I am Peruvian and have been living in Germany for more than 10 years. In my hometown of Cusco, once the capital of the Inca Empire, you see alpacas everywhere. Cusco is one of the most famous sights in the country and is visited by millions of tourists every year.

One of the key events that prompted me to found Alpakin happened many years ago, but I can still remember it clearly. When I was 18, I worked as a tour guide and accompanied tourists from all over the world to the most beautiful places in Cusco and the surrounding area. Then as now, people's eyes light up when they meet a group of locals with their herd of alpacas. I was surprised at the attraction of the friendly nature of alpacas. At that time, I didn't see alpacas as anything special, as I encountered them every day in the streets of my city. That changed, however, in 2017, when Caro and I began to study the special features of alpaca fiber. The fact that this led us to our own company years later is thanks to key moment number two - my time in Germany.

In 2013, I left my family and friends behind to move to Germany. I overcame the culture shock, started my second degree, learned German and quickly fell in love with the direct, initially cool nature of the people. What impressed me most was that well-founded information is available everywhere in Germany. This time was life-changing for me. Here I learned how the economy works and what discipline means. I was inspired and made use of the diverse information channels. To this day, this has remained my very own personal luxury.

What happened next is best described by a quote from Apple founder Steve Jobs: "You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future." My business know-how from Germany, combined with a traditional product from my homeland, gave me the complete picture. It is called Alpakin.

On my first trip to Peru, thanks to Gustavo, I was able to get to know the country from the perspective of a local. My first pair of alpaca socks not only kept me warm, but also aroused my curiosity. This then led me to an alpaca farm in the high mountains of Chimborazo in Ecuador. There I lived in the simplest of conditions with the locals and learned a lot about the production of alpaca wool.

Back in Germany, I quickly discovered that there were already suppliers of alpaca clothing. I wasn't surprised, but I was still disappointed. It wasn't until five years later that I realized that I could do better. Thanks to my career in marketing and e-commerce.

Traveling has remained my source of energy to this day: nothing inspires me as much as getting to know other cultures and ways of life. In 2022, the desire to travel gripped me like never before. I took a career break and traveled through Central America for seven months. In Guatemala, in the city of Quetzaltenango, I met an organization called Trama Textiles. They make traditional clothing using the typical weaving method, according to Mayan tradition. Mainly women, as they are severely disadvantaged and still suffer from the consequences of the civil war. I joined this special organization for a few weeks and expanded my knowledge of textile production, dyeing techniques and the challenges they face in online business.

Guatemala reminded me of Peru and I started dreaming again. A short time later, I decided I had dreamed enough and moved to Cusco, Peru, to work full-time on Alpakin. E-commerce is an exciting job, but it always left one of my dreams unfulfilled: to have my own product that I stand behind 100%. While Gustavo is responsible for the areas design, shipping and customs, I take care of the marketing. Marketing your own product is something very special. Our hearts beat for Alpakin and our ambitions are great.