Name: Carlos Crespo
Company: Motoza
Role: Managing Partner
 

1. What brought you to Austin and how long have you been here?
   I’ve been in Austin a little over 20 years, after I came here with my parents from overseas. Austin was the first place in the US I visited outside of Disney World Orlando, and has been the only US city I’ve lived in.
2. How did you get connected to AYC?
   I got involved in AYC a few years ago after looking for networking groups that would help me connect better to the local community. After going to a few events, I liked the social-aspect of the organization and decided to stick around.
3. What are you involved with in AYC AND what is your favorite part of AYC?
   I used to be involved in the Imagine Committee back when it was much younger, helping plan the fun and unique events around town like theatre visits and art studio crawls. These days I’m not as involved in the committees though I’m meaning to make time and I’m always encouraging others to get involved. I definitely spend time telling young professionals to check out the group, including introducing many in my team to memberships. The best part of AYC is the people – while other chambers can come off a bit impersonal and cold, AYC has a social aspect that can’t be beat. I’ve made friends and colleagues throughout the years I wouldn’t have made otherwise.
4. Where can we find you brunching in Austin on any given Saturday?
   This is a tough question! My favorite brunch place, Vox Table, shut down a while ago so I’ve been looking a new place to love. Jack Allen’s is always a solid spot, though Bangers is also pretty legit.
5. If you could have any superpower, what would it be and what would you use it for?
   Teleportation. I love Austin, but travel is my passion. If I could zip myself over to Tokyo for some ramen then pop into Paris for a coffee and finish it off with a Scotch in Edinburgh, I’d be pretty happy. Time zone differences aside, I could make that work! It would also allow me to be in places and be involved more often. Austin traffic sucks.
6. If you could have any celebrity live next door to you, who would it be?
   Another tough question. I think Robert Downey Jr. would be a cool guy to have as a neighbor, seems fun, and genuinely respected by his peers. Though I think someone like George and Amal Clooney would be amazing – not only are they the definition of cool but they’d also attract more celebrities and humanitarian leaders to their swanky parties that I’d try to get invited to.
7. If you had guests visiting Austin for the weekend, where is the first place you would take them to show them a good time?
   Obviously an AYC event 🙂 . I’d probably take them to Rainey St, since I’ve been told many times it feels unique to Austin compared to other cities. Though of course there would be the typical spots – the Capital, South Congress, Enchanted Rock, etc.
8. If you played hooky for a day, where would we find you and what would you be doing?
   I had to look up what playing Hooky means! Probably spending the day at the market buying ingredients to cook something that’ll take me too long to make. In my role, ‘playing hooky’ is tough though, I always have work on my mind!
9. When people ask you what you do for a living, what do you tell them?
   I ‘run’ a digital marketing agency – but more precisely run the sales strategy and business development for the firm while letting my awesome team keep the rest running smoothly. I’m constantly looking to grow the agency to the next level.
10. What technology could you not live without?
    My phone. When I’m traveling, or out networking, or even at home, it’s my connection to the pulse of the company. All our work is online so I’m constantly connected via email, project management software, or slack in case I’m needed for something.
11. Who inspires you?
    I’d say it’s anyone who’s created something from scratch that they believed in and has a quality service or change supporting it. Whether it’s a community leader or a young entrepreneur that created a high quality product or service – that’s not an easy thing to do. Plenty of money-generating businesses pop-up, but the ones that impress me the most are those that have integrity behind their work. That balance of profit vs passion and scaling it is tough sometimes.
12. What is your proudest accomplishment?
    Without a doubt, Motoza. My Business Partner Andrew and I started the firm over 8 years ago with little to no experience in business ownership. No funding, no business plan, and zero experience in sales. We’ve had our rough times, but to see it slowly grow and stabilize with a great team that believes in our culture is the best thing I’ve accomplished.
13. If you couldn’t live in Austin, where would you want to live?
    NYC for the diversity, but likely would move back to Spain – city to be determined.
14. I want to learn how to…?
    Fly! There’s a whole different perspective and world up there above the clouds. Almost peaceful. One day I’ll get that license 🙂
15. Pick:
    Soup or Salad? Salad
    Indoors or Outdoors?  Outdoors
    Winter or Summer? Winter
    Tea or Coffee? Coffee
    Mountains or Beach? Beach
    
16. Favorite Drink?
    Bold, oaky red wine