A true lesson in courage and positivity from a young man who, not long ago, was still a minor and is now embarking on real business ventures since his first year of college. This Zaragoza native is studying and working, but not in the most traditional way; instead, he’s combining his education with his professional development. We spoke with Javier Maudos Sin.
Javier, tell us a little more about yourself.
I was born in Zaragoza, but I’m currently living and studying in Valencia, where I’m pursuing a degree in Entrepreneurial Leadership and Innovation—or LEINN—at Florida Universitaria in Catarroja, Valencia.
LEINN? What is that?
It’s an innovative approach to university studies that originated in Finland. It came to Spain via the Basque Country and is now in Valencia. I loved it when I discovered it because its motto is “learning by doing.” In other words, you learn by doing. No sooner said than done, my education is based on devising, planning, carrying out, and even leading various business projects with other classmates.
Correct me if I’m wrong. Do you have your own company?
You’re wrong. We don’t have a company as such. But we do have an association that 14 of us students formed to develop different projects. It’s a non-profit association, so everything we earn we reinvest in the association, in new projects, and in furthering our education. But we do keep up with all the legal paperwork, taxes, and various regulations.
But you don’t do it all on your own, do you?
No. At the university, we have coaches and advisors in different fields such as finance, law, and technology. They advise us, and our training consists of bringing the projects we conceive to life. We don’t have classes or exams as such; our day-to-day work is moving our business proposals forward.
So, is it constant self-learning? But how do you pass and ultimately earn a university degree?
You learn nonstop, every day, because every day is different. As for evaluation: on one hand, we evaluate ourselves. We set goals to achieve, so both we as individuals and the company as a whole can assess our progress. But other criteria regarding how we carry out our work are also taken into account. In fact, we formalize and document all processes. Every task, our internal meetings, calls, and visits to clients or suppliers—everything is recorded, and the coaches also provide an assessment of what’s been done.
That covers the training aspect, but what projects are you currently working on?
I’ve launched two very different ones. I started planning the first one even before the course began, because I really love music. It’s called Soundscape Studio, and it involves creating personalized songs for anyone who wants to give them as gifts. The project is still in the validation phase and continues to evolve. We have a website where you can hire our services to commission a song and turn it into a very special gift.
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I wouldn’t have thought of that. When and to whom do you give a song as a gift?
Well, for example, to your partner on their birthday, or on Mother’s Day, or to your boss on their retirement, or to anyone you love and appreciate—you can give them something as heartfelt as a unique, personalized song. You get in touch with us, and we’ll create it.
What’s the process?
We send a form asking for as much information as possible about the person the song is for, so we can get to know them. It also includes questions about specific words that absolutely must be in the lyrics or the musical style. And within 48 hours, we have a first draft of the song thanks to the SUNO AI program—an AI program I really like and have mastered.
Have you been successful?
As I said, Soundscape Studio is still in the validation phase. We’ve launched it and have already received orders. And now we’re taking steps to promote it. For example, we’ve contacted micro-influencers to spread the word on their social media. We’re also planning to develop a marketing campaign. We have a lot of ideas in mind, but we have to take it step by step. In fact, the project may evolve. For example, the initial idea of offering personalized songs has been expanded to include a physical gift—a frame with a graphic and a QR code to link to and listen to that song whenever desired.
Tell us about the second project you’re working on.
If the first one is full of emotion and has an artistic touch, the second is a bit more tangible and perhaps more profitable. It’s less advanced, but it’s called Visión 360. It’s a virtual tour service we can offer to various clients—from hospitality businesses looking to showcase their venues to real estate agencies promoting their properties. Like I said, it’s less advanced, but it looks really promising, and based on what we’ve tested so far, it could be very well received.
And you’ve even finished the first year of your degree program! Give us a hint about what you’ll be launching next.
Well, the first year of LEINN is all about trying things out, making mistakes, and learning. And I’m learning a lot, as well as realizing how hard it is to start a business and, above all, to lead teams. But it’s been exciting, and lots of ideas are popping into my head. From launching a kind of agency for the many ERASMUS students in Valencia to something more personal related to the world of perfumery. But one step at a time.
Let us know!
