Alejandro Betancourt López’s No. 1 Tip for Entrepreneurs? ‘You Have to Think Big’

How did Alejandro Betancourt López transform Hawkers, once an unknown startup, into a $100 million global eyewear brand? Remarkably, that’s just one chapter in his business success story. The majority shareholder and chairman of Hawkers sunglasses also co-founded one of Venezuela’s largest private energy firms, creating 12,000 jobs and powering over 700,000 homes through 11 thermonuclear power plants. Through his asset management company O’Hara Administration, he’s backed ventures from African banking to European tech companies. For this seasoned entrepreneur, success starts with a mindset: optimism backed by execution. “If you’re not thinking big, you shouldn’t be an entrepreneur,” he says. “It’s part of it.”

But dreaming big comes with a critical caveat. “You have to be optimistic, but always with two feet on the ground,” Betancourt López explains. “If you lose the border from realistic world to fantasy world, that’s where you get lost. You can destroy your company and your project.”

Finding the Right People

When choosing investments through his family office, Betancourt López zeroes in on one factor above all others: people. “Management is everything in any company that’s successful,” he says. “There are 10,000 good ideas out there, but not all of them come to be successful ventures because there are many factors that make them successful. For me, the critical one is the people.”

This focus on strong leadership teams shapes his entire investment approach. He evaluates potential deals based on the management’s philosophy, their operating style, and their vision. “I always like to invest where I get to meet the key people,” he says. “The big rationale is understanding that the people behind it are the right people.”

His role as chairman and largest shareholder of Hawkers demonstrates this principle. Under his guidance, the eyewear brand has maintained 25% year-over-year growth, with plans to double that benchmark. The company leads the European market while expanding into the U.S., Latin America, and Southeast Asia.

Marketing for Modern Consumers

Betancourt López keeps Hawkers at the forefront of marketing trends, particularly in branding and celebrity partnerships. A campaign with Latin singer Manu Toso proved “a huge success,” combining creative storytelling with strategic timing.

“It was not only one post made out there,” he notes. “It was a continuously developing working relationship that made us achieve a big audience. The branding campaign brought a lot of conversion into sales.”

His marketing philosophy acknowledges how quickly consumer preferences shift. The effectiveness of influencers versus celebrities fluctuates constantly. “It’s very volatile,” he says. “The consumer’s taste changes a lot. The big thing is to have the ability to identify what the market is following.”

Learning from Experience

For aspiring entrepreneurs, Betancourt López offers hard-earned wisdom about the realities of building businesses. “Nothing at all is easy,” he says. “Every time I start a venture, in the middle I say, ‘Why did I get into this? I’m not sleeping, I’m going crazy, but I can’t stop.’”

He credits this drive and persistence as key factors in his success. “You have to be there to make sure you push through and keep everybody working, keep everybody focused, keep everybody being creative and evolving and innovating.”

This determination comes with an important reminder about risk management. “Ninety percent of projects that are started fail,” he notes. “You have to be able to digest that.” He advises entrepreneurs to carefully evaluate what they’re willing to risk before starting any venture.

Managing Growth and Risk

Betancourt López takes a measured approach to expansion. “There are so many deals out there, so many opportunities that losing one is not a big deal as long as you always choose a good one,” he explains. His investment strategy relies heavily on networking and learning from successful peers. “I try to follow them because that’s how you learn more from other people. Just bet on winners and what are they thinking.”

When ventures face challenges, he believes in fighting for success while remaining practical. “I’m a fighter. When something is not going right, it takes my attention and I go really deep into it. I’m the type of guy that dies fighting.” However, he acknowledges this can be a double-edged sword: “That’s one of my big issues that I’ve got to work on. I’m a good buyer, but I’m a terrible seller.”

Building for the Future

Today’s business landscape demands more than just financial returns. Corporate social responsibility has transformed from an option to a requirement. “Before it was a choice,” Betancourt López says. “Now it’s something that is demanded by the business world.”

He approaches each investment with a clear-eyed view of what success requires. While maintaining optimism about growth potential, he stresses the importance of delivering on promises. “It’s better not to promise something you’re not sure about, but to promise something that you’re certain of,” he explains. “When you surprise on the upside, that’s when the market rewards you.”