In the ever-evolving world of entrepreneurship, Marcos Fernandez has carved a niche for himself as a master of scaling companies. As Managing Partner of Fiat Ventures, Marcos has spent years advising, investing in, and helping the market’s leading startups thrive. His work spans across financial services, fintech, and beyond, supporting entrepreneurs with the frameworks they need to grow sustainably.
From guiding early-stage companies to raising venture capital, Marcos’s entrepreneurial journey is a treasure trove of insights for those looking to build businesses that last. Through an engaging conversation, he shared the challenges he’s faced, the lessons he’s learned, and the mindset that has propelled him and the companies he supports to success.
Building Foundations for Growth
When asked about the core of Fiat Ventures’ mission, Marcos’s answer was simple: focus, persistence, and execution. These are the traits he believes separate struggling entrepreneurs from thriving ones. “A lot of entrepreneurs think their most precious resource is capital,” he explains. “The reality is it’s your time.”
Marcos emphasized the importance of focus in building a successful business: “The more you try to do too much for too many people, the more you end up building mediocre products that people don’t want to pay for.” His advice? Get specific. “Focus on a particular solution for a particular problem for a particular customer.”
This focus is one of the key reasons Fiat Growth, the markets leading growth consultancy and sister organization, has been able to scale over 200 companies in just the last five years. With a network of over 200 seasoned advisors and operators, the team also connects early-stage startups to industry experts who provide insights, strategy, and mentorship through Fiat Advisors.
The company also operates a venture capital fund, where they invest in promising startups. Marcos spends a significant portion of his time working with companies that are actively building a thriving future.
Persistence in the Face of Challenges
Scaling a business is never easy, and Marcos is no stranger to the bumps along the way. “There are moments in every entrepreneur’s journey where things get really difficult,” he says, “but persistence is key over time, and your efforts compound.”
For Marcos, persistence is about controlling the controllable. “The only two things you can control are the amount of effort you put into something and your attitude towards it,” he advises. Markets may shift, and unexpected obstacles may arise, but keeping a positive mindset and staying persistent will carry you through the toughest times.
Throughout his career, Marcos has looked up to business leaders like Sam Walton and Mark Zuckerberg, drawing inspiration from their stories of overcoming adversity. “There are no shortcuts to building great companies,” he emphasizes. “It takes persistence over an extended time period to see real success.”
Execution: Turning Vision Into Reality
While focus and persistence are critical, execution is the final piece of the puzzle. Marcos points out that it’s not enough to have big ideas or grand visions. “Ideas are easy,” he says. “What matters is the ability to bring those ideas to life.”
For entrepreneurs trying to scale their businesses, tangible outcomes matter more than presentations or pitches. Investors and customers alike are looking for results—proof that a product works and can be scaled to meet larger market demands. “Execution means you’re producing quantifiable results, not just concepts,” he says.
Finding Product-Market Fit
When it comes to scaling startups, one of the most important aspects is achieving product-market fit. Marcos describes this as both an art and a science. “You kind of know it when you have it,” he says, “but it takes time to get there.”
For founders, this means having a clear understanding of who their ideal customer is and how their product or service fits into the market. “It’s about disqualifying quickly,” Marcos explains. Entrepreneurs should spend time vetting potential customers and understanding whether they genuinely need the product. “If someone doesn’t fit your mold, focus elsewhere.”
This iterative process helps entrepreneurs zero in on their beachhead market—the initial group of customers who will adopt their product and provide critical feedback for improvements. Marcos also notes that the current market is particularly favourable for entrepreneurs, allowing them to be more patient and methodical in finding the right product-market fit before scaling rapidly.
Staying Focused Amid Distractions
As with any entrepreneur, Marcos faces challenges of focus. With so many opportunities available, it’s easy to get distracted by “shiny objects.” However, he has developed strategies to maintain discipline. He shares a tip from one of his mentors, Kahina Van Dyke: “Don’t confuse being busy with being productive. You can do 250 things in a day, but if none of them move the needle, you haven’t actually done anything.”
Marcos uses a goal-setting framework to ensure that he stays focused on what matters. “At the start of each year, quarter, month, and week, I ask myself: what’s the one thing I need to accomplish today to be successful?” This process helps him avoid distractions and stay aligned with his long-term goals.
At Fiat Ventures, this focus extends to helping other founders navigate their entrepreneurial journeys. Whether through direct involvement or connecting founders with the right people, Marcos and his team strive to create meaningful impact in the businesses they work with.
Paying it Forward: The Joy of Helping Others
For Marcos, helping other entrepreneurs is not just part of his business; it’s a personal passion. “There’s no better feeling in the world than when you sit down with a founder, and they pull out a notebook because you’ve said something that’s important,” he says. His experience working with early-stage startups has given him a unique vantage point to provide valuable insights, and he relishes the opportunity to help businesses scale.
“I once thought I wanted to be a startup founder myself,” he reflects, “but I realized I’m much better at building a venture capital fund and a consultancy that helps others succeed.” This realization has allowed Marcos to build Fiat Ventures into a powerhouse that works across industries, helping founders launch and scale with confidence.
Final Thoughts: The Power of Focus and Discipline
As Marcos continues to lead Fiat Ventures and help shape the next generation of entrepreneurs, his emphasis on focus, persistence, and execution remains at the core of his philosophy. For those looking to build lasting companies, Marcos’s journey serves as a powerful reminder that success isn’t about doing everything—it’s about doing the right things well.
For entrepreneurs navigating the challenges of scaling a business, Marcos’s story offers both practical advice and inspiration. As he and his team at Fiat Ventures continue to invest in the future, one thing is clear: they are building not just companies, but a legacy of thoughtful, disciplined entrepreneurship.
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