David Jane: CEO of Drivemebarcelona.com

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CEO of Drive Me Group, David Jane, discusses the highs and lows of setting up a business in Barcelona.

Where did the idea for Drivemebarcelona.com come about?

I've been passionate about cars and motorsport since I was a kid. I studied Industrial Engineering  at UPC completed an MSc in Motorsport Engineering and Racing Engine Design at Oxford Brookes University. After five years of working as a Race and Design Engineer in the UK and France, I decided to come back to Barcelona to pursue my dream of creating a car-related company, which lead me to Drivemebarcelona.com, a company specialised in offering supercar rentals, experiences and events. Originally, we started Drivemebarcelona.com with Ferrari City Tours, offering to clients the chance to (re)discover Barcelona while driving a Ferrari. This idea was inspired by an Italian man from Maranello, who began offering visitors tours of the Ferrari Factory. His idea was implemented in Paris, which is where I came across the concept.

What are the positive aspects about having a business here?

Thanks to the weather in Barcelona, we can work all year long. Moreover, thanks to the wealth of available services, there is a good and constant flow of visitors over the course of the year. This allow us to throughout the year with both private clients and corporate clients. It didn't take long for our business to perform well - after 18 months of setting up, we could see that the model of our services showed a positive trend.

What do you wish you’d known when you started?

Many things! Learning from mistakes is expensive in this business. It’s always cheaper to avoid than repair any issue, such as a car!! 

How easy was it get the financing for your business?

Financing is difficult at the beginning with banks. They only lend you money when you have evidence that you can make money, and the loan is always at low or 0% risk. At the beginning you have to find partners that believe in you and your project. They not only provide money, but can also offer essential knowledge too. 

Did you have any difficulties registering your business?

In my opinion, registering the company no. is a long process.You need three to four weeks at least to make your first invoice, where as in other countries you can sometimes complete this within 24 hours. Based on my experience in this, I can say that the quality of administration and political system is key for the development of a country.

Did you get help from any particular official organisations or associations?

We contacted Barcelona Active, who helped is answer some questions regarding our business plan, and queries about political-administration.  

Are there any other useful contacts, tips or information you think would be useful to other foreign entrepreneurs in Barcelona? 

Choose a project that you can be passionate about for a long time. Persuade your vision, fine tune it with the feedback of the market, but never give up. Surround yourself with a great team. Think big - for small or big projects you always have to work hard anyway. Make sure you sit down on a “chair with four legs”, if you're missing one, it is likely to fail!