Meet Vanessa Espejo | Founder of KOPS Barcelona

We had the good fortune of connecting with Vanessa Espejo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Vanessa, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
The idea of starting a business has been with me for a long time. I grew up hearing stories about my grandfather starting the family business, and in a small city with few big corporations, where there weren’t many opportunities for a corporate career. However, my perspective changed when I moved to Caracas and later to Philadelphia, USA. Faced with the reality that returning to Venezuela to start the food business I had envisioned was not an option, I pursued a corporate career instead.

My plan was to gain experience and learn about the food industry through others before eventually starting my own business. I got hooked in the corporate world—I loved it—and between promotions and relocating, more than ten years passed. Finally, the birth of my first child, and the shift in how I perceived time, gave me the courage to take the leap.

I recall a guest speaker from my MBA program about twelve years ago who told me that if I were a true entrepreneur, I wouldn’t be there listening to him. While that comment stung at the time, I knew deep down that someday I would pursue my long-awaited business. Now, I am fully invested in it and doing what I’ve always dreamed of.

My message to those who aspire to start their own business is that there is no single path to entrepreneurship. If you truly want it, the right time will come.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
At KOPS Barcelona, our purpose is to offer an authentic, delicious, and easy-to-prepare appetizer. Our KOPS are aimed at those who seek innovative and versatile gastronomic solutions. These tartlets, made from corn flour and fresh ingredients, feature fusion flavors and are sold frozen, ready to bake. What excites us the most is that whenever people try them, the first thing they say is, “I’ve never tried anything like this!” When they discover that KOPS are naturally gluten-free, their enthusiasm grows even more, as it makes our product inclusive. In today’s world, even if someone doesn’t have gluten sensitivity, they likely know someone who does, allowing KOPS to be something everyone can share without feeling excluded.

As to how I got here business wise, I always envisioned having my own business throughout my professional career. I treated every company I worked for as if it were my own, bringing genuine passion to our products and missions, which made my transition to entrepreneurship relatively smooth. My work experience also instilled confidence in my understanding of the food industry, taught me valuable lessons in teamwork, and helped me navigate diverse personalities. Moreover, I gained insights into the evolving consumer trends and preferences that confirmed the potential for KOPS.

That said, I have to admit that transitioning from large corporations to running my own business has certainly posed challenges. While I can set the vision, plans, and strategy with a clear long term goal, the day-to-day implementation falls solely on me. I need to constantly remind myself that I don’t have the same resources, money and people, and that “good enough” is sufficient to keep moving forward my business.

I want the world to know that KOPS is the result of my true passion for food. I believe in the power of food to connect people across cultures and backgrounds, finding common ground through delicious food. When we explore different cuisines, we learn about diverse cultures and often leading us to adapt these flavors and traditions into our own. A great example is how the California roll transformed sushi, making it popular worldwide. My mission is to do the same with my beloved Arepa, reinventing it into an innovative product like KOPS so that other cultures can embrace and make it their own.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend was visiting Barcelona, I’d start by taking her to La Sagrada Familia and exploring all of Gaudí’s incredible buildings. After soaking in all that architecture, we’d definitely head to Gracia for some great bars and restaurants. This neighborhood is full of charm and offers a vibrant atmosphere.

If we could plan it for June, that would be ideal. It’s the best time to visit with all the amazing events happening, like the Festival de Pedralbes, Cine Montjuïc, and Grec Festival. There’s always something going on, so we’d have a packed agenda filled with concerts, outdoor movies, and street performances.

On one of the days, I’d take her to Montjuïc for stunning views. We could also spend a lazy beach day at Barceloneta, enjoying the sun and grabbing some seafood at a beachside restaurant. I’d make sure we explore the Gothic Quarter as well, with its charming streets and hidden gems like the Picasso Museum and MOCO Museum.

Throughout the week, we’d eat from tapas to fresh seafood, and have some great drinks while enjoying the city. I want her to experience all the flavors and vibrant culture that Barcelona has to offer.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are so many people who have contributed to my journey, but there are two people I especially want to dedicate my shoutout to: First, my uncle David, whom I used to call “Socio,” meaning partner in Spanish. Without him, KOPS might not exist today.

My Socio was instrumental during the time I was working on my thesis about internationalizing arepas, the Venezuelan bread, in graduate school in Caracas. He shared my passion and mission to introduce arepas to the global culinary world. Together, we developed several concepts that reinvented the arepa, including what has become KOPS.

Unfortunately, my Socio passed away in 2016 at the age of 90. He did not get to see how far I’ve come or how I’ve transformed our kitchen invention into something bigger. However, I feel his presence guiding me on this journey, as we continue to build this dream together—him from above and me here on Earth

Secondly, I want to dedicate it to my husband. Without his unwavering support and encouragement throughout the years, especially over the last two, I wouldn’t have taken the leap to give KOPS a chance and make it our own business endeavor.

Instagram: @kopsbarcelona

Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/vanessaespejo

Image Credits
Emma Garcia.