Rosario Monteverde & Magdalena Rodríguez

In March 2007, systems engineer Rosario Monteverde and graphic designer Magdalena Rodríguez set out to create a web agency with a social conscience. Their company, PRO Internacional, trains people with an elementary knowledge of web design to develop customized, cost‑effective sites for clients including the World Trade Center and Ceibal, a one‑laptop‑per‑child program.

Why did you decide to start PRO Internacional?

Magdalena: I am a graphic designer. While working at an agency here in Uruguay, I uncovered my passions: web design and multimedia. I decided to start my own web design company.

Rosario: I believe the best way to overcome poverty is for the private sector to provide job opportunities for everyone, no matter what their education or skill level. In Uruguay, people often think that a university degree is the only path to success. But in my experience, you learn more on the job than in the classroom. That’s why I was interested in starting my own business.

You have employees with less than a year of web design experience creating sites for high-profile clients in Uruguay, including museums and government agencies. Can you tell us how that works?

Magdalena: We use templates and open-source code, which allows people with basic web design skills to do the bulk of the work. Our professional designers maintain overall quality. This model enables us to provide affordable and reliable websites with high-quality design while reducing our costs and development time.

Rosario: We’ve spent time developing our recruiting method. We work with a psychologist to interview people. This has been very successful. For example, we have three employees who didn’t finish high school, but they’re talented and motivated. One has a high level of English, which is important to us. We are encouraging him to finish his last high school credits. Another told us he didn’t believe it was possible to be happy at work until he started at PRO Internacional!

Two years on, what achievements are you most proud of?

Rosario: Being selected to be part of Ingenio in 2007 was a huge accomplishment. Ingenio is a business incubator sponsored by several international organizations, including the World Bank’s InfoDev program. It gave us access to a lot of business services. We even received a visit from the US Secretary of the Treasury and Secretary of Labor.
Then, in June 2008, we received funding from Fondo Emprender, a venture capital firm supported by the Inter-American Development Bank and private investors. Thanks to this financing, the company really took off.

Magdalena: It’s a great achievement to have been selected as finalists for the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards. We’re looking forward to meeting the other women entrepreneurs, working with the coaches and expanding our network of contacts. It’s an amazing opportunity for us.

When you founded PRO Internacional, Magdalena, you were 25, and Rosario, you were 24. What advice do you have for other young female entrepreneurs?

• Believe in your idea and yourself. You can achieve anything, regardless of your age, gender or skin color. Look at J.K. Rowling. She was a single parent, raising her daughter alone, so poor she was writing in cafés. She is a positive role model for women.
• Work hard. To be respected as a woman, you have to work extra hard.
• Understand your customers and what they need. Madonna is a great source of inspiration for us. She knows her fans well and delivers what they want. She’s been in the business for years and always manages to stay on top.
• Be grateful. You need to think of the people who show faith in you along the way, whether funders or employees. • Recognize your limits. Don’t be afraid to seek help when you need it. We’ve really benefited from the coaching we’ve received.

How do you see the future?

Magdalena: Today we’re a small company of 10 people, but we’ve done what we set out to do. The next step is expansion. We want to be a global business with happy employees and investors around the world.