Who is Rodrigo Trespalacios?
Since I was young I had a passion for fixing things and figuring out how things worked. Following that path I studied mechanical engineering at Concordia University in Montreal. However when I finished school I realized I wanted to start my own company, I taught myself how to program, got a couple of jobs in the industry to learn the ropes and now I’m the co-founder and CTO of Cercle local, a marketplace for local products.
What’s the story behind CercleLocal?
Cercle local was started at the beginning of the pandemic when my co-founder and I realized that local shops were struggling to deliver to people living in the same city at an affordable price. In order to help them we set up a bike delivery service and incorporated Cercle local. Now we are delivering more than 500 packages a month and are in the process of creating a marketplace where independent merchants and artisans can sell their products and customers can get them fast and affordably.
What was the most difficult part of your experience in the early beginnings?
For me the most difficult part of starting the company was taking the leap of faith and quitting my job to work on Cercle local full time. Back then, and even now, there is no guarantee that it will work out and it really feels like you are alone in a boat trying to survive the storm.
What are you most proud of regarding your business?
I’m proud of the technology we built and the customers we have, but mostly I’m proud of building something that makes money and is good for society, the environment and our city.
What is your vision for the future of CercleLocal?
We want to be the force that helps local, independent businesses keep their doors open and thrive. We think these businesses are an essential component of the fabric of our neighborhoods. We have big plans for the platform, including moving to different cities around Canada and the rest of the world.
What’s your advice for the businesses that are trying to adapt to this economic climate?
I think people are tired of big tech and giant companies controlling everything. People are looking for companies with a purpose, where making money is fundamentally linked to helping everyone in some way, whether it is preserving the environment, improving work conditions or leveling the playing field.
Please name a few technologies which have the greatest impact on your business.
We work with the latest in web technologies to organize the merchants and the deliveries efficiently.
What books do you have on your nightstand?
Right now I have Born a Crime by Trevor Noah and The Limits of Capital by David Harvey, both great books that have taught me a lot.
Because of the current economic climate our publication has started a series of discussions with professional individuals meant to engage our readers with relevant companies and their representatives in order to discuss their involvement, what challenges they have had in the past and what they are looking forward to in the future. This sequence aims to present a series of experiences, recent developments, changes and downsides in terms of their business areas, as well as their goals, values, career history, the high-impact success outcomes and achievements.
