Santi Salazar has joined audit, tax and consulting firm RSM Malta as a Lead Consultant, saying that he is “thrilled” to share the “exciting announcement”.

Mr Salazar took on the appointment three months ago, this being his first employee role after 12 years of entrepreneurship.

The serial entrepreneur founded Brokers Inndutainment and hackU, with the latter recognised by Forbes as one of the most important startups in Colombia.

“After leaving hackU, I thought looking for my next challenge would be easy,” he wrote in a social media post.

“Nothing could be further from the truth. It took me [over] 400 CVs and six months.”

Describing the experience as “possibly the six months where I grew the most in my life”, Mr Salazar expressed his gratitude and admiration to his wife “for supporting me emotionally and financially that time.”

He also said he is “incredibly grateful” to RSM Malta for taking the chance and hiring him, singling out Gordon Micallef, Vladimiro Comodini and Fabianne Ruggier for their vote of confidence and “empathetic” leadership.

Mr Salazar touched on the experience of being an employee from the point of view of an entrepreneur, saying that “every entrepreneur needs to remember what being an employee means”.

“Now more than ever, I understand why some team members gave 200 per cent and others 20 per cent; some stayed two months, and others stayed for years.

“As entrepreneurs, if we want 100 per cent from a person, we must ensure 100 per cent of the conditions (financial, academic and emotional), and if we wish more than 100 per cent, we must offer a work experience that exceeds all employee's expectations.”