From Freelancer to Founder: How Valentina Is Redefining Entrepreneurship in Spain and Estonia
This is the story of Valentina Acosta Cambas, a Spanish-based entrepreneur with Argentinian roots who is taking not only her business, but also her vision of entrepreneurship in Spain and Estonia, beyond borders.
Valentina is self-employed in Spain, juggling clients, deadlines, and endless bureaucracy. But like many entrepreneurs with global ambitions, she has come to the eye-opening realization that independence should mean freedom, not frustration.
Today, as she works with StepUp Ventures, a global consulting firm helping startups build scalable systems and operations, Valentina is redefining what it means to be an entrepreneur in Spain and Estonia, proving that success in the digital age is built on clarity, purpose, and adaptability.
Finding Purpose in Entrepreneurship in Spain and Estonia
Valentina’s career is anything but ordinary. A Legal Translator by profession, she spent years freelancing before making not one, but two bold career changes in less than a decade. Her professional path took her from translating at international organizations to working in real estate to diving into tech startups, always guided by a deep curiosity and a ruthless drive to grow.
“I’ve always had side hustles. I’ve been running operations at our company for a year now, managing internal and clients’ projects, and I’ve recently got certified as a Project Manager by the Project Management Institute.”
That mix of structure and creativity is what defines her. Together with her business partner in California, Valentina now helps startup founders turn ideas into systems that work. Through StepUp Ventures, she supports entrepreneurs in transforming chaos into clarity — optimizing operations, streamlining decisions, and executing faster.
That mix of structure and creativity is what defines her. Together with her business partner in California, Valentina now helps startup founders turn ideas into systems that work. Through StepUp Ventures, she supports entrepreneurs in transforming chaos into clarity, optimizing operations, streamlining decisions, and executing faster.
But her real motivation runs deeper: “Our WHY is simple: we want to see entrepreneurs find problems worth solving, and develop extraordinary solutions that customers didn’t even know they needed. We want to be the advisors we didn’t have as first-time founders.”
The Emotional Side of Entrepreneurship: Challenges, Motivation, and Growth
Like every entrepreneur, Valentina knows that growth doesn’t come without doubts.
“Motivation is a big challenge. There are days when you feel it won’t work, no matter what you do. But you have to keep going, because especially at the beginning, every day counts. If you have a strong WHY, if you have an emotional tie to your project, you’ll do everything in your power to make it happen and succeed.”
Her philosophy is refreshingly honest: entrepreneurship is not only about success or hustle; it’s about resilience, self-belief, and showing up even when things get tough. “It’s what you do when no one is looking that matters the most.”
Building a Remote Business Across Borders: Entrepreneurship Without Limits
For Valentina, working remotely isn’t just a perk: it’s a lifestyle. Her business operates across continents, with herself in Spain and her co-founder in California — nine time zones apart.
“For me, working remotely is a no-brainer. Even though the time difference means that we both sometimes have to work a bit after hours, we know that starting a company from scratch is priceless, and we even work better asynchronously. Working remotely means I can visit my family in Argentina without taking time off, and I don’t have to worry about taxation in different countries.”
That flexibility is exactly why Estonia’s e-Residency program became part of her long-term strategy. Her partner introduced her to the concept, and she quickly realized how well it could support her next step: “Estonia offers a system where everything can be done from anywhere and easily. It’s perfect for entrepreneurs like me who work across borders.”
Through her Estonian company, Valentina plans to create a European base for her global ventures, one that reflects her values of efficiency, independence, and simplicity.
From Freelancer to Entrepreneur: Simplifying Operations With Companio
When Valentina decided to streamline her own operations, she started looking for a service that could help her manage both her Spanish and Estonian setup. That’s when she found Companio, a trusted partner for digital entrepreneurship in Spain and Estonia.
“I discovered Companio through their webinars on YouTube. They were super helpful in explaining how the e-Residency works and how to handle taxes as a freelancer and company owner.”
After a bad experience with a previous tax advisor, she was relieved to find a team that could handle her complex case smoothly: “My onboarding with Companio was seamless, and their team handled my irritatingly complex situation very professionally. The dashboard they’ve built makes the whole process effortless: I can upload expenses, issue invoices, and connect my bank accounts all in one place. It’s intuitive and efficient, and eliminates the silly and unnecessary back and forth of emails and attachments.”
When asked to rate the experience, she laughs: “On a scale from 1 to 10? Definitely a 15.”
The Future of StepUp Ventures and the Next Chapter in Entrepreneurship
Looking ahead, Valentina is focused on expanding StepUp Ventures’ reach in Europe while continuing to collaborate with her California-based co-founder.
“Our clients come to us because they want clarity and speed. We’re building the bridge between structured processes and adaptability, helping startups grow faster without losing focus.”
But as every entrepreneur knows, the future is never static, and that’s exactly what excites her: “Working with my partner means there’s always a new idea brewing. “Sometimes I don’t even know what our next adventure will be, but I’m always ready to make sure that every crazy idea he comes up with actually runs smoothly.”
Her story is not just about moving from Spain to Estonia, or from freelancer to founder. It’s about challenging the traditional definition of entrepreneurship, one that often ties success to paperwork, location, or burnout.
Instead, Valentina is proving that the future of entrepreneurship in Spain and Estonia belongs to those who build with purpose and determination.
A Message to Entrepreneurs Around the World
When asked what advice she would give to other entrepreneurs, Valentina doesn’t hesitate:
“Start with WHY. Everything else follows. When you’re emotionally connected to your project, when you have a reason to wake up and get to work every single day, you’ll find a way — even on the hard days, even when it feels like giving up might be a better option, even when it feels you have tried absolutely everything, there is always one more thing you can try, because you do and because by that point you have nothing left to lose, but there so much you can learn. And from there, you can only go upwards. It’s not about having all the answers, it’s about believing in yourself and believing that you’ll figure them out.”
Her journey from freelancing in Spain to building StepUp Ventures across continents is a reminder that entrepreneurship in Spain and Estonia isn’t just about business: it’s about creating meaning, freedom, and lasting impact.
To connect with Valentina and learn more about her projects:
🔗 LinkedIn
📩 [email protected]
