What is the biggest obstacle you've had to overcome?
On a professional level, it was the first year of operations. We were financing our clients’ ad spend and we hit rock bottom and were completely broke. Another big thing was that our third founder decided to leave before the end of the first year.
What's your definition of success? Do you consider yourself a success? If not, when will you?
Success is being proud and happy about what you are doing. I do feel successful. Sometimes I am too hard on myself and feel like I haven't reached success, but it is just a way to keep having new goals.
What are some of your future plans? Are you working on anything else right now?
Triciclo is launching a new brand called GO which will offer new e-commerce solutions and apps.
What advice would you give to a woman starting out in your industry or starting her own company/organization?
It is hard for sure, but there are so many opportunities out there. Be bold, be strong, and go for it.
Describe yourself in ONE word. Resilient
Complete this sentence: "To be a girl or woman today is..." exciting. It is an amazing time to be alive. And talking about tech and start-ups, I would say - it is our time.