Nightlife Entrepreneur | Marksonn Maduro
Ah nightlife, for most of us it’s a big part of our social lives, whether we’re out for happy hour with colleagues on a Friday night or gathering your besties for girls night out on Saturday. Yes, going out can be super fun but do you ever think about the entrepreneurs behind the scenes running these businesses? They don’t work the typical 9-5 and it can be quite challenging and competitive to work in this industry, especially on a small island such as Aruba.
Today we want to highlight a young entrepreneur who we admire for his perseverance, innovation and dedication to bring unique nightlife concepts on the island: Marksonn Maduro.
The road to entrepreneurship
Marksonn tells us that his ambition for entrepreneurship started from a very young age. He’s had that entrepreneurial spark in him for as long as he can remember. He loves the art of being in charge and having control of a situation. Being able to have power and control to create or disrupt innovative ideas and concepts is what he loves most about his job! Marksonn tells us that being creative and developing different ideas from common trends has always been his strongest point.
Marksonn’s first business venture started at the early age of 9, where he started selling hand painted sea shells outside of his parents house. Not long after, he started multiple small businesses wherever he saw an opportunity. “I consider myself a very driven person that strives to create meaningful and challenging experiences. What I love the most about working in the world of hospitality is being able to give guests a memorable experience and a quick getaway from reality. Customer experience has been a fundamental component in each and every business that I’ve started. Being an open-minded person makes a huge role in any business” says Marksonn.
So what made him decide to become an entrepreneur?
Marksonn always dreamt big, aimed high and played by his own rules. If you want to become an entrepreneur you have to forget that 9-5 mentality because it does not exist in the world of entrepreneurship. “Since I started my businesses (Hoya and Apotek just to name a few), I wanted to establish these as businesses where clients would leave satisfied and happy enough that they want to share that experience with others (word of mouth is your best marketing after all). I love the feeling of knowing that the opportunities are endless, knowing that I can create other businesses, not just bars or restaurants. The only barrier is you, since you’re in control of your life.”
What motivates Marksonn
As mentioned before, working in the hospitality industry, specifically the nightlife industry can be challenging. You have to be consistent and always keep things exciting in order to keep the crowd interested in your concept. But what drives Marksonn to keep going? He says that creativity is definitely one of the most important things. He strives on coming up with unique concepts that are sure to catch the attention of many.
Passion for innovation is also something Marksonn truly believes in, you have to innovate to keep it interesting for your customers and to attract new customers as well. That passion is something that you cannot lose because it will reflect in your business. Another thing that motivates Marksonn is the love for new experiences. You have to be willing to take risks and try new things, because if you don’t try, you will never know and as an entrepreneur you don’t want to be living with the thought of “what if I did make that idea a reality”. Lastly, Marksonn says that his family is also one of his biggest motivations, family support means everything!
As an entrepreneur in the nightlife industry, we were curious to know how Marksonn balances work and life on the daily. He explains that you should be openminded, don’t expect anything from anyone and always give more than you receive. “One thing I have learned that has created a huge impact in my life is to always be humble“. There is no better feeling than being appreciated while having a good heart, it doesn’t hurt anyone to be humble. Work and life balance can be hard but you need to know yourself and what your capabilities are, that is what’s most important. Time is something we cannot stop but we can manage, and it’s something I think is very important when it comes to balancing a business and your personal life.
Balancing multiple businesses that are mainly nightlife businesses
Marksonn says that running multiple businesses doesn’t have to be difficult, sure it can be challenging but not impossible as long as you have a great communication skills and a strong team. “I am a strong believer in how you treat your people. I can proudly say that most of my employees and colleagues are first timers at their jobs, they liked it so much that they are still with me today”.
Lastly, Marksonn tells us that he believes that energy and patience go hand in hand, along with great leadership skills and always adapt to the current business market. This is how you keep striving and get back up when the business needs it the most.
So we want to know- is it hard running nightlife businesses in Aruba?
Marksonn thinks that every business is challenging unless you really have an amazing culture within. A good solid staff is sometimes very difficult to find. “I’d say it’s the most challenging part of any hospitality business. Thats why for me the culture within the business needs to be good, we need to have good energy and strong communication”. The nightlife industry has always been part of Marksonn’s passion and core, it also helps if you are having fun, which in his case he does, he always enjoys what he does which is selling great experiences.
Follow Marksonn’s businesses on Social:
Hoya: IG | FB
Apothek: IG | FB
Chupitoz: IG | FB
23/06/2021
