From Code to Cheese: How engineering and experimentation grew a local cheese shop

What does it take for small business in a Spanish town of only 2,000 residents to thrive in today’s digital-first economy?

In a recent On the Record/Off the Record conversation, PAC hosted a conversation with Guillermo Esteban, former full-stack engineer turned small business owner of the artisanal food shop El Colmado de Ezcaray, and Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact. We discussed how technology and marketing can transform a main street businesses into digital storefronts with global followings.

Guillermo built an e-commerce platform to navigate both COVID and seasonal challenges, and, through experimentation, he became an accidental a “cheese influencer” - growing his global fan base to more than 100,000 followers on social media.

Key discussion points included:

• Tech skills are transferable - Applying engineering, design or product marketing skills to small businesses can lead to fast growth and scaling opportunities.

• Local to global — E-commerce and social media turned gave a rural shop a digital footprint to survive and then thrive.

• Authenticity wins — Storytelling and customer focus resonate with people and fuel growth and loyalty.

• Discomfort drives growth — Marketing often feels awkward for small business owners, but it’s that discomfort that drives learning, testing, and momentum. You don’t need to be a marketer; you need to take the first step.