3 networking tips to succeed as an entrepreneur in Tarifa

Whenever I say that I work remote from Tarifa, Cádiz, everybody reacts: “Wow, lucky you!”

Networking Tips Tarifa Manuela Lanza Public Speaking Coach
I mean, where in Europe can you feel the wind blowing between two seas, overlooking Africa while bathed by magical sunsets, spontaneously jump naked in the ocean, run freely with your dogs by stunning huge beaches, kitesurf everyday or having donkeys knocking at your door?
Simply nowhere.
If you dream about moving to Tarifa but are not sure if it will be good for your business, I’ll share 3 juicy networking tips that shifted my coaching business from ‘ignored’ to ‘popular’ fast.
Ready to skip my mistakes and fast track success?

TIP Nº 1

Invest in the ‘right’ coworking space

Investing in the ‘right’ coworking space will skyrocket your network and collaboration opportunities!
But how to choose the ‘right’ coworking space?

By its community & mindset

As entrepreneurs, we need to feel we are part of a community, where we can share, connect & grow, but most of all, where our ideas & workshops are supported.
Joining Europe’s first co-working hostel ‘La Cocotera’, located in Tarifa Old Town, was a total game changer for me. It is run by two inspiring & passionate female entrepreneurs, Verónica and Marina, who are always open to new projects (by the way, if you like to party, follow Marina, she deejays in the best parties in town!).
Marina and Verónica supported me in holding my first Speaking masterclass in Tarifa with almost 40 people attending, where I signed the first clients for our Paid Speaking Program.
It was so successful that now we are launching the Spanish edition, and this time Verónica and Marina got the local press and TV to interview me!
Of course if I knew this before, I’d have saved months of my time fighting for attention in the ‘wrong’ Coworking space, trying to connect with people who don’t give a damn about my business.
Also, if you are looking for cheap accomodation in Tarifa where you can work and feel part of a real family, I highly recommend La Cocotera! They also accept volunteers where you can exchange your skills for free accommodation.

TIP Nº 2

Do not discriminate the locals

In Tarifa you definitely don’t need to have Spanish skills to meet new friends.
You’ll easily meet tons of English-speaking people from all around the world, which is awesome, but if you want to explore your full potential as an entrepreneur I wouldn’t get too attached to this “comfort zone” and only hang out with expats in Tarifa.
Watch out for two discriminatory thoughts that will limit your networking and business opportunities:
  1. Assuming Spaniards are not reliable or/and won’t pay for your services.
  2. Not making the effort to learn Spanish.
I see it all the time, foreign digital nomad entrepreneurs just targeting foreign clients, living in ghettos, not even bothering about learning Spanish and networking with locals. This is an extremely poor mindset that will limit your personal & professional opportunities. Choose to invest in taking Spanish lessons in Cádiz or finding Spanish courses in Tarifa. You will create more friends, sign more clients and just feel more connected to Spanish culture.
Let me offer you a powerful thought that will take your networking skills to the next level:

“Don’t discriminate and Be open to ALL relationships”. You never know when or how the next client, collab or interesting event will pop up.

When I met Sabrina at the Tarifa Spirit Festival, I offered her to host a workshop in her Yoga retreat. Then something happened that blew my mind… she loved it so much that asked me to host a retreat together (my first EVER retreat!) so my first workshop in Tarifa turned into a 3 days holistic retreat in Medina Sidonia, can you believe it?
Sabrina was super professional and reliable, we learned tons from each other and our retreat “Unlock Your Superpowers” was fully booked!
So I’m glad I didn’t judge her and spoke Spanish! That’s the magic of “open-minded networking”.

TIP Nº 3

"Sell" without "selling"

Learn the art of selling “without selling”. How? Connecting and attracting people to YOU. In Tarifa you won’t find ‘Networking events’ as such, it’s a small town, here it’s more about “socializing”.
So jump off your screen, get out and interact with people face to face. But how to find things to do and people to meet in Tarifa?
Wozin makes meeting new people ridiculously easy. If you want to know what to do in Tarifa, just open it. You can make new friends in Tarifa bars, chiringuitos, parties, workshops, etc. The best part is that you can post your own events, just make sure they are free and your post sounds friendly and NOT like an ad. I posted my free Speaking Masterclass and got around 30 people coming!
Its creator, Daniel Nargy, is a very talented digital nomad entrepreneur whose aim is connecting like-minded people in Tarifa.
Once you meet people, a key socialising tip is getting them curious about your job, but casually. There are so many ways to introduce what you do naturally. I normally say “I get to be my own boss, so my schedule is pretty flexible” or “I love my job because I get to be super creative”. Then, I sit back and observe “how it lands”. If people show interest and ask me questions about my job, I talk about my kick-ass business, if not… just show genuine interest in them and stick to just socialising.
The key for socializing is being authentic and getting people interested in YOU.
That’s a wrap ladies and gents!
If you are hungry for more tips on living in Tarifa, networking, speaking with confidence and growing your business, leave a comment and I’ll help you out!

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