Failure stories of Zague, Héctor Troncoso and Francisco Navarro at the Conference Center in Aguascalientes.Inspiration, vulnerability and learning.
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we celebrated a double milestone in Aguascalientes: the opening of the new Conference Center at Meridiam Park and the revival of the local chapter of Fuckup Nights led by Luis Cabrera Director of Expansion at Inadaptados.
We hosted an event that broke with traditional speeches and instead shared real stories of failure and growth. Three powerful speakers took the stage to share the moments that transformed their careers: Héctor Troncoso, founder of FITSI; Luis Roberto Alves Zague, icon of Mexican football; and Francisco Navarro, investor at the DTL fund.
Each story told on stage offered a clear example of how failure can spark growth. From business and sports failures to personal lows, our speakers showed that every setback can be the beginning of something greater.
Héctor Troncoso began his story at age 17, when he dropped out of school to support his family after they lost almost everything in the stock market. His first business attempt was a club in the Bosque de Tarango in Mexico City. Shortly after, he moved to Tijuana to invest in real estate, but the project failed. During that time, he crossed daily into San Diego to train at a gym that deeply inspired him.
Back in México, broke but determined, he decided to replicate that concept and launched Sports World. He secured investment—including from Zague—but they ran out of funds before opening. Despite this, they continued expanding until, during a funding round, they gave up more than 50% of the company and lost control. Overwhelmed by debt, and following the first IPO of its kind in the region, the bank took over the company.
Amid this crisis, Héctor was diagnosed with prostate cancer. After overcoming it, he launched FITSI, aiming for a $100 million valuation in under four years. Today, with 18 locations and a $70 million valuation, his story is one of resilience.
"The faster you fail, the better you're going to" he said.
He also shared:
“Ego is a gigantic monster that's hard to control. But once you do, you start surrounding yourself with people better than you—because you accept you can learn from those right beside you. That’s when you become the kind of entrepreneur and leader who grows thanks to their team.”
Luis Roberto Alves Zague, former Club América player and media figure, surprised the audience by skipping the trophies and talking about one of the most painful moments of his career: missing a critical goal during a World Cup match against Norway in 1994.
What seemed like just another missed shot to many, became a turning point for him.
“More than ten years after retiring, people still bring it up on the street,” he shared.
He also recalled a match against Canada at the Azteca Stadium where he missed another clear chance in the 10th minute—prompting 120,000 people to boo him.
“Footballers are constantly exposed to criticism; we go from hero to villain in seconds,” he reflected.
Despite being Club América’s all-time top scorer, Zague is often remembered for missing what many considered an “impossible-to-miss” goal. His story was a powerful reminder that in the right environment, sharing failures can lead to healing and deep learning.
This event didn’t just mark the opening of the Conference Center—it also sparked a new way of thinking about success, grounded in honesty and vulnerability.
The insights shared showed how failure can be a starting point instead of an end:
“Failures are the beginning of great success. Sports World is a success built on failures,” said Héctor Troncoso.
If you're looking for a fresh, powerful, and deeply human way to create connection, reflection, and inspiration within your team or conference—this is the perfect place to start.
Edited by
Karla Ferreira
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Let's transform our perception of failure and use it as a catalyst for growth.
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