Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in training and education but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Rodrigo Montoya, Founder of Roko.Design, located in Madrid, Spain.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I am Rodrigo Montoya (Roko) founder of Roko.Design, content creation, and learning experience design service agency for the AEC-tech industry (Technology for Architecture, Engineering, and Construction industry). I work producing instructional design material, training, and courses for other architecture and interior design studios that need to adopt 3D, CAD, and BIM technologies. This way, I help students, architects, and interior design professionals in the adoption of the tools and processes that allow them to produce high-standard and profitable projects.

Tell us about yourself

As an architect and interior designer, I have more than 15 years of experience in the development of retail, commercial, and housing projects. This experience allowed me to build my profile as an architect specializing in design but also allowed me to highlight a problem and an opportunity where small and medium architectural studios continue working in the same workflow as 15-20 years ago. This represents a competitive disadvantage for this type of studio, with others that are already working with Building Information Modeling or BIM.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I am also the founder of Academy I Roko.Design, a high-performance 3D modeling course platform for SketchUp Pro, Trimble Connect, and BricsCAD users. Academy has only six months of launching and already has six courses and a community of over 300 architects and interior designers learning and working around de CAD:BIM industry and digital transformation.

During the pandemic, I had the opportunity to create my first online course, which opened up the opportunity for the knowledge industry and eLearning. During this period of time, I had the opportunity to build an MVP that I gradually improved until it became a Pro:course for architects and interior design professionals in Academy I Roko.Design.

Since two years ago, I have built a professional network that is powered by other agencies and software resellers. This B2B alliance has brought more work with the development of webinars and product demonstrations with them that has turned into a sustainable income, allowing me to invest more time and effort into my digital products and courses.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Starting this business from home has also diluted the barrier and the transition between the workspace and the family space. This is a disadvantage when it comes to recovering energy during an overload. Digital entrepreneurship requires a lot of dedication, and it is often difficult to separate the workspace from home and family.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Taking action is the only choice: Perfection is impossible in this type of business, and it is better to start with a draft idea than not to start ever.
  2. It is also important to have an image and a name that allows you to pivot your business or idea while you are testing the market. Having a brand name that suggests the product or service within it can be tricky when you need to change or adapt your product to the necessity of the market.
  3. It is also important to be healthy and keep learning while you're in business. This helps to build a solid mindset that is prepared for the difficult moments that entrepreneurship brings.
  4. (Extra) Last but not least, strengthen your family and friends ties. Being a solopreneur requires a lot of discipline but also a lot of isolation. It is important to have a support structure during this process.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.roko.design/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roko.design/
LinkedIn: https://co.linkedin.com/in/rodrigomontoya

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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