Riva Spain Shares Its Secrets to Global Expansion
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The Role of Resilience in RIVA Spain’s Success Story
No business is immune to failure.
Even organizations with access to substantial funds and great talent may fail to survive, especially when hard times hit.
But when challenges arise and outcomes fall short, do you just give up?
Or do you stay resilient and do your best to find ways to rise again and drive success?
“We are hardworking and have an enormous respect for the products we create. We have gone through hard times, and despite the struggles, we have seen our business grow. During difficult times, we took the time to think of a strategic way to come back stronger than ever,” Borja says.
RIVA Spain, an all-encompassing lifestyle brand specializing in the manufacture of European luxury hardwood floors, is a success story that not only survived the most difficult times but also achieved international expansion positioning itself as a premium brand within its niche.
Its CEO, Borja Iglesias joins us today to discuss the brand’s greatest challenges, how it survived its toughest times, and how it expanded internationally — providing valuable lessons for many.
Who Is Borja Iglesias?
Borja, a mechanical engineering graduate, became CEO of RIVA Spain after a knee injury ended his semi-pro soccer career and a brief stint in poker. In 2016, he led the family business through a crisis, pivoting to high-end luxury products and using innovative market research and digital marketing to expand internationally. RIVA Spain expanded from a small workshop in Spain to an international brand whose furniture is featured in over 100 retail stores across the U.S. and Canada, both highly competitive markets. Borja shares his story and the key tactics that helped the brand achieve success, especially in foreign markets. He explains that when he joined the family business, the company was navigating the 2016 financial crisis and many employees were struggling. Borja shares his story and the key tactics that helped the brand achieve success, especially in foreign markets. He explains that when he joined the family business, the company was navigating the 2016 financial crisis and many employees were struggling.
“I’d grown to have a deep connection with the people I was working with at the factory and was inspired to propose a new venture to my father that I could tackle after my studies — high-end luxury hardwood products. For my graduation thesis, I took this idea full on, putting together market research, sampling digital marketing and products, and then presented it to my father. I needed to get the funding to make it a reality,” he says. Interestingly, winning a national poker championship allowed Borja to invest in his luxury market ideas, expand throughout Spain, and enter the U.S. market.
