Anyone who’s been into surfing for more than a week has heard of Selina. This global hospitality brand focused on millennial travellers was launched in 2014. At the moment of writing, they have 42 locations all over the world and have raised more than $94 million from VC investors.
Today we had a chat with Bruno Muchada Suarez, the global director of Selina Surf Club, a special division of Selina that caters to surfers and the surf lifestyle. We talked about his beginnings in the world of hospitality, about Selina and his thoughts on the future of surf destinations.
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Humble beginnings
Started from a single location in Panama, Selina is now spread out across the world. From South America to Europe and the USA, there are now 42 locations, including some European cities such as Porto, Lisbon and London.
Bruno is the global director of the Selina Surf Club and he helps with a range of different tasks, including the marketing strategy, creating the service channels, structures, procedures, all the way to global partnerships.
He started working at Selina after leaving his previous job in Morocco. He sold his share in two houses he had and the same day he finished the sale, a friend called about a position at Selina. Within two days, he had a job again, but he first asked for some time to travel with his family.
Starting a hospitality business in 2019
As Bruno says, a lot of companies make the same mistakes when starting a hospitality business. They don’t have internal procedures and as a result, they lose money. This is why Bruno started a consultancy company, to help out companies such as these.
When it comes to the location of a surf retreat, he says that that the most popular surf spots are, of course, going to be more expensive. On the other hand, you will save a lot of money on marketing. It’s also pretty important to have airports close to the location, as well as a complete infrastructure.
Nowadays, surfers are searching for places where there is nobody in the water. However, if you’re focusing on beginners, perhaps it makes the most sense to organize events in well-known places since beginners are looking for the easiest way to arrive on the spot.
To learn more about Bruno’s early career, which are the best places for surfing with no people around, which other surf organizations he admires, make sure to listen to the full podcast!
You can find Bruno on LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter.
Surfpreneurs podcast is hosted by Peter Fabor, the founder of Surf Office.
Surf Office helps surf houses, hotels and villas boost their group bookings by hosting retreats with tech companies searching for productive team building experiences.
Learn more about how to become a property partner of Surf Office.
Transcription (automatic, sorry for typos)
[00:00:00] Peter: [00:00:00] Hi there you are listening surfpreneurs podcast where we invite inspiring surf entrepreneurs, and we discuss about their businesses and ideas. I'm Peter. And I'm your host today. I'm going to interview Bruno Muchada, who is the global director of selling a surf club, but not started a couple of surf related businesses before joining Selena Surf Club in Morocco and a consultancy company for hospitality industry.
[00:00:26] Just to name a few. But let's talk first about Selina. So the company started only in 2014, but since then has raised 94 millions of dollars from VC investors. What is like huge amount of money. And Selina has hostels and hotels in 32 locations around the world. And all the employees who work for Selena from what they understood, or kind of remotely as digital nomads.
[00:00:59] And [00:01:00] you are a good example that you, you work for a global company, but you live in a small village in Portugal. Is that correct?
[00:01:08] Bruno: [00:01:08] Exactly. That's correct. Well, the only thing that. Right now we already open our property. Number 42. You know, it is normal that you have. I mean, as you know, we are growing super fast and then the openings are running and the number of property that we already have open is changing fast on the time changing.
[00:01:33] Peter: [00:01:33] Yeah. So I'm completely outdated with 32 32 locations.
[00:01:38] Bruno: [00:01:38] Yeah. What is Dharma? Yes. You say? Yes. Selena is a. Completely new concept of hospitality. Um, it's a super revolutionary one is focused in digital nomads. Okay. I mean, it's in the DNA of the company is all the coworker spaces in all the [00:02:00] properties with internet connection.
[00:02:02] We know that right now. This, uh, like new era, nice and new people. Now it's changing us as all of us know, you know, it's changing the way that we are working, the way that we are interacting with everything, the way that we are traveling and exploring the war. And then, eh, that's why wrong Selena came to, to.
[00:02:27] Like to this start that new, new content, new way to do the things now.
[00:02:35] Peter: [00:02:35] And it started in South America and now it's expanding to Europe and to the U S and other locations around the world. Yeah. The first location was in South America.
[00:02:49] Bruno: [00:02:49] Yeah, the first, the first location was in central America in Panama.
[00:02:56] more Fisher village, close to Playa. Now that is [00:03:00] more famous for and there they started there. They sold Rafi and Daniel is the owner. BRAF is also the CEO of the company. Um, they were driving a lot around the wall and they saw that nice. Okay. We need to build an ecosystem for all those digital nomads or people.
[00:03:22] Now, the world is changing and they started there in Panorama was the first one in better sees a super small, it's a still open it's the first Selena super small. Um, the second one was and after it was coming in Costa Rica, I mean all the central America and Latin America right now. Yes you say right now we are studying to be Europe.
[00:03:45] Eh, we already have opened one in Porto, in Portugal. We are going to open soon in Lisbon, also 80 CEDA so their property, but also we are going to open this year in long, long. Greece. [00:04:00] I mean, this many countries coming is all the time, our market research team and real estate them, they are working super hard.
[00:04:07] Yeah. Then Selena is going to add the footprint worldwide because also after it's went to Asia, all the war.
[00:04:16] Peter: [00:04:16] And so what do you exactly do there? You are the director of selling a surf club. I understand that you cannot. Really surf in, in London, but you can serve, you can serve in portal is bone or, or, or pharma.
[00:04:32] So what is, what is selling us? Surf club,
[00:04:35] Bruno: [00:04:35] me as a global director of silliness of club, eh, I'm grating on the marketing strategy, all the, all the sales channels also grading all the structure. But OCD, quality controls. I'm also doing partnership at the global level with sort of brands. I mean, it's a global position [00:05:00] taking care of all the properties also with market research, helping them proposing new future destination super related.
[00:05:09] Yeah, because Selena is not yet serving, but Selena in the DNA of Selena serve really Eugene partners because. Also the owners are surfers, you know, and then of course it's in the DNA. Um, eh, we are open many properties super related, you know, and then I'm taking girl, all those properties. I'm thriving. I mean, yeah, I'm basically right now for somebody in together, I spent.
[00:05:36] The last two years in Nicaragua, Panama, I mean, I'm moving, but of course I'm traveling all the time between locations, just to be sure working with all their position at the global level, that everything is running as mostly appropriately.
[00:05:53] Peter: [00:05:53] So how did you, uh, because he told me that funny story, how you started to work for Selena, [00:06:00] that you were, you had the business in Morocco, you were.
[00:06:03] Running a serv hostel. And after you sold your business, you got offer one day after you sold the business. Or two days after, so you really didn't have time to do I enjoy it to enjoy the success of felling with the business. And you're immediately started to work for selling.
[00:06:20] Bruno: [00:06:20] It was. Yeah. As you say, it's funny history.
[00:06:24] I mean, always, honestly, I'm always, uh, all my life. I built my life around surfing. Yes it listen. And then I was working super hospitality, but always, always I follow. My intuition on my hair, you know, until now, honestly, everything was red and the things that are happening that you say, okay, like how it's possible that this is happening, like magic at the end.
[00:06:48] It's as simple as life, you know, but yeah, I, to say one day after today, it was the same day. It was curious because the same day that I spoke with my band and I have two houses in [00:07:00] Morocco, entire pseudo area. And then I sold my 50%. In one point I told my band eight. And, or I saw my 50% or I buy your 50, this is the price.
[00:07:10] You choose. Okay. Because I mean, we have completely different base of work, et cetera. And he decided to buy it and say, okay, because I already had a mind to go to Nicaragua. Okay. Have that intuition. I should go there. But the same day that I saw my 50%, a friend of mine that was already working in Selena, call me, Hey everyone, how's it going?
[00:07:32] Good in Morocco. Amy sappy did that. You are American with your company that are men right now. Selena is searching sort of guru was the first name that he told me, man, it's unbelievable. Look today I sold my, my company. This is a sign out of no way, man. Send me your CB, et cetera that I sent today, software yet they contact me.
[00:07:55] They, you know, we also been directing, I've seen interviews, but, but look, I told [00:08:00] them also, okay. I say, okay, But guys, please give me one month and a half, because I need to relax a little bit. I was traveling with my wife, with our bumper, the North of Spain, South of France, you know, just disconnecting a little bit and then joining.
[00:08:15] But one month later I was landing in central America, in Panama with my barber and my luggage, just to see what's happened, you know, just to learn the new, the new adventure. The now was everything there was amazing trade. It was a super, super good. And be part of Sabina is some owner, you know, because wait grade concept.
[00:08:40] Peter: [00:08:40] And, uh, so tell us a bit more about how they do appear in Morocco running two hostels, like you are originally from, from Spain and, uh, w what were the reasons moving to Morocco? Why you didn't open, hostel in, in Spain, why you had [00:09:00] to move to Morocco? So what was the story behind it? What was the connect?
[00:09:03] What was your connection with Morocco?
[00:09:06] Bruno: [00:09:06] Yeah, but look mom, well with Morocco, I was traveling Morocco during many years before the, I love Morocco so fast. No, it's amazing. Coastline is it's not just. Is that not the waves and surf of course, it's amazing. But also that could choose, you know, the, the, the smell, the sense, the colors, it's a magic, but it's also, it was another history is a bit curious because.
[00:09:36] I wasn't living in 35 being the source of his pain. I had that rebel inc interesting company as super big surf shop with that with my partner, Herbert Newman. What happened with the creases in Spain? Then we decide the rest of the thing was the fees was becoming a little bit lower, lower say, okay. I think it's the moment to change.
[00:09:57] We sold. Uh, w we saw also [00:10:00] the company, and then I went, I started searching and spoke with my wife and say, you know what, we're already spending 35, 10 years. You know what, it's time to change. We are going to see. And then. I was searching many places worldwide. Hey, where we are going, of course, to a certain destination.
[00:10:16] This is sure. And we were checking where we're on one week after of that moment, the owner of many hotels in Darfur, in the South of Morocco, close to Marie Tanya. That also that are super good for sports there. And nobody there. He called me a Bruno. I heard her because we have some friends in common. Hey, that you are thinking to move.
[00:10:41] What about if you come to desert, you know, but super amazing place. I don't know. Okay. But I don't know. I never been in DACA. Okay. Come here one week I went there. I spent one week there in the hotel just to be the general manager of the hotel. Okay. is one of [00:11:00] the best ones. This is super famous for Keiser wind surface sports also for surfing.
[00:11:05] Right now they are starting opening a new hope. They're just focused on surfing. And then I went there, say, okay, I went to that class. I spent there one year. I mean, this year I met. My partner, you know, I mean, my future partner, we met, I met that guy. We started speaking. He told me, Hey, I have five small surf camp.
[00:11:28] area, but I don't, I don't have a no, no. How about that? Because I studied a thing. It would be great. We can do things together. Then I went there, I saw the . You have like Diamone is possible to do many, many things. Okay. At the end, but we agree. I am doing the society 50% each and then I move. To eh, to, so, you know, again, following my intuition, it was a great experience.
[00:11:57] In one year [00:12:00] we opened another circa and we was out with a lot of clients. It was a great experience too, but I learned in Morocco because that person, you know, the owner of the hotel in Dhaka, Told me, Hey, do you want to come to be the general manager of the hotel? You okay. Why not? Cool story.
[00:12:17] Peter: [00:12:17] So you have a lot of experience with, uh, uh, operating hospitality, businesses related to, to surfing.
[00:12:26] And you also have your arm consultancy company, which, uh, helps, uh, business owners who have this type of. Businesses. What do you see as a, based on your experience and observing others was the most common mistake. What business business owners do when they start the sort of hostile our surf camp was the, what do you see as the most common mistake?
[00:12:56] Bruno: [00:12:56] Yeah. Wrong. Yes. You said the [00:13:00] have a consulting company shall consulting. Um, uh, in bold as our goal is to help others to make their business grow because you know what happened at the end. Right now we're doing all, all the time. There's a lot of people that spend all their lives doing other things, you know?
[00:13:21] I mean, one point they decide to say, okay, I'm going to change my life. I want to do what they love to do the shirt. Okay. I'm going to build a hotel or hostel or resort. Okay. Whatever category, but they don't have a. No knowledge, you know, about the hospitality business in general and hospitality, what they are doing well, they are not creating in the right way.
[00:13:51] The products, you know, the packages for sample that is the most common and they are not normally that they are not doing in a professional way. [00:14:00] I mean, they don't have procedures internally. And at the end, it's like a little bit of cows, you know, in the quality of the services that you are giving to your clients.
[00:14:07] So, so you are. And you are losing a little bit of money because you are not making properly all the numbers. Um, yeah, but ma mainly is because a lot of people are starting without enough knowledge on the hospitality industry. And then they are making many, many mistakes. That's why we are starting with this consulting because we know that we are really.
[00:14:36] And we meet a need. You know what I mean? It's a lot of people they start and they are closing their business. In short period of time, maybe two years, three years, four years, they say, okay, half amazing place, but the people is not coming and we go, you, you should manage properly marketing. Of course, you know, this is the key about, say some marketing appropriate way.
[00:14:57] It's not [00:15:00] obviously the quality of the service that you are giving in your, your property, but eh, say some marketing is the key. Definitely.
[00:15:07] Peter: [00:15:07] How do you see now the importance of the location? When somebody wants to open a surf hostel or surf camp, because before that was very important, you want to open the surface style, you need to open it in the area, which is famous for surfing.
[00:15:26] But these days I see a lot of hospitality brands. Starting in the, in the locations, which are not maybe more mainstream, they are not very popular. But with the Instagram, with influencers, with online marketing, these businesses are able to attract a lot of clients. And they have one competitive advantage.
[00:15:46] What is the, what are lower costs? Because they usually get the place cheaper than in some more famous premium locations. Do you see this as a trend because of the evolution of internet and [00:16:00] internet marketing or it's only my perception?
[00:16:05] Bruno: [00:16:05] No, no, no, you are right. I mean, Obviously, if you are, if you, you are thinking to open a sort of hospitality business, if you are searching the most popular surface spots.
[00:16:19] Okay. Eh, you, yeah. In one way, of course, it's going to be a bit more expensive. All the places, the wards, et cetera, or the rent of the place. But on the other way, you are going to save a lot of money. On marketing because it's already well known place and the people is coming. Also, another thing they should very important is that you have eight boards more or less close to the place.
[00:16:45] Okay. I mean, the infrastructure around is that the minimum that you can make easier to your bank or bank to, to, to arrive to your place. But it's depending also because Lucas, you know, it's depending, which is the target audience [00:17:00] that you want to focus. Why? Because for example, you want to go to surfer for intermediate advanced level.
[00:17:07] As you know, nowadays everybody is searching for places that is nobody in the water, or just a few people, you know, but if you are going to focus in beginners, maybe, maybe make sense to do it in a most well known place, because at the end, they are searching the easiest way. Do arrive to the, to the, to the spot, you know, but both are great.
[00:17:34] And as you say, right nowadays with all the, do all the social media right now, or the, all the communication channels that we have is easier to S to build your business in a completely different place than the rest of the
[00:17:52] Peter: [00:17:52] people. That's interesting. So where are these places? Uh, where are no people in the water?
[00:17:59] Where are the [00:18:00] services?
[00:18:04] This is something new you should share now. And the podcast will be very popular. Cause everyone, everyone would like to know this place.
[00:18:13] Bruno: [00:18:13] Maybe it's going to be popular about sort of people. They want to kill me, you know, because those places will need to give, like there's no bad, bad. Eh, there is still many places right now is trendy Africa.
[00:18:28] Okay. Africa is 20, obviously all of us know now Indonesia
[00:18:37] was famous for all this sort of thrips. There is still some pieces, but difficult to find it. But right now, Africa I see is one of the places that is going to come in the future. Most problems we already see, we already see some, uh, free surfers that is going there is base. Um, also they are standing to open.
[00:19:00] [00:19:00] Some guns in those places, you know, but there are still some places worldwide that it's possible to do it. You know, about people in there where it's more difficult, but just a few instead to have 50 people around you to be with 10, that is great, or five, you know, this is just impossible.
[00:19:22] Peter: [00:19:22] What are other brands?
[00:19:23] Uh, you. I would say, admire or follow, which are related to serve and, and hospitality, where you may be get the inspiration in my cases, for instance, uh, serve simply like they're the way how they, they build the brand in Nicaragua and all their concept, which is super, it's like super premium surf camp where you pay.
[00:19:53] Four and a half thousand dollars per week. There's a lot of money, but most people cannot [00:20:00] afford it, but they are fully booked, six months in advance and they provide amazing service to the clients. They make you the video, they give you a private instructor and. Their communication also in social media is fantastic.
[00:20:17] They share a lot of content for people who are not their customers, but they can learn from their YouTube videos, how to duck dive for instance. So for me, this is an example of a amazing serve hospitality company, but I'm curious if you have some, some other recommendations as inspiration. No, but
[00:20:42] Bruno: [00:20:42] it's curious because I was going to tell you that exactly the same, the same plea I'm following them.
[00:20:49] They are doing a great job. Yeah, of course. Maybe they are not the cheapest one. But they are giving up top, top service. Okay. There are a lot of people that they are [00:21:00] looking for that, that have a personal service full on, just say, be a BDO correction, but also they are spending a lot of time with each client because at the end is people that are they, I mean, they diet is not the people say, okay, I'm going to learn.
[00:21:17] Surfing nice people that really want to learn, you know, say, okay, I'm going to go there. I'm going to spend 15 days, 10 days. I'm going to spend, I don't know, X amount of money, but I'm sure that they're going to receive proper. I mean, I am going to be at, I'm going to have a real instructor. I'm not going to be like another person in a big groups and just groups with groups, you know, that, that meant that many other sort of comms worldwide doing that.
[00:21:44] At the end. Of course you say, okay. Balloon volume, but I like a lot their concept. And I think that they are one of the best reference worldwide. I'm completely agree with you. In fact, when you said, when you need the question, I was thinking on
[00:22:00] [00:22:00] Peter: [00:22:00] them. Okay. I, I hoped for learning about some other concepts.
[00:22:07] Uh, great. Uh, I, maybe the last question where people can find you follow view, learn more about what you are doing.
[00:22:20] Bruno: [00:22:20] Maybe share,
[00:22:20] Peter: [00:22:20] if you can share some, some websites or social media profiles.
[00:22:25] Bruno: [00:22:25] Yeah. Yeah. I own my, every boat. Everybody come can find me in getting in Facebook or Instagram. Um, my is my name. I'm the only one worldwide.
[00:22:41] Well, my father, but my father is not using social media. You see the payment, you know, is Bruno challah. That's all. And then they can find more info about me and about shrill consulting in our website. There's also sort of consulting.com and there they have also something for about [00:23:00] our services that we are offering.
[00:23:03] Peter: [00:23:03] Awesome. Uh, it was pleasure. Thank you. Thank you for amazing chats. Yeah,
[00:23:11] Bruno: [00:23:11] no, thanks to you. It was a pleasure to, uh, I hope to meet all of you soon on the water. Sharing some waves.
[00:23:22] Peter: [00:23:22] Thank you for listening. We publish all the interviews on the website, surf printers.club, where you can also find a link to our Facebook group.
[00:23:32] This group works for us as a platform where we discuss business challenges and share ideas. See you there.
