In Cuba, starting a business is not just an economic challenge; it has become a test of endurance against power outages, water shortages, gas scarcity, and widespread precariousness.
The young matancero Enmanuel Delgado knows this well, as at just 22 years old he managed to open a tattoo parlor with what he had “in the backyard of his house” and is now trying to take a bigger leap by building a sales website for the entire island.
But the reality, he admits, is that creating a technological project from Cuba can become an almost heroic act.
In a video published in October, Enmanuel, an entrepreneur since the age of 19, shares what it means to work under the current conditions of the country. “The web is built with ideas and knowledge, but that becomes difficult when you have questions like: Will the power go out? Is there no water? Where do I do my laundry? What do I make for food? The gas…,” he laments.
While other young people talk about goals, investing, or expanding, he speaks about surviving the day so he can sit down and code.
His reflection is as harsh as it is everyday. "When you start asking yourself these questions, you realize that creating a sales website for all of Cuba is nonsense," he points out. He doesn't say this to complain, he clarifies, but to highlight the kinds of obstacles any entrepreneur faces in the country.
Because the struggle goes beyond the technical to become domestic. It’s cooking without gas, washing without water, working without electricity. It’s reorganizing an entire routine to be able to produce something as basic as a video or to write a few lines of code.
Organize to survive... and work
"The first step of intelligence is organization," he says as he demonstrates how he has arranged his small workspace and designed a routine that allows him to progress despite the power outages.
During the day, while he tattoos in the salon, his partner takes advantage of the generator to get ahead on tasks. At night, when the power returns, they use a small setup to record content. There’s no improvisation; it’s just adaptation.
But even so, limitations impose themselves. The washing machine doesn’t work with the converter, and when the electricity finally arrives, it usually coincides with the busiest hours. “This has become a major problem, but we are going to solve it,” he assures, without playing the victim, even though the situation forces him to sacrifice basic habits.
The young man acknowledges that eating has also become a race against time. Between work, power outages, and a lack of time, his diet has deteriorated. “One day we eat poorly and another day we eat well, but I suppose this is just temporary,” he says with resignation.
Like many Cubans, he has had to choose between cooking and advancing his project. And in a country where inflation, the lack of gas, and the instability of the electricity supply hit daily, entrepreneurship comes at the cost of personal sacrifices.
Cuba, a country where innovation depends on the current
Despite everything, their venture continues to grow. The group of suppliers interested in selling on their future website increases each day, and this, they say, proves that the idea works. "If we have to sacrifice everything to achieve this goal, we will do it."
The story of Enmanuel resonates with thousands of young Cubans who are trying to build a future in a country where success depends not only on talent or effort, but also on basic factors such as whether there is electricity, if "some water comes through the pipe," or if there is gas to cook.
And perhaps that's why his message resonates, because behind every endeavor lies a silent battle that is rarely told. A daily struggle against a country that does not provide the minimum conditions to thrive, yet many, like him, continue trying to "break through," even when everything around them seems to say otherwise.
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