'Don’t underestimate yourself': Sebastian Urrego Inspires EBA Students in Guest Lecture

08.05.2025

Urrego Shares Insights into Strategic Marketing, Design Thinking and Entrepreneurship

Students from the Entrepreneurial Business Administration (EBA) programme at Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences' Amsterdam study location enjoyed an engaging guest lecture on 10 April, given by international marketing and entrepreneurship expert Sebastian Urrego.

The talk, titled Design Thinking and Service Innovation Design as Strategic Marketing, offered students practical insights into how innovation, creativity and customer-centred thinking come together in real-world business strategy.

Urrego introduced key concepts such as design thinking, service innovation and the lean startup method – highlighting how these tools help businesses remain adaptable and customer-focused.

“Design thinking is not just about being creative, it’s a structured approach to solving problems with the customer at the centre,” he explained during the lecture.

He walked students through how companies can map the customer journey, test assumptions quickly and learn through experimentation – especially when resources are limited.

In a follow-up interview, Urrego, originally from Colombia, shared more about his own career path and offered personal advice to aspiring entrepreneurs.

“I originally studied law and international relations,” he said. “But then I started to articulate law with leadership in marketing.”

His work since then has spanned green energy, mobility and real estate across Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa, offering him a unique, global perspective on how businesses grow and adapt.

A key theme from both the lecture and interview was the importance of mindset over resources.

“I think the main mistake that a student can make is to underestimate themselves because of the resources,” he said. “Just work with whatever you have. Use an innovation cycle to map out what you can. Work backwards – what do you see as the final outcome?”

Urrego encouraged students to adopt a lean, iterative approach to launching ideas, recommending short timelines, consistent feedback and a clear focus on the customer.

“Implement it in a two month, three month timeline of experimentation,” he said. “Be very cautious in observing and getting good feedback from your customers because they are the reason why you exist. They are your market.”

“Even if you don’t have the technology, you are still able to innovate. Don’t put any hurdles – just experiment as much as you can in a quick manner. Keep it fun. Keep it exciting. And just make it super customer obsessed.”

He also spoke about staying alert to changes in the market while resisting the urge to chase every trend.

“Look at the trends – at what's happening that represents a threat to your business, but also at the opportunities. Be critical as much as you can. Don’t jump on the hype of the technologies that we have necessarily. They are very good, but you should always bear in mind that you are the controller of it. Don’t let it control you.”

In closing, Urrego reminded students that true innovation isn’t about flashy ideas or big budgets, it’s about being strategic, adaptable and forward thinking.

“It changes so quickly nowadays that what was relevant one year ago is not as much anymore. So, you should ask yourself, is this innovative enough? And is it sustainable in the medium term?”