Congratulations to Catalina and Maria Margarita Diazgranados, KCP Class of 2010, on being highlighted by Forbes Colombia for the creation of their company Maqui Active. The brand exports to México, Perú, Dominican Republic and is currently preparing to export to the US. We had the chance to talk to the sisters about their venture and what tools they feel KCP gave them to stand out in their field. #OnceATigerAlwaysATiger #KCPEvolution
How has your KCP experience impacted your life and the choices you have made in your career?
We loved our KCP experience, it was absolutely unique and enriching. KCP taught us that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. As KCP tigers we learned that academics are crucial but friendships, sports, public speaking, teamwork, and social skills make us who we are and shape us for what is to come. KCP gave us exactly that: the opportunity to try a variety of activities and test our boundaries.
What tools do you feel KCP gave you that helped you throughout your career?
Teamwork, communication skills, perseverance. At KCP we had to work most of the time in groups or teams in all our classes, so we learned to work with more people other than ourselves. Without knowing it, we learned how to communicate, inspire and bring the best out of people. Today we not only know how to work as business partners at MAQUI, but we also learned to find the best in each person we hire and work towards making them shine the best way they can. This has helped us create a very strong team. Without them, none of what we have achieved at MAQUI would have been possible.
What advice would you give to KCP students who would like to follow a similar career path as yours and become entrepreneurs?
Entrepreneurship does not work like many other jobs. There is no straight line to follow, no instructions, and no manuals. You have to trust your gut and believe you can. This is how MAQUI ACTIVE was born. You must convince yourself first, because if you don’t, how can you convince anybody else?
What are some of the best memories from your time at KCP?
Halloween festivals, STUCO, Love and Friendship carnations/serenades, Binationals, recess at the cokestand, talent shows, junior year, senior year costumes, theater shows at the auditorium, carnivals at school, science fairs. All of these extracurricular activities made us bond with our classmates, teachers, and the entire KCP family to the point that we felt the closeness of speaking with our principals/teachers and being involved in the decision-making process of certain things as students. KCP gave us a voice and taught us that we have a family outside our house.
What makes you proud to be a member of the KCP family?
We love our school; we love how it supports all types of talents and how we were encouraged to use both hemispheres of our brains. We do this today at MAQUI, using both sides and making our co-workers do the same. At KCP you can be a musician, a math wiz, a world history enthusiast, or a philosophy genius and you will always be treated, supported, and inspired in the same way.
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