22/09/2023
Have I ever told you my story? For those who don't know it, here it goes. My name is Estefanía Coral. I was born in 1992 in Bogotá, Colombia, a beautiful country with a sad history where people always, no matter what, smile and welcome you. It's a country where things can be incredibly tough, but those challenges don't limit people from getting up every day and working hard.
Since I was a kid, I've seen how hard my parents worked to provide for us from 7 to 19. They never complained about our situation and always encouraged me to follow my dreams. My entrepreneurial spirit was born at an early age when my parents were going through a really bad economic situation. I couldn't bear to see their pain, so I started selling different things at my school, from candy to brownies to sandwiches. This helped me buy things that my parents couldn't afford, like our first DVD. I also loved doing it; I enjoyed buying merchandise, looking at prices, and promoting them. Since then, I knew that being a businesswoman was my destiny.
I earned a bachelor's degree in Food Studies and then moved to France to learn French and continue studying. Later, I lived in Barcelona, where I completed a Master's in Culture and Arts Management. Finally, I moved to Östersund. Next year will mark 10 years since I left home. I became a mom in 2020 and opened Vågen at the same time. Due to the pandemic, my parents couldn't meet my daughter until she was 1 year old when I could finally visit them in Colombia. Throughout all these years, my parents have been my biggest support. Even though I'm their only child, they have always encouraged me to keep going, telling me 'YOU GOT THIS' every time I called them crying and expressing my desire to go back home.
During a recent meeting, someone asked me, 'What would happen to Vågen if you don't secure funding? How much time are you willing to dedicate to the project?' I replied, 'I will never quit until it's done.' All the time I've spent far from my family, friends, and country is an investment, and I know that once this project is completed here, I will be able to bring all this knowledge and infrastructure back home 🇨🇴.
