Today we feature Guillermo Gaspart, CEO and co-founder of ByHours, a venture-funded hotel booking company with a difference.
Born and raised in Barcelona, Spain, CEO Guillermo is a fourth generation hotel business entrepreneur and has been in the hotel industry for all of his professional life. His great grandfather was one of the pioneer founders of the first hotel groups in Spain. Guillermo has followed in the family business; but brought amazing innovation to disrupt and revolutionise the hotel industry through ByHours the company he co founded.
In under 100 words, how would you describe the concept of ByHours?
BYHOURS is the first and only international online booking platform and App that allows you to book microstays in more than 3000 hotels for 3, 6 or 12 hours throughout Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.
With ByHours we introduced the first pay-per-use system in the hotel sector, which allows customers to choose the hotel check-in and check-out time, and pay only for the hours they need.
Really innovative business, when and why did you come up with the idea?
BYHOURS was created in 2012 with the idea of bringing flexibility to a business with rigid and stipulated rules: the hotel industry. We believe that the market should focus on adapting and tailoring services and products to client’s personal needs.
However the hotel industry was a sector that has not adapted to the changing landscape, and we felt that the hotel sector should take a step in that direction and so we set out to customize the model.
As someone who has been successful in the industry, what advice would you give to your younger self?
You will fall often but you should get up after it quick.
“If you want to go fast go alone, if you want to go far go accompanied.”
Guillermo Gaspart
What’s been your life’s biggest lesson so far?
Finding a good co-founder and finding wise money that is from investors that can guide you has been key.
We always like to ask founders to give some words of advice to help others – Tell me three advice tips every founder should know?
Choose your co-founder wisely.
Choose your investors wisely –
If you want to go fast go alone, if you want to go far go accompanied.
What three words describe your keys to success?
Strategy, Planification and Effectiveness.