Edwin Guarin, the 432nd person I’ve met on my quest to have lunch with 500 strangers, is an entrepreneurial Colombian who wanted to learn the two most important languages in the business world.

English and numbers.

Edwin knew that while he could study numbers from anywhere, the best place to master English was in an English-speaking country. So, six years ago, he moved from Bogota to Australia – first to Melbourne and then Sydney.

Since then, Edwin has been devouring information: he now speaks fluent English and has immersed himself in the world of business.

A year ago, Edwin set himself the goal of buying a business with an annual turnover of $2 million … without stumping up any cash. Edwin’s savings were limited and he couldn’t qualify for a loan, so he couldn’t acquire a business the usual way. Instead, Edwin aimed to convince a business owner to accept a vendor financing arrangement or a venture capitalist to provide financial backing.

Edwin ended up speaking to more than 20 business owners and a range of investors. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to secure a deal, but it says something about his hustle and imagination that he even attempted something so audacious. 

Edwin has a lot going on – he’s working; studying business and property valuation at TAFE; and remotely managing a barbershop and nail salon in Bogota, which he bought three years ago. He has big goals and knows they won’t be achieved without a lot of hard work and self-improvement.